Spacious Lodge-Style Cabin near the Southern Alps in Fox Glacier, New Zealand

Located in the township of Fox Glacier, New Zealand, this site is surrounded by a landscape so breathtakingly beautiful that it would be difficult to exaggerate. The lush vegetation of a temperate rainforest spreads out in all directions, blanketing the nearby foothills in a verdurous coat of dark green splendor, all of which is then put into staggering relief by the sheer magnificence of the rugged, snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps surging precipitously into the eastern sky.

The well-situated location of this site can hardly be exaggerated either. To begin with, it is directly on the edge of Westland Tai Poutini National Park, which contains 454 square miles of pristine forests, glaciers, tussock grasslands, lakes, rivers, wetlands, beaches, and snow-capped mountains. It is also filled with a wide-range of flora and fauna, including the rarest species of the already rare kiwi bird—the rowi—of which the only surviving natural population in the world can be found in Ōkarito Forest. The park abounds with opportunities for outdoor recreation, such as hiking, bird watching, mountain biking, mountain climbing, hunting, kayaking, and canoeing.

The site is also located only six minutes from Lake Matheson—a photographer's dream come true, as the dark waters of the lake stunningly reflect the grandeur Mount Cook and Mount Tasman (the highest peaks in New Zealand) with almost mirror-like clarity. Here, guests will find a walking trail that will take them through a forest filled with majestic kahikatea and rimu trees, as it winds its way to spectacular views of the lake from the Jetty Viewpoint.

While New Zealand's Glacier Country as a whole is a remote area, consisting mostly of wilderness, the site is just minutes from a variety of shops and restaurants in the township of Fox Glacier. It is also only half an hour from two other main attractions in the region: Franz Josef Glacier and Gillespie Beach, where guests will find not just a beautifully rugged coastline, but also a swimmable lagoon, walking paths, a historic cemetery, and interesting relics of the area's gold mining past. Here, guests will also find a path that leads to Galway Beach, where, in the winter, they can encounter a colony of seals!

Last but certainly not least, there is the main attraction: the world-famous Fox Glacier itself. Falling 8,500 feet in the course of its eight-mile voyage from the slopes of the Southern Alps, the glacier is truly a natural wonder—and an easy to experience one to boot, for it is among the most accessible glaciers on the planet. Guests can explore it in a variety of ways, details of which can be found in the Activities section.

The site is about two hours from Hokitika (where the nearest airport is located), two and a half hours from Wanaka, and five and a half hours from Christchurch, which guests can travel from via train and bus.