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West Coast Glaciers
On the West Coast, remnants of the ice age cascade from the vast snowfields of the Southern Alps to valley floors just 250m above sea level. Nowhere in the world's temperate zones are glaciers so accessible. Several companies offer guided excursions to explore the spectacular ice formations.
The villages of Franz Josef and Fox Glacier are good bases for glacier explorations. Several walks will take you through rainforest to excellent vantage points for viewing the glaciers. For a memorable experience take a hike on to the middle of the glacier, before putting on crampons and carrying an ice pick to investigate the ice caves.
You can also explore the glaciers with a scenic plane or helicopter ride, and view Mount Cook and the Southern Alps, some flights even make an ice landing.
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