Franz Josef Glacier: Heli Hike
- Duration
- 4 Hours
- Prices:
- On request
With the combination of an exhilarating helicopter ride, jaw-dropping scenery and a two and half hour hike through the most spectacular glacier features, it's no wonder this Glacier Heli Hike is often labeled as the highlight of the visit to Aotearoa (New Zealand).
Your journey starts and ends at The Helicopter Line Base, situated on the Main Road, Franz Josef. On arrival, our friendly team will check you in and prepare you for the excitement ahead with necessary gear and pre-trip briefings.
From here, your guide will take you to the helipad and get you ready to board the helicopter. Adrenaline levels start to spike as you board and are whisked away over the jaw-dropping landscape - an opportunity to take in the full panoramic majesty of Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere nestled within the surrounding mountains.
Your pilot will land high up on the main icefall of the glacier, where your guide will help you make the final preparations for your hike. Then you will be ready to explore the pristine features of this incredible icescape.
Our guides are highly skilled, which means we can find you both the safest and most spectacular route available on the glacier. Because the glacier is so fast-moving, its features are constantly changing - you might find yourself sliding through a narrow crevasse or between towering walls of ice, crawling through blue ice tunnels, hanging out in ice caves, or witnessing the glacier calving. You can be sure that you're seeing the glacier in a unique state and no two trips are ever quite the same.
Whilst on this adventure, your guide will share with you the story of the Maori Legend, Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere. Their knowledge of the glacier, surrounding area and insight into why Franz Josef is so unique; will leave you with a sense of awe. You will come away from your trip not only having experienced this majestic beauty but with a whole new understanding of their special and precious landmark.
Duration: 4 Hours
Departs: 7:30 a.m. - Returns: 11:30 a.m.
Departs: 7:45 a.m. - Returns: 11:45 a.m.
Departs: 8 a.m. - Returns: noon
Departs: 10 a.m. - Returns: 2 p.m.
Departs: 10:15 a.m. - Returns: 2:15 p.m.
Departs: 10:30 a.m. - Returns: 2:30 p.m.
Departs: 12:30 p.m. - Returns: 4:30 p.m.
Departs: 12:45 p.m. - Returns: 4:45 p.m.
Departs: 1 p.m. - Returns: 5 p.m.
From: Franz Josef
