OUR DESTINATIONS
Let us help you find your perfect holiday by phoning us on
We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
Alternatively, check out some of our holiday offers below.
- Destinations
- Australasia
- New Zealand
- Queenstown
- The Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers
The Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers
Nowhere else in the world, outside the polar regions, can one
see glaciers so close to the sea, extending more than eight miles
(13km) from the highest peaks of precipitous mountains to the
valley floor and surrounded by rainforest. The Fox and Franz Josef
Glaciers are the two most famous glaciers, a small part of the
Westland National Park, and the two small townships near to each
are good bases from which to explore the area, although offering an
expensive range of accommodation and cafes. They each have a good
Visitors Centre with displays on the formation of the glaciers, the
ice movement and the history of the region. The giant screen at
Franz Josef shows the brilliant film on Glacier Country, 'Flowing
West'. The glaciers are moving at an average rate of three feet
(1m) a day, but the Frans Josef can move up to an incredible 16
feet (5m) in one day. A wide range of companies offer guided trips
to explore the spectacular ice formations, taking visitors beyond
the looming terminal face of the glacier and up onto the mighty
rivers of ice, through the carved passageways and channels. There
are scenic flights among New Zealand's highest peaks and over the
glaciers with snow landings, a great way to appreciate the
magnitude and splendour of the area and guided heli-hike
excursions, a chance to combine a flight with ice walking.
Information & Facts
Language
The official languages in New Zealand are English and
Maori.
Money
Local currency is the New Zealand Dollar (NZD), divided into 100
cents. Most businesses accept MasterCard and Visa, and while Diners
Club and American Express are also widely accepted in the main
tourist centres, they might have limited acceptance elsewhere.
Travellers cheques and foreign currency can be exchanged at banks,
bureaux de change and some hotels. ATMs can be found in all towns
and cities.