The 10 Best Things to do Good for a Rainy Day in Franz Josef, South Island

Amaia Luxury Spa offers outstanding Skin and Body Therapies in a peaceful and relaxed environment. Situated in beautiful Franz Josef Glacier find us tucked away surrounded by beautiful native bush and stunning mountain views, we warmly welcome & invite you.

We offer an action-packed 'all-weather' activity, shooting undercover in a building designed especially for our environment and your fun and safe shooting experience. We provide all equipment and transport to and from the range. Real guns, real ammunition with tuition provided for beginners and a challenge for experienced shooters. Covered shoes must be worn for this activity.

Relax with us for an hour in your own private, wood fired, hot tub. Refilled with fresh water for every booking, and with the ability to set your own temperature through cooling or further heating the water, you can't help but enjoy these private pools set in the Franz Josef village rainforest. Ideal for up to 4 adults and a child. Adults only after 6 pm. Find us on Cron Street, Opposite the Department of Conservation Visitor Centre, in the Franz Josef Glacier village.

Set in our home our studio offers a friendly environment to carve a traditional or contemporary piece of New Zealand Stone - Nephrite Jade, Tangi Wai, Aotea, Rhodonite. Open 7 days a week at our home based studio. People of all ages and nationalities have had the chance to carve their own piece of our culture either as a gift or for themselves. This activity generally takes 1-2 hours depending on what we are carving. No artistic ability is required and people have really surprised themselves with what they have achieved. Its all about putting your energy into our special stones by making it yourself. A very unique souvenir unlike any other either for yourself or as a special gift.

This World-Class Gallery showcases the work of Internationally-renowned Landscape Photographer Andris Apse. The Gallery features a Mini-Theatre, Slide-Show and exhibits dramatic panoramas in a serene and professional setting. His breathtaking NZ Landscape images on display are all Limited Editions. The Gallery is open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm.

Nestled under nature’s leafy canopy, Glacier Hot Pools provide the perfect spot to let your tinana (body), hinengaro (mind) and wairua (spirit) embrace nature, relax & invigorate. All pools are filled with pure water and heated between 36°C and 40°C. For the cherry on top of the cake – experience a soak in a private pool & a rejuvenating massage or facial.

Lonely Planet voted the West Coast Wildlife Centre in the heart of Franz Josef as one of the 12 must see things to visit in New Zealand. This is the largest kiwi hatching facility in the South Island and the "must see" indoor all weather attraction in Franz Josef – home to the official hatching facility for the world's 2 rarest kiwis – the Rowi and Haast Tokoeka. See live kiwi during the day inside our nocturnal house, discover the interactive glacier attraction and West Coast storytelling areas or go behind the scenes on the “Backstage Pass Tour” and see live kiwi chicks and meet the friendly kiwi ranger staff. Numbers are very limited on the 30 minute Backstage Pass Tour so booking are highly recommended to avoid disappointment. The best shopping in Franz Josef can be found here inside the all weather facility -and enjoy free Wi-Fi in the cafe to keep connected to family and friends. Enjoy a coffee or a snack in the cafe – or pick up a pack lunch for your day of adventure. Open from 8.30am daily – 365 days. Set aside 1-2 hours for your visit. All tickets purchased are valid for 24 hours so you can come back and see the kiwi as many times as you like within that period !.

Franz Josef Location i-SITE knows all the best things to do, places to stay and ways to get there. Plus they’ll take care of the bookings. Every person who works at i-SITE is a travel expert for their own home town, so they can help you to find the sort of activities, attractions, accommodation and transport that only a local would know. You can be sure that once you have experienced the latest and greatest of what one place has to offer, i-SITE will help connect you with their equally friendly i-SITE colleagues at the next stop on your journey. So whether you’ve come around the world or down the road you can rely on i-SITE for expert local knowledge and bookings throughout New Zealand. •Itinerary planning and information •Bookings nationwide - accommodation, transport, activities, attractions •Free maps, weather & mountain safety information •Local information - events, attractions, restaurants & more!