Things to do in Franz Josef & Fox Glacier
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Franz Josef Tandem Skydive 13,000ft with TransfersTake off from Franz Josef for a tandem skydive over glaciers, rainforests, lakes, and ocean views. Gear up with provided equipment and let your local instructor handle every detail—from airport transfer to safe landing—for an adrenaline rush you’ll keep replaying in your mind.
Fox Glacier & Mount Cook Helicopter Flight Snow LandingA 35-minute helicopter flight from Fox Glacier that crosses the Southern Alps, passes Mount Cook's west face, and includes a snow landing where you step onto the glacier itself. The flight covers glacial icefalls, crevasses and neves, with views stretching from the coast to mountain peaks. A professional pilot flies year-round, weather permitting, and the experience includes photo time on the snow.Is it for me?The flight is a fixed 35 minutes in the air with a snow landing built in, so there's no waiting for conditions or negotiating time on the glacier—you land, step out, photograph and return on schedule. Book this if you want Mount Cook and the glacier in a single morning or afternoon without arranging transport to the base.
Franz Josef & Fox Glacier: Scenic Flight with Snow LandingYou board a helicopter from Fox Glacier or Franz Josef, fly over both glacier systems with views of blue ice and snowfields, and land on the snow for 30 minutes to walk around. The flight includes a pre-flight safety briefing and departs on a fixed schedule — book the time that fits your day, and weather permitting, you're in the air within hours of arrival.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see both glaciers without splitting your day between two separate trips, and you're flexible with timing since weather can shift departures by hours or a day.
Fox Glacier Helicopter: 20-Min Flight & Snow LandingYou fly from Fox Glacier town heliport to the glacier's icefall, land on the snowfield for twenty minutes, and photograph the crevasses and pinnacles from ground level. Pre-flight safety briefing is included, and you're back on the ground inside an hour total. No experience needed — this is the entry-level glacier flight, which is exactly what makes it work for most people.Is it for me?Right for travelers staying in the Fox Glacier area who want to see the glacier from above and stand on it without a full-day trek. Twenty minutes in the air means you fit it around other plans, and the snow landing is what separates this from a scenic flight — you're not just looking, you're landing.
Franz Josef Glacier Helicopter Flight: 3 Snow LandingsA 90-minute helicopter flight over Franz Josef, Fox and Tasman Glaciers in Westland Tai Poutini and Aoraki/Mount Cook National Parks, with three snow landings that let you step out onto the ice and photograph remote terrain most visitors never reach. The pilot is a local professional who speaks English and knows the hidden valleys and rarely seen approaches to New Zealand's highest peak.Is it for me?Book this flight if you want to land on the glaciers themselves rather than view them from the air alone, or if you're traveling as a small group or family and want a local operator who knows the remote corners of both national parks.
