Franz Josef Glacier - Westland District

Name: Franz Josef Glacier - Westland District
Address: Westland Tai Poutini National Park, Westland District, West Coast 7886, New Zealand, 7886, Zealand

4.6/5 ★ based on 8 reviews

Contact Franz Josef Glacier

Address :	Westland Tai Poutini National Park, Westland District, West Coast 7886, New Zealand
Postal code :	7886
Website :	https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/west-coast/places/westland-tai-poutini-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/franz-josef-glacier-ka-roimata-o-hine-hukarere-walk/
Categories :	Nature preserve ,

Westland Tai Poutini National Park, Westland District, West Coast 7886, New Zealand

Best Nature preserve in New Zealand

I	Ivan Jenkins on Google ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Lovely walk from the car park to the viewing point. Very scenic, we did it in a light drizzle, wearing jeans, sneakers, and a jacket, under an umbrella. It is well with. The debris field / river bed is easy to walk on.
J	Jeevaka Wijesinha on Google ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ This is a very nice walk through the Bush and a stark eye opener for global warming. Go see it before it all goes back. Needs about 1.5hours just to make sure you enjoy the views. There are a few other walks around that looked amazing but I couldn't get to amy of them. Easy access by car to the start of the walk and a few other stops and walks around on the way too.
K	Ken Tran on Google ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Worth it if you've never seen a glacier before, otherwise overrated. But you will only get 750m from the glacier, since it has retreated so much. It takes about 1.5hrs and is an easy walk. It's also interesting to walk on what used to be the glacier floor. Depending on the weather, you'll need to cross at least one stream, stepping over large rocks.
A	Annette Khan on Google ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Amazing landscapes on the walk to Franz Josef Glacier - with rain forests giving way to Mountains and waterfalls. Walking along the dry riverbed towards the glacier was an experience, and then seeing the snow capped mountains in the distance - fantastic!
P	Paul Bourke on Google ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The walk to the viewing point at Franz Josef is quite good. It's a little up and down but it's not too hard if you're sure on your feet and reasonably mobile and fit. While you're still quite a way from the glaciers edge at the main viewing point it's worth the effort in my view. There's some good information panels along the way and you get a sense of how far the glacier has retreated in the last 100 and 10 (or so) years. The natural beauty and sheer size of the area it used to fill is mind boggling in itself. There are numerous waterfalls along the way as well if the weather has been right for them.
H	Heinrich Van der merwe on Google ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ To get amazing views of Franz Josef Glacier, there's a 1h30 easy hike to the bottom of the glacier. The hike itself will already show what nature strength is all about. The valley shows the remnants of where the glacier was sitting years ago. Major boulders are scattered around the water stream.
R	Road hog on Google ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Excellent walk. A bit more demanding then Fox Glacier however well worth it as you get pretty close up to Franz Josef (about 1 km) which is quite close considering all the loose rocks surrounding the area. A river bed walk and a few river crossings by foot are on the agenda. Not too difficult even for the untrained. One thing though - use proper shoes as the uneven terrain can cause injuries if you use flip flops or similar. Experienced Even a bit of wildlife on the way. Awesome.
M	Mark Pitts on Google ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ An amazing glacier that you must visit on the South Island!! We took several hikes to see the glacier from the ground, and then took a helicopter ride up to the glacier to have a short walk on the glacier! The views from the ground are spectacular, but from the air you can see how huge and spectacular it is! Walking on the glacier was surreal in some ways, as it felt like we were on another planet or in Antarctica. I would definitely recommend seeing it from as many angles as possible and taking a helicopter ride up to see it from the top. The scenery up there is positively amazing. Also, being close to the glacier and seeing how it has been tragically shrinking makes you want to be a more responsible human, and do your part to reduce global warming. It won’t be here forever if we don’t do our part to save it (and ourselves)