Caradhras and flightseeing above the eternal ice of the glaciers   The West Coast of the South Island is without a doubt one of the most diverse and spectacular landscapes on the planet. It is a region of thick native bush, deep blue lakes, clear streams and snow capped mountain peaks. When Peter Jackson sought a location to portray the Lighting of the Beacons he initially settled on a mountaintop near Queenstown, Unfortunately though, filming was scheduled for the middle of the Otago summer and coincided with a total fire-ban in the area. While searching the West Coast, he was shown photos of Mt. Gunn and immediately settled on the location, which proved to be better than the original. The Canyon glaciers plunge towards the bush-line, a sight rarely seen outside Arctic regions. The pancake rocks and seal colonies are some of the highlights as you travel down the coast.   Info: Full of earthly treasures; try your luck Gold Panning in historic Gold Mining towns such as Ross where you can search for Greenstone. Tip/Hint: The best view of Mt. Gunn is by helicopter. Local companies Fox and Franz Heliservices did all the flying for this scene and knows the area well. Based at Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers they offer tours over the location as well as scenic flights, including a landing on the glaciers.

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