25 minutes · Snow landing
Glacier Explorer
Franz Josef Glacier, the Southern Alps and Mt Elliot.
| Adult | NZ$415.61 |
|---|---|
| Groups of 10+ | NZ$394.57 |
Editorial spotlight · Franz Josef, West Coast
2026 Southern Cross Awards nomineeBest Glacier Flight
Glacier Country Helicopters
Rainforest that runs almost to the ice, two glaciers flowing off the Southern Alps towards the Tasman Sea, and a family-owned helicopter company flying out of Franz Josef township with a snow landing on every scenic flight. Twenty-five minutes starts at NZ$415.61 per adult; ninety minutes reaches the back country almost nobody sees.
- Glacier Explorer, 25 min
- NZ$415.61
- Mt Cook Supreme, 60 min
- NZ$941.70
- Tripadvisor
- 4.8
- Reviews
- 689
Editorial spotlight. Glacier Country Helicopters is a nominee in the 2026 Southern Cross Awards. They did not pay for this page and had no say in it. We earn a commission when you book through the links here; your price is the same.
The operation
A family company on the only coast like this
Franz Josef is one of very few places on earth where a glacier descends through temperate rainforest to within a few kilometres of the sea. Westland Tai Poutini National Park sits against Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, and the two together give a helicopter somewhere genuinely extraordinary to go in twenty-five minutes. Glacier Country Helicopters flies from the township itself, not from a distant airfield.
Every scenic flight includes a landing on snow, which is the part reviewers remember. The flights step up by duration rather than by destination: twenty-five minutes covers Franz Josef and the Southern Alps, thirty-five adds Fox, forty-five adds Tasman, fifty adds the Shackleton Glacier with a whisky tasting named after it, sixty reaches Mount Cook, and ninety goes into country the shorter flights never see. The company is family owned and reviewers consistently describe the handling of weather cancellations as fair, with full refunds.
“If you’re seeking to experience the real West Coast… the rainforests, iconic glaciers and majestic mountains that form our incredible backyard.”
- P
Owner and pilot
Poppy
- J
Pilot
Josh
- D
Pilot
Dion
- N
Office
Nicole
Named repeatedly by reviewers. The company has not yet confirmed which names, roles and licence ratings it wants printed.
The one to book
Glacier Explorer, twenty-five minutes
The shortest flight and the one most people take: Franz Josef Glacier, the Southern Alps, Mt Elliot, and a landing on snow. It is the cheapest way to stand on a glacier without walking onto one.
NZ$415.61 is the adult fare and the child fare is the same. The listing also shows an infant rate and a “Comfort Seat” at NZ$210.43 — both roughly half — so if you see a low figure quoted elsewhere, that is where it comes from.
| Adult | NZ$415.61 |
|---|---|
| Child | NZ$415.61 |
| Groups of 10+ | NZ$394.57 |
Checked against FareHarbor on October 2, 2026.
Check AvailabilityThe flights
Priced by the minute, not the mountain
Every scenic flight below includes a snow landing.
25 to 35 minutes
- Sees
- Franz Josef, then Fox
- From
- NZ$415.61 per adult
45 to 50 minutes
- Adds
- Tasman, then Shackleton
- From
- NZ$731.26 per adult
60 to 90 minutes
- Adds
- Mount Cook, back country
- From
- NZ$941.70 per adult
Book it
Scenic flights
Adult fares, snow landing included. Checked against FareHarbor on October 2, 2026.
35 minutes · Snow landing
Pilots Choice
Two glaciers, chosen on the day for conditions.
| Adult | NZ$520.83 |
|---|---|
| Groups of 10+ | NZ$494.52 |
45 minutes · Snow landing
Ultimate Discovery
Franz Josef, Fox and Tasman glaciers.
| Adult | NZ$731.26 |
|---|---|
| Groups of 10+ | NZ$694.43 |
50 minutes · Whisky tasting
Shackleton Whiskey Endurance
The Shackleton Glacier, plus a tasting of the whisky named for him.
| Adult | NZ$836.48 |
|---|
60 minutes · Snow landing
Mt Cook Supreme
Four glaciers and Aoraki itself.
| Adult | NZ$941.70 |
|---|
90 minutes · Remote country
The Grand Adventure
The parts of both national parks nobody overflies.
| Adult | NZ$1,573.00 |
|---|
Private charters of each flight are available from NZ$1,573 for a group of one to three, and the company also flies point-to-point transfers between Franz Josef and Mount Cook, Hokitika, Greymouth, Wanaka, Christchurch and Queenstown.
Before you go
Know before you go
The “Comfort Seat” rate
Each flight lists a Comfort Seat at about half the adult fare — the same figure as the infant rate. Ask what it actually covers before you plan around it; the adult fare is the real price of a seat.
Middle seats
The most common complaint in reviews is an obstructed view from the middle seat, and that the offer to swap sides on the return leg is not always kept. If photographs matter, say so when you check in.
Weather and mechanicals
Cancellations happen at Franz Josef and reviewers report full refunds, but some also report late notification. Leave a spare day and give the office a phone number they can actually reach.
Snow landing
Included on every scenic flight listed above. It is the part people remember.
Reviews
What guests say
- 4.8Tripadvisor689 reviews as of October 2, 2026
- #6of 14Tours and activities in Franz Josef
- EveryFlight landsOn snow
Reviewers praise the snow landing, the pilots’ commentary and the personal feel of a family-run company, and say weather cancellations are refunded fairly. The recurring complaints are genuine: obstructed views from the middle seat with the side-swap not always honoured, and late notice on some cancellations. The listing carries a visible tail of poor reviews concentrated in those two issues.
Questions
Good to know
Where does it leave from?
Franz Josef township, not a remote airfield.
What does it cost?
NZ$415.61 per adult for the twenty-five-minute Glacier Explorer, snow landing included. Checked October 2, 2026.
Why do I see about NZ$210 quoted?
That is the infant and “Comfort Seat” rate on the booking page, not an adult fare.
Do all flights land on the snow?
Yes, every scenic flight listed here includes a snow landing.
Rainforest, then ice, in twenty-five minutes
NZ$415.61 per adult with a snow landing, or ninety minutes into the back country for NZ$1,573.
Check Availability