The general location of both the Fox and the Franz Josef glaciers is unusual for nowhere else in the world do you have glaciers travelling through a temperate rainforest to the sea. In the last few years, as a result of heavy snowfalls, the glaciers have been advancing, although their general pattern over the years has been to retreat. Walking to the face of each glacier takes about one and a half hours for the round trip. The path is mainly up the river bed and is well defined. However care should be exercised for the weather conditions can change very quickly, and often the area has a problem of rock falls from the near vertical sides.  You have to  have an experienced local guide with you if you wish to tramp on the glacier itself. Flights over the glacier can be arranged. We usually visit one of the two, depending on the weather.

While the photo above shows people close to the face of the Fox glacier, the photo to the left gives a good view of most of the Franz Josef glacier. Note the evidence of lateral, median and terminal moraines. We walk up the river valley in the foreground to get close to the glacier face.