Heli Hiking Franz Josef Glacier was one of my favorite things I did in New Zealand! $450 NZD is a hefty price tag for a tour when you’re already spending quite a bit of money on a vacation, so I was a bit hesitant. But as usual, I said “YOLO (I hate myself for using that), when else am I going to get the chance to take a helicopter up to the top of a mountain in New Zealand and hike on a glacier?” and booked it! And let me tell you, it was absolutely worth every penny.
Franz Josef Glacier Guided Heli Hiking Tour
While touring New Zealand’s South Island with Wild Kiwi, we spent two nights in Franz Josef. Franz Josef Glacier Guides was the recommended tour company for heli hikes, and I had a wonderful experience with them.
They provide you with everything you need: waterproof pants, a heavy waterproof jacket, crampons (the spiky things for your shoes for walking on ice), a (mostly) waterproof bag, and a hat if you need it. And of course, a sweet ride up the mountain. The only way to actually hike on the glacier is to get up via helicopter.
Heli Hike Tour Check-In
We met at the center bright and early in the morning and were quickly checked in and briefed on our upcoming adventure. We were then ushered into the next room where we got all our gear. The pants and jackets do keep you pretty warm (and most importantly, dry) but you should still wear layers underneath, depending on the weather. The bag they give you is the only one you can bring up on the glacier. They say it’s waterproof, and that’s mostly true, but I’d still recommend bringing a zip lock bag with you to protect anything that you absolutely don’t want to get wet.
Hike to Helipad
To get from the building to the helipad, you have to take a short walk through the rainforest. At this point, we still haven’t been able to see the actual glacier itself.
Then boom: We walk out of the dense rainforest and into the clearing and we finally get a glimpse of the giant ice sheet that is Franz Josef Glacier high up on the mountain.
Helicopter Ride up to Franz Josef Glacier
You are then split up into two groups for the helicopters. An older man was kind enough to allow me what I thought was going to be the window seat (it must have been the eager look on my face and my inability to stop taking pictures of everything I was seeing haha). But at the last minute, the guide pushed me in further and climbed in himself taking the window seat and monopolizing my view out the window with his breakfast. So the shots I have going up the mountain are the guide eating directly in my line of view out the window.
The views on the way up were still stunning nonetheless.
Arriving on Franz Josef Glacier
Stepping out of the helicopter, I was met with a rush of cold air coming off the glacier. The helicopter’s blades were whipping up a whirlwind of ice and hair around my face as I tried to scoot my way along the ice while not slipping. It was exhilarating.
Once the second group was up, our guide briefed us on the day and instructed us on how to tie on the crampons (anyone else giggle at that word? No? Just me?). Next, we were handed our ice poles and I officially felt like a real-life ice trekker and all-around badass.
Franz Josef glacier is one of the steepest and fastest flowing glaciers you can climb in the world. Its flow rate is about 10 times that of typical glaciers, reaching almost 70 cm a day back in the 1980s. Because of this, no hike is ever the same. The guides have to go up the mountain every single day before tours start to inspect the paths, cut in step-lines, and evaluate the caves and crevasses.
We hiked up ice walls…
Blue Ice Caves
We then came to these incredible blue ice “caves” on the glacier. They really are as blue as they look in the photos!
At one point, we wedged ourselves through crevasses thinner than my shoulder width! On that note, I would not recommend this your if you are claustrophobic, it really gets tight in some places.
Top of Franz Josef Glacier
Once we got to the top of our hike, the view were unparalleled. You could see the entire valley!
Things to Consider Before Booking a Franz Josef Glacier Heli Hike Tour
Tight Spaces
Like I mentioned early, there were some points in the hike that were more narrow than my shoulder width. If you are claustrophobic, this would have been very uncomfortable for you. For someone who’s a little bigger, it might be an uncomfortable situation as well. There Might have been other ways around, I don’t know. I suggest calling the company to double check if you have any doubts!
Activity Level
I would say as far as activity level goes, it was moderate. I was never completely out of breath on the hike, but was definitely tired by the end of the tour. Keep in mind the air is colder and thiner at the top as well.
Franz Josef Glacier Heli Hike Video
I made a pretty cool video recapping our hike on Franz Josef! You can view it here or on YouTube:
Heli Hiking Franz Josef Glacier is a once in a lifetime opportunity and definitely worth doing when visiting New Zealand’s South Island. Yes, it’s a lot of money, but it’s worth it and leaves you with an amazing experience you’ll never forget.
Stay tuned for more from my trip to New Zealand! And if you haven’t already, check out the video from the whole week.
You Might Also Like:
- 10 Things NOT To Miss on New Zealand’s South Island
- 25 Breathtaking Landscapes from New Zealand South Island
- The Perfect 1-Week New Zealand South Island Road Trip
xx Chels
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