The small town of Punakaiki is known for the pancake rocks & blowholes – thin, horizontal layers of limestone, formed through a weathering process known as stylobedding. Just south of here is Greymouth from where the TranzAlpine train departs for its journey across the Southern Alps.
Fox and Franz Josef are two small townships just 20 minutes’ drive apart and are home to ancient glaciers, nestled amidst the primaeval rainforest. These glaciers are best visited either from the air on a scenic flight or on a heli-hike where you can don your crampons and experience the ice formations up close.