Queenstown: Franz Josef Glacier Heli Hike & Scenic Flight

About This Experience

This 6.5-hour day trip starts in Queenstown, flies you by plane across the Southern Alps to Franz Josef, then takes you by helicopter onto Franz Josef Glacier for a two-hour guided hike before flying you back. True South Flights runs it, and it costs from $1,128 per person, with a 4.8 from 28 GetYourGuide reviews. Of the flights compared on this site it is the most expensive and the only one that starts in Queenstown. Hotel pick-up and drop-off are included.

The day opens with a safety briefing at True South Flights, then a flight of about an hour to the West Coast and a short bus ride into Franz Josef township. At the Glacier Base you get your gear and a second safety briefing, then a helicopter carries you onto the Franz Josef Icefall. Crampons on, you spend about two hours with a guide among crevasses and ice formations. A helicopter brings you back down, then the plane returns you to Queenstown, with about an hour's break at the end.

The trip suits you if you are based in Queenstown and do not want the drive to Franz Josef, which takes about 5 hours, more with stops. You need a reasonable level of fitness, and the trip is not suitable for children under 10, people under 30 kg or over 115 kg, or people with mobility impairments. You must give everyone's full name and approximate weight when you book, and a big difference on the day can stop you joining.

The hike depends on clear weather over the glacier, and that can change after you leave Queenstown. One three-star reviewer flew to Franz Josef only for low cloud to cancel the glacier walk, though the scenic flights went ahead. The listing does not spell out what is refunded when only the hike is cancelled, so ask the operator before you book. You can cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund.

Highlights

• Fly over the Southern Alps and the West Coast for over two hours in total
• Get a window seat on the plane, which the listing promises every passenger
• Ride a helicopter over the Franz Josef Icefall to the hiking area and back
• Spend about two hours on the ice with a guide, among crevasses and ice formations
• Skip the drive from Queenstown to the West Coast

What's Included

• ✓ Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Queenstown
• ✓ Two scenic plane flights, Queenstown to Franz Josef and back, with pilot commentary
• ✓ Two helicopter flights between Franz Josef township and the glacier
• ✓ Two-hour guided glacier hike
• ✓ Specialist equipment: crampons, waterproof pants and jackets
• ✓ Safety briefings in Queenstown and at the Glacier Base in Franz Josef

Not Included

• Food and drinks

What to Bring

• Three to four warm layers, including thermal clothing
• Shorts or lightweight trousers (no jeans)
• Sunglasses and sunscreen
• A packed lunch and a small water bottle
• Any daily medication

Good to Know & Caveats

• Give everyone's full name and approximate weight when you book; big discrepancies on the day can stop you taking part
• Passengers over 115 kg cannot join the tour for safety and comfort reasons
• Everything you take onto the glacier must fit in the small 2-liter waist bag provided; lockers at the Glacier Base hold the rest
• Low cloud can cancel the glacier hike even when the plane flights operate
• Jeans, bags, selfie sticks, tablets and vaping are not allowed

Meeting Point

True South Flights picks you up from your Queenstown hotel; the day starts with a safety briefing at its base, and the exact pick-up time is on your voucher.