Franz Josef Glacier
One of the steepest and most accessible glaciers on Earth, descending from the Southern Alps almost to sea level and best experienced from the air or on a guided ice walk.
Quick Facts
- Region
- West Coast, South Island
- Best time
- Year-round; weather-dependent
- Entry fee
- Free valley walk; helicopter tours from ~$300
- Duration
- 1–4 hours
Overview
Franz Josef (Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere, 'the tears of Hine Hukatere' in Māori legend) descends nearly 3,000 vertical metres from the Southern Alps to within a few hundred metres of the coastal rainforest below — an unusually steep, fast-moving glacier compared to most others in the world. The glacier has retreated significantly in recent decades, and it's no longer possible to walk directly onto the ice from the valley floor.
Today, the only way onto the glacier itself is by helicopter, which lands directly on the ice for a guided walk among crevasses and ice caves. The valley walk from the car park remains free and gives good views of the glacier's face and the surrounding rainforest and waterfalls, even without going onto the ice.
Things To Do
- Helicopter ice walk — fly onto the glacier and explore crevasses and ice caves with a guide.
- Scenic flight — a shorter flightseeing option over the glacier and surrounding Southern Alps without landing.
- Glacier Valley walk — a free walk from the car park to a lookout point near the glacier's face.
- Franz Josef township — hot pools and a range of accommodation and dining right by the glacier valley.
- Roberts Point Track — a longer, more strenuous walk with elevated views over the glacier.
Getting There
Franz Josef township is on State Highway 6, about 2.5 hours' drive south of Greymouth or 4 hours north of Queenstown. The glacier valley car park is a short drive from the township.
| Location | Franz Josef, Westland Tai Poutini National Park |
|---|---|
| Opening Hours | Valley walk accessible daily; helicopter tours weather-dependent |
| Entry Fee | Free for the valley walk; helicopter tours from around NZD $300 |
| Duration | 1–2 hours for the valley walk; half day including a helicopter tour |
| Accessibility | Valley walk track has some uneven sections; helicopter landing sites vary |
Gallery
Nearby Attractions
Hokitika Gorge
A strikingly turquoise glacial river gorge, about an hour's drive north.
Pancake Rocks
Layered limestone formations and blowholes at Punakaiki, further up the coast.
Fox Glacier
The West Coast's other major glacier, about 25 minutes' drive south.