Earnslaw Burn Explorer

Ready to have some fun? Let’s fly over Skippers Canyon and touch down in the mighty Earnslaw Burn. Explore the wonders of the basin and then we’re off again! Time for our second landing above rustic Glenorchy before soaring back home.

We have designed this flight to show off the beauty and serenity of this spectacular area.

To get to our first landing, we soar through the Moonlight Saddle and over historic Skippers Canyon before sweeping by impressive Mt Earnslaw. We touch down in the majestic Earnslaw Burn valley floor – where only Heliworks is permitted to land – to stand beneath cascading waterfalls and view the towering hanging glacier above. In the warmer months, countless waterfalls greet you, gushing out of the pristine ice. During winter, the waterfalls are fewer, but the glacier is grander, swollen with snow.

It’s time to jump back in the helicopter for our second landing. We weave our way towards the rustic township of Glenorchy at the top of Lake Whakatipu. We climb steadily as the pilot calculates the best place to set down that day. Landing on a mountain top, you can fully appreciate the rugged beauty of the region before we take off down the lake, heading back home.

The Earnslaw Burn has been featured on:

• Lord of the Rings

• The Hobbit

• Travel Guides Australia

• Tracked

• The Summit 

*In winter months (June – August) the Earnslaw Burn does not have as many fast flowing waterfalls compared to our spring and summer months (September – March). It is still a stunning and magical location to visit during winter as there is usually extra snow coverage on the glacier and throughout the valley.