Queenstown to Franz Josef

Take a sightseeing day tour from Queenstown to Franz Josef and discover the wild beauty of New Zealand’s West Coast.

Leaving Queenstown, travel by luxury coach through the stunning scenery of the South Island. Your driver guide will provide entertaining commentary and point out sites of interest as you pass by the crystal-clear waters of Lake Dunstan, Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea.

After a morning tea break in Makarora on the border of Mount Aspiring World Heritage Park, you’ll travel through the Haast Pass, journeying through native beech forest and over the Southern Alps, before emerging on the West Coast. This remote area has a ruggedly beautiful landscape of vast rainforests, gushing waterfalls and snow-capped mountains.

Skirt the coast and see waves crashing on rocky beaches before returning inland. Pass tree-fringed lakes and stop at a boutique salmon farm on the Paringa River for afternoon tea, before arriving in the afternoon at the small village of Franz Josef. From here you can explore the world famous Franz Josef Glacier.

The German explorer Julius von Haast named the Franz Josef Glacier after Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. Located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park, it is approximately 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) long. During your time in Franz Josef you can explore its spectacular scenery with one of the many local guiding companies or opt for a flightseeing tour via helicopter or plane.