The hospitable town of Franz Josef serves the glacier of the same name. Stay here while you explore this spectacular World Heritage Area. The glacier is five kilometres from the town of the same name, and a 20 minute walk will take you to its terminal face. From the glacier car park, you can hike to a choice of lookout points for a bigger view of this awesome river of ice. If you want to actually make contact with the glacier, take a guided ice walk or a heli-hike. Aerial sightseeing is another option. There's a range of natural attractions in close proximity to Franz Josef Glacier Village. Lose yourself in the rainforests, waterfalls, and lakes.
Fox & Franz Heliservices
Fox & Franz Heliservices is an experienced helicopter flightseeing company. We provide visitors with a diverse range of South Island scenic helicopter flights and private charters in some of New Zealand's most spectacular alpine and coastal regions.
Stunning Scenic Flights in New Zealand
Air Safaris Franz Josef
‘The Grand Traverse’ scenic flight offers you the best value for money experience of this majestic area.
Air Safaris will take you on an unforgettable 50 minute (allow 1 hour) scenic flightseeing tour of the awe inspiring Aoraki Mount Cook and Westland World Heritage Parks – over 200 kilometres of New Zealand’s most stunning alpine scenery.
Air Safaris
Ice Walks - Franz Josef Glacier
The magnificent Franz Josef Glacier is widely regarded as the gem of New Zealand’s West Coast Glaciers.
From its origins high in the Southern Alps, the Franz Josef Glacier descends deep into the lush rainforest of Westland's National Park, offering novice clients the opportunity to explore the most spectacular glacier environment available to the general public anywhere in the world.
Ice walks
Lake Mapourika, Franz Josef
Lake Mapourika is a kettle lake. It was formed when a large block of ice was left behind by the retreating Franz Josef Glacier some fourteen thousand years ago. It is ten kilometres north of the Franz Josef Glacier Village on the State Highway. It is the largest lake in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park. The lake is fed by a number of small streams that come from the surrounding bush clad hills. It drains into the Okarito River.
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Terrace Walk Franz Josef Glacier Village
This stunning short walk takes you straight into the podocarp hardwood forest. Walk to a historic gold mining sluice face only a few hundred metres from the centre of the Franz Josef Glacier Village. The walk takes thirty minutes return and in clear weather is easily completed in street shoes. After dark, you can see glow worms hidden in old tree stumps and on the sluice face itself.
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Canavan's Knob Franz Josef
The track takes approximately forty minutes return and includes a steady climb through rainforest to a breathtaking views of the Tasman Sea and the Franz Josef Glacier. In mountaineering terms a knob refers to a prominent rounded hill which may be on mountain range. Richard Canavan was a prominent businessman who lived at Okarito during the goldrush in the 1860s.
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Okarito Township and Lagoon
The historic settlement of Okarito was built on a sand-spit within the bounds of the Okarito Lagoon. Originally a Maori settlement and then a busy gold mining town, the village lies between the forces of the Tasman Sea and a natural landscape of wetlands and rainforests, dominated by the highest peaks of the Southern Alps, including Mt. Cook/Aoraki and Tasman.
White Heron Sanctuary Tours Whataroa
Whataroa is the departure point for NZ’s only White Heron Sanctuary Tour.
The tour consists of a short minibus ride to connect with our jet-boat for a gentle 20 minute scenic cruise into the Waitangi-roto Nature Reserve (the only access to this area is by boat). In the reserve we disembark from the boat for a short walk through ancient Kahikatea rainforest to our purpose built viewing hide to observe the magnificent White Heron (Kotuku) in their natural nesting environment.
White Heron Sanctuary
Glacier Hot Pools
New Zealand's most unique hot pools experience, in the heart of the rainforest.
Nestled in lush rainforest, the Glacier Hot Pools is a haven of natural tranquility. Our pools are the perfect way to unwind and experience a blissful state of pure relaxation after travelling along Te Tai o Poutini (The West Coast).
Glacier Hot Pools
Glacier Country Kayaks
Now you can experience Franz Josef’s unique landscape up close from the dramatic Southern Alps to Westland’s protected wetlands and rugged coastline. Enjoy unbeatable panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and glaciers reflected upon Lake Mapourika’s mirror-like water. You’ll also get up close and personal with some of Westland’s oldest untouched rainforest as we paddle our way through the protected habitat of the elusive kiwi.
Glacier Country Kayaks
