When you think of New Zealand, you often think of rugby,” The Lord of the Rings” movies, abundant, unspoiled greenery and lots of natural beauty. What probably does not enter your mind are glaciers, the huge masses of ice that constantly shift and move and roll in reaction to temperature changes and the currents of water around them. Yet, the Southern Hemisphere is full of such wintery sights, and for most of the year, these massive, awe-inspiring glaciers are within your literal reach if you stay in Christchurch, New Zealand.
They are within reach because on a Glacier Explorers boat tour, most passengers have the opportunity to actually reach out and touch a bit of the massive ice islands that flow around you on Tasman Glacier Terminal Lake. Seeing such glaciers at all is a rare treat; seeing them this close is extremely rare. The sights is an amazing one, giant walls of ice surrounding your tiny boat as they constantly seem to shiver and emit an audible groan—it’s like something out of a sci-fi movie. Yet, do not be afraid. The guides on this tour are expertly trained and no passengers are ever put in danger. It’s the glaciers that are in peril, as we know, due to climate change.
The Glacier Explorers tour focuses on New Zealand’s largest glacier, the Tasman Glacier, which is reached after a short coach ride from Christchurch. Travelers arrive at a point near the lake, then walk to an area where the boats are launched for a 1 ½-hour tour of the lake, gazing at the icebergs that dominate the landscape. Majestic mountains also circle the lake, providing a panorama for some of the most stunning photos that one could possibly take anywhere in the world, let alone New Zealand. The guide’s insightful commentary simply adds the adventure as the biology and meteorology of the lake and surrounding area are explained.
You’ll never feel so small as when you come face-to-face with a wall of gigantic glaciers. You might even be re-invigorated to go green when you return home, after having witnessed the rugged beauty of the Tasman Glacier and heard about its perilous future.
Upon return to your hotel in Christchurch, be sure to have a way to get around so that you can avoid having to work around the schedule of other tours. Christchurch has dozens of other activities that are a short drive away, and you will want to have the flexibility to plan your own schedule. Be sure to have the wheels to do that. Several rental car agencies, like Omega Rental Cars Christchurch can be found at the airport and in town, freeing you to explore Christchurch and environs.
Nothing, however, will match the eerie quiet of floating in a boat on an almost deserted lake, surrounded by the ice formations that surround Lake Tasman. Even though it’s difficult to go any further south on our planet than New Zealand, south does not always mean warmth and sun. There are massive quantities of ice there as well, and getting a look at them will be an unforgettable experience for any traveler to New Zealand.
Author Bio: Omega Car Rental New Zealand is an NZ car hire company that offers a wide variety of top quality rental cars at discount rates. They have service depots throughout New Zealand.
