Inclusions
Inclusions
Inclusions
Glaciologists consider the Franz Josef glacier a ‘rock star’ because its altitude and geographical features keep the ice constantly moving. Large chunks of ice moving down a narrow valley form beautiful cracks and towering seracs that you can marvel at during your helicopter ride.
The slot mentioned on your voucher is the check-in time. We suggest that you arrive at least 15 minutes before check-in to make sure you have sufficient time to prepare for your tour, including a medical check and a quick training session.
The facility will perform a basic fitness check to see if you’ll be able to complete the entire hike. The Franz Josef heli hike is considered an adventure experience and you’ll need to be physically fit to complete it. As long as you exercise regularly and are able to walk comfortably for more than 2 hours, you’ll be eligible to participate.
Your guide will give you a 15-minute brief on what to expect on your helicopter tour and the hike. During the hike, you’ll need to climb large steps carved into the ice, pass through tunnels, or walk carefully on fragile terrain. Listen to your guide’s instructions carefully to remain safe during the hike and use this opportunity to clarify any doubts.
The facility will give you a waterproof overcoat and a pair of waterproof overpants to wear above your current clothes to keep you dry during the hike. Use the fanny pack provided by the facility to keep essential items with you like your phone, a small water bottle, some snacks if you need, gloves and sunglasses. Leave behind valuables like jewelry or your passport to avoid losing them.
Before the hike, you’ll be taken to the top of the glacier on a short 5.5-minute ride. Keep your eyes peeled for beautiful glacier-rainforest scenes, towering seracs and blue ice! The chopper will let you land on the ice and also pick you up from the same spot after your hike.
You will likely join a small group of up to 10 people for your hike. Your guide will take you on a long 2.5-hour hike atop Franz Josef to explore its various ice formations. You may get to slide on icy crevasses, squeeze through narrow ice caves, navigate staggering seracs, or, if you’re lucky, try them all!
Note: If your glacier guide decides that you’re unfit for the experience, you will not be entitled to a refund. So it’s best to come with a doctor’s recommendation.
Risk factor: The Franz Josef heli hike is an adventure activity and carries a certain level of inherent risk. You will be asked to sign a waiver form. Follow your guide’s instructions for your own safety.
Every day: From 7:30am to 8:15am, then from 10am to 1:15pm
Slots are available every 15 minutes
Check-in: The check-in time is 15 minutes before the slot mentioned on your voucher.
Tour duration: 4 hours from check-in to end of experience
Hike duration: About 2.5 hours spent exploring the glacier
Closure: Christmas Day - 25th December
Plan your visit to Franz Josef
Peak season: December to February (Summer); Low season: June to August (Winter)
Although great for a visit at any time of the yeat, the best time to visit Franz Josef for you would depend on what you want to see and the level of adventure you desire.
Summer (12 to 19°C): The glacier changes more rapidly with the melting snow in the summer. While this creates more dramatic ice formations, it also means that the hike may be a tad riskier. However, there are also opportunities to take a few layers off and click pictures against the white backdrop!
Winter (-15 to 5°C): During the winter, you can expect a much calmer glacier with more stagnant ice formations. The weather is relatively stable, the crowds are fewer and temperatures here don’t plummet as much as most other glaciers. If you’re a beginner to mountain hikes, plan your Franz Josef hike in the winter when the landscapes are stable for longer.
Detailed best time to visit Franz JosefAddress: Franz Josef Glacier Guides(FJGG), Te Ao Marama, Glacier Base, 63 Cron Street Franz Josef Glacier Franz Josef Glacier, 7886, New Zealand. Find on Maps
You will have to check in at Westland Tai Poutini National Park Visitor Centre.
By car:
From Christchurch, take the SH73 until Kumara and turn left at Kumara Junction. Take the SH6 the rest of the way to Franz Josef Glacier.
From Queenstown, take the SH6 that passes through Wanaka and then Haast up to the Franz Josef glacier.
By bus: There are multiple bus services from nearby towns, including Greymouth, Hokitika, Christchurch, Queenstown, and more.
Directions to Franz Josef
Here are some eateries that are just a short walk away from the FJGG facility for when you’re famished after your heli hike.
The Landing Restaurant & Bar: Offering a wide variety of snacks, pastas, pizzas and mains along with a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, this restaurant is an easy pick for when you’re not sure of what to eat. The Belgian waffles from their breakfast menu is a must-try.
Alice May Restaurant & Bar: A tribute to the locally famous Alice May Parkinson, this restaurant serves burgers, steaks and pastas with a variety of side dishes, including seasonal vegetables, and desserts.
SnakeBite Brewery: If you’re craving Asian food, check out some baos, dumplings and ramen at SnakeBite. They also have a selection of reds and whites and beer on tap to pair with your food.
If you’re not keen on hiking the glacier, why not take a guided helicopter tour? Your pilot guide will engage you in expert commentary that involves local folk tales too. Choose between 20, 30 and 40-minute flight durations for your Franz Josef helicopter tour and get breathtaking views of famous peaks of the Southern Alps and the rainforest below.
Take your adventure a few levels higher by choosing to skydive above the Franz Josef glacier. With a jumpmaster to accompany you on your dive, this experience is open to even those with no skydiving experience. Choose between various heights and soak in the beautiful vistas of the Southern Alps as you glide down slowly with a parachute.
As long as you remain active regularly and have some experience with hiking, you should be able to participate in the heli hike without any issues. However, if you’ve had a history of any medical conditions, we suggest that you get a doctor’s recommendation to remain on the safe side.
If drastic weather changes lead to the cancelation of your tickets, you can either get a refund or reschedule your heli hike for another day. If your holiday itinerary includes multiple experiences, keep the Franz Josef heli hike towards the beginning of your itinerary to accommodate for a reschedule.
Franz Josef has a much steeper descent compared to the Fox Glacier, this means that ice formations are more drastic, but the terrain is also riskier. If you’re a beginner to mountain hikes, we suggest you pick the calmer Fox Glacier instead. If you’re an experienced mountaineer and want to see drastic ice formations, then Franz Josef in the summer is your best option.
Although a guided hike of Franz Josef takes you quite close to the glacier, you will not have the opportunity to hike atop the glacier. With a heli hike, not only can you see the surrounding mountains and valleys, but you also get to land on the ice and get exclusive views of the various ice formations atop the glacier. It’s also a better option for if you want to see blue ice.
While there’s no guarantee that you will be able to see specific ice formations, the helicopter takes you high up the glacier where blue ice is quite prominent.
Your Franz Josef heli hike will include a short trip to the top of the glacier, after which you will put on your crampons provided by your guide and take a 2-hour hike on the glacier. Your guide will carve the path for you and show you various ice formations on the glacier. Once the hike is complete, you will return to the helipad where the helicopter dropped you off at first to go back down to the glacier base.
Apart from Franz Josef heli hikes and heli tours, there are also other experiences like guided hiking tours, boating on Lake Mapourika and Okarito Lagoon. Most hiking trails are free for you to access. However, be sure to check with the Department of Conservation on whether these trails are open and if there are any ice or landslide warnings.
One expert glacier guide is assigned to up to 10 tourists at Franz Josef. However, the helicopter can only fit up to 6 people at a time, including the pilot and the guide.
The price of your Franz Josef heli hike includes all the items essential to your experience, including waterproof jacket and pants, snow boots, crampons and a fanny pack. However, you will need to bring your own sunglasses. If you don’t have one, you can purchase sunglasses from a kiosk at the heli hike base.
You can cancel or reschedule your Franz Josef heli hike up to 24 hours before the beginning of your experience. If you need to make any reschedules within this period, you may have to forfeit your refund. However, if there is a cancelation due to unforeseen weather changes, then you will be entitled to a full refund or reschedule your heli hike for free.
We suggest that you not carry a backpack as the helicopter has limited space for seating. The facility will give you a small fanny pack to keep your essentials like phone, snacks, water bottle, etc.
The Franz Josef Glacier is usually about 8 to 10°C cooler than the town below. The breeze usually adds to this chill. As conditions can change quite drastically, we suggest that you have at least 2 warm layers beneath the jacket provided by the facility.
Weather in Alpine regions can change drastically, so it’s best to be prepared with extra layers. In the summer, we suggest that you have at least 2 warm layers beneath the jacket. In the winter, wear at least 3 layers underneath. You can always take off one of these layers if you’re too warm.
Denim is a highly absorbent material that will easily get wet during the hike. This will not only drastically add to its weight but also increase the chances of frostbite. To avoid such situations, we suggest that you wear lightweight joggers or track pants under the facility’s waterproof overpants.
Although there is good connectivity between nearby towns and Franz Josef by road, it is best to drive up to the glacier only if you have experience driving under rain or snow. The road conditions may be unpredictable, especially during the winter, so drive up here at your own discretion.
