Fox Glacier Guiding - Glacier Tours & Adventures — Local services in South Island

We did the Heli Hike trip yesterday and I cannot recommend it highly enough. From first arriving at the office we were greeting with kindness and professionalism. Through to briefing and getting our gear everything was efficient and professional. It came down to the last minute as to whether we would be able to fly up to the glacier due to cloud but they lifted and off we went. Our guide for the hike was Campbell and he was not only knowledgeable, professional and obviously so passionate about his job he was hilarious. We hiked up and down the glacier, through ice caves always stopping for plenty of photos. The clouds came back in so we were told that our time on the glacier would be extended until a helicopter could come up safely. We were kept warm, well informed and safe during this time. The clouds lifted allowing for three helicopter loads to leave the glacier but again it became too unsafe to fly. There was now just three of us tourists up there with seven guides. They took us for some more exploring on the glacier, broke open the supplies box and filled us full of cookies and chocolate. The gorgeous guides remained so professional throughout this time, constantly on their radios and giving us updates. They were constantly checking on us, asking if we were warm enough, if we needed food etc. it started to cool down so they put a big tent up and made hot drinks and more chocolate. They had a speaker with music and we all stayed warm and had a great laugh together. We were well informed as to what was happening and the cutoff of helicopter flights of an evening. We couldn’t do anything but wait but we were now waiting as a group of mates. We were told that the weather was clearing and we got ready to go as soon as a helicopter landed. As soon as the helicopter landed we were ushered very quickly to the helicopter, always safe and informed to the last second. Our three hour heli hike turned into a 10.5 hour adventure of a lifetime that we will never forget. I wholeheartedly thank Campbell, Rob, Rob, Fiona, Keeley, Heita and the brilliant Canadian guide that unfortunately I forgot her name and I feel horrible. You guys were absolutely brilliant and we can never thank you enough for your kindness, professionalism and sense of fun....

My parents and I had a wonderful day at Fox Glaciers with Fox Glacier Guiding! Got recommended by a friend and it didn’t disappoint at all! It’s a manageable and unforgettable few hours at the glaciers with friendly guides.

We started with some briefings on gears, equipment and safety which was very clearly. Do check up on the instructions they sent through email before going! And don’t worry, they provide sufficient gear for you for the hike! They provide boots and socks for everyone and you can ask for other gears such as jackets, hats and gloves. And a small bag to carry some essentials!

The short helicopter ride was thrilling! You get to the u-shaped valleys and the front of the glacier.

We were then greeted by the guides who not only ensure our safety, but also were so friendly and helpful in putting our crampons on. Honestly, some parts were quite slippery but we were actually walking on tracks that was managed by the team of staff members before we arrived. So, just be confident and trust the boots, crampons and the walking stick they provide to you.

Jack was our guide for the trip and he always engaged the group with his very informative explanations of the glaciers and his humour kept us all going through the trip. I’m so grateful he’s willing to answer my questions patiently with loads of details of the climate and the geology of the region. (Not kidding it really filled my nerdy heart with joy!)

3 hours flew by quickly, and we mainly stayed at the lower part of the glacier looking at the unique features along and around the glaciers, cravesse, Victoria waterfall, and small gaps of hiking trails.

Awesome dinner recommendation from the staff members as well!

Thank you Fox Glacier Guiding it’s truly been a beautiful experience! Core memories unlocked for all three of us...

This is one of the best experience throughout our NZ South Island trip. The weather for the day that we signed up was cloudy and we were unable to fly, and decided to extend our stay at Fox and rearrange our schedule so that we could get the best experience in the best weather. It was definitely worth it.

We were giving safety briefing, waterproof jackets, thick socks, boots, and a backpack for our own belongings. It’s best to carry light so my friends and I only brought along our winter jacket (which we didn’t use as we it was getting warmer as we hike), sunglasses (useful as the sunlight reflects on the glacier), gloves and hair tie. Also, the helicopter seat arrangement depends on your + your belonging’s weight, so you might get to sit at the front seat with the pilot if you are the lightest in the group. As we came in group of 3, I sat behind my 2 friends that got the front seat. Still happy I got to be in their heli selfie pic.

Our guide for that day was Cam. He was passionate with his job, and you could ask him anything, anything at all including his personal life 🤣 he said. Hence, it was fun and one of the participants asked if the glacier could be eaten and he knocked off some and gave to us to have a bite. We could tell he really loves his job, and we wished the glacier hike experience was longer so we could get to know more about the glacier.

All in all, this is a weather dependent activity and we had the best experience with the sunny day, earliest hiking slot, our glacier-passionate and...