Frans Josef and Fox Glaciers and Lake Matheson New Zealand

The Franz Josef (Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere in Māori) is a 12 km long glacier located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Together with the Fox Glacier 20 km to the south, it is unique in descending from the Southern Alps to less than 300 metres above sea level, amidst the greenery and lushness of a temperate rainforest.
The area surrounding the two glaciers is part of Te Wahipounamu, a World Heritage Site park. The river emerging from the glacier terminal of Franz Josef is known as the Waiho River.
Fed by four alpine glaciers, Fox Glacier falls 2,600m on its 13km journey from the Southern Alps down to the coast, with it having the distinction of being one of the few glaciers to end among lush rainforest only 300 metres above sea level. Although retreating throughout most of the last 100 years, it has been advancing since 1985.
First a view on the Frans Josef Glacier then a walk to and on the Fox Glacier. Others took a heli and landed on the glacier more up.
Lake Matheson, near the Fox Glacier in South Westland, New Zealand, is famous for its reflected views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman and its nature, but at our visit ther were som clouds.

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Travel & Events

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• Frans_Josef_Glacier
• Fox_Glacier
• Lake_Matheson
• New_Zealand