Earnslaw Burn Glacier Helicopter Tour: Exclusive Landing

Land at a glacier only one company can reach

This helicopter tour from Queenstown lands at Earnslaw Burn, a hanging glacier accessible only to Heliworks, giving you twenty minutes on the valley floor beneath towering ice and cascading waterfalls. You fly over Skippers Canyon's schist cliffs and historic gold mining traces before touching down, then return by air to Queenstown with a pilot providing live commentary throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Helicopter tour to Earnslaw Burn Glacier

• Check in and safety briefing
• Fly over Skippers Canyon
• Land at Earnslaw Burn glacier
• Explore glacier and waterfalls
• Fly back to Queenstown

The experience

The tour starts at the Heliworks hangar in Queenstown, where you check in, meet your pilot and receive a safety briefing before boarding. Once airborne, the helicopter climbs over Skippers Canyon's dramatic landscape (rugged schist slopes and the remnants of old gold mining sites visible below), then descends to the valley floor at the base of the hanging glacier. This landing spot belongs to Heliworks alone. No other operator has permission to touch down here.

On the ground for twenty minutes, you stand at the glacier's base and look up at the ice towering above you, framed by waterfalls that flow heavily in summer or glisten under fresh snow in winter. The close-up views show the surreal blue hues of the glacier ice in detail you cannot get from the air. The flight back to Queenstown carries more alpine views before you land, and the pilot's live commentary throughout ties the landscape together.

Summer and winter change what you see: flowing waterfalls cascade down the rock face when the season brings melt, while winter snow caps the glacier in white and silences the falls. Either way, the twenty minutes on the ground let you feel the scale of the place (the height of the ice, the roar of water, the cold air off the glacier) rather than just seeing it pass below.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off (optional).
• live pilot commentary in English.
• exclusive landing at Earnslaw Burn glacier.
• twenty minutes on the ground at the base of the hanging glacier.
• aerial views of Skippers Canyon and historic gold mining sites.
• close-up views of blue ice and seasonal waterfalls.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:30 and 14:30

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 45 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleInfant seats availablePets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Heliworks Queenstown Helicopter Flights

Is this one for you?Book this if you're staying in Queenstown without a car: hotel pickup gets you to the hangar, saving you the need to arrange separate transport before your flight.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Earnslaw Burn and why can only Heliworks land there?

Earnslaw Burn is a hanging glacier in a remote valley accessible only by helicopter, and Heliworks holds exclusive landing rights at this site. The twenty-minute ground stop lets you stand at the glacier's base and see the towering ice, blue hues and cascading waterfalls up close, something no other operator offers.

What do I see flying over Skippers Canyon?

Skippers Canyon's rugged schist cliffs and the traces of historic gold mining sites are visible from the air as you fly toward Earnslaw Burn. The pilot points out these landmarks during the flight, so you understand the landscape's history and geology as you pass over it.

How does the glacier look different in summer versus winter?

In summer, waterfalls cascade down the rock face as melt flows from the glacier, creating a dynamic water display. In winter, fresh snow caps the glacier in white and the falls quiet down, but the ice takes on a different kind of beauty under the snow cover.

Does the tour include hotel pickup from my accommodation?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are optional add-ons you can choose at checkout. If you arrange your own transport to the Queenstown hangar, the tour departs from there and returns you to the same location after the flight.

How long is the helicopter flight and ground time combined?

The entire tour runs about an hour from start to finish. You spend roughly twenty minutes on the ground at Earnslaw Burn, with the rest of the time in the air flying to and from the glacier and over Skippers Canyon.