Franz Josef Glacier Helihike ex Queenstown

Great day but we were blessed with perfect weather. From the start with our pilot Dan to our hike guide Kirk we couldn’t fault io

Aside from stunning scenery on both the fixed wing and helicopter flights, which was indeed stunning, the entire operation was very professionally run. It was on time, thorough, safe, and very friendly. It's actually a partnership between a fixed wing operator, a helicopter operator, and a glacier guiding service. However, you wouldn't really know that unless you asked, as I did (out of curiosity). It's seamless and that removes all the stress and allows you to focus on the trip and enjoy everything it has to offer.

This is a once in a lifetime truly amazing experience. The team was amazing and they did all they could to make sure that we were safe. Due to bad weather, our trip was moved to the Tasman glacier. Which was spectacular safety measures were top notch, and I feel extremely confident in recommending them. What was truly outstanding was the guide from Alpine trekkers who was so knowledgeable and took us for a two hour track on the ice at the glacier.

Absolutely amazing, True South went above and beyond to make our day one to remember. Our trip was to fly to Mt Cook and do the Heli glacier landing but to our great disappointment it was clouded out and we couldn't land. Our pilot Luke gave us an extended sightseeing flight before turning for home. To our surprise he was able to contact Franz Joseph and organise a heli glacier landing to complete our fantastic day of adventure. You have our extreme gratitude. Thankyou Dave and Mandy.

The night before the excursion I received a call that the weather was going to be too windy to safely make the trip. I was immediately rebooked onto the next day. Upon arrival that morning we were informed that there was anticipated rain moving on to the glacier area and our helicopter to a hike on the glacier would likely become a helicopter tour to a glacier encounter. We were given the option to go forward with our experience or not at that point. Those who decided to proceed flew from Queenstown to Franz Josef with Michael who didn't excellent job of providing commentary along the way about the region and mountains as we were passing. Upon arrival in Franz Josef The helicopter tour provider confirmed that rain would be moving in quickly prohibiting us from having a full hike on the glacier. We would be able to take the helicopter to their landing site on the glacier and briefly walk around in a safe area, a much shorter time frame on the glacier. We were also giving the opportunity to back out of the that part of the excursion at this point. The helicopter tour to the glacier was pleasant. The landing point was unique to the company and provided us with an excellent place to see encounter the glacier. We had a short excursion at the glacier where our tour guide was very informative about the specific glacier. We then boarded the helicopters back to town and then we're able to take our flight back to Queenstown a bit early. All we did not get the full experience we had booked we did have a nice overall experience. The professionals being countered throughout the day kept us fully informed on our options and worked to give us the best available experience given the weather and focused on safety.

What a spectacular way to celebrate my birthday. Even as Queenstown locals, our flight with True South and the heli-hike with Franz Josef Glacier Guides felt like an extraordinary privilege,a reminder of how lucky we are to live in such an astonishing part of Aotearoa. True South delivered an exceptional experience from start to finish. The booking process was seamless, the communication clear and thoughtful, and the flight itself was smooth, comfortable, and absolutely breathtaking. Seeing the West Coast from the air was humbling and awe-inspiring, made even better by the professionalism and genuine care of the True South team, who made us feel completely safe and looked after throughout. A truly special birthday experience. We’ll be wholeheartedly recommending True South (and Franz Josef Glacier Guides) to friends and family. Thank you so much ♥️☺️

Booked a scenic flight + glacier tour for my wife and I. Trip was rescheduled twice due to weather conditions, and the team openly communicated the changes and quickly assisted with getting us on the next available experience. The view on the flight from Queenstown out to Franz Josef was beautiful, and the pilot Michael does give commentaries in-flight. *the aircraft is not pressurised and does fly quite high, so do note on the altitude related sickness that could occur. Flight out to Franz Josef and even checking in to the Glacier tour was handled by their team. Flying out for it is definitely another option and in my opinion worth the price tag, compared to driving all the way out there. (If you are only heading there for the glacier tour)

The experience was really excellent. The pilot Lilly was very friendly and helpful. She kept asking us how we were feeling during the flight which was really incredible. The tour guide for the glacier, Hanna was so helpful and friendly as well. The whole trip was so enjoyable and the scenery was breathtaking. Highly recommended.

Overall good. The pilot of the small aircraft will introduce the different names of the mountains in the flight, his driving skills are very good, and the flight process is smooth. I love Francis Joseph’s ice walking, the ice crew’s guide keeps an eye on our pace, ensuring everyone can keep up with and complete the ice walking safely, and she is on the way to explain why glaciers form, teach how to use ice screws and other landscape knowledge. The ice walking experience is very difficult and worth recommending.

From start to finish, the service and communication were absolutely fabulous. Leading up to the event, every detail was clearly explained, and I felt well looked after. On the day, through no fault of the tour guide, the weather took a turn which meant the planned Tasman Glacier Heli-hike couldn’t go ahead. Rather than cancelling, the team sprang into action—making calls, rearranging logistics, and seamlessly rescheduling for a Franz Josef Heli-hike instead. The effort that went into reshuffling flights, coordinating with glacier teams, and making sure all involved still had an incredible experience did not go unnoticed. It would have been much easier for them to call it off, but instead, they went above and beyond to make it happen. Truly exceptional service. I can’t thank them enough and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.