The best things to do in Franz Josef & the glacier country
Glaciers, rainforest, and obsidian lakes; Westland Tai Poutini National Park is one of my favourite destinations in the South Island
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission should you book through those links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support.
Tourists have been flocking to Franz Josef since the late 1800s; back then, the ice was visible from the main highway.
The glacier has beaten a lengthy retreat since then, but it’s still a fantastically accessible river of ice.
Usually, to see a glacier, you have to make it high into hostile alpine terrain, or into the depths of a place like Patagonia or Greenland. In Franz Josef, the glacier is visible just a short walk from a tourist village right on the main highway through the region.
Franz Josef glacier in the 1950s — photo via Peter Righteous
Women walking on the glacier in 1913 — photo via Maye Dunn
In more modern times — a view of Franz Josef glacier as I was doing the heli hike
The first time I drove up the narrow road to the carpark closest the glacier, I couldn’t believe the chunks of ice flowing down the river, nearly to the sea.
I’ve been back many times since. And I have yet to get tired of exploring Franz Josef.
The twin glaciers of Fox and Franz are the stars of Westland Tai Poutini National Park, distinctive for their proximity to the sea – they sit at a mere 300 metres (1000 feet) above sea level and only 12 kilometres from the coast.
But, the national park is also home to rich forest that drips in bright green moss, obsidian lakes that mirror the mountains, and beaches where if you’re lucky, you might see the rounded fins of Hector’s dolphins.
Go for the glaciers, but stay long enough to explore all of glacier country.
MY TOP PICKS FOR FRANZ JOSEF
Kick up some mud on a quad bike tour with Franz Josef Wilderness Tours
Hike to a viewpoint in the area — Roberts Point is excellent for a half day walk, or Alex Knob for a full day hike
Some practicalities
GETTING THERE AND AWAY
There’s only one way in and out of the region; State Highway 6, the long and lonely road down the west coast.
The most common route to or from Franz Josef is from Christchurch, over Arthur’s Pass and down through Hokitika to Franz Josef. Most travellers will carry on down to Haast Pass and through to Wanaka, before heading either back to Christchurch or on to Queenstown.
Needless to say, your own set of wheels is the easiest way to get around (although there are limited Inter City connections throughout the region). There are plenty of hotels in Franz Josef and Fox Glacier townships, with a smattering of Airbnbs as well.
Travelling in a campervan might be the ideal way to move throughout glacier country, though, thanks to the superb campgrounds. Just make sure you’re prepared to deal with abundant sandflies and wet weather.
HOW LONG TO STAY IN FRANZ JOSEF
When visiting Franz Josef you should always have both a raincoat and a good amount of patience; the weather on the west coast is famously fickle, and frequently derails the best-laid plans. During wet weather, helicopters stay grounded and cloud obscures the glaciers from view.
If you have enough time in your itinerary, stay for at least two nights, to increase your chances of seeing the rivers of ice. Glaciers aside, there is plenty to do in this beautiful part of the country, so it’s unlikely you’ll regret spending a little extra time there.
A tip for checking the weather: I use NIWA to look at the weather in Franz Josef (and other national parks). The forecast includes details on visibility and how low the cloud is expected to sit. Anything under 3000 metres means you won’t have great visibility.
CHOOSING BETWEEN FRANZ JOSEF AND FOX GLACIER
The townships of Franz Josef and Fox Glacier are a 30 minute drive apart, so it’s easy enough to visit the sights in both areas while using only one as a base. My preference is to stay in Franz Josef. The Franz Josef township is busier, but has a better visitor centre, more options for accommodation and food, and a much prettier rainforest setting (the large number of visitors is generally swallowed up by the fantastically green surroundings, so it rarely feels crowded). There’s also a few more activity options in Franz Josef for rainy days. The Fox township is smaller than Franz, with fewer amenities. But, it does offer easy access to the spectacular Lake Matheson, handy if you want to visit the mirror lake at dawn, when the water is the calmest.
Franz Josef
Fox Glacier
As for the glaciers, both glaciers are visible from accessible viewpoints (in good weather) that you can reach on foot. Franz Josef does have a few more hiking options, but both can be visited via helicopter for a scenic tour or a heli hike. Franz Josef glacier is steeper than Fox, with a distinctive black rock at its centre, as well as deep blue crevasses and ice caves. Fox Glacier itself is longer and gets fewer visitors, so it can make for a less crowded heli-hike experience. Sitting a little lower, sometimes the weather can favour Fox Glacier too, making it more likely you’ll get onto the ice.
Exploring Franz Josef
Franz Josef heli hike
The premier activity in Franz Josef (and Fox Glacier – see below) is hitching a ride on a helicopter up onto the ice. Heli hikes on Franz Josef glacier are exclusively the domain of Franz Josef Glacier Guides. You may see heli hike trips advertised via other booking agents, but the only ones leading you on the ice are guides from this outfit (owned by Ngai Tahu Tourism, the tourism arm of the South Island’s largest iwi/tribe).
You’ll need an exceptionally clear weather window.
Unlike a brief landing, or a fly over, the heli hike requires several hours of good weather. That means there’s a good chance your heli hike may be cancelled; early morning trips have a better shot at getting on the ice, but even so, be prepared for your plans to change.
I was lucky enough to get perfect blue skies for my heli hike. This was my first time in a helicopter, so although it’s a very brief ride of around 10 minutes (walking on the glacier is the real attraction) I enjoyed the trip up the valley.
Walking on the ice was equally surreal, with crevasses, ice caves and views out towards the sea.
I did find the heli-hike to be more of a meander than a hike. Time is allocated for photo stops, and if you’re lucky enough to go through an ice cave, the group will pass through one person at a time. Expect to move at the pace of the slowest person in your group (although the upshot of this is more time staring at the blue ice).
There are more adventurous options, like the Glacier Heli Ice Climb, or the Glacier Adventure, both of which sound as if they would test you a little more physically, and give you more time on the ice (5.5 hours versus the 2.5 hours on a heli hike).
I’m curious about both of these options, but have yet to try them; trips do come with a high price tag and are subject to minimum numbers.
Another thing to note; I visited in 2022, when New Zealand’s borders were still closed to international visitors.
Standing on the ice, my guide pointed out a waterfall on a cliff edge in the valley. It was notable because you could hear the sound of the water; he told us that on a clear day, before borders were closed, the number of helicopters flying up and down the valley was so high that the prevalent sound in the area is the buzz of chopper blades. The sounds of waterfalls, ice cracking, and other natural sounds are drowned out. I imagine this is the case again now.
This, along with the irony of fossil fueled powered flights to see the melting ice, may mean the most nature oriented visitors might not enjoy the trip. If this sounds like you, I recommend prioritising the hiking trails in the area instead, ideally in the Fox Glacier area where the overall number of helicopter flights is lower.
‘Flightseeing’ hikes
Helicopter trips designed to give you views of the glaciers, and a short snow landing, are an option if you’re not interested in the heli hike.
There are a number of helicopter companies, but tour offerings and prices are roughly the same. Trips typically last from 25-45 minutes, with a 10 minute landing on one of the glaciers, and cover a combination of Franz Josef glacier, Fox glacier, and the Tasman Glacier lying on the opposite side of the Southern Alps, in Mount Cook National Park (which is very close as the helicopter flies).
Glacier Country Helicopters
FAMILY OWNED | LOCALLY OWNED
Not to be confused with Glacier Helicopters, this is a small, family owned operation offering the standard selection of scenic heli flights; Franz Josef Glacier, Franz and Fox, or Franz, Fox, and Tasman.
Heli flights from $385 for 25 minutes, with a 10 minute alpine landing
INFLITE Franz & Fox Helicopters
INFLITE offers longer than standard trips, and is the only Franz Josef helicopter operator to cross the main divide and land on the Tasman Glacier (the longest in New Zealand) in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.
Heli flights from $399 for 30 minutes
Franz Josef hikes
The view of Franz Josef from the Roberts Point lookout platform
If you’re on a budget, don’t like helicopters, or don’t want to add to the carbon emissions driving the glacial retreat, there are some wonderful walking options around Franz Josef.
You can get some pretty spectacular views of the glacier from viewpoints in the area, with different levels of difficulty.
The Franz Josef Glacier/Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere track for a 30 minute gentle walk to a viewing point of the glacier and valley. This is possibly the most disappointing view, as the glacier has shrunk far up the valley, but it’s still a lovely (but somewhat busy) walk.
Roberts Point Track is a longer and more challenging hike that crosses swing bridges and rocky terrain. The end point is a wooden viewing platform which faces the glacier, giving you clear views up the valley. I went early in the morning and was the only one there, I loved it.
Alex Knob Hike is possibly the best option for viewing the glacier, as the trail is well maintained and passes three separate view points, so you can choose how far you would like to go.
More things to do in Franz Josef
Quad bike through rainforest and rivers with Franz Josef Wilderness Tours
A family owned business run by Kiwi-Canadian couple Bronwyn and Dale, Franz Josef Wilderness Tours runs a range of kayak, boat, and off-road trips in the Franz Josef area.
The guided quad bike tours are a noisy, fun, and fast-paced way to explore glacier-fed riverbeds, muddy grasslands, and lush rainforest. I don’t usually get my thrills from loud vehicles, but throttling through the grey river was an exhilarating experience.
Hooning around on quad bikes is the ideal activity on a rainy day in Franz Josef, when hikes and heli tours aren’t an option. The puddles add to the fun – you’ll be kitted out in waterproof clothing from head to toe, and encouraged to kick up a bit of mud.
If, like me, you’re fairly tentative with a quad bike, not to worry. Dale and his team are remarkably laid back and do a great job of making sure you’re comfortable with the bike and the terrain.
Soak in the Waiho Hot Tubs
Waiho Hot Tubs are more or less in the middle of town, but it doesn’t feel that way — the tubs are surrounded by native forest, making it feel like forest bathing.
The Waiho River flows from Franz Josef Glacier to the ocean. The name Waiho loosely means smokey waters, so the name Waiho Hot Tubs also references this, capturing the image of the steam rising from the hot tubs.
This 4.4 kilometre, 1.5 hour loop track has to be one of the best short walks in all of New Zealand.
The lake is famous for its mirror-like qualities, reflecting views of Aoraki/Mount Cook on clear, still days, thanks to the glossy brown water stained a dark tea colour by humus of the forest floor. Your best chances of seeing the mirror effect are at dawn and dusk, but even if a breeze has ruffled the surface of the lake, it’s still a beautiful walk through old-growth forest.
After walking the loop, I also enjoyed sitting at Lake Matheson Cafe for a while, enjoying views of the mountains and a great deal of serenity.
Okarito
For me, Okarito has a special kind of beauty.
The small coastal town is about 25 minutes from Franz Josef, off the main highway. Only around 30 people live here year round. So it’s a bit of a detour to get there, which means it’s blissfully peaceful.
Okarito is home to a large, tranquil lagoon, which is in turn home to mystical white herons.
This stretch of coastal wilderness is rare in its beauty and intactness.
Kayak Okarito Lagoon
Okarito Kayaks is a small, family run business that offers both freedom kayak rentals and guided kayak tours.
Walk the coast at Okarito
There is a beautiful walk along the coast to Three Mile Lagoon, which feels incredibly isolated — I found it almost eerie, but in a beautiful way, if that makes sense. Almost like catching nature off guard.
You can walk back along the beach at low tide. In the evening, you might spot Hector’s dolphins in the waves. I saw one foraging along the coast in the setting sunlight, it was wonderful.
Where to stay in Franz Josef
Legacy Te Waonui Hotel Franz Josef
HOTEL | $$$$
The clever square layout of this hotel means each of the four wings joins to enclose rainforest.
Rooms look out into the forest (which, while creating a sense of privacy, does mean they lean towards dimness), and are decorated with small flourishes like possum fur cushions.
Although the price tag is high compared to other places in town, the rates do include an excellent dinner and breakfast, which is convenient given the limited dining options in Franz Josef. I enjoyed my stay here.
Rainforest Retreat
Beyond the rainforest setting, the main appeal of the Rainforest Retreat is the wide range of accommodation options, from campervan sites to deluxe treehouses with private hot tubs. Monsoon, the on-site restaurant, serves standard pizzas, burgers, and other bar meals, but it’s some of the better food you’ll find in Franz Josef.
Orange Sheep Campervan Park
CAMPGROUND | $
Tucked into lush native bush, this well-priced campground is ideal for anyone travelling in a campervan, with good facilities and a location right in the middle of town.
ITINERARIES THAT PASS THROUGH FRANZ JOSEF
Franz Josef and glacier country is an essential stop on a longer South Island road trip. If you only have a short time in New Zealand, it might not be worth the trek (you can also see glaciers at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park) but if you are up for an adventure, I encourage you to visit.
AUTHOR BIO
I’m a freelance travel writer from New Zealand with bylines in National Geographic Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and more.
I’ve travelled up and down beautiful Aotearoa and I love sharing my recommendations for the best places to visit in New Zealand.
