As many as 60 glaciers are locked in the Southern Alps, slowly grinding their way down to lower altitudes, where they melt into running rivers of uncanny blue-green hues. Aoraki, or Mt. Cook, at 12,283 feet, is New Zealand's highest mountain, and 27 other peaks in this alpine chain are higher than 9,750 feet. Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Area, and the alpine region around it contains the Tasman Glacier, at 27 km (17 mi), New Zealand's longest. More »
Photo: Blanket Bay/Tourism New Zealand
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