New Zealand · GLACIER TOURS
Both glaciers have retreated past the point of walking up from the car park, so the ice days now start with a helicopter. These 15 cover heli-hikes, snow landings and the flightseeing loops, with the weather cancellation rate that comes with them.
25-minute helicopter flight over Franz Josef Glacier, with a 10-minute snow or alpine landing for photos. $230, weather dependent.
“Absolutely brilliant, Poppy was the perfect pilot- so glad we did it”
Fly to Franz Josef Glacier, land on the ice, and hike past caves and crevasses with expert guides, full gear, and small groups.
“An amazing tour and experience! Knowledgeable guide and the hike was well planned out. Totally worth it and highly recommend!”
See Fox Glacier from the air then hike on ice with crampons and guides, weather-dependent and safety-first, small-group, 4 hours.
“We enjoyed every minute but you should be prepared for a lot of walking. The guides took it slow. Also, was not aware about bringing medication, should you have to spend the night. High light of our trip!”
35-minute helicopter flight over Franz Josef plus Fox or Tasman glaciers, with a 10-minute snow landing and live pilot commentary.
“Wonderful trip. Our pilot/guide was fantastic. Our trip was well planned and we flew over dramatic landscapes.”
Small-group kayak tour from Franz Josef to Lake Mapourika, paddling a kiwi estuary and rainforest, with gear, transport, and photo delivery.
“Danny was our guide, she is wonderful. The kayak was one of the best that we have done in years. We have done a few but this one was unique. It was raining that day a I thought this was not going to be good, but then the water is warmer and as we reached the mirror river, things began to clear up, and it was so calm and beautiful. Because of the rain, the chopper were not flying so it was clam, quiet and beautiful. It was memorable. Thank you Dani for this experience.”
Full-day Mount Cook, Lake Tekapo, and Tasman Glacier tour from Christchurch with hotel pickup, small groups, and guided walks.
“I had a wonderful experience on the Mount Cook, Lake Tekapo and Tasman Glacier Walk tour, made even more memorable by our exceptional guide, Anuj. He was friendly, passionate and incredibly knowledgeable, sharing insights thRead more”
Helicopter over Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, with a snow landing and pilot commentary. Panoramic Southern Alps views in 35 mins.
“We were lucky to have a great day for the helicopter ride which I’m sure makes all the difference.”
A 35-minute helicopter hop over Franz Josef plus Fox or Tasman, with a weather-permitting snow landing for photos in a small group.
“The Franz Josef heli tour was absolutely incredible! We got to land on the snow and see multiple glaciers up close. Our pilot, Mark, was fantastic—he clearly knew the area well and shared interesting details about each glacier we flew over. The whole experience was unforgettable and I’d highly recommend it to anyone visiting!”
Franz Josef heli-hike: fly by helicopter to the glacier, strap on crampons, and take a guided walk through crevasses, caves, and ice.
“We have wanted to do the Heli-hike on Franz Joseph since 2019 when our trip was cancelled due to bad weather. To say we were excited this time around was an understatement we absolutely had the most amazing day. Our guide was ABBEY she was a bundle of energy and a wealth of knowledge on the history of the Glacier, and we felt we were in great hands. Our helicopter ride up the mountain was amazing it's one of the experiences in life that you MUST do. We had the most spectacular weather with not a cloud in the sky making for sensational photos that we will treasure forever. We…”
Fox Glacier heli-hike with two flights and up to 3 hours on ice caves and arches. Gear and guide included, 4 hours.
“Really enjoyed the experience. I was lucky to be in the front seat so had excellent views on the flight. Lovely features to explore on the ice and great equipment provided. Would have been nice to cover a bit more ground up there - not really a ‘hike’ - but a really cool experience in every way!”
Small group day trip from Queenstown to Mt Cook and Tasman Glacier viewpoints, with scenic stops, snacks, and guided walking.
“Friendly and amazing tour guide lynette had a lot of knowledge to share, Would highly recommend cheeky kiwi.”
Mount Cook skiplane and helicopter combo with a Tasman Glacier snow landing, 45 minutes of epic alpine views for $328.
“Our pilot Jordan was a very experienced pilot negotiating the winds to give us the best trip possible. We had booked the sea plane duo but the winds had made this impossible. Fortunately, I had read other reviews so was prepared when they told us the sea plane wasn’t possible due to the aforementioned winds. We still had a fantastic time and an experience to remember.”
3-hour Tasman Glacier heli-hike from Mount Cook: two scenic flights, up to 2 hours on the ice, Aoraki views, small groups.
“Knowledgeable guide who made us feel safe throughout the trip. Fantastic pilots who pointed out beautiful landmarks”
Heli onto the Tasman Glacier from Mount Cook for a 2-hour guided hike, then fly home near the Hochstetter Icefall.
“Highly enjoyable, brand new experience walking on a safe section of glacier, professional service from start to finish, you know you’re in good hands, our guide Maddie took good care of everyone every step of the way, even the heli pilots had tonnes of information to share en route, this is a must do!”
25-minute helicopter flight over Franz Josef Glacier with a 10-minute alpine landing stop, dramatic West Coast views included.
“A different and experience. Rachel the pilot was perfectly fine and gave a sense of security. Megan the receptin girl works with tourists and should make an effort to be nicer and more helpful.”
From the fiords to the geothermal belt, sorted by what you want to do with the day.
