{"id":4455,"date":"2011-06-17T19:35:16","date_gmt":"2011-06-17T19:35:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/?p=4455"},"modified":"2022-09-21T19:30:21","modified_gmt":"2022-09-21T19:30:21","slug":"franz-josef-glacier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/franz-josef-glacier\/","title":{"rendered":"Franz Josef Glacier"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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For this trip, we are venturing beyond the southwest, so far west that you\u2019ll find us on the west side of the Pacific Ocean hiking on Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Whether it\u2019s summer or winter from where you\u2019re reading this, the trip you\u2019re going to take with us will definitely be an icy experience.\u00a0 So sit back and enjoy this visually stunning corner of New Zealand\u2019s South Island.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Rare when compared to other glaciers in the world, Franz Josef Glacier reaches from the rugged Southern Alps to almost sea level and is fairly easy to reach for most people.\u00a0 Franz Josef Glacier descends from lofty mountain heights down to below 800 feet above sea level.\u00a0 The bottom part of the glacier passes through a temperate rainforest which is not common for glaciers.<\/p>

Getting There<\/h3>

Franz Josef Glacier is located near a small town of the same name \u2013 Franz Josef. This small outpost is located in one of the more isolated regions of New Zealand\u2019s South Island. It is situated approximately halfway along the west coast making it convenient for travelers to use as an overnight stay. There are a number of hotels and eateries that cater to travelers.<\/p>

There are a number of tour operators in Franz Josef that will take adventurous people on a hiking tour of the glacier. Feeling a little adventurous, we decided to do just that. Our accompanying virtual tour will take you on the icy and challenging hike we took that you can watch while sitting back with a hot beverage in your hand.<\/p>

If you\u2019re not up for such an adventure, there are several other ways to enjoy the glacier and the snowy alpine mountains close by. There are several companies that offer helicopter tours of the glacier. Many of these flights can include a landing high in the mountains so that you can walk around on the glacier. There\u2019s also an option to go on a longer guided tour for a few hours and then catch another helicopter back down. You can also just drive up close to the glacier and hike the roughly one mile to the glacier\u2019s toe. But if you\u2019re not on a guided tour, you cannot get close or walk on the glacier as it is very dangerous.<\/p>

More…<\/p>

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Pictures<\/h3>

Below are some pictures of what you will see along the way.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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