Who Can Do the Franz Josef Heli Hike?

You can do the Franz Josef heli hike if you are at least 10 years old, weigh between 35 and 115 kg, stand at least 137 cm and have a reasonable level of fitness and agility for uneven ice. It is not open to pregnant women or people with back problems. The gear is lent; you bring warm layers. If that is you, Franz Josef Glacier Guides’ 2.5 Hour Glacier Hike with Helicopter Transfer is from US$499 a person (checked November 2026). If it is not, a scenic flight with a snow landing has looser limits.

The calendar shows the options for the date you pick; the extended option has a higher minimum age.

The limits

From the heli hike on GetYourGuide, checked November 2026.

Over 115 kg, participation is not permitted “for your safety”. Franz Josef Glacier Guides’ own terms add that there is no refund if you are outside the limits on the day, so check your weight before you book.

How fit you need to be

The glacier terrain is variable and reasonably challenging, so you need a reasonable level of fitness and agility. Franz Josef Glacier Guides rates the heli hike as moderate fitness: comfortable walking for 2 to 3 hours on uneven terrain, including steps cut into the ice. The guide sets the pace for the group, and there are usually some uphill stretches.

Its guides can also stop a guest whose fitness is not up to the trip on the day, and in that case its terms give no refund. If you are unsure, the shorter flights are the safer choice.

What is lent, what to wear, what to leave behind

• Lent: crampons, boots, poles, waterproof gear, a helmet and gloves, plus a safety briefing.
• Bring: warm clothing, long trousers, sunglasses, sunscreen, a camera and a reusable water bottle.
• Not jeans. Jeans are not suitable on Franz Josef Glacier Guides’ kit list, because they get heavy and cold when wet; tracksuit bottoms and leggings are fine.
• Leave behind: luggage and large bags, drones, selfie sticks and vapes are not allowed.
• Check-in: 15 minutes before the trip; check-in closes then.

If the heli hike does not fit you

Scenic flights land on the snow for a few minutes, and each operator sets its own rules:

• Over 115 kg: Glacier Country Helicopters takes passengers of 120 kg and over on a Comfort Seat at half the flight price, on flights such as its 25-minute flight from US$219 (checked November 2026). INFLITE Mt Cook Ski Planes & Helicopters' Tasman Glacier flight has a passenger limit of 116 kg.
• Children under 10: Glacier Helicopters' Franz Josef and Fox flight takes children aged 4 to 14 who weigh over 15 kg in their own seat, and younger, lighter ones on an adult’s knee. Franz Josef Glacier Guides’ own Glacier Landing, sold on its site, takes children from age 4, with 15 minutes on the glacier.
• Limited mobility or a wheelchair: Glacier Country Helicopters’ flights are not for wheelchair users, and most of them not for people with mobility impairments. Glacier Helicopters' flight and HeliServices.NZ Fox Franz Haast's 20-minute flight are marked wheelchair accessible; ask the operator about getting aboard.

If none of these fit, the Department of Conservation’s valley walk is 1.7 km return, about 30 minutes, to a viewpoint below the glacier; see can you walk up Franz Josef Glacier.

Heli hike or scenic flight compares every flight.

Check dates for the heli hike