Wanaka to Franz Josef

Travel from beautiful Wanaka across the Southern Alps and into the untamed West Coast on a sightseeing day tour to Franz Josef.

Leaving Lake Wanaka, travel past picturesque scenery of massive mountain peaks and crystal-clear blue lakes. Your driver guide will keep you entertained and informed, pointing out sites of interest and telling snippets of local knowledge. Spend some time in Makarora on the border of Mount Aspiring World Heritage National Park, before crossing over the Haast Pass, named after 19th century explorer and geologist Julius von Haast.

On the other side of the Southern Alps, the landscape changes dramatically. Welcome to the wild and wonderful West Coast, a remote and unspoiled region. Wend your way past native rainforest, rocky coastlines and powerful waterfalls, stopping in the early afternoon at a boutique salmon farm in Westland Tai Poutini National Park.

Your one-way tour concludes in the village of Franz Josef, your base for exploration of the area. While you’re there, explore the spectacular scenery of the Franz Josef Glacier, a 12 kilometre-long river of ice, with one of the many local guiding companies, or opt for a flightseeing tour via helicopter or plane.

For onward travel further up the West Coast to Greymouth and beyond see intercity.co.nz for daily bus connections. InterCity’s daily services provide connections linking with the TranzAlpine train service to Christchurch, and further north to Nelson and Picton.