Franz Josef Glacier falls out of the Southern Alps and down through Westland rainforest toward the sea. On the ground you see a slice of it at a time. From a helicopter you take in the whole length at once: the snowfield at the top, the broken icefall in the middle and the ice pushing into green forest lower down. It is one of the big West Coast glaciers, and flights listed on both nearby glacier hubs include it.
What you see from the air
The icefall and its crevasses
The steep middle section is where the glacier breaks apart. Crevasses open across the ice and the surface looks nothing like the smooth snow higher up. From the air you can follow the ice as it drops toward the rainforest, the part no valley viewpoint shows well.
The neve and the Southern Alps
Above the icefall the glacier widens into the neve, a broad basin of snow ringed by peaks of the Southern Alps. This high snow is the kind of ground where tickets that include a landing aim to set down, weather permitting.
Neighbouring ice on longer flights
On longer tickets Franz Josef is the opening scene rather than the whole flight. Fox Glacier is the neighbouring West Coast icefall, Tasman Glacier lies deeper in the Alps, and Aoraki / Mount Cook rises above it. Which of these you see depends on the ticket and the weather.
How to include it on a flight
Not every flight covers the same ground, so pick by what you want to see:
- Franz Josef on its own, with a landing when conditions allow: the 25-minute snow-landing ticket on the Franz Josef Glacier page.
- Franz Josef plus a second glacier: the 35-minute Pilot’s Choice on the Franz Josef Glacier page, which adds Fox or Tasman as the day allows, or the 35-minute twin-glacier ticket on the Fox Glacier page, which pairs Fox and Franz Josef ice.
- Franz Josef with Aoraki / Mount Cook: the 45-, 50- and 60-minute flights on the Franz Josef Glacier page, or the 40-minute Mount Cook Spectacular on the Fox Glacier page. The 50-minute Shackleton ticket pairs Franz Josef with Tasman, Shackleton Glacier, Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, with a snow landing of about 15 minutes when conditions allow.
The 25-minute flight and the 35-minute Mount Cook flight on the Fox Glacier page do not list Franz Josef, so choose one of the tickets above if this glacier matters to you.
Practical notes
Weather decides whether a flight or a landing goes ahead. On tickets that include a snow landing, expect about 6 to 8 minutes on the snow on tickets from the Fox Glacier page and 10 to 15 minutes on tickets from the Franz Josef Glacier page, when conditions allow. On the 25-minute ticket on the Franz Josef Glacier page, snow is seasonal and in summer the landing spot may be rock. If the whole flight is cancelled for weather, you are offered another time or a refund as shown when you book.
Clear air matters more than the hour for photos, so it helps to book early in your stay and leave room to move to another day. Sunglasses help on bright snow. Bring a warm jacket and shoes you do not mind getting wet in case you land. Check in 30 minutes before your flight; you may be weighed. On tickets from the Franz Josef Glacier page, a front-seat upgrade can be requested at least 24 hours ahead, subject to availability.
See Franz Josef Glacier 直升机上空 in Franz Josef Glacier. Book the Franz Josef Glacier Snow Landing 25-Minute Helicopter Tour.