After we rented our RAV 4 (nice ride by the way) in Greymouth, we drove straight to Franz Josef area to check in to our hotel. The drive down there was rainy and we were hoping to get there with no road closings. Fortunately, we made it and checked into a cozy hotel with an electric fireplace and short drive to the town center. That evening we ordered room service and unpacked our clothes.
The next day was sunny and after debating during breakfast, we decided to do a helicopter ride over the glaciers. Aiden even enjoyed it and we landed on top of Fox Glacier where we had a snowball fight and took in some breathtaking views. The chopper ride was for 30 minutes and it was a memorable experience. After lunch, we did the hike to Franz Josef holding Aiden most of the time on my shoulders. The hike took almost 2 hours round trip and the views were okay. The glacier is receding so it doesn’t look as great as let’s say 10 years ago.
We found a café to eat afterwards and then took it easy at the hotel. The next leg of our journey was the drive to Te Anau!