Franz Josef & Fox Glacier Tours: Your Top 5 Sightseeing Adventures
Dreaming of glistening ice and mighty landscapes? Well, you have picked just the place to start figuring it all out because both Franz Josef and Fox Glacier over on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island have stunning vistas, and so they give everyone some pretty unforgettable experiences. From smooth guided walks close to the glacier’s face to whirly helicopter rides which get you way, way up there, these tours display different perspectives. Now, which trip matches up best with what you wish to find? It’s almost a tough thing to answer because there are a lot to go over!
1. Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk: An Up-Close Encounter
If you love just hitting the ground to hike, the Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk is so quite awesome. This fairly smooth stroll, that heads right by the Waiho River bed, that lets folks get nearly at the base of the glacier. The trained guide is often local, yet will lead the group to some rather safe spots, will point out details about the glacier’s geological forces and some plant stories in just that zone. You typically don’t trek on the ice in person with just that adventure, yet the sights, at such short distances, are indeed still magnificent. As I was saying, most treks last around 3 hours.
We had heard just before that some groups have rated just that experience a solid 4.5 stars; the views come across quite well. Most say that the trip goes at a good speed with much to glimpse and study; many had a lucky bit of sunshine, which certainly brought some nice color on this glacier, so too a bunch got quite wet with a rain event, so do make certain of the expected showers and such for gear.
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2. Fox Glacier Guiding: Ice Explorer Adventure
To grab some proper on-ice work, this one, that is from Fox Glacier Guiding, becomes a popular plan. This has the hiker use crampons on shoes; that bit is just meant for solid ice climbs. Also, I did hear guides here hack path cuts to the higher ice fields as needed. Such programs are fairly intensive yet do take one among cool deep ice chasms along blue tunnels that one just needs to see and shoot when there! Those plans run near 5 hours long so some light food packs should fit with anyone on that trip for some bit of needed fuel! I want to add here that just about every customer here seemed to just simply shout in bliss at the odd nature of just that place.
A very few spoke with some level of issue because this stuff might tire bodies which hardly touch outdoors zones with some fair climb grades. It is typical to watch customer notes swing high towards 4.7, though some want it to turn longer to justify that tag spend. Make sure everyone coming expects this is a rough, intense trip with crazy gains for snapshots later. Just a little bit is given out from there about age barriers, yet some folks might struggle here to have proper stamina just a bit there in spots.
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3. Glacier Helicopters: Scenic Flights Over Franz Josef
Who loves to gain height? The Helicopter tours are just simply jaw droppers from first view! They do supply peeps with aerial scenes by the Alps range in NZ along Franz or Fox spots fast, without hikes and long slogs. These flights may put tourists at landing areas so high. These routes even take some fast time above some near snowcapped points for amazing stills which ground treks just cannot beat without days climbing there in time.
We did track a fair bit of groups state bliss at some nice views while they take the choppers towards landings or nearby snow ranges, earning marks near 4.8 typically. Anyone in some group should ask what each window will look onto. At the end of the day, helicopter flight safety ratings rest up so high because some crew stays trained and machines get looked over between any takeoff moment. At the end of the day some shy wallets though will stay off this buy mostly for rate levels there that ground trips cannot touch. It’s rather something to note at some step backs. Just see it, some trip picks from height points stay top drawer buys if anyone here likes no strains!
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4. Franz Josef Glacier Hot Pools Relaxation
So, wanting something calmer post hiking? That is just a treat there, those hot pools nearby serve calm swims amongst woods back closer by the villages near there. Those spots source with rainfall with no sulphur, so some bathe waters rest pure, with no odd whiffs ever coming to any air there!
Many travelers post soak states as cool post-ice climb wins by scores near 4.6 on some site checks we just ran; still some pool seekers show want some rate deals or wider zones with less peeps there! I would also say those spots swing handy mostly once folk did miles across hard routes. And still, that’s just perfect there to land at nightfall to just feel still down under, and to wash off tensions by hot, warm rains which lands so far here to tap thermal strengths!
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5. Lake Matheson Walk: Mirror Views of the Glaciers
What do nature fans look for when by some great points? It often turns true – mirror pics. Down near Fox ways lies Lake Matheson; known often from dark waters, its image traits shoot vistas which stun folk at day up past sunset there! Folks mostly have some camera kit, yet easy cell pics can mirror Alps too at full view days too!
Folks post their likes here to totals round 4.7 where trip sites gain buzz across folk happy near that cool, chill place. Still few ask just for drier path options since rains wash land bits often through certain points of this route there, though the prize pays for wet shoes if snaps all grab clear view lands just above with its crisp Alps form too. It’s rather so top prize for short effort.
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Key Takeaways:
- Valley Walk (Franz Josef): An easy walk that will get everyone pretty near; perfect if peeps favor less rough, flat treks to glaciers, though one does have short zones which lift to small highs.
- Ice Explorer (Fox Glacier): Ice climbing junkies gain more from buys across here than those from points by Franz. It gets way high where routes cross past risky climbs over real ice points needing proper kit.
- Helicopter Views (Franz/Fox): For sick stills across those lands that have no parallel from roads, chop routes pay hard across Alps here from birds-view sites where lens points can aim.
- Hot Pools (Franz Josef): Want no heavy effort? Then bathe deep right by Franz. One cools off fast near spots on glaciers, so hot bays mix well post tasks right from points far north down towards ends past Fox still too.
- Lake Matheson: For peeps who shoot, do make haste, near Matheson that gives sick lens prize. Get shot mirror alps off chill pools there; keep cloths by here when trails do get soft from pours.
Read our full review: Franz Josef Glacier tour Full Review and Details
