Franz Josef – A Glacial Adventure! -
Located close to the South-west coast of New Zealand, Franz Josef as a town is mainly visited for the Franz Josef Glacier which is located barely 5 kilometers outside of the town. It is located around 20 kilometres to the north of Fox Glacier. This glacial adventure was definitely the highlight of our New Zealand trip.
The First Look
The Last Look : Soaked, Frozen and Exhilirated...we begin our descent
While there are various helicopter tours available to fly you over the glaciers, there is only a tiny airstrip in this town and hence flying in from one of the main cities is not possible.
However, the Tranz Alpine Scenic Railway is an amazing route to get here - from Christchurch the train gets you to Greymouth. Franz Josef is a further 4 hour drive from there.
However, I’ll stand firm on what I earlier said – New Zealand is best seen by renting a car and leisurely driving around.
We Walk Amongst The Clouds
Erratic rain showers and a cold, dark evening welcome us into this little rainforest town. We drive down a dimly lit street to reach 46, Cron Street where our hotel was. Bustling with people, some singing songs around a bonfire and others walking around, this was a complete contrast from the silent street outside. We parked our car and walked inwards to our Tree Hut with a steel plate saying ‘Rimu Hut # 10’ on the wooden door, and were astonished to find that barely a few 100ft from the entrance, the sounds of people had now been replaced by those of crickets in the surrounding foliage.
Luxury
We stayed at the Rainforest Retreat – one of the most luxurious resorts in Franz Josef. Replete with tropical plant life and bamboo cottages on stilts, the Rainforest Retreat offers personal parking space outside each cottage, a patio with outdoor coffee tables and a hot bath in the graciously sized bathroom. Summer rates for the tree huts are usually between 150 and 200 dollars. The Glenfern Villas are another luxury stay option here.
Standard
For standard level accommodation, there are a large number of motels available – The Rainforest Holiday Park offers cheaper rooms as well as parking sites for trailers and caravans. Other options are the Punga Grove Motels and Suites, Scenic Hotel, 58 on Cron Motel to name a few.
Budget
Franz Josef, being a small town that is famous mainly for the Glacier treks, attracts a lot of youth and is hence teeming with youth hostels and backpacker accommodations. The Rainforest Backpackers is one of the best options.
Franz Josef Glacier
The primary reason that people include Franz Josef on their itinerary is to see the massive Franz Josef Glacier. The Franz Josef Glacier guides company offers various visit options – the most exciting of which are the treks.
The day started quite early in the morning. We woke up, donned our warmest clothing and head out towards the Glacier Guides centre. Here there are numerous formalities to be completed. It starts with a very serious briefing about health and fitness levels. This is the point where a few people with heart problems and some with back issues opted out of the trek. A single file is assembled and passed through one door after another while we each collect our boots, jackets, iron spikes, caps and gloves (It is going to be freezing up there). We get on the official tour bus and set out towards the Glacier.
Ready To Embark On The Adventure
The glacier appears like a sea of blue scales – inviting and intimidating at the same time. We look like a minute speck in comparison to the this valley sized glacier.
Man Vs Wild
The Waiho river flows from the base of the glacier all the way up to the Tasman sea. Frozen during the winters, the river flowed alongside us with icy cool, crystal clear water, as we walked towards its point of origin.
The Two Km Walk To The Base
At every step, the guides made sure to brief us about everything – how to breathe, how to walk, how to take a rest while up in the glacier, how to stay absolutely still if one of us tripped and fell (a lot of sudden movement while on ice could put more than just one life in danger) and various other instructions, the importance of which each one of us understood as we started the climb.
The Tour Guide Gives Us a Briefing
Emergency Supplies Kit
Picturesque Surroundings As We Trudge Along
The 2km walk back on the river bed felt like torture this time around. The rains had drenched us and our limbs felt numb. When we sat back on the bus that would bring us back into town, each one of us felt euphoric – an experience I recommend everyone have once in their lifetime!
We have to get over the mud mountain first
Split into 2 groups, we begin the climb
 is yet to come.jpg)
The best (or worst) is yet to come
Weaving our way through crevices in the glacier
Breathtaking views from atop
The climax of the trek
Blue, rapidly melting ice
At the top rainclouds threaten
The small town Franz Josef has tons of eateries within walking distance. Due to the cold weather, every single restaurant serves alcohol and you have got to give the New Zealand wines a try. Indians will be pleasantly surprised by the delectable Indian fare the Priya retaurant serves up. For the more local cuisine lovers, there are steak houses and sports bars at ever corner of this little village. Try New Zealand lamb chops and steak burgers at Speights Landing Bar and Café. For more information, check www.menumania.co.nz.
A trip to New Zealand is likely to cost you around 1.5 Lakh Indian Rupees per head covering both North and South Island, driving across the entire country and staying in standard level accomodations.
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