Franz Josef Glacier Guides

Amazing Heli hike tour!! From the moment we arrived, the team was informative, friendly and had our safety and enjoyment in mind. The helicopter ride was spectacular with great views of the Glacier and Valley. Our Helicopter driver made sure everyone was comfortable and kept us informed on what we were seeing. Our hike guide Ryan took us through the Glacier at a pace that was good for everyone. He shared a lot of great information about New Zealand and the Glacier. Once in a lifetime experience that should not be missed if you are in the Mount Cook area. I would do this tour again!

This is definitely a must do while in New Zealand. The weather was bad on the date I originally booked so my hike was cancelled but they were great and looked at the weather reports and gave me in their opinion the best day to reschedule. I rescheduled and the weather was beautiful on the day of the hike. Everyone was so nice and my guide, Yule, was super knowledgeable and fun. She made sure we were all safe (there are spots you can fall into because they aren’t solid) and stopped at her plenty of super beautiful spots for pictures. Franz Josef was so beautiful! The helicopter ride was about 5 minutes but really cool and you saw a lot of mountains from above. It was definitely one of the coolest things I’ve done in New Zealand.

It was an amazing experience. Our guide, Hannah was very helpful and provided many insights from glacier formation to the unique landscape of Franz Josef. The whole experience was very smooth. We were sufficiently prepared with safety briefing, transported by the heli ride and explored the beautiful glaciers. Everyone has to do this at least once in their lifetime! ⭐

I was hesitant to do the glacier heli hike due to the price, but I’m genuinely so happy that I did it— it’s one of the most incredible things I’ve ever done. And to echo others, if not now, when? This was a once in a lifetime experience, made even better by our phenomenal guide Sarah. She was warm, passionate, and knowledgeable, and she kept all of us feeling safe up there. She answered my group’s million questions with a smile, showed us great photo spots, carved out stairs to make our trek more manageable, and all in all truly made our experience unforgettable. I’ll remember this for the rest of my life— thank you to the whole team and to Sarah for such an incredible day.

A Priceless Experience – Worth Every Cent At first glance, the price of this heli-hike tour is over $700 for just four hours, I was like what?! I honestly thought I would never consider doing something so expensive. But then I thought again: hiking on a glacier isn’t something you get to do every day. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I’m only getting older, and realistically, my finances and physical condition aren't going to improve over time. If not now, then when? This tour is perfect for nature lovers who want to combine breathtaking sightseeing with some level of physical activity. The entire team, including the office staff, went above and beyond to ensure we were safe, well-informed, and prepared for the hike. The journey began and ended with a beautiful 10-minute walk through a classic Kiwi forest—an unexpected and delightful touch. Our guide was fantastic—young, passionate, knowledgeable, and full of energy. I’m sure all the guides are just as amazing. It’s not an easy job: they need to know about the local culture, glacier dynamics, and weather patterns, and they even carve stairs into the ice with axes to make our hike safer and more manageable. I’m incredibly grateful for everything they did. They also provide all the necessary gear for the hike, which is a great bonus. In the end, I can’t recommend this tour highly enough. Don’t let the price scare you off—if it’s an amount you can afford without major sacrifice, go for it. Just read the information they send you beforehand, follow the staff's instructions, and you’ll have an unforgettable experience—just like I did.

We had a fantastic experience and would highly recommend it. The flight was cancelled the first day so we decided to try again the next day and luckily, the weather was better. Everything was very well managed - all the ground staff are very nice and proactive in keeping us informed of the flight status. Safety precautions and logistics are well coordinated. Abbey was an amazing guide and we were lucky to be in a small group of 5. The entire experience felt surreal. Views from the helicopter and the glacier are spectacular.

Maya was our guide and she is lovely and spontaneous, making our trip absolutely exciting and hyped. The weather was spot on, glaciers were blue and shiny, and the Heliride was cool! Everyone wanted to have a photo with Maya at the end…will recommend anyone to have a trip to glaciers with Maya and Franz Josef Glacier Guides and 100% will have a good time. Was secretly hoping that the weather was bad so we get to be “stuck” up there through the night and see the stunning night views and sunset from there😆😆😆

Did our heli hike this morning and was 10/10 worth every penny. We had a great time! Thank you Tegan and Gerdi!