New Zealand is home to thousands of glaciers, many larger than a hectare. Most of New Zealand’s largest glaciers are in the Southern Alps, which have the highest mountains and heaviest precipitation (rain, snow, sleet or hail). Glaciers in the Aoraki/Mt Cook area include the 29-kilometre-long Tasman, the Murchison (18 kilometres), the Mueller, Hooker and Godley east of the main divide, and the Fox (13 kilometres) and Franz Josef (12 kilometres) west of the divide.
One of the most famous and often visited Glaciers is the Beautiful Franz Joseph Glacier. This is also one of the fastest moving glaciers in the world moving up to 600 metres in a year.
These popular glacier sites contain some of the most beautiful landscape scenery New Zealand has to offer and should be a must-visit on every visitors list. Go hiking along the many walking tracks and take in the breath-taking scenery and you will forge unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime.
