Glacier Helihike and Flight Experiences in New Zealand

Another unforgettable highlight of my trip to New Zealand! Hannah, our guide, was incredible—she helped carve out safe paths for us to follow. I’ve always been a bit nervous on steep terrain, so she placed me right behind her in the lineup. That way, I could follow her exact foot placements and navigate each section safely.

It is our first time to do a heli glacier ride and it was 10/10! James, our captain, was so skilful and reassuring. The ride itself was so comfortable. It never felt like a rush during our time in the glacier landing. It was just so perfect for a fun acitivity while in Franz Josef town.

It can only be said that we were very lucky. When we arrived in the afternoon the day before, the weather was still cloudy. The weather forecast said it would be sunny the next day. After we left, the weather turned cloudy again because we heard that too many people were complaining about the bad weather. Good and canceled. Fortunately, it was a rare trip for us and we didn’t come back with regrets. The time booked on the platform was 11:30. We found that it might be troublesome to arrange the time, because the drive back to Wanaka took longer than expected, so as soon as we arrived in the town of Fox Gracier the day before, we went to the counter to ask if it was possible. Adjust departure time. There was a young lady from Quanzhou at the counter who was very helpful and confirmed that the time could be changed to 7:30. We also completed the relevant procedures first. I arrived at 7 a.m. the next morning and attended the pre-departure briefing. The content was very clear and I also received socks, shoes, and rain pants. Since we were all wearing Gore-Tex jackets, we didn’t receive the tops after confirmation from the tour guide. Taking this minibus to the helicopter base, boarding the plane was very orderly. The whole process was carefully planned, taking into account our mood of taking photos, and providing sufficient reminders. After flying to the glacier very quickly, the guides were already in place. After helping everyone put on crampons, they led the group to set off in batches. The guides will pay attention to everyone's safety. When climbing, they will also use shovels to knock out stairs to make it easier for everyone to climb. There are no omissions where ropes should be prepared. Everyone completes the glacier hiking safely. This trip is highly recommended. You can see the magnificence of nature and the traces of glaciers receding due to global warming. It is a rare trip to New Zealand to experience.

If you’re reading this, this is a sign for you to book this heli-hike experience, super worth it! You’ll immediately forget that it costs you that much to see the glacier. Had a fantastic time with the guide Cale who made sure that everyone was safe and very informative. My face glows every time I recall the time there and share this stories to my friends😍 my trip was in early August–so lucky with the weather that weekend, felt like I was on a different planet💓

The check-in location is on the left hand side of the second floor of the airport. The other counters are for other travel companies, but this Tasman one is easy to find at the beginning. You must arrive half an hour in advance, and there is only one road to Mount Cook Airport. It is easy to be delayed because the car in front is too slow. We were 10 minutes late this time. We don’t know what would have happened if we had not called in advance to inform us. It is recommended that you take 20 minutes longer than the specified arrival time as a buffer (anyway, you can also enjoy the scenery around the airport, watch planes take off and land, and take photos). After arriving, you can enjoy the journey according to the instructions, but basically all communication is in English. The itinerary is to take a helicopter over the mountains and ridges to the glacier, and then drop people off. The transfer process will be divided into two groups, so the other group can enjoy and take photos at the original location while waiting (15 minutes), or even ask a guide Teaching & practicing with ice zirconium using the stairs out. The scenery of the glacier is the most shocking I have ever seen in my life. I usually don’t have the chance to see it in tropical countries, so I must come. This time I was lucky enough to have super clear weather and I could see Mount Cook. As an aside, we originally planned our trip the morning before. We were staying at Twizel at the foot of the mountain. We already thought it was doomed based on the forecast. However, it turned out to be windy and rainy that day. As you can imagine, it was even worse on the mountain. Sure enough, we received a letter informing us of the cancellation, so I called and went directly to the counter to confirm. The counter said that it could be adjusted to 11 o'clock the next day. We had reserved days for glacier hiking this time, which came in handy at this time. Of course we said it was okay, but the weather actually turned out to be very good on the day we went. It is recommended to leave 1-2 days in case it is delayed, and you can also check the forecast first to be prepared.

Unique and fun experience. Few mins helicopter ride to and from the helipad to the glacier. 2h guided walk on the glacier. The landscape of the glacier is varied and awe-inspiring. Provided: Full set of cold gear (to wear over own clothes), shoulder sling pouch (to carry a waterbottle), boots and crampons. Had to watch our step but it was safe and not difficult. Important to learn to step into the ground forcefully with the crampon for maximum traction on uneven terrain. Guide was great.p

From start to finish, this experience exceeded all expectations. So glad we sprang for the flight from Queenstown: not only saved us 12 hours drive and overnight stay at Franz Josef, but the 1.5hour flight over the Southern Alps was stunning and worth the cost alone.The hike was challenging enough to be our biggest and most unique adventure ever. We aren’t climbers, but the guides made it doable for a moderately fit 60 and 70 year-old couple. Can’t recommend the trip enough!

It was a really satisfying experience. Luckily, our team was the only one on the course we chose that day, so when we checked in on the day, the staff upgraded us to level 2, so we were able to enjoy the glacier and the scenery to our heart's content! It was even better when the helicopter briefly landed on the summit and the pilots took a lot of commemorative photos~~ I highly recommend this as a South Island activity.