Fox Glacier Helicopter: 20-Min Flight & Snow Landing

Land on Fox Glacier's snow and photograph the crevasses from above

You fly from Fox Glacier town heliport to the glacier's icefall, land on the snowfield for twenty minutes, and photograph the crevasses and pinnacles from ground level. Pre-flight safety briefing is included, and you're back on the ground inside an hour total. No experience needed. This is the entry-level glacier flight, which is exactly what makes it work for most people.

Step-by-step itinerary

Fox Glacier snow landing experience

• Depart from Fox Glacier town heliport
• Fly to top of Fox Glacier icefall
• Land on snow for photos
• View pinnacles and seracs of glacier

The experience

So you're standing at the Fox Glacier heliport and the pilot's already doing the safety rundown (harnesses, headsets, the usual), and then you're up. The helicopter lifts off and the whole glacier spreads out below you, and it's not like the photos because the scale hits different when you're actually there. Crevasses open up like they're drawn in, pinnacles and seracs jutting up sharp enough that you understand why people come back and talk about this flight for years.

The landing itself is the whole point. Twenty minutes in the air, then down onto the snowfield at the top of the Fox Glacier icefall, and suddenly you're standing on ice that's thousands of years old. The light does something strange up there. The white goes almost blue in the shadows, and the cracks in the glacier run in directions that don't make sense until your guide points out how the ice moves, how it fractures under its own weight. You get time to walk around, take photos that actually look like what you're seeing, and the silence is the kind that makes you realize how much noise you carry around normally.

The whole thing (flight, landing, photos, back down) sits inside that twenty-minute window, so it's tight but not rushed. You're not spending hours on the glacier. You're getting the core of it. The heliport is right in Fox Glacier town, so no long drive to a remote airfield, and the briefing before you go covers everything you need to know about safety and what to expect. Kids can come if they're with an adult, and the helicopter's set up so you're not fighting to see. The views are the whole reason you're there.

What’s included

• Helicopter flight from Fox Glacier town heliport to the glacier icefall, landing on the snowfield, and pre-flight safety briefing.
• You bring your own camera and warm layers.
• The wind at altitude is real, and the snow reflects light hard enough to need sunscreen.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day16 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:30

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (4 to 14 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 6

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteNZ$ 20

Prices and times updated 29 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by HeliServices.NZ Fox & Franz

Is this one for you?Right for travelers staying in the Fox Glacier area who want to see the glacier from above and stand on it without a full-day trek. Twenty minutes in the air means you fit it around other plans, and the snow landing is what separates this from a scenic flight. You're not just looking, you're landing.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 14 years); Infant (under 4): free.

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.

How long is the actual flight time?

Twenty minutes in the air, plus landing time on the snowfield. Total experience is roughly an hour from heliport to return.

Do I need to be fit to do this?

It's suitable for all fitness levels. The flight itself requires no physical exertion. People with poor cardiovascular health should check with their doctor first.

What's included?

The helicopter flight, snow landing, and pre-flight safety briefing. Bring a camera. The light on the glacier is the whole point.

Where do I depart from?

Fox Glacier town heliport. Make sure you book from the correct location if there are other options nearby.