The flight of a lifetime, the ´Grand Traverse´ is the flagship product offered by Air Safaris.
Passengers are flown right over the dramatic Southern Alps so they can observe the startling differences between the steep slopes and lush rain forest to the west, contrasting with golden tussock uplands and the flat Canterbury Plains to the east.
Pilots give a comprehensive commentary (translations are available) of activities and features including glacial action to the very interesting lifestyle of those working the large, high-country merino sheep farms that reach up the mountain sides.
See the striking colour of glacial fed lakes caused by ´rock flour´ which is finely ground particles of rock held in suspension in the melted water which has been washed out from the moving glacier into the rivers and lakes below.
View West Coast rain forests, lush through the enormous volumes of rain the area attracts from capturing moist cloud off the Tasman Sea. On a clear day you can see 300 kilometers of coastline.
