A RAINBOW, A GLACIER AND A WHOLE LOT OF OFF-ROAD FUN!
25 JANUARY 2024
Our Best Experience In New Zealand (So Far)
Straight off the bat, I have to say that this experience is HANDS DOWN our best experience in New Zealand so far! We have done a lot in our 15 months on the road, so this experience left us buzzing! Our other favourite experiences so far are the Twin Glacier Flight (to see the Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier), the Below Zero Ice Bar in Queenstown (the entire bar, including the seats, cups and hockey table were all made from ice!), having high tea in NZ's only castle - Larnach Castle in Dunedin, and the incredible cruise through the fjords in Milford Sound.
We were heading from Blenheim down to Te Anau and we were tossing up whether to go through Canterbury so we could spend some time in one of our favourite places - Mt Cook, or head down the West Coast, which is fast becoming our favourite region in New Zealand. West Coast was the winner and there was no doubt in our minds that we were going to be staying in the beautiful Franz Josef. Franz Josef is in the West Coast region in New Zealand is part of the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its diverse ecosystems, glaciers and unique flora and fauna... which makes off-roading through here such a beautiful experience.
I had put the off-road tour on my list of things to do in Franz Josef (I have one for the whole of New Zealand and even thought we have been travelling full time for 18 months, I still have a gazillion things on this list!) and the timing was perfect for us - the team has space to book us in and the weather wasn't looking too shabby.
The tour is run by the Franz Josef Wilderness Tours and they're such an awesome bunch of people, from the tour operators and the front desk staff, to the owners. It's a 1.5 hour long adventure which is such amazing value for money. We felt like everyone was super friendly, genuinely friendly, and loved what they did and this always makes an experience so much better, don't you think?
There was around 10 of us in the group and we walked together to where the buggies and quads are stored (it was a 2-minute walk from town) and from there we were given wet weather gear - pants, jackets, gumboots plus helmets. The tours go in all-weather types, so it's essential they have this gear for us thrill seekers and I'm glad we had them because we went through A LOT of water!
We were heading from Blenheim down to Te Anau and we were tossing up whether to go through Canterbury so we could spend some time in one of our favourite places - Mt Cook, or head down the West Coast, which is fast becoming our favourite region in New Zealand. West Coast was the winner and there was no doubt in our minds that we were going to be staying in the beautiful Franz Josef. Franz Josef is in the West Coast region in New Zealand is part of the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its diverse ecosystems, glaciers and unique flora and fauna... which makes off-roading through here such a beautiful experience.
I had put the off-road tour on my list of things to do in Franz Josef (I have one for the whole of New Zealand and even thought we have been travelling full time for 18 months, I still have a gazillion things on this list!) and the timing was perfect for us - the team has space to book us in and the weather wasn't looking too shabby.
The tour is run by the Franz Josef Wilderness Tours and they're such an awesome bunch of people, from the tour operators and the front desk staff, to the owners. It's a 1.5 hour long adventure which is such amazing value for money. We felt like everyone was super friendly, genuinely friendly, and loved what they did and this always makes an experience so much better, don't you think?
There was around 10 of us in the group and we walked together to where the buggies and quads are stored (it was a 2-minute walk from town) and from there we were given wet weather gear - pants, jackets, gumboots plus helmets. The tours go in all-weather types, so it's essential they have this gear for us thrill seekers and I'm glad we had them because we went through A LOT of water!
But I'm Such An Angel
Once we were kitted up, Jamie our guide (who was HILARIOUS and awesome) took us through a few safety things and we had to ride through a small track to get used to braking, accelerating and turning. He told us the dos and don'ts and for some reason, he always looked at my when he was giving the don'ts... I am such an angel, I had no idea why he got that vibe from me ;)
We chose 2 buggies and the rest of the team had quads. I took Sienna with me and Lath took Arabella, even though our buggies could fit 3 people, we thought it would be a lot more spacious if it was 2 and 2.
The weird thing about the buggies is you always have to drive further to the left (or was it the right? hmmm) than you would in a car, so I was a bit paranoid about wrecking the buggy as there was a large excess fee to pay if I did!
Once we were all comfortable with driving our buggies and quads, and Jamie felt that we were capable of doing so, we headed off into the rainforest and this is where the adventure really began!
The rainforest track was FILLED with water and I don't mean little puddles... some of this water came up to my boots! We actually didn't really know what the tour was going to entail, as when I had seen photos I'd really only seen people driving along the riverbank, so this was such a cool surprise. Jamie led us through the rainforest and one by one, we went as fast as we could through the water and Jamie took professional shots of us doing this. How cool is that? There are 4 photos included in the tour - one in the rainforest, one going through the river, one going over a riverbank and another on the riverbed standing on our buggies/quads.
We chose 2 buggies and the rest of the team had quads. I took Sienna with me and Lath took Arabella, even though our buggies could fit 3 people, we thought it would be a lot more spacious if it was 2 and 2.
The weird thing about the buggies is you always have to drive further to the left (or was it the right? hmmm) than you would in a car, so I was a bit paranoid about wrecking the buggy as there was a large excess fee to pay if I did!
Once we were all comfortable with driving our buggies and quads, and Jamie felt that we were capable of doing so, we headed off into the rainforest and this is where the adventure really began!
The rainforest track was FILLED with water and I don't mean little puddles... some of this water came up to my boots! We actually didn't really know what the tour was going to entail, as when I had seen photos I'd really only seen people driving along the riverbank, so this was such a cool surprise. Jamie led us through the rainforest and one by one, we went as fast as we could through the water and Jamie took professional shots of us doing this. How cool is that? There are 4 photos included in the tour - one in the rainforest, one going through the river, one going over a riverbank and another on the riverbed standing on our buggies/quads.
This Is Your Chance To Drive Like A Maniac (Sort Of)
As we made our way out of the rainforest and into the open, this is where the views really began. You could see for miles across the river bed and the best sight for us was of the Franz Josef glacier with a rainbow beside it!
The rivers running through this area were crystal clear and Jamie said the rest of the year (we did this in winter), it's usually quite milky. We got to do a lot of river crossings and at one point, one by one, we put our foot down and went as fast as we could through the river while Jamie took an action shot.
We took a 5 - 10 minute break and hopped out of our buggies to take a walk around and get some snaps of the glacier. The girls used this time to throw sticks in the river (I wouldn't expect anything less from these little explorers!).
Once we got going again, it was time to go down some steep banks. They were only 1 - 2 metres high but it actually felt higher and I honestly felt like we were going to roly poly down them!! It wasn't the most fun part and Bella really hated it, so Lath had to go around a couple of them but she braved the last one and faced her fear!
I wanted to take a million photos and videos on this tour and I tried... I really did but it was just too hard to steer and hold my phone! We loved how the 1.5 hours went so slowly and when it felt like it was time to head back, we still had heaps of time to go. We laughed so much on this tour because Jamie was hilarious and because it was just sooo much fun because how often do you get to let loose and drive like a maniac on an off-roading adventure?
The rivers running through this area were crystal clear and Jamie said the rest of the year (we did this in winter), it's usually quite milky. We got to do a lot of river crossings and at one point, one by one, we put our foot down and went as fast as we could through the river while Jamie took an action shot.
We took a 5 - 10 minute break and hopped out of our buggies to take a walk around and get some snaps of the glacier. The girls used this time to throw sticks in the river (I wouldn't expect anything less from these little explorers!).
Once we got going again, it was time to go down some steep banks. They were only 1 - 2 metres high but it actually felt higher and I honestly felt like we were going to roly poly down them!! It wasn't the most fun part and Bella really hated it, so Lath had to go around a couple of them but she braved the last one and faced her fear!
I wanted to take a million photos and videos on this tour and I tried... I really did but it was just too hard to steer and hold my phone! We loved how the 1.5 hours went so slowly and when it felt like it was time to head back, we still had heaps of time to go. We laughed so much on this tour because Jamie was hilarious and because it was just sooo much fun because how often do you get to let loose and drive like a maniac on an off-roading adventure?
Know Before You Go
- For prices and to book, click here
- Both buggies and quad bikes are available for hire. Passengers in the quad bikes must be at least 145cm tall to reach the foot rests
- Drivers must be at least 18 years old to have a passenger
- Kids in the buggies must be at least 110cms tall
- The team at Franz Josef Wilderness Tours also offer scenic boat rides, fishing trips and kayaking trips
- Allow 2 hours for this experience (including briefing and suiting up)
- This is an all-weather experience, rain or shine!
- Be sure to go toilet before you go on the tour! Toilets are in the town
How To Get To The Franz Josef Wilderness Tours In Franz Josef
Franz Josef is a small town in the West Coast region in the South Island, New Zealand. The booking office for the Franz Josef Wilderness Tours is on the main road in Franz Josef, click here for the location on Google Maps. Franz Josef is a tiny town, so it's easy to find! There is free street parking on the main road.
Conclusion
We can't recommend this experience enough - the whole thing was absolutely incredible and it was 100% worth what we paid for it! We loved driving through the rainforest and going out onto the riverbed and seeing rainbows and the Franz Josef glacier. 4 action shots were included in the price and emailed to us the next day which was such a cool surprise! This is an awesome experience for the whole family to enjoy and the great thing is that it's an all-weather experience, so don't let the West Coast rain stop you from having fun!
More to do in New Zealand
TWIN GLACIER AND ALPINE LANDING FLIGHT
WEST COAST An incredible scenic flight over Fox Glacier & Franz Josef Glacier plus a snow landing where we got to play in the snow!
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LAKE ALEXANDRINA
CANTERBURY
A beautiful, clear lake in the Mackenzie Basin, full of trout, salmon and beautiful Southern Crested Grebes nesting along the shore. |
MT MAUNGANUI SUMMIT WALK
BAY OF PLENTY You're rewarded with views across Tauranga and you can see across to the active White Island volcano. Lots of cute sheep on this track!
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