West Coast with glaciers, gold and treetops

The West Coast with the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers is waiting for our visit. The Fox Glacier is more difficult to reach after the heavy landslides, and we keep a good distance to watch the ice block. Memories come back to us more vividly at the Franz Josef Glacier, where in 2009, during our first visit, there was still ice and now we have to walk much further to see it. The kids are impressed and now know exactly what harms the glaciers.

In the treetop walkway, not only the trees but also the structural dynamics of the construction are checked again. Everyone has fun stimulating something once and feeling the vibration. In Ross, we try our hand at gold panning, but we prefer to go back to work, as that is easier. In Hokitika, you can search for jade on the beach or admire, buy, and polish a piece of jade in the many studios. Sometimes you can even get a glimpse of how it's done in the workshops. The weather on the West Coast is still rough, so unfortunately we won't be swimming in the big waves just yet.