Visit the Franz Josef Glacier and Matheson Lake in New Zealand

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Day 16: Visit Franz Josef Glacier and Matheson Lake in New Zealand

The Franz Josef Glacier It is our goal today, although the weather has not improved in the least since yesterday, when we started touring the West Coast of New Zealand. Despite that, the forecast says that at noon it will begin to clarify, so after several assessments, we decide that it is best to approach the glacier area and once there decide whether we wait another day to make visits or We directly do them today in the afternoon.
With this decision made, we pick up the Jucy motorhome and when it is 9:15 in the morning, we leave the Empire Hotel, where we have stayed tonight in the camping area towards the Franz Josef glacier 100 kilometers and an hour and a half away.


We don't need more than 20 minutes on the road to corroborate something we have learned since we started this trip to New Zealand in 36 days: the weather in this country is unpredictable and as such, it is best to take it easy and make the most of it the situation.
And this is what we do along the kilometers that separate us from the Franz Josef Glacier, one of the essential places to see in New Zealand, which we most want to know and with which we dream while we cross incredible landscapes, which seem taken of the movie Jurassic Park.

This situation also makes us think how important it is to make this New Zealand in a motorhome, so that we can change plans at any time, adapting to the circumstances or time without having to think about reserved hotels or routes marked according to public transport.
Remember that if you are interested in making a route through New Zealand by motorhome, we recommend you look at the Motorhome Republic page where you can see all the available motorhome options, prices and make the reservation directly.

Franz Josef Glacier Road

And so, with this dream landscape and the firm conviction that although time does not accompany, we are truly privileged, we reach the Franz Josef Glacier when it's 11:15 in the morning, thanking the heavens for starting to open just when we arrived and meet the forecast we saw this morning.
Being the time it is and after seeing that it is totally feasible to continue today with the route forecast that we had, we make a stop to fill the deposit, while we contemplate how lively the Franz Josef people are. And we cannot deny that this area is one of the most visited in the country, especially at this time, and therefore and how could it be otherwise, the infrastructure is also much wider than not in other places that We have visited before.

After this brief stop, we continue the route until we reach the parking lot of the Franz Josef Glacier, at this time already very lively, where we leave the motorhome and we stand in front of the map to decide which path we want to face: half an hour until First viewpoint or an hour and a half until the end. You know which one we decided on, right? The second and longer to be able to thank for the incredible day that in the end, we will be able to enjoy.

Franz Josef Glacier

Known, next to the Fox Glacier, for being the closest glaciers to the ocean in the world, they also have the characteristic of existing thanks to the numerous rains of the West Coast and the snow that accumulates, forming ice sections over 20 meters deep, that are sliding slowly, through the valley.
Despite this, we cannot forget that due to climate change, the Franz Josef Glacier is suffering an impressive setback, which you can see and understand thanks to the information panels that are along the entire path.

Franz Josef Glacier Trail

First released by Julius Haast in 1865, he gave his current name, although we cannot deny that the legend surrounding the Franz Josef Glacier It is much more romantic and pleasant to the ears. The Maori tell that a young man was crossing the mountains when he slipped from one of them and died. His girlfriend, upon learning, could not stop crying forming what we know today as the Franz Josef Glacier and that in Maori it is known as Hine Hukatere or tears of the avalanche girl.

Franz Josef Glacier

As we mentioned earlier, in the Franz Josef Glacier You can make different paths, being those of the viewpoints the most crowded and famous. Within these two, you can do the 40-minute, or the second that is about 90 minutes and reaches the final viewpoint of the glacier.
Whenever you have time, we recommend you to do the longest, since the final views are much more impressive. Anyway, think that the second is a continuation of the first, so if you see that with the first 40 minutes you have enough, you just have to go back to the parking lot.

Final viewpoint of the Franz Josef Glacier

The route of both is completely flat and does not present any difficulty, so you will not have any problem in making it complete. However, if you want to have a more complete experience, you can choose to book this 3-hour guided tour through the Franz Josef Glacier valley.
After our experience we have to confess that we liked it very much and although we cannot deny that there are much more spectacular glaciers in the world, the Franz Josef Glacier is very special and we recommend you spend at least a couple of hours to know it.

Views of the Franz Josef Glacier

Helicopter on the Franz Josef Glacier

Although we did not do so due to the instability of the weather and bad forecasts, making a helicopter flight in the Franz Josef Glacier is one of the most demanded activities in this area of ​​New Zealand.
If you are interested in doing this activity, it is important to monitor the weather and if you travel in the middle or high season, have an advance reservation to avoid running out of seats.
In addition, some of the flights also have walks on the glacier, something that makes the experience much more complete.
- Franz Josef Glacier 3 hours of walking and scenic helicopter transfer
- Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers Helicopter Flight & Snow Landing
- Helicopter flight of Franz Josef glacier with snow landing

Franz Josef Glacier

After a long walk of almost 90 minutes and with a practically clear sky, it is 1:30 at noon when we finish the visit to the Franz Josef Glacier in the best possible way: an impromptu picnic in the parking lot, with unique views of the glacier.
And so, after this technical stop of almost an hour and seeing that the sky has cleared a lot, we decided to approach Lake Matheson, where we arrived at 3 in the afternoon, after traveling the 30 kilometers that separate us from it.

We leave the caravan in the parking lot of the entrance and decide that the time has come to skirt the lake, a path of about an hour and a half, from which if there is luck and the sky is completely clear, you can see stunning views of the Mt. Cook, reflected in the waters of the lake.

Matheson Lake

Known as the mirror lake, this is, next to the Franz Josef Glacier and the Fox, the essential visits of the area. Although as we say, the main feature of this lake is the reflection that occurs in the water of Mt. Cook on clear days, there is also another factor: the wind. And it is not necessary to blow anything to be able to take us that postcard that so many times can be seen on the internet and that unfortunately, so rarely do you have the luck to live.
Despite this, from what we have read, although we were not very lucky, the best time to try it is first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the wind is usually calmer.
Remember that while still in the Westcoast area, sandflies are still practically in all environments, so it is important to continue wearing repellent and use long sleeves and long pants to avoid bites to the maximum.

Lake Matheson Trail

In our case and although the initial idea was to make the complete path of an hour and a half, when we reach the first viewpoint and see that none of the mountains of the mountain range is reflected in the air and also the sky is becoming quite infatuated, we decided Rest for a while in the area, enjoying the walk to the middle of the lake.
In case the same thing happens to you, do not forget to do even a stretch, since it is only worth the vegetation that surrounds the lake.

Matheson Lake

And so, after this last walk of the day, we go to the Fox Holiday Top campsite, our accommodation in the Fox Glacier, where today we will spend the night in a space with electricity for 48NZD, where we also have dinner enjoying spectacular views in a Really matchless environment.
In case you want to stay in a hotel or eat in a restaurant, both the populations of Franz Josef and Fox are incredibly good and have a lot of hotel and restaurant infrastructure.

More practical information to prepare your trip to New Zealand

- 10 essential tips for traveling to New Zealand
- 10 essential places to see in New Zealand
- The best travel insurance for New Zealand

But as New Zealand always has surprises, after dinner, we begin to see how the sky begins to clear right in the part of Mt. Cook, so we return to take our motorhome without haste but without pause and return to Lake Matheson located just 5 kilometers, where after parking and hitting a race to the first viewpoint, we have the great luck to enjoy one of the most brutal sunsets we have ever lived, with which we said goodbye another day in this incredible country.

We leave you the map of the route today that has led us to enjoy the impressive Franz Josef Glacier and the incredible Matheson Lake to sleep later near this last glacier, in the Fox Holiday Top.

Day 17: Visit the Fox and Wanaka Glacier in New Zealand. Ship Creek: Dune Lake Walk, Thunder Creek Falls, Fantail Falls, Haast Pass, Blue Pools, Lake Hawea, Wanaka

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Video: #132 FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER. FOX GLACIER. LAKE MATHESON. GILLESPIES BEACH. NEW ZEALAND. MAY 2017 (March 2024).