50-Minute Glacier Explorer & Earnslaw Burn Flight, Queenstown
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Queenstown, New Zealand
- 50 minutes (approx.)
- Flight time: 50 minutes
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Take your South Island adventure to new heights during a 50-minute helicopter flight with a glacier landing. Soar above the spectacular scenery of Mt. Aspiring National Park, gliding above turquoise ice formations, hidden alpine lakes, and towering mountains, before landing atop an alpine glacier for photos. Scenic highlights include the Earnslaw Burn valley, which is usually only accessible on foot.
- Spot hidden alpine lakes and Skippers Canyon from the air
- Great way to get a new perspective on New Zealand's scenery
- Includes convenient Queenstown hotel pickup and drop-off
- Receive personalized attention and good views on a small-group tour
What's Included
- Landing and facility fees
- Headsets to hear the pilot clearly
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- GST (Goods and Services Tax)
- Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
1
Mount Aspiring National Park
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Total weight per passenger: 265 lbs
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Infants will be charged at the child rate (0-3 years old sit on adults lap)
- Due to comfort and weight / balance of the aircraft, passengers must supply accurate weights upon booking.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Lauren_M
My boyfriend and I both agreed that this was the highlight of our New Zealand trip, which is saying something because everything we did was incredible. I've never ridden in a helicopter before and I was shocked at how smooth it was. Our pilot was absolutely delightful and gave us tons of super interesting info about the area. Bonus points because, as a plus size person, I often am unable to do activities because of weight restrictions, but Glacier Explorer was so accommodating, and does not have a weight limit per person, so I didn't have to worry at all! Anyway, the scenery was spectacular. Natural beauty unlike anything I've ever seen before. It brought me to tears if I'm being honest. Landing on the glacier was also unreal. We were able to walk around within a safe distance and marvel at our surroundings. I promise you, this is worth the money 10 times over.
Reviews
4.9
based on 150 reviews
Lauren_M, Mar 2026
My boyfriend and I both agreed that this was the highlight of our New Zealand trip, which is saying something because everything we did was incredible. I've never ridden in a helicopter before and I was shocked at how smooth it was. Our pilot was absolutely delightful and gave us tons of super interesting info about the area. Bonus points because, as a plus size person, I often am unable to do activities because of weight restrictions, but Glacier Explorer was so accommodating, and does not have a weight limit per person, so I didn't have to worry at all! Anyway, the scenery was spectacular. Natural beauty unlike anything I've ever seen before. It brought me to tears if I'm being honest. Landing on the glacier was also unreal. We were able to walk around within a safe distance and marvel at our surroundings. I promise you, this is worth the money 10 times over.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you Lauren so much for such a heartfelt and detailed review. We’re incredibly honoured to hear this was the highlight of your New Zealand trip!
It’s fantastic to know you felt comfortable throughout your first helicopter experience and enjoyed the smoothness of the flight, along with the insights from your pilot. The glacier landing really is something special, and we’re so glad it left such a lasting impression!
Thank you again for your kind words, we’d love to welcome you back again someday!
Kind regards, the GSLH team.
Cindy_W, Mar 2026
Had an experience of a lifetime with our pilot Jeremy. He gave us an amazing view of the mountains and glacier. He shared highlights and connected personally with all 5 attendees on our flight. Don’t miss this! We were hesitant- but decided to DO IT! And so glad we did! Also Cody was so great - he picked us up- PLUS Grace took care of us as we had a lost item and she recovered it for us. Thanks to the entire team for making it so special!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Cindy, thank you so much for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a memorable experience exploring the mountains and glacier with Jeremy. He’ll be very pleased to hear your kind words.
It’s also wonderful to hear that Cody and Grace were able to help make your experience smooth from start to finish!
We’re so glad you decided to take the flight, and that it turned into such a special experience.
Kind regards, the GSLH team.
Gwen_H, Mar 2026
Picked up from hotel and returned. Registration easy, Assisted getting into helicopter.
Pilot very helpful and explained everything.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Gwen, thanks for your review! We're pleased to hear the pickup, check in process, and helicopter boarding all went smoothly. Great to know your pilot helped explain everything and made the experience comfortable for you.
Kind Regards,
The GSLH Team
Robert_M, Feb 2026
First class operation! The scenery from above, flying close to mountain ridges and landing on a glacier was magical! A must do!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review, Robert!
We’re thrilled you enjoyed the Glacier Explorer & Earnslaw Burn flight! Flying close to the mountain ridges and landing on a glacier truly is magical.
We’re proud of our team and so pleased you felt it was a first-class operation. Thanks for the strong recommendation, we’d love to welcome you back anytime!
Kind regards, the GSLH team.
Michal_C, Jan 2026
Of course the views were amazing, but to experience the helicopter flight is out of this world experience! Completely different to a plane flight. The take off, flight and (multiple) landings were soooo smooth. Our pilot Jeremy was explaining scenery around us, we even seen the Sun halo! Cannot recommend enough.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re so pleased you enjoyed the helicopter experience and those smooth landings, and how special to see a sun halo!
Jeremy will love hearing your feedback and we really appreciate the recommendation!
Kind regards, the GSLH team.
Pamela_M, Nov 2025
One of the most beautiful amazing experiences I’ve ever had in my entire life. Being able to see the glaciers up close from the helicopter and then landing on it was one of the highlights of my trip to New Zealand.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hi Pamela,
We’re so thrilled to hear your flight was one of the highlights of your trip! Landing on the glacier is definitely a special experience. Thanks for sharing your amazing feedback!
Kind regards,
The GSLH team
Glen_H, Oct 2025
Exceptional service from the girls in reception, working to accommodate a date change, even calling me back after a vacancy came up to fit us in. Our pilot Luke was very knowledgeable and friendly and made for an excellent flight. An awesome experience overall.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Glen,
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're so glad our team could make the date change work and that Luke made your flight such a great experience. We’ll be sure to pass your feedback on to the team. Awesome to hear you had such a memorable time with us!
Thanks again!
Regards, the GSLH team.
Hanan_M, Oct 2025
Amazing, exhilarating , one of the best experiences I had in NZ, rug up as it’s quite cold,the pilot ( Steven) was great abd efficient, explained things well and looked after us,I highly recommend this activity.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such an amazing and exhilarating experience with us. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to Pilot, Steven. He’ll be delighted to know he helped make your flight so memorable. We really appreciate the recommendation and hope to welcome you back again one day.
Kind regards,
Tegan
Tee_N, Sep 2025
This was probably one of the best things I've done in my life! The staff were wonderful and our pilot Kurt was fantastic. Great commentary throughout, smooth flight and great photographer for us once we landed on Clarke Glacier. Our 9am flight was cancelled, but we were able to get on a 2pm flight which gave us the most beautiful blue skies that made the experience breathe taking.
I'd highly recommend this experience to anyone
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your lovely review Tee! It's always great to hear how our pilots helped make the experience that much better. Kurt will be stoked to hear it! Thanks for flying with us and we hope to see you again on your next visit to Queenstown!
Hind_A, Jul 2025
Absolutely lovely. Definitely would recommend The pilot was a great guy, took photos of us, and was very cool.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your lovely review! I'll make sure to pass on the feedback to our team that you had a great time. Thanks for choosing to fly with us and we hope to see you back again soon :)
Raquel_S, Jul 2025
Absolutely unreal experience!! Definitely worth it! Pilot was very knowledgeable about the area. Stopping on the mountain was just incredible!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your review! We're glad our pilot was able to make the experience even better for you. Hope to see you back for a flight with us soon!
Leonor_R, Jun 2025
Totally amazing ! Awesome experience landing on a Glacier. Our pilot, was professional & courteous… highly recommend this adventure!!
Sean_M, May 2025
A thoroughly unforgettable experience! Incredible views from start to finish. Within 15 mins we were up in the mountains and glaciers. A professional company, highly recommended
CandyN, Apr 2025
Thank you Captain Alfie!! The helicopter ride is imply incredible. No photo can justify the experience honestly.
Diane_G, Mar 2025
The ride is thrilling and the Pilot even pointed out some glacial features and Lord of The Ring sites.
Philip_B, Apr 2024
This was one of our best experiences in New Zealand. Being able to see Lord of the Rings filming locations from above was very appealing to me, and the views from the landing spots were incredible. Our pilot was friendly, helpful, and definitely helped make it an overall wonderful ride
Michael_V, Mar 2024
Our pilot Michael was amazing. The whole experience was unforgettable, but landing on the glacier and mucking around in the snow was si much fun.
Barbara_G, Mar 2024
Feeling at one with nature - fantastic experience - value for money - this sums it up totally. Very friendly staff
Mark_J, Feb 2024
This flight was absolutely fantastic, and we would recommend it to anyone and everyone. From the pick-up to return we were treated by staff and crew in the most professional manner. And I want to put out a very special mention to our pilot Jeremy who was absolutely brilliant. He was engaging, knowledgeable, funny and had a person from each couple join him in the cockpit for a leg of our trip. He offered to take photos of us, answer any question we had and had a wealth of knowledge about the areas and regions we flew over. We even got photos of us with him at the end as I cannot thank him enough for making this adventure one to remember. Kudos Jeremy.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Hi Mark,
Firstly, we thank you for your 5* review.
Secondly, we are thrilled to read that you had such an incredible experience throughout your entire journey with the team at GSLH. I will be sure to pass along your kind words to both Jeremy and the wider team.
Thank you so, so much for allowing us to fly you to the glaciers and experience our stunning backyard!
Kind regards,
Tegan
Isabella_F, Jan 2024
We did the 50 minute helicopter touring with a glacier landing up in the mountains - it was an incredible experience and would recommend it to anyone (even if you’re a little scared of heights). The team were incredibly knowledgeable and gave a good overview of the landmarks we were seeing out the window and could answer all questions.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Hi Isabella,
Thank you very much for taking the time to review your recent flight with us. We are over the moon to hear that you had a wonderful experience on our Glacier Explorer flight. I will make sure to pass along your lovely words to the team.
We hope you enjoy the rest of your time in Queenstown and have a safe journey home.
Kind regards,
Tegan
Arveen_R, Dec 2023
At beginning, we were a bit uneasy about the Heli ride as first time. But the pilot was well experienced and put us at easy by ensuring smooth take off and travel. Enjoyed every bit of the bird eye view. Snow landing at Mt Aspiring was awesome. The slights were memorable and will leave with us for a long time. A must to do in Queenstown.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Hi Arveen,
Thank you for your review and sharing your recent experience. We are so happy to hear that you had an incredible flight with your pilot and that he made you feel at ease. We hope you took plenty of photos and videos so you can look back on this amazing experience for years to come.
Kind regards,
Tegan
AnaBelen_A, Nov 2023
It is a unique experience. Our pilot was really kind. He explained us a lot of things about towns, landscape and the lord of the rings, in which he helped to record. He went into skippers canyon, and it was really exciting. Moreover, we landed twice, and the snow was amazing.
Response from Host, Nov 2023
Hi AnaBel,
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your recent experience with us. We are so pleased to hear that you had a wonderful time during your flight. You can't beat fresh untouched snow!
Thank you for choosing to fly with GSLH.
Kind regards,
Tegan
Raywin_M, Oct 2023
From the minute we were picked up to when we were dropped off we had a fantastic experence. The checkin was quick and the safety well explained. The flight, just amazing. We didn't feel rushed or frightened in any way. Alfie was an amazing pilot answering our questions and engaging the whole flight. I would highly recommend going.
Geoffrey_M, Sep 2023
Amazing experience with beautiful scenery and knowledgeable pilot.
Would highly recommend to do whilst in Queenstown
Justin_W, Aug 2023
A unique lifetime experience. Genuinely friendly staff. Luke is clearly a good pilot AND a great photographer.
Jamie_S, Aug 2023
Alfie our pilot was amazing. He saw how much fun everyone was having on the glacier and did not rush us through anything. Great pilot, amazing views certainly the highlight of our trip. The snow was up to our knees.
Bree_M, Apr 2023
A perfect, sunny morning flight through the mountains to land on a glacier! It was magic. Our pilot was fantastic!
It was so good we did it again the next day with our son and friends.
OnlineShopping_M, Apr 2023
From the time they picked us up from the hotel to the time they dropped us off - there is nothing I didn’t like. The staffs were warm, clear, on-time. The pilot was friendly, communicated clearly, helpful.
The view is spectacular. Converting from PHP to NZD might appear expensive but our local helicopter ride costs half when it is only 20 mins… so this 50 min ride is definitely worth it.
Sharon_S, Mar 2023
Breath taking views! Our pilot Jeremy was great. This will be my most memorable experience! This has been a trip of a lifetime!
Tiana_P, Mar 2023
This experience is breathtaking to say the least. The admin ladies made things such a breeze during the weather pre-check, as well as checking upon arrival. They were very informative when going over the safety briefing. The pilot was very experienced and knowledgeable and he had a great sense of humor. The views were absolutely amazing. Definitely would do this again when all the mountains are covered in snow. I can only imagine what the views will look like. Although there wasn't much snow, we were still able to see, land and play in the snow. Love this and will definitely recommend to everyone.
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50-Minute Glacier Explorer & Earnslaw Burn Flight, Queenstown
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