Pilot’s Choice: 2 Glaciers & Snow Landing – 35min
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Franz Josef & Fox Glacier, New Zealand
- 1 hour 20 minutes (approx.)
- Flight time: 35 minutes
- Mobile ticket
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Overview
Add a bit of mystery to your day when you opt for the pilot’s choice glacier tour. Fly deep into the Southern Alps and over Franz Josef Glacier, admiring views that you can’t get from the ground. Then, depending on the day’s conditions and your pilot’s judgment, fly over Fox Glacier or Tasman Glacier, and into the Southern Alps for a snow landing and special photo opportunity.
- The total experience lasts about 35 minutes but allow extra time
- Receive personalized attention on a small-group tour
- See parts of the Southern Alps that you can’t access another way
- A fun way to celebrate a special occasion
What's Included
- 35-minute scenic helicopter flight
- Snow landing (approx. 10 minutes) for photos
- Professional and experienced pilot
- All fees, GST, and taxes
- Safety briefing and equipment (if required)
- Comfort Seat (compulsory for passengers 120kg / 265lbs & over, or optional for extra space)
- Front Seat / Executive Upgrade (subject to availability, request in advance)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (check-in is at 10 Main Road, Franz Josef)
- Food and drinks
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 10 Main Road, Franz Josef / Waiau 7886, New Zealand
Please check in at our office 30 minutes prior to your flight time. We recommend bringing sunglasses, a jacket, camera, and shoes you don’t mind getting wet. Our only base operates from Franz Josef. Cancellations within 24hours due to customer booking the wrong location will not be refunded.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Franz Josef Glacier (Pass By)
Fox Glacier (Pass By)
Tasman Glacier (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Total weight per passenger: 265 lbs
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Please let us know if you have limited mobility e.g. injury, arthritis or recent surgery? There are two high ladder style steps into the helicopter. This information could effect what helicopter we fly you in.
- Comfort Seats: Our helicopter seats are 40cm wide, an empty seat can be reserved next to you if you prefer extra space (passengers 120KG & over when weighed at check in will be required to purchase a Comfort Seat - these are half the RRP of your flight).
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Linda_C
Exciting, beautiful, and we were so lucky with the weather. Friendly and informative staff. Definately do it if you can. The best experience of our trip.
Reviews
4.8
based on 392 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Lori_J, May 2026
The flight was absolutely beautiful. It was safe, informative, and we all really enjoyed the flight.
Ellen_N, Apr 2026
Glacier Country Helicopters was excellent. The pilot was very skilled, knowledgeable, & friendly. We had an amazing experience!
Linda_C, Apr 2026
Exciting, beautiful, and we were so lucky with the weather. Friendly and informative staff. Definately do it if you can. The best experience of our trip.
Catherine_M, Apr 2026
Amazingly wonderful experience. We had perfect weather. Morning is the best time to fly as the sun was in perfect photo position and no westerly winds. My children 15, 13 & 9 yo loved it. Pilot Mark was knowledgeable and friendly. He was kind to my kids and explained things as we went. We felt safe at all times.
Sunglasses are a must have.
Clay_T, Apr 2026
Wonderful experience. Weather can be limiting in April ( very few flights went the days before and after our trip and the afternoon). Book early morning. Pilot was fantastic. Well organized. Highly recommend the glacier landing.
Christine_B, Apr 2026
Not a great day for a landing however the pilot did everything he could to make sure we had a great experience with safety paramount
Viator brought our flight forward so we could go up to the mountain was a great experience
Leanne_H, Apr 2026
Amazing! A must do if you have the opportunity. Loved every minute. The staff were very friendly. The pilot had 30 years experience. We felt very safe!
Hanny_F, Mar 2026
Experience of a lifetime.
I was booked on a later flight but was contacted to ask if I could do an earlier flight as the weather might be worse later in the day. I was able to go earlier and had a brilliant flight with fantastic weather & views. (Great advice) Mark is a great pilot very friendly and professional.
Margaret_B, Mar 2026
If you get stuck in the back of the helicopter you see the peoples heads in front of you and lines on the side of the window. They pay the same as you.
Not worth the $1200. If you can physically do a heli hike would recommend that. We ice hiked glacier in Alaska and after that this paled in comparison.
Polly was great, friendly, nice, educated us about mountain and Lord of rings.
Do not recommend.
Alan_P, Mar 2026
We were lucky enough to have front row seats and Mark as a pilot. A great experience, the highlight of our holiday.
Pheemie_H, Mar 2026
Excellent tour, we had the clearest of days and were even able to see Mt Cook. 100% recommend to anyone
Robert_P, Mar 2026
Friendly, easy going family company. Great trip, working around difficult weather. Really spectacular views. All lovely.
Haylee, Mar 2026
Had an amazing flight with Glacier Country Helicopters! Mark, the pilot, was fantastic—very knowledgeable, friendly, and made the whole experience unforgettable. The views were absolutely spectacular and something I’ll never forget. Highly recommend this tour if you want a truly incredible perspective of the area.
Gary_G, Mar 2026
Be prepared to accept that the pilots have no control over the weather. Sometimes the clouds look totally closed in but the pilots seem to find a way if it's safe.
John_S, Mar 2026
Glacier Country Helicopters ltd a fantastic experience once in a lifetime landing and standing on Middleton glacier Thanks to our amazing helicopter pilot Aaron words cannot describe this amazing tour and to Tim who looked after us all before and after Great team and we highly recommend this wonderful family business 👍😊
Cari, Mar 2026
Poppy was a brilliant pilot and a warm and reassuring person. Very competent. The views were absolutely worth it and being able to get out into that snowy world was magical
philip_b, Mar 2026
On our chosen day, it was suggested that we brought forward our take off time by 45 minutes to take into account the weather forecast. In the event the weather was perfect. The pilot Mark was brilliant and we went on ‘the pilot’s choice’ flight, passing over 3 glaciers, Franz Josef, Fox and Tasman and landing on the Middleton glacier where we had ample time to take photos and admire the views.
Andrew_R, Feb 2026
Wonderful experience getting to the top of the glaciers and the weather today was just fantastic. Super trip that ticked all the boxes.
Wanda_S, Feb 2026
Very well organized and great experience.
Although the weather was not good enough to see Franz Josef glacier, it was already impressive to fly over Fox glacier.
Very nice staff and pilot.
Dennis_C, Feb 2026
This was an outstanding outing. It was very well organised and Edine was our fabulous pilot. She pointed out all the important landmarks to us and gave us a surprise snow landing.
Carl_R, Feb 2026
Great way to see the Glaciers close up, an awesome experience and one that I’ll never forget. Great pilot too.
Howard_B, Feb 2026
Great fun and spectacular views. Very knowledgeable pilot who was informative. Would thoroughly recommend
Stephen_R, Feb 2026
The only way to see the glaciers close up is by doing this tour. You see so much more from the air and Mike our pilot was very informative. I would certainly recommend to anyone holidaying in the area.
Rick_B, Feb 2026
This was a birthday gift to remember! I found GCH to be a very professional and customer-focussed company. From the friendly and generous desk crew and host, to the expert and knowledgeable pilot, my 10-year old son and I had the ride of our lives. After several days of poor weather, we were also very fortunate to have arrived on a day where the weather was clear, the sun was shining and the mountains were putting on their best performance. Tim was an excellent host. The instructions we were given were clear and concise. Our aircraft was excellent; Mike is an excellent pilot, and very knowledgeable about the Glacier region. I cannot rate this experience highly enough. Get up there and give it a go!
Gurpreet_s, Jan 2026
Amazing experience
Great pilot and stunning location
Beautiful sunny day
Walking on the glacier was an experience of a lifetime
Highly recommend
Neena_M, Jan 2026
We had an absolutely amazing time on our glacier trip. I would highly recommend it as it was a highlight of my vacation.
Jacqueline_H, Jan 2026
Highly recommend this tour, our pilot was excellent & so informative. We had an amazing time, so stunning, landing on the snow, the scenery, wow! Thank you for a great trip!
Denise_S, Jan 2026
This scenic helicopter ride was 100% worth it. We had amazing weather so we were able to do a snow landing as well. Our pilot was so kind and informative.
Michele_C, Jan 2026
Amazing experience! Awesome views. Flight was smooth and landing on the snow was such a lot of fun! Aaron was a great pilot and provided a good overview of the history and landmarks. I would definitely recommend doing it!!
Sachintha_P, Jan 2026
I had a very poor experience with Glacier Country Helicopters and strongly advise potential customers to avoid them. I booked the “Pilot’s Choice, 2-Glacier Tour.” Just before the flight, I was informed that a landing could not be guaranteed due to low cloud ceiling. I was offered the options to reschedule, cancel with a full refund, or continue without guaranteed landing, with a $100 NZD refund if the landing didn’t happen.
I completely understood the safety concerns due to rapidly changing alpine weather. They stated the flight time without landing would be 16–20 minutes, displayed on the screen. However, the company strongly pushed us to take the flight without landing, boasting about the views we would get.
During the flight, I timed the journey myself — from takeoff to landing — and it lasted only 13 minutes, well below the promised 16–20 minutes. There was no landing. The pilot, Mike, was rude and yelled at a fellow passenger for holding her phone against the window to take photos. This rule was never mentioned in the pre-flight briefing, and the way she was holding the phone would not have scratched the window.
They did process the $100 refund, but the overall experience was not worth the money. From my perspective, the company seems focused on maximizing profits by shortening flights and avoiding landings while boasting about being a “family-owned business.” When I questioned the flight duration, they cited onboard trackers, but I cannot trust those times as I personally clocked it.
Their customer representatives were also rude, dismissive, and had a poor attitude. One even implied that my unhappy experience didn’t matter because other customers were satisfied the same day — which is unacceptable.
Later, I flew with HeliServices.nz, and the experience was excellent, including a proper landing. At the time of my Glacier Country flight (~8:30 AM), weather was good and other operators were performing landings. I cannot fully blame them for weather variations at landing sites, but given my experience and past reviews, I strongly suspect they intentionally avoid landings to shorten trips and increase the number of flights they perform.
In short: avoid Glacier Country Helicopters. There are cheaper and far more professional operators in the area who deliver the experience they promise.
From $295.91
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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