To Heli-Hike or Not? A Glacier versus Glacier Comparison Guide to Fox and Franz Josef

If you’re planning to see glaciers for the first time, you can never go wrong with a visit to Glacier Country. Situated in the West Coast of New Zealand, this area encompasses the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, as well as the Westland National Park, to create an environment of chilling natural beauty.

The two glaciers making up the main icy attractions that drive visitors to this area are filled with deep valleys and a wild variety of natural wonders - one of the most common things to do for adventurers here is a multi-day hike across the frozen landscape. There are a range of popular activities suitable for all skill levels, and we have 3 thrilling packages with exciting itineraries on Klook.

We strongly recommend taking a stab at the heli-hiking option (taking a scenic helicopter flight, landing on and walking on the ice, before being flown back to the main base to relax and shed away the day’s cold) to make the most of your visit.

The biggest questions that stress out travellers will often vary between, “Which specific icy monolith should I visit first, or can I cover both?”, and “What’s the difference between the two?”

Actually both glaciers are situated a mere 25 minutes apart, so provided you leave enough room in your itinerary, you can easily experience both - and if you’re good at planning, it’s even possible to cover both areas within the same day (not totally recommended if you don’t want to wear yourself out). 

In terms of variations, fret not for we have you covered with some glacier facts, tips, and recommendations below for exploring either Franz Josef or Fox Glacier (or both), to help you make the most out of your visit to Glacier Country.

If you’re travelling to New Zealand’s South Island from the North, it’s likely that you’ll find yourself in Franz Josef first (even if you’re intending to visit Fox) - a small bustling town that was set up to support local tourism to the glacier itself.

Anyone who has travelled to Franz Josef will likely tell you that it is the busier option over Fox, offering more restaurants, cafes, and shops, as well as attractions outside of its glacier, including:

Franz Josef Glacier has a steeper incline compared to Fox Glacier. The main advantage of steep glaciers is that it allows more dramatic formations to occur on the surface - as a result, you’ll likely find Franz Josef to contain more crevasses and ice caves, as well as having a better chance to witness the famous blue ice.

Getting to the glacier from the Franz Josef village will require driving to the carpark (or an 8.7km return walk or cycle), which itself is situated a 6.8km return walk to the terminal face viewing. You cannot get on the glacier unless you do a guided heli-hike. The guided walks around the glacier will allow you to access private viewing points closer to the glaciers.

When on the ice, it’s hard to say what you’ll actually come across - as glaciers are constantly shifting masses (they’re not immobile, for those who didn’t know!) every visit will be unique and different. However, those braving the inclines of this glacier can expect to strap on some crampons, crawl through some natural tunnel formations, and squeeze through narrow crevices, for an unbeatable alpine experience.

Aside from glacier explorations, Franz Josef is also in close proximity to Lake Mapourika and Okarito Lagoon - both perfect areas to visit to up your scenic photography skills. If you choose to forgo the glacier walk, you can still enjoy incredibly scenic hikes in the areas surrounding the glacier.

The most famous trail is the slightly confusingly named Franz Josef Glacier Walk, which takes hikers past impressive waterfalls and mountain scenery for an up-close view of the glacier. A relatively easy walk suitable even for beginners, with mostly flat ground interspersed with a couple of short steep slopes the closer you get to the end of the trail, this hike will take around 1.5 hours return. 

For a shorter hike (fun fact, Kiwis use the term “tramping”), you can choose to take the Douglas Walk instead, which runs at just 1 hour return, but passes through equally scenic views, including Peter’s Pool, a lake which provides incredible reflections of the glacier during clear days, as well as beautiful woodland and forest landscapes.

To get to the Fox Glacier, it’s a similar story to Franz Josef, in that you will be required to make a drive to the carpark (or make an 8.4km return walk or cycle) from the Fox village. From the carpark to the terminal face view, it is a 2.6km walk, making it comparatively more accessible than Franz Josef. Again, if you’re wanting to get on the glacier itself, you will need to do a guided heli-hike. Similar to Franz Josef, doing guided walks around the glacier will allow you access to private viewing points closer to the glaciers.

With less air traffic and comparatively less steep inclines than Franz Josef, Fox Glacier is often the more popular choice amongst explorers - don’t let its easier climb fool you however, this glacier also contains more unique and off the beaten path trails, which will surprise and delight even the most jaded of explorers. The overall shape of the glacier has a bigger bend compared to its sibling, resulting in more caves and arches as the ice pushes up.

When doing a guided heli-hike, the routes will be decided on the day depending on weather conditions, rather than following a single track, meaning you will have the chance to see a range of different glacier features depending on the route and time of day you’re accessing the area. Due to its less steep inclines, the hike itself is not too strenuous, and generally will last around 3 hours, with your guide doing most of the hard work by using a pick axe to carve out fresh paths for you to explore.

From the Fox area, you’ll also be able to get stunning views of Mount Tasman and Mount Cook, two of New Zealand’s highest mountains. If you opt to heli-hike Franz Josef and would rather explore the areas around Fox Glacier rather that walking on the glacier itself, you can choose to visit Lake Matheson, which is located an easily accessible 5km from Fox - it’s also one of the most photographed lakes on the South Island, with its dark waters reflecting the dominating mountain surroundings.

Regardless of whether you choose to heli-hike through Fox or Franz Josef Glaciers, dedicate the day to exploring only one of them, or spend time covering the ins and outs of both, you'll want to visit this general area sooner rather than later. This is because, on a sobering note, the features that lend Glacier Country its name are rapidly melting away. Bearing the brunt of global warming, portions of these ancient glaciers are receding at an alarming rate of 70cm per day (nope that’s not a typo). Ultimately, however, it goes without saying that New Zealand’s Glacier Country is an unmissable experience if you’re planning a trip to the South Island.