Franz Josef, New Zealand

Franz Josef Glacier (2 days, 2 nights – Nov 26-28)

Franz Josef is a very small town in what is known as Glacier Country. There are two glaciers within the area, the Franz Josef and the Fox glaciers. We decided to go to the Franz Josef at the recommendation of a friend and it was an amazing experience. However, either glacier is supposed to be great. You must make reservations in advance to stay in this tiny town (unless you are backpacking and can sleep anywhere) as well as to go on any tours. The day we visited the glacier all tours were booked so we were glad we booked in advanced. This is a nature wonder that is NOT to be missed…it’s incredible…and it’s GROWING…but don’t tell Al Gore!

Plan to arrive in Franz Josef the day before you want to visit the glacier. Visit the glacier the next day and spend one more night...you’ll need it to rest from any glacier hikes that day. We found that the one day visit to the glacier was enough for there is nothing really to see in the area. We woke up early the next day to drive on to Queenstown.

Where to Stay
We found the Rainforest Retreat and booked online through Trip Advisor. However, it was a little expensive and you may be able to book a room in the area for cheaper. The Rainforest Retreat is a nice place and our room had a small kitchenette to make breakfasts and a nice eating area. The retreat has a restaurant, hot tub and central gathering area to meet other travelers. The big tip is to search for rooms on Trip Advisor to find the best rates.

What to Do
Hiking the glacier was one of our most memorable moments in life to date. I put this experience right up there with visiting Machu Picchu or the Taj Mahal. I was astounded by the natural beauty. Shit dawg.

There are only a few tour operators in Franz Josef that are authorized to give tours of the glacier. Tours can consist of a half day or full day hike, ice climbing or a helicopter ride. Because the glacier is constantly shifting, cracking, growing, visitors must be on a tour to hike on the glacier. Dee Dee and I found Franz Josef Glacier Guides online and were very happy with our full day hike experience. Franz Josef Glacier Guides provided all the necessary gear including water proof clothes, books, cramp-ons and gloves. The guides were FANTASTIC and were very knowledgeable of the glacier and we always felt safe. The big safety tip is to always follow the guide’s instructions…the guides had to frequently re-cut the path we were walking on because the path from the day before had shifted due to ice movements.

The all day hike was strenuous and required basic physical agility and cardio fitness. Dee Dee and I both handled the hike well and we are in good physical condition. We recommend doing the all day hike for you get to spend more time on the glacier seeing the ice mountains, streams and crevasse without feeling rushed. We had to pack in our own lunch and ate sitting on the ice enjoying spectacular views. Be sure to take 2 bottles of water for each person…and be sure each person carries a backpack with food, water, sun block and lip ice. Sunglasses and long undies are a must to!

Dee Dee and I were so exhilarated by the experience that we did not feel any pain throughout the day…until we got back to the Rainforest Retreat.Ugh…thank God we brought Advil.

Where to Eat
We recommend going into the supermarket (Fern Grove Food Center) and buying breakfast and lunch (for the all day hike) there. There are a handful of restaurants up and down the main drag, Main St. Take a walk up Main St and look at the menus to see what interests you. All of them are casual. We ate the Blue Ice Café that is near the end of Main. The café has a bar upstairs and restaurant downstairs. There seemed to be a lot of locals at the bar.