Westland Tai Poutini National Park

Introducing Westland Tai Poutini National Park

Literally the biggest highlights of the Westland Tai Poutini National Park are the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. Nowhere else at this latitude do glaciers come so close to the ocean.

The glaciers’ staggering development is largely due to the West Coast’s endless rain. Snow falling in the glaciers’ broad accumulation zones fuses into clear ice at 20m depth then surges down valleys. The glaciers are particularly steep, so the ice travels a long way before it finally melts.

The rate of descent is mind-blowing: wreckage of a plane that crashed into Franz Josef in 1943, 3.5km from the terminal face, made it down to the bottom 6½ years later – a speed of 1.5m per day. Big Franz usually advances about 1m per day, but sometimes ramps it up to 5m per day, over 10 times faster than the Swiss Alps’ glaciers.

Some say Franz Josef is the superior ice experience, and while it’s visually more impressive, the walk to Fox is shorter, more interesting and gets you closer to the ice (80m versus 200m).

Beyond the glaciers, the park’s lower reaches harbour deserted Tasman Sea beaches, rising up through colour-splashed podocarp forests to NZ’s highest peaks. Virtually unique in the world, diverse ecosystems huddle next to each other in interdependent ecological sequence. Seals frolic in the surf as deer sneak through the forests. The resident endangered bird species include kowhiowhio (blue duck), kaka, kakariki (a parrot) and rowi (Okarito brown kiwi), as well as kea, the South Island’s native parrot. Kea are inquisitive and endearing, but feeding them threatens their health.

Heavy tourist traffic often swamps the twin towns of Franz Josef and Fox Glacier, 23km apart and both picture-postcard tourist villages providing accommodation and facilities at higher-than-average prices. Franz is the more action-packed of the two, but Fox has a more subdued alpine charm. From December to February, visitor numbers can get a little crazy in both, so consider travelling in the off season (May to September) for cheaper accommodation.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009