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Luxury Travel to the West Coast and the Glaciers made for you

New Zealand

Fox and Franz Joseph glaciers

The narrow strip of coastline squeezed between the Southern Alps and Tasman Sea plays host to some of New Zealand’s most dramatic landscape, which is quite some claim.

Westland Tai Poutini National Park, to the north of Aoraki Mount Cook, is known as ‘glacier country’ as it is here that the enormous Fox and Franz Joseph Glaciers carve valleys on their way down from 3000m snowy peaks through rainforest before melting into waterfalls and rivers that flow out to sea.

Glacial pace here is remarkably dynamic. The ancient tongues advance up to four metres a day (on the other side of the mountains, the Tasman Glacier moves only 650 millimetres daily) and hikes to their edge are often accompanied by a soundtrack of cracking and grinding ice. You can also trek higher on the glacier itself with crampons or land high up on the ice on heli-hikes.

On the coast itself, a revered place for the local Ngai Tahu Maori people, find a string of coastal lagoons, rivers, surreal rock formations and placid lakes mirroring the mountains above. The wetlands and forests are home to New Zealand’s rarest native birds, making the area a must for birders, while anglers are also well catered for. Follow the coastal road southwest to frontier-like Haast, a World Heritage Area where seals and penguins outnumber the people living in remote fishing villages. Heading northeast will bring you through a number of national parks on the way into Nelson.

Luxury accommodation in West Coast and the Glaciers

There are many incredible places to stay in West Coast and the Glaciers. Here are some of our favourites, handpicked by our travel designers:

Why book with Jacada?

  • Personalised design

    We’ll plan your trip around your specific interests, tastes and preferences, providing helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.

  • Authentic experiences

    Our expert guides and brilliant travel concierges are hand-picked to provide a genuine experience, bringing your destination to life with care and passion.

  • Responsible travel

    Our luxury trips are designed with responsible travel principles that prioritise travel experiences that are both good for you and good for the planet.

Ready to plan your adventure?

Whatever you want from your West Coast and the Glaciers adventure, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.

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Meet your Australasia team

Plan your trip to West Coast and the Glaciers

Whatever you want from your adventure in West Coast and the Glaciers, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.

Start planning

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“We enjoyed our first trip with Jacada…”

We enjoyed our first trip with Jacada and it surely won't be our last! Every detail and moment of our trip was perfectly planned. We were met every step of the way with courteous and knowledgeable drivers and guides. We really appreciated the local guides and the commitment they had to make every day special. Thank you Jacada for the…

Amy Schulz Trustpilot ★★★★★

“heavenly honeymoon”

My wife and I used Jacada to plan our honeymoon to French Polynesia. Working with the Jacada team was fantastic and effortless. Every question was quickly answered. Every hiccup was quickly addressed. We felt like we were in the hands of experts who are equally passionate about travel, and who were committed to helping us have the trip of a…

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“Jacada Travel has been outstanding”

We enjoy traveling and we have used Jacada Travel for some wonderful trips over several years. We have never been disappointed. In 2024 we took a Safari in Botswana Africa and walked with the gorillas in Rwanda planned by Jacada and the itinerary was amazing. In 2025 we had planned a trip to Antartica ( with another company ) but…

Lisa Schrage Trustpilot ★★★★★

“Communication and organization were…”

Communication and organization were excellent. The Jacada team was helpful and genuinely interested in our experience. The guides were personable, knowledgeable, and clearly enjoy their work. Vehicles were spotless, timely, and coordinators managed our every need brilliantly. I will recommend Jacada to friends and family. The only way to travel!

Andrew Woodcock Trustpilot ★★★★★

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We had a wonderful trip planned through Jacada. We enjoyed the venues and the excursions. This is a beautiful place we'd recommend to anyone who wants to go on a new adventure.

The Reynolds Trustpilot ★★★★★

Your trip, your story

We craft trips deeply personal, delightfully surprising and entirely one of a kind. Every Jacada journey begins in conversation with a travel designer, a specialist in their destination of expertise. Behind each journey is a wealth of insight, gathered over years of on-the-ground exploration.

Once you’re booked, you’ll meet your concierge. Based in the region you’re visiting, they’ll take care of all the details so your mind is at rest. They make the trip truly special – and truly yours.

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