Best of Franz Josef Glacier

At the heart of Franz Josef is its namesake glacier, with ice crashing down from the mountains to the forest below, and tracks to viewpoints are just a short drive or walk from the town of Franz Josef / Waiau. Explore it any way you please, whether that's a scenic flight onto the glacier ice or a guided valley walk approaching the face. There are also plenty of forest and alpine walking tracks, as well as glacier hot pools.

Previous kimkim travelers have combined glacier activities with a heli-hike, which starts with a scenic flight up to the glacier and then continues with a roughly two-hour guided glacier hike through the astonishing ice formations. If you want to go onto the glacier itself, a twin glacier flight will helicopter you across two glaciers and let you land at the head of one. If you prefer water to ice, try an Okarito boat tour, where you'll venture onto the Okarito Lagoon, home to New Zealand's largest unmodified wetland. Or opt for a half-day tour of Lake Matheson, known for its mirror-like reflective surface, where you'll take a gentle guided walk to experience its crystal clear water and learn about the flora, fauna, glaciation, geology, and natural history of this beautiful area. A kayak and walk with Franz Josef Wilderness Tours will take you through a private rainforest trail and kiwi sanctuary that can be exclusively accessed by kayak.