Franz Josef Glacier Flight with Alpine Landing - 35 Minutes

Lift off from Franz Josef on a 35 minute scenic helicopter flight that climbs straight from the valley floor into the heart of the Southern Alps. As the ground drops away, you rise above icy rivers and rainforest, then bank over the Franz Josef Glacier, its cracked blue ice spilling down the mountainside below your window. Depending on the day's conditions, your pilot swings you over either the Fox or the Tasman Glacier, so no two flights trace exactly the same line through the peaks.

Midway through, the helicopter carries you higher into the ranges and sets down for a 10 minute alpine landing on a snow covered peak reachable only by air. Step out into the crisp alpine quiet, take in the summits stacked in every direction, and get your camera out while you have the chance. Then it is back aboard for the scenic return. A tip from the locals: pick a clear, calm day if your dates are flexible, when the light on the ice is at its sharpest.