Top 10 Things To Do in Franz Josef
So you’ve found yourself in the thriving metropolis of Franz Josef or you are planning a West Coast road trip to see the often less explored region of New Zealand’s south island. The main street is plastered with signs of helicopters, inviting you to come see the area’s infamous glaciers by air, but there is so much more to the town than that.
What to do in Franz
Lets start with the obvious, the main reason visitors come to the villages of Fox and Franz Josef - to lay their eyes (or hands) on the most accessible glaciers in New Zealand.
1. Take a helicopter flight over the glaciers with a snow landing
A helicopter tour will take you from sea level all the way up to 11,000ft, depending on which tour you book. You’ll get an up close view of the glaciers as you fly over the top, peering down the deep blue crevasses, snow covered peaks towering all around, and NZ’s highest mountain, Mt Cook (tour dependent). I say it so sincerely when I say, the mountains up there are something no photo or video can do justice. You’ll land on the snow and have about 10 minutes to have a snowball fight, soak in the views and get some piccys for the gram. There are 5 main helicopter operators in town, all offering similar services at similar prices. I personally recommend Heliservices. I am somewhat biased with this view as I have spent time flying for them as a pilot but this has allowed me to see the professionalism of this operator as they deliver a superior product by experienced pilots who have undertaken strict and comprehensive training.
Heliservices offers 20, 30 and 40 minute tour options. I would personally recommend the Twin Glacier tour at a minimum, this tour takes about 30 minutes in total and will offer you up close views of both the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers, as well as the surrounding mountains while you fly over a pass between the two. If it’s in the budget, a 40 minute flight will give you all this plus up close views of the magnificent Mt Cook towering over you and the Tasman glacier (weather dependent).
I personally have flow hundreds of people on these tours and if I had a dollar for every person who has told me that this half hour was the absolute highlight of their entire trip around New Zealand, I’d have a very full piggy bank. If you’ve got good weather while you’re in Franz this one is an absolute must do!
Cost - starting at $330
2. Short Walks
There’s no shortage of gorgeous walks around Franz, at the time of writing I have lived in Franz for two months and have not managed to tick them all off my list yet but I will tell you about my favourites.
Robert’s Point - 10.8km return, allow 5 hours. This hike will give you the best view the Franz Josef Glacier out of all the walks. It is uneven terrain and a moderately hard walk, a good level of fitness is recommended. The trail is clearly marked and has plenty of variety, crossing multiple swing bridges. Do not embark on this walk in the rain as it will be slippery and dangerous.
Tartare Tunnels - 3.6km return, allow 1.5 hours. My personal favourite! Starting from the backstreet of town this trail takes you through the rainforest and along the Tartare Gorge until you arrive at the Tartare Tunnels, a tunnel bored through 500 metres of solid rock by pioneer gold miners in the early 1900s. Take a torch and shoes you don’t mind getting wet, the water will be ankle deep at worst. You should be able to see glow worms in the pitch dark of the tunnel. Not recommended for claustrophobes!
Callery Gorge - 5.2km, allow 1.5 hours. This walk shares the start with the Tartare Tunnels walk. A lovely walk through the rainforest with view of the Waiho River and historical pump stations that ends at a swing bridge in the Gallery Gorge. If it hasn’t rained for a few days the water will be a magnificent blue.
Alex Knob - 17.2km, allow 8 hours. A challenging but rewarding hike for those keen on the challenge of a full day hike. Rainforest walk with lots of vertical metres gained and a magnificent views of the glacier at the end.
Franz Josef Glacier Walk - 1.4km return, allow 30 mins. An easy walk through the rainforest to a view point of the glacier. There are multiple short walks from this carpark, Roberts Pool is a short jaunt and certainly worth a look on a nice weather day too. If you don’t have a car, the glacier walks car park is approximately 4km from town.
Cost - free!
3. Glacier Hike or Ice Climb
If you want to physically touch the glacier and really take in the scale of the ice this one is for you. You’ll experience a short helicopter ride up the glacier valley to the hike site where you’ll be greeted by passionate guides who will help you strap on some crampons and show you safely around the awe inspiring glacier. The guides are expertly trained and have in depth knowledge about the landscape. You’ll spend 2.5 hours on the ice peering down crevasses and taking in the grandeur of this natural marvel. You will need a good weather day for this activity as low cloud or high winds can quickly cancel the tour for safety purposes.
If you’re up for a more technical challenge Franz Josef Glacier Guides also offers Ice Climbing packages where you will learn from the expert guides about the ins and outs of ice climbing and abseiling. This tour allows you 5.5 hours on the ice.
Cost - starting at $795
4. Quad Biking Tours
Join Franz Josef Wilderness Tours for a guided off road adventure. This all weather activity will get your heart racing as you journey through jurassic rainforests, splash through rivers and explore ancient glacial riverbed. If you’ve got a young family or would prefer to let someone else take the wheel, you can also hire a 3 or 5 seater buggy with an expert guide at the wheel.
Cost - starting at $220
5. Swim, Kayak or SUP at Lake Mapourika
8km north of Franz Josef township is the ever stunning Lake Mapourika, surrounded by untouched rainforest and native birds, all with the Southern Alps towering in the background. Take a guided or independent tour of the lake by Stand Up Paddle board or Kayak. Being rain fed, the lake takes on a darker colour, absorbing the suns warmth for a beautiful temperature for swimming.
Cost - starting at $35
6. Experience NZ’s Highest Skydive or Jump from a Helicopter
Skydive Franz offers an 18,000ft skydive, where you will freefall for up to 85 seconds followed by a 5 minute canopy ride to soak in the surreal views of the Tasman Ocean and Southern Alps. Or if you want to tick of both a helicopter ride and a skydive in one go, you can opt to leap from a helicopter. The ability to slow right down before the leap will provide an exciting feeling during the initial freefall.
Cost - starts at $799
7. Soak in Mountain Stream Hot Tubs
Soak in a private hot tub of fresh mountain stream water. Heated to 39 degrees they are perfect to ease sore muscles after a day of hiking or warm up on a cool rainy day. Each tub has room for up to 4 adults and 1 child. Bring some nibbles and drinks and kick back to soak in the rainforest retreat.
Cost - starting at $95
8. Watch the Westland Wonderland Movie
Perfect for a rainy day, the Westland Wonderland movie showcases all the beauty the Westland has to offer in a cinematic 45 minute film. The massive movie theatre screen is one you would never expect to hidden away in small town Franz, find it at the Heliservices office in the Alpine Adventure Centre.
Cost - $15 for adults, $10 for kids
9. Visit the Kiwis at the Wildlife Centre
Another perfect activity for the many rainy days Franz Josef experiences. Learn all about the endangered Kiwi and conservation efforts through interactive displays and see real life Kiwi in the flesh.
Cost - from $38 for adults
10. Have a bonfire on the beach and Watch the Sunset
A short drive from Franz Josef is the coastal neighbourhood of Okarito. The black sand beach is filled with driftwood so its easy collecting. Kick back, light a fire and watch the sun set over the ocean. Don’t forget your mozzie spray however, the west coast sandflies can be savage. Okarito sells it own spray from a street front stall if you do forget!
Cost - free!