Franz Josef Glacier Overnighter

You will firstly check-in at 12 pm to your pre-arranged luxury accommodation, Te Waonui Retreat, located on 3 Wallace Street, Franz Josef Township. Their friendly staff along, with your guide, will meet you there and discuss a meeting time at our Glacier Base, located next door. 

Our team will be in contact with you from enquiry, and will assist you with working out the best day to run this experience, and discuss any time changes to suit you. There is flexibility to whether we do the on-ice overnight stay the first night or second night you are in town. We recommend choosing the first night, so that we are able to give the opportunity of rescheduling. 

As you will be staying overnight, you will need to bring a change of clothes with you. We recommend packing the following items:

• 2 set of clothing: 3-4 warm upper body layers and one warm lower body layer for around camp, and 2-3 warm upper body layers and one lower body layer for hiking on the ice. Ideally woolen or polypro layers, not cotton. No jeans or ski pants
• A personal toiletry bag with anything you need included, such as your toothbrush and roll-on deodorant. Please keep in mind there will be no shower on the ice. Aerosol sprays will not be able to be flown on ice
• Sunglasses
• A water bottle (we recommend 750mL - 1 litre bottle)
• A small snack (incase you want something extra)
• A camera (at your own risk). Please note that extra batteries are not permitted due to aviation restrictions
• Any medications you may take, even if it is not daily 

We will provide a duffle bag to store your gear in, however you are more than welcome to bring your own backpack too. 

You will be fully catered for on-ice, and we will be providing:

• Waterproof jacket and trousers
• Thermal socks, beanies and mittens (if needed)
• Extra layers (if required)
• Crampons
• A large duffel bag for all your gear
• Helmet + walking pole
• Sunscreen
• Head torch
• High quality technical gear 
• Alpine sleeping bag + pillow
• Stretcher bed
• Delicious locally sourced dinner prepared for you by your guide, with a set menu provided at booking. We will also be enjoying nibbles before dinner and provided with a light breakfast selection of pastries + assortments before departing the ice the next morning. Any dietary requirements or allergies, please let us know. 
• Hot drinks at night and morning, including all cutlery and crockery.
• Extra water

After your on-ice stay, spend one more night relaxing at Te Waonui Retreat. They will be providing you with:

• A luxury stay nestled within the rainforest to relax and unwind after your overnight venture
• A full buffet breakfast both mornings, including when you arrive back off the ice
• A decadent five-course degustation dinner for your final night

The changeable weather that shapes our dramatic landscape on the West Coast can also impact our ability to operate. We will not compromise the safety of our guests or staff in any circumstance, so if the weather conditions mean it's not safe to operate a trip, we will have to cancel our on-ice portion of the tour. For the Glacier Overnighter, we need to be sure that the weather is clear at the time we fly in, and that we will be okay to fly out the next morning. 

It is because of this, that we make sure this is a two-night experience, with one night spent on ice, and the other night relaxing at Te Waonui Retreat. Depending on the weather conditions, depends on which night we will fly up on ice. 

In the case that both nights turn out unsuitable for flying, Te Waonui will happily host you for both nights, while we see if there are any alternatives that we can offer.

If you are wanting to cancel this tour, please3 bear in mind that:

• Within 30 days of the experience departure date, the cancellation fee is 10%
• Within 7 days of experience departure date, the cancellation fee is 100% of the total trip cost

We adhere to the highest safety standards to ensure ongoing safety for both our guests and our team. 

We will be delighted to welcome you as a guest on our Heli Ice Climb trip provided you:

• Weigh less than 115kg (253.5lb)
• Are not more than 12 weeks into pregnancy (recommend contacting our reception)
• Are over the age of 16 years old
• Are not under the influence of intoxicating drugs or alcohol
• Have not been assessed by a lead guide as lacking the required fitness to complete the trip
  
  

Because the Overnight is such a bespoke experience, there is more leniency on pre-existing medical conditions, as this tour is completely catered to you. We do however ask you please ask you to let us know the existing or previous medical conditions including (but not limited to) those listed below.

• Ankle or knee injuries
• ACL damage
• Joint replacements or dislocations
• Neck or back injuries
• Heart conditions and high / low bloody pressure
• Diabetes
• Asthma

Our front line team are always happy to provide an update on glacier conditions on the morning of your trip. Ice conditions can change, meaning the ability of our manuhiri may also change. If you are of any concern, please contact us.

Absolutely! The beauty of such a bespoke tour such as our Glacier Overnighter is that this is completely tailored to you. This means the difficulty of the hiking portion is up to you, and your guide will assist you every step of the way. We can take just the 2 of you, or a family unit of 3 or 4 on this experience. 

Please bear in mind that for children, the minimum age is 16 years. Manuhiri 16 + 17 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over 18 years old.

There is a range of items that are restricted due to aviation requirements. These include:

• Drones 
• Stick attachments for your phone or camera, including tripods, selfie sticks, and Go-pro sticks
• Spare camera batteries and power banks
• Vapes, lighters and e-cigarettes
• Aerosoles including spray deodorant, dry shampoo, etc

These rules are similar to that of an airplane. If you are unsure, please ask.

We also ask that you do not wear any denim clothing and avoid cotton if possible.