One of the fastest moving glaciers in the world, the Franz Josef Glacier is a spectacular river of ice. It is one of the world's steepest glaciers descending 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) over its 7.5 mile (12 kilometer) path through the valley, ending in lush temperate rainforest. As it flows it travels over bumpy steps which forces ice upwards to create dramatic ice cliffs and sharp crevasses.
Over 2,700 people visit the ice a day during peak season. Some spend their time exploring the terminal face while others take helicopters to take advantage of the views and get access to higher icefalls, so they can clamor over the less-populated ice and carve out an adventure in the stunning and challenging terrain.
Franz Josef is a small town 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the terminal face of the glacier. It only has a population of 330 but it has around 2,000 beds, so you don’t have to travel to and from Queenstown (5 hours) in the same day. There are two bus lines that drive the route, to and from, daily.
