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New Zealand: Air Safaris’ Grand Traverse flight over the Southern Alps

The majestic mountain spine along New Zealand’s South Island is known as “The Southern Alps”; the Maori Ngai Tahu name for these mountains is “kฤ tiritiri o te moana”. For many locations around the South Island, you cannot avoid or ignore the sight of looming towers of rock and snow.

Between visits to the Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier, I’d been thinking about whether or not I should have a look at the mountains from above. It would be beautiful, but it also seemed very expensive. What to do, what to do … it sounds stupid writing it out now, but a unique opportunity had presented itself, and I knew I’d have deep regrets if I didn’t take it.

I bit the proverbial bullet and hopped onto a plane with Air Safaris for a 50-minute “The Grand Traverse” tour including aerial views of various glaciers, Horokoau (Mount Tasman), and Aoraki (Mount Cook).

Air Safaris’ The Grand Traverse

Air Safaris, Grand Traverse, Southern Alps, Ka Tiritiri o te Moana, Westland Tai Poutini National Park, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, South Island, Te Waipounamu, Te Wahipounamu, UNESCO World Heritage Site, New Zealand, Aotearoa, fotoeins.com

Waiho River Valley, shortly after departure from Franz Josef Aerodrome.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Fox Glacier Township (lower-left), Cook River (Weheka) exits to the Tasman Sea (upper-right).

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Fox Glacier.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Fox Glacier.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Fox Glacier: terminal moraine.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Midway up Fox Glacier.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Fox Glacier: down from the neve.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Neve at the top of Fox Glacier.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand, fotoeins.com, myRTW

South to Horokoau and Aoraki, at flight altitude about 3 km.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Left: Mount Tasman (Horokoau); right: Aoraki (Mount Cook).

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Mount Sefton.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

South from Tasman Glacier (foreground) to Tasman River and Lake Pukaki (background).

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Aoraki (Mount Cook): reach out and touch.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Aoraki (Mount Cook): so close.

Air Safaris, Grand Traverse, Southern Alps, Ka Tiritiri o te Moana, Westland Tai Poutini National Park, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, South Island, Te Waipounamu, Te Wahipounamu, UNESCO World Heritage Site, New Zealand, Aotearoa, fotoeins.com

Melt products from the Tasman Glacier stream into Tasman Lake, from which begins the Tasman River, flowing further south into Lake Pukaki.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

East face of Mount Cook (Aoraki); at centre-right are the Grand Plateau & Hochstetter Glacier. (foreground)

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Malte Brun Range (left), top of Tasman Glacier (center).

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Upper reaches of Tasman Glacier, with Mt. Elie de Beaumont at upper-right.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Godley River valley

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Godley River: upper reach to Godley Glacier; fed also by Fitzgerald and Separation Streams

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Tasman Saddle Hut (NZ).

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Transverse crevasses at the neve, Franz Josef Glacier

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Looking down Franz Josef Glacier

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Down to terminal moraine, river valley

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Transverse crossover and up along the medial moraine, Franz Josef Glacier

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Last glance from the air, Franz Josef Glacier

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Westward: Waiho River, Waiho River Bailey Bridge (lower-centre), Waiho Loop.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Westward: edge of the Waiho Loop, and Waiho River meets the Tasman Sea (upper left).

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

Waiho River Bailey Bridge; see earlier post on Franz Josef Glacier. Update, 26 Mar 2019: heavy rains washes away this bridge (NZ Herald).

Air Safaris, Grand Traverse, Southern Alps, Ka Tiritiri o te Moana, Westland Tai Poutini National Park, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, South Island, Te Waipounamu, Te Wahipounamu, UNESCO World Heritage Site, New Zealand, Aotearoa, fotoeins.com

Final look east towards Franz Josef, on approach to the Aerodrome.

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand

End of The Grand Traverse, Franz Josef Aerodrome

More

•   The slow approach to Franz Josef Glacier
•   The slow forest walk to Fox Glacier
•   Lake Matheson and the southern Alps at sunset
•   Swollen Waiho from heavy early-autumn rains washes away Waiho Bridge: NZ Herald, 26 Mar 2019.

I made the photos above on 21 July 2012. This post appears on Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com as http://wp.me/p1BIdT-292. I received no compensation for writing this content.

14 Responses to “New Zealand: Air Safaris’ Grand Traverse flight over the Southern Alps”

    • fotoeins

      Hi, Eva. Thank you, but I have to say that while the view overhead was spectacular, the view from any vantage point high or low on the South Island on a clear day is breathtaking. Really, it was all very addictive, because everywhere I went, I kept wanting more: I always wanted something different, a view or an angle, of the Southern Alps. I really do love the country, especially the South Island. What’s more: there’s lots on the South Island I didn’t see, and there’s a ton on the North Island I didn’t have a chance to see. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Thanks again for reading and for your comment!

      Like

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