About this tour
When Jake from our team booked a helicopter flight over the Rakaia Glaciers, we got a proper sense of what makes the South Island's backcountry so wild. This is a 3-hour loop from Christchurch that takes you over braided rivers, past film-set valleys, and lands you on two genuinely remote glaciers — Lyell and Ramsay — that most visitors never clap eyes on. You touch down for lunch with 360-degree views of jagged peaks and turquoise glacier lakes, then helicopter back over the Canterbury Plains. It's the kind of trip where you're genuinely alone up there, no other aircraft buzzing around.
Highlights
- Land on two rarely visited glaciers most NZ tourists never reach
- Turquoise glacier-fed lakes with sharp mountain amphitheatre backdrop
- Lunch served on the landing site, zero crowds or disruption
- Flyover of Castle Hill and Craigieburn Basin film locations
- 360-degree views from braided rivers to Southern Alps ridgeline
- Included local wine and beer to toast the view
- Small-group feel with genuine wilderness isolation
What to expect
The flight departs from Christchurch and heads west over the Canterbury Plains towards the Waimakariri River system. You'll bank past the Craigieburn Basin (yes, that's a Lord of the Rings set) and the strange rockscape of Castle Hill before climbing over the main divide of the Southern Alps. The real payoff comes when you drop into the Rakaia valley and touchdown on the glacier itself — it's stark, exposed, and genuinely feels remote. No other helicopters, no crowds, just you and the landscape.
Once grounded, the crew sets up a picnic lunch in the natural amphitheatre formed by the surrounding peaks. Jake reckoned the turquoise water from the glacier lakes is properly striking this close. You get local wine and beer included, which is a nice touch. The return journey retraces your route, giving you different angles on the terrain. Total time in the air is substantial, so pace yourself — it's not exhausting, but you're sitting for stretches.
What travellers say
- Remote glacier access most NZ tours simply don't offer
- Lunch and local wine included, no nickel-and-diming
- Genuine wilderness feel with zero aircraft competition
- Suitable for most fitness levels despite high-altitude landing
- Standout turquoise glacier lakes and peak views
- 3-hour flight not suitable for serious medical conditions
- Snow not guaranteed, especially November–February
- Weather-dependent, may require rescheduling or refund
- Champagne and spirits incur additional charges
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
This is genuinely off the beaten track. Most glacier tours in NZ are crowded; these two are deliberately hard to access, so you're not jostling with tour groups. The included lunch and local beverages feel considered, not rushed. Physically, there's nothing demanding — you're sitting in a helicopter and walking to a picnic spot, so it suits most fitness levels.
It's a long flight (3 hours), which doesn't suit people with serious medical conditions — check with your doctor. Infants must sit on an adult's lap, which can be fiddly on a helicopter. Crucially, don't expect guaranteed snow, especially in summer (November–February) — the glaciers are there, but snowpack varies. The flight is weather-dependent, so flexibility matters. Budget for extras: Champagne and spirits cost extra on top of the wine/beer package. Bring layers and sunscreen — you're at altitude and exposed. This isn't cheap, but you're genuinely landing where most helicopters won't go.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.