Taste of Fiordland Helicopter Scenic Flight from Te Anau

Te Anau•easy

Difficulty

easy

Duration

20–25 minutes (flight); allow 1–2 hours for total experience including transfers

Fitness Level

Accessible to most people; minimal physical exertion required beyond boarding

Overview

See Fiordland’s dramatic lakes, mountains and the Kepler Track from a helicopter in a brisk 20–25 minute flight out of Te Anau. This short air tour is a fast, photographic way to grasp the scale and geology of one of New Zealand’s wildest parks.

Taste of Fiordland Helicopter Scenic Flight from Te Anau

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Date

Mon, Nov 24

Travelers

You step onto the tarmac at Te Anau Helicopters with the alpine air pinching your cheeks and the mountains already negotiating the horizon. The chopper's rotors quicken; a guide taps the headset, and for the next 20–25 minutes Fiordland opens up beneath you like a landscape being revealed in layers. Lakes—Manapouri then Te Anau—glint like cut glass, valleys fall away to narrow rivers that seem to have been carved by the weather itself, and the Kepler Track threads the hillsides as a pale line for those who know to look.

Adventure Photos

Taste of Fiordland Helicopter Scenic Flight from Te Anau photo 1

Adventure Tips

Confirm weather 2 hours ahead

Call Te Anau Helicopters for a weather assessment two hours before your flight—Fiordland weather changes fast and can cancel flights last-minute.

Bring a windproof layer

Rotor wash and alpine breezes make a light windproof jacket useful even on mild days—temperature drops are noticeable in the air.

Charge and secure cameras

Use a wrist strap or small tether; the view is wide and you’ll want quick access to your camera during the short flight.

Mind weight requirements

Operators collect passenger weights for flight safety—declare accurate weights when booking to avoid last-minute changes.

Local Insights

Wildlife

Keas (mountain parrots)
New Zealand fur seals along coastal fiords (visible from altitude)

History

European exploration and surveying of Fiordland accelerated in the 19th century, but the area has long been part of Ngāi Tahu territory, valued for seasonal food gathering.

Conservation

Flights operate under guidelines to minimize noise and disturbance; Fiordland is a protected UNESCO World Heritage area where tourism is managed to reduce ecological impact.