Hey! We are Teri & Albert, two Singaporeans traveling NZ in our converted campervan. I (Teri) am a wedding photographer and videographer, Albert a hobbyist DJ and an avid Everton FC supporter, and we got engaged in 2023 at a music festival in Belgium, in front of our closest friends. But most of all, we both love spending time outdoors and exploring our beautiful world together – visiting amazing places like Fox Glacier!
Before coming to NZ, we both spent the majority of our lives studying and working. We worked as lawyers and while I enjoyed many aspects of my work, the hours were long and most days were spent in anxiety and under pressure. But more than that, I found time slipping away without even realizing. Months passed in a blur, and it became clearer to me each day that surely, there was more to life than this. Everyday, I found myself feeling unfulfilled and yearning for a life that I could spend living, not just existing.
Then I remembered a promise I made to myself, in 2018 when I visited NZ for the first time, to return to NZ again one day. I did plenty of research and after months of trying to find purpose and fulfillment at work, I realized that there was no better time than now, in my 20s, to move to NZ to create that life I was dreaming of. It was still such a difficult decision to leave everything I knew behind and left me feeling overwhelmed many times. It took me a long time to build the courage to do it but I am so glad I did.
I came to NZ in September 2023, and Albert made the last minute decision to join me in January 2024 (after hearing so much about my time here), on sabbatical from his lawyer job back home. We never planned on buying a campervan, rather we stumbled into it when we saw how prevalent and accessible van life is here. After we purchased one, we never looked back!
Exploring the South Island for 5 Months
We’ve spent the last five months traveling every nook and cranny of the South Island of NZ, and will be spending the next two months in the North Island. There are so many spots we’ve fallen in love with. For Albert, he most enjoyed spending time in the Wanaka and Queenstown regions – we spent many days just sitting by Lake Wanaka soaking in the sunset behind the Aspiring mountain range, or by Lake Wakatipu having a picnic (the lakefront at Frankton Beach is such an underrated and peaceful spot)!
For me, I love the Nelson Lakes. It’s an area often ignored by tourists, but Lake Rotoiti was one of the most beautiful lakes we visited here. Honestly, there’s a spot in every corner of the South Island that holds a special memory for us – it’s hard to choose a part that we enjoyed the most.
Our Incredible Adventure at Fox Glacier
Even before arriving in NZ in 2023, visiting a glacier was one of the things I knew I had to do. With climate change and rising temperatures, it’s well known that these glaciers recede more and more each year. I’d seen the photos but being on the glacier in person was such a dream come true.
We took the 7.50am tour, which meant that when we arrived the sun hadn’t risen over the mountains yet. Halfway through our hike, the sun rose above the mountains and when the sunlight hit the ice, it was spectacular – the ice shimmered blue and the textures of the glacier were amazing.
We learned that the glacier shifts everyday down the mountain, sort of like an escalator. The guides have to move the helipad and equipment up the glacier every few weeks, otherwise it will move further down the mountain. At one point during the glacier hike, we heard a loud crack – like a door shutting – and we were told that was the sound of the glacier moving beneath our feet! Being up there felt so humbling – even though the glacier has receded so much in size in the last 20 years, it still looks majestic and enormous. I felt like it was a sight everyone should see at least once.
Booking a Tour with Fox Glacier Guiding
We went with Fox Glacier Guiding, as they are the only company operating helicopter hikes on Fox Glacier! The tour company provides all of the necessary clothing, footwear and gear for the glacier hike. We were given boots, wool socks, over trousers, waterproof jackets, gloves, a waterproof backpack, crampons and walking poles. All we did was turn up in crocs and thermals, they literally provided us with everything we needed!
The tour includes a five minute helicopter ride from Fox Glacier township to the glacier itself, and we spent about three hours on the ice in our small group of 10, with one glacier guide. We got to explore all sorts of ice structures, crawl into caves and walk inside crevasses, and even drink glacier water from streams running over the glacier. There were plenty of photo opportunities, and our guide explained the structures and history of the glacier to us throughout the walk. I would highly recommend visiting the glacier – it’s a sight that everyone should see at least once.
Fox Glacier – Only Accessible by Helicopter
Our tour with Fox Glacier Guiding included a helicopter ride to the glacier from the town – a short five minute ride through the valley but still so spectacular. Back in 2012, visitors could still hike up the glacier from the town, but because of how far the glacier has receded, this is no longer available and the glacier is only accessible via helicopter with this operator.
Need to Know Before You Go
The tours are weather dependent – we originally booked the tour on a day that ended up being cloudy. Even though the sky was clear and the sun was shining in town, there were low-lying clouds covering the glacier in the mountains that prevented the helicopters from flying. We showed up for our original booked date and slot, and we were halfway through the safety briefing, when the tour was canceled due to the cloud. It was a good thing we weren’t pressed for time and could rebook for the following morning, which thankfully ended up being a clear cloudless morning.
Our tip for this experience would be to book the earliest time slot! That way, if your tour gets canceled due to bad weather, you can rebook a later time slot on the same day (usually just one or two hours later) to try your luck to see if the weather turns in your favor. If you’re unable to rebook at a later day, the company will provide a full refund. In terms of gear, you don’t have to worry about having the right gear as the company will provide you with everything you need to be comfortable up on the glacier.
Looking Back on a Special Experience
The entire experience at Fox Glacier was amazing, but perhaps the most special moment came when the sunlight hit the glacier and the whole landscape transformed. Everywhere was sparkling and glistening, I couldn’t stop looking around in awe and taking photos. It was incredibly beautiful!
