Franz Josef - The Glacier town

The Franz Josef Glacier is a 12km long glazier which was first explored in 1865 by a German geologist called Julius von Haast, who named it after the Austrian emperor Franz Josef the 1st. The glacier is five kilometres from town, and a 30 min walk from the carpark to the bottom of the glacier/lowest point.

The Rainforest backpackers -

Travelling with the Stray bus has certain advantages such as not having to worry about accommodation and vacancies at the destinations on the route of bus pass itinerary. Although you do not always know which kind of room you will be placed in, if it is a 4 bed dorm or an 8 bed dorm - paying the same price regardless of room size or number of beds.

At the Rainforest backpackers in Franz Josef I was placed in a 6 bed dorm with very little space for backpacks/luggage and a foul smell. The beds were almost falling apart and the madras on the top bunk was so worn out that when I was lying in bed my bum was almost poking the guy at the bottom bunk in eye. Okay maybe exaggerating but I did hit his head a few times when he sad upright in the bed.

The other facilities of the Rainforest backpackers were fine; It had a huge kitchen with tables/chairs both inside and outside though the cutlery was none existing and there weren't that many pots and pans,

a restaurant/bar which turned into a disco at 9:00 pm on the weekends, shared bathroom and toilets (which was not big enough for the number of people staying at the time), WIFI (free for 1 hour but not really working at any point), guest laundry and then a spa pool which I heard was great.

The people travelling with the Stray bus was not told that we had on option to upgrade to a luxury 4 bed dorm for only a few $ more. Had I known that for 4 NZ$ more I could have stayed in a 4 bed dorm with Ensuite bathroom, tv and better quality bedding I would have chosen this option. But hey, I had some nice roommates in 'my' small 6 bed dorm ;-)

It might be an age thing wanting to sleep at night and if possible actually having a bed and pillow with no stains after vomit, pens or blood. I admit it - this time around I'm becoming a Flashpacker J

The glacier walk -

I was supposed to have had the pleasure and experience of a guided glacier walk on the actual glacier of 3-4 hours which included a few minutes of scenic helicopter flight from the town to the glacier but this trip was cancelled due to bad weather conditions L

I heard from other people travelling with Stray that the morning trips had been cancelled. Therefore, came in a bit earlier to get news of the trip I was joining at 11:30 am. The staff sadly told me that all trips until the afternoon was cancelled and there were no spots open later on and maybe not even the following day.

So I teamed up with a roommate and we walked the 5 km to the carpark where the actual glacier trail begins. And then we did the trial and walked the 5 km back to the hostel. It was a beautiful trail - not the walk of endless road to the carpark - but the actual trail towards the glacier. It had beautiful views of lakes, waterfalls and at the end the Franz Josef glacier seen from the lowest point of the glacier.

Things to do at the township of Franz Josef -

Guided glacier walks with a few min of scenic helicopter flight, Scenic helicopter flight only, glacier climbing, experience the rainforest, waterfalls and lakes, the glazier hot pools, horse trekking, Skydiving, kayak tours and quad bike rides with glacier views.