Franz Josef Glacier > Reviews > Hiking on the Franz Josef glacier

Author's product rating:   

Prices	Good
Is it worth visiting?	Excellent
Transport links	Average
Family Friendly	Good

Advantages:	Challenging, amazing views, doing something you will never forget !
Disadvantages:	Cold !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Franz Josef glacier is on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Nowhere else in the world, at this latitude, have glaciers advanced so close to the sea. High snow fall on the tops of the mountains becomes compact and turns to ice, this ice is then forced down the mountain and is what causes the glacier to move. The glacier moves at least 1 metre a day, sometimes up to 5 metres a day!

***Franz Josef town***
Franz Josef is a small town and very 'touristy' - it wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the thousands of people coming to hike on the glaciers each week. It is a bit more expensive here than in the bigger towns so fill up the car with fuel and change any foreign money before you get here if possible. There are plenty of cafes, restaurants, pubs, hotels and backpackers to cater for the tourists. I stayed in the Montrose backpackers in a 10 bed dorm for $22 per night. This hostel was really clean, cosy, had a big kitchen and living room with comfortable sofas and laundry facilities.

You can do a 10 minute or a 30 minute walk to a lookout point which looks out at the glacier which can be reached easily from the car park, about a 5 minute drive from the centre of town.

***Walk on the Franz Josef glacier***

The company I went with was called Glacier Guides and they offer a number of options:
Half day trip (80) - 4.5 hours (1.5 hours on ice)
¾ day trip ($100) - 6 hours (3.5-4 hours on ice)
Full day trip ($135) - 8 hours (6 hours on ice)
Ice climbing - 7-8 hours (5-6 hours on ice) - teaches you how to climb up ice
Heli-hike - 3 hours (2 hours on ice) - fly up, land on ice and do 2 hour guided walk)

I did the full day option and it was definitely one of the best things I have ever done! It was quite challenging, in parts a bit scary but the guide said he has never had any bad injuries in the 5 years he has been working there. The worst they had was a girl who twisted her ankle but she still walked off the glacier herself. The views are amazing, you get to climb shear walls of ice, there is a real sense of achievement and you may even get to hear the ice moving wile you are standing on it!

It takes about an hour for the whole group register at the company shop, get their gear and get to bus to the beginning of the walk to the glacier. The company provide you with a hat, coat, pants, gloves, socks, boots and crampons. You don't have to use their equipment but it is really good, especially if it is cold and raining and you might as well because it saves on your washing which is the last thing you want to be doing on holidays! Once you get to the car park, it is about a half an hour walk to the bottom of the glacier where you attach your crampons to your boots, therefore I think the half day trip would be too short and doesn't give you enough time on the ice which is obviously what you are going for. The full day trip allows you a lot longer on the ice and to go further so I would definitely recommend this one, but it is quite challenging climbing up and over the ice and the crevasses so if you are a bit nervous or unfit, the ¾ day option is probably better for you. If you are scared of heights or small spaces this could be a bit scary as you have to cross crevasses on bridges and sometimes go through small gaps, but I don't really like small spaces and I was fine so my advice is to just do it!

The guides dig out a path for you with an axe as the ice moves every day so the paths moves too! The guides were very friendly and knowledgeable, make sure you ask them lots of questions as they really do know their stuff! The day I went it rained the whole day but this didn't matter as the clothing and gear they give you is really good and you are well prepared for it. Also, it rains here more than 250 days of the year so if it isn't raining you are lucky! It can get cold but if you do just keep moving, even if it is on the spot and don't sit down for lunch because this will make your bum cold!

For the ¾ and full day options, you need to take your lunch, a drink, sunglasses, sun cream and your camera. Remember that what you take with you will probably get a bit wet so put your lunch and your camera in a plastic bag so they don't get damaged.

For all the options you should wear 3-4 layers of warm clothing on the upper body and some quick drying trousers or shorts (no jeans) and then the gear they give you.

Definitely something I recommend if you are ever in New Zealand!