GENERAL TRAVEL INFORMATION
WHICH IS THE BEST GLACIER?
Well we live in Fox Glacier so we would like to say the Fox BUT really there is not a lot of difference.
The Franz Josef Glacier is steeper and straighter than the Fox Glacier. It is a slightly shorter walk to the base of the Fox Glacier than Franz Josef.
Both glaciers are approximately 5 kilometres from their respective villages and you can walk to the base of each or take a guided trip with the local guiding company.
In Fox Glacier it is Fox Glacier Guiding - www.foxguides.co.nz
In Franz Josef Glacier that is Franz Josef Glacier Guides - www.franzjosefglacier.com
WHAT IS
THE BEST WAY TO SEE THE FOX GLACIER?
If you are happy to walk to the terminal face (ie: base, bottom or snout of the glacier) and view it without walking on the ice then you can do that yourself by driving to the carpark (5 kms from our house) and walking the track (30 minutes each way).
This is safe and suitable for most
people.
PLEASE HEED ALL WARNING SIGNS AND BARRIERS AND DO NOT TRY TO STAND UNDER OR NEAR THE ICE OR WALK ON IT. PEOPLE HAVE DIED TRYING TO DO THIS.
Fox Glacier Guiding
offer guided terminal face walks, half-day walks, all-day walks, heli-hikes & ice-climbing. We can make any bookings for you & the Fox Glacier Guiding building is only about 400 metres from our house so you can wander down easily from home.
WHAT IS THE BEST SCENIC FLIGHT - HELICOPTER OR FIXED WING (PLANE)?
Most of our guests choose to do a scenic helicopter flight. Most people have never been on a helicopter before and helicopters are more manouverable and can fly closer to the glacier and the mountains. They can also land on the snow. However, fixed wing flghts show you a lot of scenery and can be just as exhilarating.
It really is a matter of personal choice.
We have never had a guest yet come back from any scenic flight who has not been amazed.
They are an amazing way of viewing the sheer scale and mechanics of the glacier that you just won't see from the terminal face or even on the guided walks or heli-hikes.
WHO ARE THE BEST COMPANY TO FLY WITH?
Four helicopter flights operate from both Fox & F
anz Josef Glaciers. You can do flights ranging from 10 minutes to 40 minutes with or without a snow landing. Glacier Helicopters is our preferred choice of company.
- Fox or Franz Snow Landing 20 minute flight with snow landing $215pp takes you from sea level to the heart of the Southern Alps and does a short snow landing
- Fox & Franz Twin Glacier 30 minutes with snow landing $285pp will fly you up one glacier and down the other as well as a snowfield landing
- Fox Glacier to Mt Cook 30 minutes with snow landing $285pp will fly you up the Fox Glacier and go eye level with the west face of Mt Cook and then land in the snow before heading back down to base.
- Mt Cook Spectacular 40 minutes with snow landing is the ultimate – takes in both glaciers, crosses across the main divide of the Southern Alps and then circles around Mt. Cook and includes a landing -$395.
- Prices between the different companies are roughly the same & a flight without a landing is usually around $20 less than the prices above. Although obviously weather dependent it is best to be booked in for a flight as booked people & bus tours get priority. If you wake in the morning to fine weather and want to do a flight & aren't booked you can sometimes miss out or have to wait and then find the weather deteriorates rapidly. It doesn't cost anymore to be pre-booked and no cancellation fees.
We get Agents Rates for our guests so you pay $15-$25 less per person than the above quoted retail prices if we book for you.
SCENIC FLIGHTS - FIXED WING
Air Safaris
operate in Franz Josef Glacier only. Great company, great flights.
A 50 minute Grand Traverse flight with Air Safaris is $295 - both glaciers, Mt. Cook/Tasman etc.
www.airsafaris.co.nz
WANT TO JUMP OUT OF A PLANE?
Tandem skydive companies operate in both Franz Josef and Fox Glacier. We have never done it and are not likely too but let us know if you would like to book.....you may well be braver than us!
TELL ME ABOUT LAKE MATHESON? (in Fox Glacier)
Almost as popular as the glaciers, Lake Matheson is famous for it's views of Mt Cook & Tasman from the lake and it's reflective qualities. Optimum weather conditions are required for the view and the reflections (clear & very calm) but even without the views & reflections I would highly recommend it as a walk & a South Westland rainforest experience. The track is well-graded, the bush and lake are beautiful in all weathers. Total walking time around the lake is about 1-1.5 hours but there is a shorter option of about 10-15 minutes each way if you only want to go to the first viewpoint. Sunrise
& sunset are often the best times but obviously VERY weather dependent.
WHAT IS THE PEAK VIEWPOINT? (in Fox Glacier)
This viewpoint is 10kms from our house. As with everything in South Westland the view is weather dependent but even on a cloudy day you can sometimes still see the glacier and on a fine day you get a 180 degree panoramic view of the glacier, Mt Cook & Tasman and various other peaks of the Southern Alps. Stunning.
WHAT IS THERE TO DO IN FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER?
Without going into any more huge detail the options available on the Franz Josef Glacier are VERY similar to those that operate on the Fox. Franz Josef is 24kms north of Fox which takes about 25-30 minutes to drive (hilly & winding road). The walk to the terminal face you can do on your own takes about 50 minutes each way from the carpark.
Franz Josef Glacier also has a range of great attractions like the Glacier Hot Pools - outdoor hot pools nestled in the bush - lovely on a rainy or cool day....highly recommended.
www.glacierhotpools.com
The West Coast Wildlife Centre is an interpretive Visitor Centre with live kiwi and incubation facilities. You can enjoy a coffee or icecream in their cafe and shop in their gift shop as well.
They have free WIFI.
Flowing West is a 3 dimensional short film on the area – like a helicopter flight without leaving the ground. For those nervous of flying or grounded due to weather you can enjoy this experience from the comfort of your theatre seat!
The Department of Conservation have a large Visitor Centre and i-SITE in Franz Josef Glacier. The displays are a bit old but interesting.
Horse-trekking with South Westland Horse Treks in Franz Josef Glacier is one of our family's favourite pastimes with great views but you can also choose from 4WD motorbike, off-road buggys, kayaking and boat trips on Lake Mapourika.
All good fun and a great way to see the landscape and the views.
All these activities are listed under the Activities on the
www.glaciercountry.co.nz
website.
OTHER THINGS TO DO?
There are a range of Department of Conservation walks & tracks in both Fox & Franz Josef Glacier from 10 minute easy walks to 8 hour climbs into the sub-alpine region. We can give you more info when you arrive or visit www.doc.govt.nz
Coastal walks are available at Okarito
(20 minutes north of Franz Josef Glacier) and
Gillespies Beach
(20 minutes west of Fox).
Okarito is NZs largest unmodified wetland lagoon and is the feeding ground for the white herons and numerous other native birds. Kayak trips operate on Okarito (either guided or unguided) - these are lovely in good weather but are tide dependent.
Gillespies
Beach
is home to a small colony of NZ Fur Seals. This is a 3 hour return walk and is also tide dependent. Great views of the glaciers and Southern Alps
can be seen from the coastline (again weather dependent!). Old goldmining remains and a goldminers cemetery.
About 25 minutes drive north of Franz Josef Glacier is the small farming community of Whataroa
which the hometown of the White Heron Sanctuary Tours
(www.whiteherontours.co.nz) which is includes a jetboat trip and walk into a viewing hide to see the herons (and Royal Spoonbills) nesting. This is the only nesting site for the white herons in NZ. It is a Nature Sanctuary and access is only with the above company. Beautiful unmodified rainforest and stands of kahikatea trees make this as much attraction as the birds.
If you are birdwatchers then check out
www.birdingwestcoast.co.nz
- lots of information including all the guided trips you can do.
WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE LIKE?
Down to the nitty gritty – the WEATHER!
We would like it to be fine when you visit but of course we cannot offer a guarantee.
We do get 200 inches of rain annually (yes 200). This is why we have a glacier down to almost sea level. We hope all our guests get fine weather but of course they don’t! We have large umbrellas and drying facilities but don’t forget your raincoat.