Helicopter Snow Landing - Franz Josef

A landing that quieted everyone

November 2025, Wanvela ran a New Zealand Family Trip with four guests (K. Or, husband, children aged 10 and 13). The highlight was a helicopter snow landing on Franz Josef glacier, on the west coast of the South Island.

Day 4 - Mount Cook

Our base was The Hermitage Mt Cook, the only hotel inside Aoraki National Park. 6 am wake-up to Mt Cook visible straight from bed, the mountain stands at 3,724 metres.

Booking the helicopter

Wanvela books Glacier Helicopters NZ six months in advance, the 10 am slot on day four. The helicopter is an MD500, five seats (pilot + 4 passengers). The four of us filled it exactly.

NZD 595 per guest, 30 minutes flight time plus 15 minutes landing on the glacier.

Departure

9:45 am, the briefing: helmet, safety belt, communication headphones. 10:00 am, lift-off from Franz Josef village.

The helicopter's ceiling is 2,400 metres, over rainforest, the Waiho River, then up onto the glacier. Twelve minutes.

Landing

10:15 am, pilot Mark set down on flat snow at 2,100 metres. The 10 am light came in at an angle, turning the snow blue along every fracture line.

The four guests stepped out, the 10-year-old first. Only 30 cm of snow underfoot; crampons pressed in lightly.

The fifteen minutes guests got on the glacier:

• Walking 50 metres in each direction, the pilot warned not to go further (crevasses lie under snow)
• Sitting still and listening to the silence of the glacier, absolutely no sound
• Family photographs with the helicopter as backdrop
• Throwing snowballs (the children's favorite)

"Our 10-year-old said nothing for the first 5 minutes after landing, he just looked past the mountain and said 'this is the biggest thing I've ever seen.'" - K. Or, family of 4

The flight back

10:30 am, back into the helicopter. The pilot took a scenic route over Tasman Glacier, the largest in New Zealand, for 18 minutes. Back at the pad by 10:48.

Lunch

Back at the Hermitage, lunch at Panorama Restaurant facing Mt Cook directly. K. Or had smoked salmon, her husband New Zealand lamb. The children didn't stop talking about the helicopter.

Additional activities the same day

Afternoon, the Hooker Valley Track, a 10 km easy hike across three swing bridges to view Hooker Glacier Lake. 4 pm, the family returned to the Hermitage for a sauna before dinner.

Why Franz Josef, not Fox

New Zealand has two major glaciers, Franz Josef and Fox, 20 minutes apart by road. Wanvela chooses Franz Josef because:

• The helicopter pad is in the heart of the village, more convenient
• The glacier moves five times faster than Fox, more interesting ice cave structures
• The Franz Josef operator carries the insurance Wanvela has verified

Wanvela tips

• Take the 10 am slot, best light, lowest wind
• Avoid the 2 pm slot, winds build, cancellation rate higher
• Cancellation policy, if weather doesn't cooperate, the operator gives a standby slot the next day
• Wanvela builds a 1-day buffer into the itinerary for weather delays

Read the full NZ South Island route.