Top Things to do in Franz Josef
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Top 5 Things to do in Franz Josef, New Zealand
The quaint West Coast, South Island town of Franz Josef is named after the Franz Josef Glacier. Which in turn, legend has it, is named for a girl whose lover died in a fatal fall. She cried so much that her tears pooled, eventually freezing into a block of ice. The magic of this fable isn’t lost on the town or the tourists who flock to the tragically romantic site.
Restaurants in Franz Josef
1. Franz Josef Glacier
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Westland Tai Poutini National Park, renowned for its Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers and the beautiful walks from 5 minutes to 8 hours that you can do in this area to view these amazing ice features, native forest, wildlife and Waterfalls.
Reviewed By 123LS - United Kingdom
Parking can be a challenge. Fortunate to have a sunny day. Found hike very easy but does depend on your fitness level. Wear walking/hiking boots to make it more comfortable, did see lots of people in soft footwear struggling over the gravel path which is well defined
Well worth the effort the glacier is retreating rapidly see it before it disappears. Take your camera. Was busy
2. Roberts Point Track
Overall Ratings
5 based on 54 reviews
Always check the website for changes that might affect your trip.
Reviewed By rapillipow - Kenora, Canada
If you like a good somewhat challenging hike and want to see a different view of the glacier, this ones for you! If the trail is wet, it can be quite slippery. I’d recommend hiking boots, or trail running shoes (something with a good tread). The hike is linear, so the trail you hike in will be the same one you take out. Mostly incline to Robert’s point and decline on return. There are plenty of places to stop along the way for photos and breaks. Several Bridges on the trail and glacier fed Waterfalls. The only downside of the trail to me was the constant noise of helicopters. Due to the scenic flights, heli-hikes, and heli-climbing there are many helicopters in the area from first thing in the mourning until dinner time.
3. Tatare Tunnels Walk
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 67 reviews
Reviewed By Coompy - Denmark, Australia
Worth a stroll on a nice day to get away from the crowds. Not at all ‘hard core’ and well-managed trail all the way.
We took our toddler (2yo) up with us - most of the track is rough rocks-but-stroller-friendly. The last 10-15mins is ‘abandon stroller and nervously shepherd toddler up zig-zag of slippery rocks’. Not for a toddler who runs off or refuses to be carried if required - there were some places we had to grab him and carry him past potentially dangerous slippery-slides! I would not do this at night with a toddler unless you had good head torches and a couple of adults who had done it in the day.
The tunnel looked good and we ducked into the entrance with our toddler who was nervous and excited! But we didn’t have a change of shoes for the tunnel walk so just played around the entrance with him. He’s still talking about it!
The walk back is easier as it’s mostly downhill.
4. West Coast Wildlife Centre
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 703 reviews
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 !.
Reviewed By dskid - Overland Park, Kansas
We signed up for the backstage tour and don't recommend a visit here without doing so. It's well worth the extra money. We signed up in advance on-line because I'd read where the small tours do sell out. There were a total of five adults and two children on our tour and that was just right. We had an excellent host who was very, very knowledgeable and answered everyone's questions. There was only one kiwi in the nursery and we couldn't see much more than its back but that really wasn't an issue for us. We did learn a great deal about the various species of kiwi and got some hands-on experiences of handling stuffed kiwis that were weighted to illustrate how much they weigh at various stages in their life and we also got to handle a genuine kiwi egg. In addition to the backstage tour your admission fee also entitles you to visit the live kiwi enclosure as many times as you want during the day. We visited several times without seeing a kiwi and they asked us to come back in the early evening to try again and if we still didn't see one they'd refund our money (we did see one). There is also a great display, after exiting the live kiwi enclosure, that has all things kiwi as well as some great displays on glaciers and life in the early days of NZ. In addition to the obligatory gift shop there's a small food and drink counter. Photos are attached.
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5. Franz Josef i-SITE Visitor Information Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 65 reviews
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!
Reviewed By Carlos Jose P
They are nice but do not offer much help with information needed to change booking for Bus transportation because they affirmed not to have it. Amazing
