Franz Josef Glacier

As one of just three temperate rainforest glaciers worldwide, Franz Josef Glacier descends 12 kilometers from 2,700m down to 240m above sea level—a vertical drop 30% steeper than the average South Island glacier. Its guided ice-hikes and helicopter tours provide access to blue ice caves, a feature absent from Abel Tasman National Park's warmer coastal track. Over 70,000 visitors annually witness this rare ice-meets-jungle ecosystem.