PHOTO GALLERY: New Zealand’s Spectacular Westland National Park – Fox Glacier, Franz Josef Glacier & Mt. Cook

2014/12/28

Close-up of Franz Josef Glacier terminal face

PHOTO GALLERY:

New Zealand’s Spectacular Westland National Park

Fox Glacier, Franz Josef Glacier & Mt. Cook

New Zealand’s fabled South Island is an outdoor lover’s paradise, full of dramatic scenery that’s amazingly diverse. The country’s highest mountain peaks at altitudes over 3000 M / 12,000 ft are found there as well as several easily accessible glaciers, deep fjords, rugged coastlines, lush rain forests and long golden beaches.

Much of the most spectacular scenery is found within Westland National Park, which includes Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, dense lowland native New Zealand forests, wide rivers flowing from high interior mountains down to the Tasman Sea on the west coast, and some stunning coastal scenery.

Westland NP also borders Mt. Cook National Park. Many of the highest peaks within that park, including Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman, can be seen clearly from Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, adding impact to the already stunning visual scenery.

Phenomenal geology of Franz Josef Glacier valley

Together, Westland and Mt. Cook form a UNESCO World Heritage Park, designated in 1986.

Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers are unique throughout the world because they line at amazingly low elevations. The terminal faces (bottom end) of both glaciers lie less than 300 M / 1000 ft. above sea level. The closest towns lie nearly at sea level, surrounded by wide, flat farmland.

This makes the glaciers some of the most easily accessible in the world. Visitors can simply drive a few km out of town then walk about 30 minutes on the wide glacier valleys to reach the terminal faces of each glacier. From the viewing platforms visitors can clearly see glacial melt-water flowing out from under the glaciers, the end walls of glacial ice and the astounding blue interior ice glowing from within the massive ice flows.

Other visually arresting geographical features display themselves along the wide valley floors leading up to the glaciers. Enjoy gushing waterfalls, dense native New Zealand forests, metallic-silver rocks and other stunning geological wonders.

This photo gallery presents 24 images of the mountains, glaciers and glacial valleys of Westland from my recent visit there. Enjoy!

SEE PHOTOS OF WESTLAND NP

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You might also enjoy:

Photos of South Island’s Rugged West Coast

Photos of Stunning Marlborough Sounds

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