This national park is known for its "glacier country". In some places, huge tongues of ice extend all the way back down to near sea level. 3000m peaks tower over lowland rainforests that reach all the way to the edge of the Tasman Sea. It's an area also blessed with contrasting tussock grasslands, coast, lakes, rivers and wetlands.

Embark on kayaking adventures on Lakes Matheson and Mapourika and explore vast rivers and coastal lagoons. Take an easy walk to the base of the fascinating Fox and Franz Josef glaciers and look for some of New Zealand’s rarest native birds in the rainforests and wetlands.

The mountains of the Southern Alps are revered by the local Maori people (the Ngai Tahu tribe) as their ancestors. The whole coastal environment is also of considerable importance to these people, both spiritually and for the food and resources it provides.