Franz Josef Glacier > Reviews

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

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 ... Read review

Advantages: Great opportunity!
Disadvantages: Tired!

...can find two Ice Glaciers Franz Joseph and Fox Glacier, these are both a site to be seen. These Glaciers are the most accessible in the world so when visiting you would be crazy to miss the chance to get up close and personal. On the way to the Glaciers stop off and see Lake Matheson often called the 'Mirror Lake' it really is amazing to see the snow capped mountains reflected in the shiny waters. Glacier Hikes: One of the best ways to ... Read review

Advantages: Great weather can be combined with an icy experience on a glacier
Disadvantages: i live so far away!!

The magnificent Franz Josef Glacier is widely regarded as the gem of New Zealand's West Coast Glaciers. Franz Josef Glacier has many tour groups that are able to give you the opportunity to experience the most spectacular glacier environment available to the general public anywhere in the world, offering a range of glacier hiking tours to suit all levels of fitness and ability. Franz Josef Glacier is located on the West cost of New Zealand's south ... Read review

Advantages: Friendly town, good activities - prices are competitive, lots of places to eat, very experienced guides
Disadvantages: prices were fairly expensive compared to other tourist towns - supermarkets prices were noticabley more.

Franz Josef is just amazing..the town is so relaxed & welcoming and the backdrop of the glacier is so beautiful! My sister & I did the Heli-Hike activity; we flew up the glacier (higher than you would go on the full day trek!) then we walked around on the ice for 2 hours before flying back down to the ground. This was one of the best activities I did in NZ..so different to anything else! We climbed through ice caves & saw some beautiful natural ice ... Read review