Of all the epic experiences I had during my year in New Zealand, my hike on Franz Josef Glacier was one of the best. This included a helicopter ride to and from the glacier, and about two hours of hiking on the glacier itself. I’d never been on a glacier before and it’s such an incredible experience! These trips are extremely weather-dependent, so I felt really lucky that I even got to go! Here’s everything you should know before going on a heli hike at Franz Josef Glacier.
How to Book Your Heli Hike
I booked my heli hike with Get Your Guide. Booking was seamless, and communication with the local tour operator, Franz Josef Glacier Guides, was excellent. I always like being able to read the reviews from past customers on Get Your Guide, plus it’s really easy to use their app for booking activities when you’re on the go. You can book the exact experience I did below!
If you don’t want to hike on the glacier, you can also book a glacier landing trip. This excursion includes the helicopter ride up to Franz Josef Glacier and back, and time on the glacier to snap some pics. But you don’t do any hiking. You can book a glacier landing below!
Tips for Booking Your Heli Hike
If you’re planning on a glacier hike in Franz Josef, there are a couple of important things to think about before booking. I highly recommend booking the first trip of the day. Clouds come in during the afternoon, so the morning is your best chance for clear skies. Hopefully you’ll be planning on staying several days in Franz Josef Glacier – book your heli hike for the first day you’ll be there. If your first booking gets canceled, you can push it back for another time slot or the following days. Try to stay flexible with your plans while in the Franz Josef Glacier area. You might need to skip other activities or move things around in order to accommodate a reschedule heli hike booking. Trust me, it’s worth it though!
What to Expect on the Day of Your Heli Hike
The final call for your trip is made about one hour before the tour departure time. I honestly had no idea if I’d actually be able to go on the morning I’d booked, and the weather the following day was horrendous (all trips canceled), so this was my one shot to go. I checked in at Franz Josef Glacier Guides, and waited as everyone was sorted and given different colored wristbands, depending on what type of trip they’d booked (glacier landing, glacier hike, etc). When I checked in, they said they were watching a cloud and would make their final decision depending on what the cloud did. But that they would go ahead and get everyone prepped, assuming we’d be able to go ahead. It didn’t feel real until I was walking to the helicopter! You’ll meet your guide here. My guide was named Maya, and I always love a #TeamMaja (even if it’s spelled differently)!
You’ll be taken to get suited up with the proper gear for the glacier hike. This includes an outer layer of pants, a jacket, socks, boots, crampons, hiking pole, and a small bag for belongings to take on the glacier. I brought my own hat and gloves. I originally was wearing a down jacket (it was so chilly at 7am when I checked in!), but luckily the guide suggested I leave it behind and go in my fleece. I’m glad she said that, as I’d have been sweating like no other if I’d gone in my down jacket! Once everyone is dressed and glacier ready, there’s a safety briefing. We watched a video and our guide told us important information for when we’d be up on the glacier. From there, we walked to the helicopter landing!
Flying in a Helicopter to Franz Josef Glacier
The helicopter ride is sadly quite short – less than 10 minutes. But WOW, is it spectacular! It honestly felt like a dream come true. We flew up through the valley to the glacier, and landed on a snowy heli pad. It was surreal! Even if you don’t want to do the glacier hike, I really recommend doing a glacier landing to get to experience the helicopter ride and to see the views.
What Hiking on a Glacier is Actually Like
I’d never used crampons before, so the hiking part was new and exciting for me! We followed our guide in a single-file line, going up and down pre-made “steps” in the snow. According to our guide, we were on a fresh trail that had only been cut the day before. Maya used her ice axe to cut across a few sections, and attached line/rope for us to us at a few points. We went through blue ice caves (although they were quite small) and it felt so surreal! We had a few times where we could rest for a break, and have some water and snacks. There was a fair bit of standing and waiting, as we were traveling in single-file, so bottlenecks naturally happen.
Before too long, we’d arrived back at the heli pad and got ready to board our helicopter. We packed our crampons away, and took one last look at the glacier before the helicopter flight back to Franz Josef town. Check out my reel of the experience!
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This experience isn’t cheap. It’s the most expensive thing I did in New Zealand, besides buying a car. I didn’t do this on my first trip in April 2024, because of the cost. But I’m so, SO glad I came back in February 2025 and spent the money to do it. I don’t know if I’ll ever have the opportunity to hike on a glacier anywhere else in my life. It was phenomenal, and absolutely worth the money for me. Book the heli hike I did below!
Planning Your Trip to Franz Josef
Franz Josef is a town on the West Coast on the South Island of New Zealand. It’s about a four-hour drive from Wanaka (via Haast Pass), or a five-hour drive from Christchurch (via Arthur’s Pass). It’s a bit remote, but the town has a Four Square supermarket and plenty of restaurants, bars, cafes, and amenities to accommodate visitors. There’s a number of hikes you can do in the area, including Franz Josef Glacier walk, Robert’s Point Track, Fox Glacier Valley walk, and Lake Matheson.
Christchurch or Queenstown airports would be the most convenient airports to fly into for Franz Josef. I use Skyscanner to find the best flight deals. Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
Looking for more tours and activities in Franz Josef? Check out the options below!
Where to Stay in Franz Josef
Franz Josef has plenty of accommodation options, for all different budgets. Here’s my top picks for where to stay in and around Franz Josef!
Budget: Orange Sheep Campervan Park
I’ve stayed here on both my trips to Franz Josef – I love this place! It’s $20 per person, per night, for an unpowered site. There are two small camp kitchens (with fridges), bathrooms with hot showers, wifi, and a small lounge. There’s a laundromat next to the site entrance. If you’re traveling in a campervan to Franz Josef, stay here! Read more on free/budget campsites in New Zealand here.
Budget: Otto/MacDonalds DOC Campsite
This is a basic DOC site about a 10-minute drive away from Franz Josef. The campsite is next to the busy road, on the shores of Lake Mapourika. There are toilets and a sink for dishes, but not much mobile reception. The DOC campsite pass is valid here, making it a good choice for a low-cost site. (The DOC campsite pass is one of the best ways to save money traveling New Zealand!)
Budget and Mid-Range: Rainforest Retreat
Rainforest Retreat is a popular spot with a variety of accommodation options for travelers. They have a caravan park, hostel facilities and dorm rooms, budget private rooms, cottages and cabins, and even deluxe treehouses! Whatever type of accommodation you’re after, they’ve probably got it on offer here.
Mid-Range: Bella Vista Motel Franz Josef Glacier
These clean, comfortable, and spacious rooms and studios are conveniently located in the heart of Franz Josef. Some of the studios have mountain views, which are stunning!
Luxury: Westwood Lodge
This lodge is located slightly outside of town, with a pretty garden and mountain views and a few different options of suites. Some have balconies or terraces. There’s also a hot tub and sauna on site for guests.
Luxury: Legacy Te Waonui Franz Josef
For a truly luxurious experience, check into Te Waonui Franz Josef. This is a five-star property truly nestled in the rainforest, with a wellness center and an on-site restaurant serving breakfast and dinner.
Book Te Waonui Franz Josef here!
My hike on Franz Josef Glacier was a once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list experience. The helicopter flight to the glacier was incredible! This is one thing you don’t want to miss traveling New Zealand. If you want to experience it for yourself, book your heli hike here.
Disclaimer: This was a partially sponsored experience by GetYourGuide, however this blog post was not a required deliverable or part of the content agreement. All opinions are my own.
Have you ever done a glacier hike before? What was your experience like?
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How to Save Money Traveling New Zealand on a Budget
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All of my New Zealand posts!
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