Day 8: Franz Josef
With Aoraki/Mount Cook (New Zealand’s highest mountain) twinkling behind the glaciers, Franz Josef is about as beautiful a setting as you can find in New Zealand.
Te Wahi Pounamu (which means ‘the place of greenstone’ in Māori) is the name given to this part of the West Coast because of the abundance of pounamu (greenstone/jade) to be found here. Included in your tour today is a special opportunity to carve your very own pounamu pendant at a local gallery.
There are heaps of ways to enjoy Franz Josef Glacier; weather permitting, to get up onto the bluest ice you can take a scenic helicopter flight and hike onto the glaciers. Maybe you’d prefer to kayak on a glacial lake; or just relax in the steamy hot springs down below.
As well as the awesome glacier activities you could also try out quad biking and even a bit of group karaoke tonight in Franz Josef!
INCLUDED
- Breakfast
- Carve your own pounamu necklace
- Day 1: Wellington to Kaikoura
- Day 2: Kaikoura to Christchurch
- Day 3: Christchurch to Tekapo
- Day 4: Tekapo to Queenstown
- Day 5: Queenstown
- Day 6: Queenstown to Wanaka
- Day 7: Wanaka to Franz Josef
- Day 8: Franz Josef
- Day 9: Franz Josef to Punakaiki
- Day 10: Punakaiki
- Day 11: Punakaiki to Abel Tasman
- Day 12: Abel Tasman
- Day 13: Abel Tasman to Wellington