Illustration.
Franz Josef Glacier · About 4 hours · Up to 2.5 on the ice
Franz Josef Heli Hike
Franz Josef Glacier Guides' heli hike: gear and a safety briefing in the township, a helicopter flight of a few minutes up the valley, then up to 2.5 hours on the glacier with a guide and crampons. It flies only in good weather.
Pick your trip
Heli Hike or Scenic Flight?
The Franz Josef heli hike is a helicopter flight from the valley floor onto Franz Josef Glacier and up to 2.5 hours walking on the ice with a guide, about 4 hours from check-in. The one to book is Franz Josef Glacier Guides’ Franz Josef: 2.5 Hour Glacier Hike with Helicopter Transfer, from US$499 a person (checked November 2026). It flies only in clear weather, so book it for your first day in Franz Josef and keep the next day free. If you mainly want the view, the shortest scenic flights, with a few minutes on the snow, cost less than half as much.
Franz Josef: 2.5 Hour Glacier Hike with Helicopter Transfer
Franz Josef Glacier Guides: about 4 minutes by helicopter each way and up to 2.5 hours of guided walking in crampons, with the gear lent. Age 10 and up, 35 to 115 kg.
Check dates →Franz Josef Glacier: Helicopter Flight & Alpine Landing
Glacier Country Helicopters: 25 minutes in the air and 10 minutes at an elevated snow landing site, which in summer may have no snow. One route and one landing site, so it is the flight most often cancelled.
See the flight →Franz Josef: 35-Minute Helicopter Trip over Two Glaciers
Glacier Country Helicopters: 35 minutes over Franz Josef and then the Fox or Tasman Glacier, with a 10-minute stop on foot at an elevated snow landing site.
See the flight →Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026). Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.
Not sure whether the hike earns its price over a flight? The table below sets it beside three other ways onto the ice, and heli hike or scenic flight goes through every flight on offer.
- 4.7 / 5 408+ Reviews
- Up to 2.5 h On the ice with a guide on Franz Josef Glacier Guides' heli hike, about 4 hours from check-in
- 1.7 km DOC's valley walk to the viewpoint and back: on foot, the track stops well short of the ice
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Heli Hike Includes
The flight both ways, the guide, the glacier gear and the briefing. Food, drinks and hotel transfers are not in the price.
Franz Josef Glacier Guides' own highlights, inclusions and notes, as listed on GetYourGuide in November 2026.
Highlights
- Land on Franz Josef Glacier via scenic helicopter transfer
- Enjoy up to 2.5 hours of guided glacier hiking
- Experience one of the world’s fastest‑changing glaciers
- Small group departures with a perfect balance of adventure and scenic discovery
What's Included
- Scenic helicopter transfer to and from the glacier
- Guided glacier hike with professional guide
- All glacier equipment (crampons, boots, poles, waterproof gear, helmets, gloves)
- Safety briefings
Good to know: A reasonable level of fitness and agility is required as the glacier terrain is variable and reasonably challenging · Please check-in 15 mins prior to your trip time. Check-in closes 15 minutes prior to your tour departure · All trips are subject to favorable weather conditions. It is recommended to book for your first available day in Franz Josef so that you have maximum flexibility · The helicopter transfers between the valley and the glacier are around 4 minutes each way · Children must be least 10 years old, weight at least 35 kg, and be at least 137 cm tall to participate in this tour · For your safety, participation is not permitted for those over the weight of 115 kg or pregnant women · Guests can choose a full refund if the trip does not go ahead on the scheduled departure · Not suitable for: Children under 10 years, Pregnant women, People with back problems, People over 254 lbs (115 kg) · Not Included: Food and drinks, Hotel pickup and drop-off
From the Township onto the Ice and Back
Check-in, a short flight up the valley, a guided walk on the glacier in crampons and the flight back down: about 4 hours from check-in on the standard option.
Check In and Gear Up
Check in at Franz Josef Glacier Guides' Glacier Base, 63 Cron Street, 15 minutes before the trip. You are fitted with boots, crampons, waterproof gear, a helmet and gloves, and given a safety briefing.
A Short Flight up the Valley
A short walk to the helipad, then a helicopter flight of about 4 minutes over rainforest and the glacier valley, landing high on the ice.
Up to 2.5 Hours on the Glacier
A guided walk in crampons on ice that changes from week to week. The route depends on conditions, so crevasses, pinnacles or a cave are what the day offers, not a set list.
The Flight Back Down
The helicopter takes you back to the valley floor. On the standard option the trip lasts up to 4 hours from check-in; an extended option runs about 8.
Photo Gallery
Ice, Rainforest and the Valley Below
Blue ice and crevasses high on the glacier, the rainforest at its foot and the river valley it has carved.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Franz Josef Glacier Guides' heli hike: a helicopter transfer of about 4 minutes each way and up to 2.5 hours of guided hiking on Franz Josef Glacier, with all the glacier gear lent. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Plan Your Heli Hike
Planning the Franz Josef Heli Hike
Whether it is worth the money, the hike against a scenic flight, the price, the weather and cancellations, who can go, and how far you get on foot.
Prices are each page's featured tour: GetYourGuide checked November 2026. Tour prices on GetYourGuide and Viator are in US dollars; the operators' own prices and the DOC car-park fees are in New Zealand dollars (NZ$).
The Heli Hike Against Three Other Ways onto the Ice
Franz Josef Glacier Guides' heli hike beside a 25-minute and a 35-minute scenic flight with a landing, and the heli hike as a day trip from Queenstown: time on the ice, length, where each starts and the limits. GetYourGuide prices with the month they were checked.
| Feature | THIS PAGE Heli hike | 25-minute flight | 35-minute flight | Heli hike from Queenstown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What You Pay | From US$499 per person (the standard 4-hour option, checked November 2026) | From US$219 per person (checked November 2026) | From US$275 per person (checked November 2026) | From US$998 per person (the dates we read showed US$1,106.93 a person; checked November 2026) |
| Length | About 4 hours from check-in; an 8-hour extended option on some dates | 25 minutes in the air | 35 minutes in the air | 6.5 hours from Queenstown |
| On the Ice or Snow | Up to 2.5 hours of guided hiking in crampons | A 10-minute landing at an elevated snow site; in summer it may be an alpine landing without snow | A 10-minute stop on foot at an elevated snow landing site | A 2-hour guided hike on Franz Josef Glacier |
| How You Get Up | Helicopter, about 4 minutes each way | Helicopter over the moraine and up the glacier | Helicopter over the Franz Josef and then the Fox or Tasman Glacier | A 1-hour scenic flight each way to Franz Josef, then a helicopter onto the ice |
| Where It Starts | Franz Josef township; no hotel transfers | The operator's office in Franz Josef, then a van to the hangar | Check-in and briefing in Franz Josef, then a transfer to the hangar | True South Flights in Queenstown, with hotel pick-up |
| Limits | Age 10 and up, 35 to 115 kg, at least 137 cm; not for pregnant women or people with back problems | Comfort Seat compulsory from 120 kg; not for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments | Comfort Seat compulsory from 120 kg; not for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments | Age 10 and up, 30 to 115 kg; not for people with a low level of fitness; no jeans |
| If the Weather Stops It | A full refund if the trip does not go ahead on the scheduled departure | A reschedule or a full refund; one route and one landing site, so the most often cancelled of Glacier Country Helicopters' flights | A reschedule or a full refund | Not stated; free cancellation up to 24 hours before |
| Best For | Walking on the glacier itself, with time to take it in | A landing in the mountains at the lowest price in this table | Two glaciers from the air and a stop on the snow | Doing the hike without the drive from Queenstown |
| Check dates | See the flight | See the flight | See the day |
Other Ways onto the Ice
Scenic Flights from Franz Josef
Helicopter flights of 20 minutes to an hour with a snow landing, one that lands on the Tasman Glacier, and the heli hike as a day trip from Queenstown.
THREE GLACIERSFranz Josef Town: 3-Glacier Helicopter Ride with Landing
Glacier Country Helicopters' 45-minute flight over the Franz Josef, Fox and Tasman glaciers with views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and a 15-minute snow landing. Landing fees included. A Comfort Seat is compulsory from 120 kg at check-in. Not for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments.
TWO LANDINGSFranz Josef: 4-Glacier Helicopter Ride with 2 Landings
Glacier Country Helicopters' hour-long flight over four glaciers, the Franz Josef, Fox, Tasman and Shackleton, with two snow landings. Pilot commentary through headsets. A Comfort Seat is compulsory from 120 kg. Not for wheelchair users.
FRANZ JOSEF AND FOXFranz Josef & Fox Glaciers Helicopter Flight & Snow Landing
Glacier Helicopters' 30-minute scenic flight over the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers with a snow landing, about 35 minutes in all, from a check-in in Franz Josef township. Routes and landings vary with the weather and the pilot's judgement. Children aged 4 to 14 and over 15 kg need their own seat.
TWIN GLACIERFranz Josef: Twin Glacier Helicopter Flight with Snow Landing
Totally Tourism - The Helicopter Line's 35-minute trip over the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers with a landing at the head of one of them and the pilot's commentary on the way. Each passenger's weight is given at booking; the weather check is made at check-in, which closes 30 minutes before departure.
20 MINUTESFranz Josef: Glacier Helicopter Ride with Snow Landing
HeliServices.NZ Fox Franz Haast's 20-minute flight from its base in Franz Josef over the ice pinnacles and crevasses of Franz Josef Glacier to a snow landing, with the pilot's commentary through headsets. Departures, routes and the landing depend on the weather and the pilot's judgement. Hotel transfers not included.
TASMAN GLACIER LANDINGFranz Josef: 30-min Flight over Franz Josef & Tasman Glaciers
INFLITE Mt Cook Ski Planes & Helicopters' 30-minute flight from Franz Josef Heliport up the Franz Josef Glacier and across the Main Divide to land on the Tasman Glacier, with views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman. Passenger weight limit 116 kg. The exact flight time is confirmed by email after booking and may differ from the one requested; weather cancellations are refunded in full.
FROM QUEENSTOWNQueenstown: Franz Josef Glacier Heli Hike & Scenic Flight
True South Flights' 6.5-hour day from Queenstown: an hour's scenic flight each way to Franz Josef, two helicopter flights between the township and the glacier, and a 2-hour guided hike on the ice with crampons and waterproofs lent. Hotel pick-up and drop-off included; food and drinks are not. From age 10, 30 to 115 kg; not for people with a low level of fitness. No jeans.
The Franz Josef heli hike
The Flight, the Ice and What You Pay
How the trip runs, what the price covers, what the weather does to it, and the flights that land on the snow instead.
Where the heli hike goes
Franz Josef Glacier comes down out of the Southern Alps towards the township of Franz Josef/Waiau, on State Highway 6. Its terminal face is less than 300 metres above sea level (Department of Conservation, checked November 2026), and the glacier car park, where the valley walk starts, is 4.8 km by road from the township.
You do not start from that car park. The heli hike begins in the township, and the helicopter lands you high on the glacier, far beyond the end of the walking track. The Department of Conservation puts it plainly: helicopters are the only safe way to get people onto the glacier for guided walks. The helicopters on this trip are Inflite Franz and Fox Helicopters’, engaged by Franz Josef Glacier Guides.
Franz Josef Glacier Guides’ heli hike, step by step
You check in at the Glacier Base, 63 Cron Street, 15 minutes before the trip. There you are fitted with boots, crampons, waterproof gear, a helmet and gloves, and you get a safety briefing. Then a short walk to the helipad and a flight of about 4 minutes over rainforest and the glacier valley.
On the ice the guide sets the pace for the group. You walk in crampons for up to 2.5 hours, among whatever the glacier has formed that week: crevasses, pinnacles, sometimes a cave. Franz Josef Glacier Guides does not promise any particular feature, because the ice moves and changes, and the route varies with conditions. The helicopter then brings you back down. On the standard option the whole trip lasts up to 4 hours from check-in.
You need a reasonable level of fitness and agility, since the ice is uneven. Children must be at least 10, weigh at least 35 kg and stand at least 137 cm; the upper limit is 115 kg, and pregnant women and people with back problems cannot take part.
What the price buys
The US$499 on the booking calendar is the standard heli hike, and it was US$498.81 a person on the January and March 2027 dates we read, with two adults paying twice that (checked November 2026). For that you get the helicopter both ways, the guide, all the glacier gear and the briefing. Food and drinks are not included, and nor are hotel transfers: you make your own way to the Glacier Base on Cron Street.
The same listing also sells an extended small-group heli hike with lunch: about 8 hours, up to 5.5 hours on the ice, one guide to four guests and a minimum age of 14, at US$859.46 a person. On 2 December 2026 it was the only option on sale, and on 27 November nothing could be booked. If your dates are fixed, check the calendar before you plan around the cheaper trip.
The heli hike price sets this against every flight and the day trip from Queenstown.
When the weather says no
Westland Tai Poutini National Park lies in the path of the prevailing westerly winds, and up to five metres of rain can fall there in a year (Department of Conservation). Franz Josef Glacier Guides needs a four-hour window of clear weather to fly the heli hike and usually makes the final call just before departure. Booked on GetYourGuide, you can choose a full refund if the trip does not go ahead on the scheduled departure, and you can cancel free until 24 hours before.
So book your first available day in Franz Josef and keep the next one free; Franz Josef Glacier Guides’ advice is to spend at least two days in the region. Weather and cancellations covers what happens when a trip is cut short, including the rare night on the ice. For the forecast itself, MetService publishes a Franz Josef rural forecast.
The scenic flights instead
If two and a half hours on the ice is more than you want, or more than your budget, the flights from the township land on the snow for a few minutes instead. HeliServices.NZ Fox Franz Haast's 20-minute flight is from US$200 and Glacier Country Helicopters' 25-minute flight from US$219 (checked November 2026). Longer flights add the Fox and Tasman glaciers and a longer landing: 45 minutes over three glaciers from US$386, or an hour over four, with two landings, from US$497.
A landing is not a hike. The flights stop at an elevated snow site for 5 to 15 minutes; to see those upper snowfields at all, the Department of Conservation says you need a flight in a helicopter or a ski plane. The heli hike is the trip that lands you on the glacier’s ice itself. Heli hike or scenic flight compares them all.
What reviewers mention
Franz Josef Glacier Guides’ heli hike has 408 reviews on GetYourGuide, averaging 4.7. We read the 350 most recent, the newest dated 25 October 2026 and the oldest 14 July 2023: 19 give three stars or fewer. Seven of those have text, and five are about a trip that was cancelled, cut short or held up by cloud. One, in October 2026, describes a night stuck on the glacier because of cloud. A December 2025 reviewer found about 75 people on the ice, in smaller groups, on what felt like a loop of 500 metres; a March 2025 reviewer counted about 1 hour 15 minutes of actual hiking and a long wait for the helicopter back.
Before you book
- Days. Book the heli hike for your first day in Franz Josef and keep a spare one.
- Limits. Age 10 and up, 35 to 115 kg, at least 137 cm; not for pregnant women or people with back problems. Who can do the heli hike has the full list.
- Clothes. Warm layers, sunglasses, sunscreen and long trousers, but not jeans: on Franz Josef Glacier Guides’ kit list they are not suitable, because they get heavy and cold when wet.
- Bags. No luggage or large bags, drones, selfie sticks or vaping.
- Without a helicopter. The valley walk ends at a viewpoint well short of the ice: see can you walk up Franz Josef Glacier.
- Cancelling. Every GetYourGuide trip here can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before, and you can reserve now and pay later.
Up the Valley by Helicopter, onto the Ice on Foot
Franz Josef Glacier Guides' heli hike: a short flight each way, up to 2.5 hours on the glacier with a guide, all the glacier gear lent. It needs clear weather, so book your first day in Franz Josef. Starting from US$499 per person (the standard 4-hour option, checked November 2026).
Check datesMore from Glacier Country
Other Trips from Franz Josef with Open Dates
Flights, glacier trips and other days out from Franz Josef with live availability. What each includes and its cancellation terms show before you book.
Franz Josef Heli Hike: Questions
What it is, the price, how long you spend on the ice, the weather, the weight and age limits, what to wear, and the scenic flights instead.
A helicopter flight from the valley floor onto Franz Josef Glacier, a guided walk on the ice in crampons, and the flight back. On Franz Josef Glacier Guides' 2.5 Hour Glacier Hike with Helicopter Transfer the flight takes about 4 minutes each way and you spend up to 2.5 hours on the ice; boots, crampons, waterproofs, a helmet and gloves are lent. The Department of Conservation describes helicopters as the only safe way to get people onto the glacier for guided walks.
From US$499 a person on GetYourGuide (checked November 2026). That is the standard option of Franz Josef Glacier Guides' heli hike, US$498.81 a person on the January and March 2027 dates we read. On 2 December 2026 only the 8-hour extended option was on sale, at US$859.46. Booked direct with Franz Josef Glacier Guides, the heli hike is NZ$899 for an adult or a child (checked November 2026). See the heli hike price.
Up to 4 hours from check-in, with up to 2.5 hours of that on the ice. The rest is the gear fitting, the safety briefing, the walk to the helipad and the two short flights. The same trip also comes as an extended option of about 8 hours with up to 5.5 hours on the ice, for ages 14 and up. One reviewer in March 2025 put the actual hiking at about 1 hour 15 minutes, with a long wait for the helicopter back.
If you want to walk on the glacier itself and have two days in Franz Josef to give the weather a chance, yes. The scenic flights give you minutes on the snow, not hours on the ice. If you mainly want the view, the shortest of them, such as Glacier Country Helicopters' 25-minute flight from US$219, cost under half as much. See is the heli hike worth it.
Booked on GetYourGuide, the heli hike lets you choose a full refund if the trip does not go ahead on the scheduled departure. Franz Josef Glacier Guides needs 'a four-hour window of clear weather' and usually makes the final call just before departure, so book your first day in Franz Josef and keep a second free. See weather and cancellations.
Yes: from age 10, between 35 and 115 kg, and at least 137 cm tall. The heli hike is not for pregnant women or people with back problems. On Glacier Country Helicopters' flights, such as the 35-minute flight over two glaciers, passengers of 120 kg and over at check-in buy a Comfort Seat at half the flight price. See who can do the heli hike.
No. The Department of Conservation's valley walk is 1.7 km return, about 30 minutes, from a car park 4.8 km by road from the township, and it ends at a viewpoint: the river has cut off the valley, so it is not possible to go further on foot (DOC, checked November 2026). Getting onto the ice means a guided trip by helicopter, such as Franz Josef Glacier Guides' heli hike. See can you walk up Franz Josef Glacier.
Warm layers, long trousers that are not jeans, sunglasses and sunscreen. The heli hike lends crampons, boots, poles, waterproof gear, a helmet and gloves. Luggage and large bags, drones, selfie sticks and vaping are not allowed. Jeans are not suitable on Franz Josef Glacier Guides' kit list, because they get heavy and cold when wet.
Yes, as a day trip by plane. True South Flights' heli hike from Queenstown flies an hour each way to Franz Josef and spends 2 hours on the ice, 6.5 hours in all with hotel pick-up, from US$998 (checked November 2026). The dates we read showed US$1,106.93 a person.
Still have questions? Email us at info@franz-josef-heli-hike.com