If you're dreaming of a once-in-a-lifetime South Island adventure that combines epic landscapes, rich culture, and unforgettable thrills, look no further than our True South Flights + Heli Hike experience. It’s the ultimate day trip for those based in Queenstown, offering the rare chance to explore the dramatic ice of Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere / Franz Josef Glacier and be back in time for dinner.
This journey includes a scenic flight along the wild West Coast, revealing the rugged spine of the Southern Alps, turquoise braided rivers, and untouched rainforest stretching all the way to the Tasman Sea. As you fly over the dense canopy of Te Wāhipounamu the scale and beauty of the landscape becomes clear.
Once you touch down in Franz Josef, the adventure really begins. After a full briefing and gear-up with our experienced guiding team, you’ll board a helicopter that lifts you high above the glacier face, soaring past ancient icefalls and crevasses. Landing at around 1,300 m above sea level, you step out onto the glacier itself.
The Heli Hike is two hours of pure wonder. Equipped with crampons and harnesses, you’ll explore surreal blue ice caves, towering pinnacles, and deep crevasses carved by time. Every step is guided, every vista breathtaking, and every moment a reminder of the wild power of nature. Along the way, your guide shares kōrero about the glacier’s formation, its cultural significance to local iwi, and the efforts to preserve this taonga for future generations.
After the hike, you return to Franz Josef with some time to relax or explore before your scenic flight home to Queenstown. It’s a day that blends luxury and wilderness, ease and adrenaline. A seamless, guided experience that brings together the very best of Te Waipounamu.
Whether you're short on time or simply want to make your South Island experience unforgettable, this day trip is second to none. From alpine skies to ancient ice, Franz Josef Glacier Guides and True South Flights deliver an adventure that will stay with you long after your boots leave the ice.
Nau mai, haere mai — your glacier adventure awaits.