Snow and Ice
New Zealand Bus Travel and Activities
NZ SNOW AND ICE
New Zealand’s unique landscape has glaciers and mountains that offer many awe-inspiring activities for the Stray traveller. There are over 50 glaciers in the South Island, with the two most famous being the Franz Josef and the Fox Glacier. There are mountains in both the North and South Islands including the Southern Alps, which are longer than the Swiss, Austrian and Italian Alps combined. Hike it, ski it, ride it, climb it… or just enjoy the views!
Franz Josef Glacier
View on map
We stay in the town of Franz Josef at the foot of the glacier. We recommend you do one of the guided trips, which are on offer as it is the only safe way to really explore the glaciers (and they are regularly rated by our customers as one of the top 5 activities to do in New Zealand). If you want to get higher – you can do a helihike, which combines an awesome scenic helicopter flight with a guided walk through the ice caves and pinnacles of the glacier.
Fox Glacier
View on map
There are many guided options to climb this glacier as well. We do pickups and drop-offs from Fox Glacier if you’ve got time and want to check it out.
Mt Ruapehu
View on map
We stay just down the road from the Whakapapa ski area in the Tongariro National Park, which is part of the largest ski area in New Zealand. In winter you can ski without jumping off the bus - we head up the mountain as early as possible to get as much skiing/riding as possible. That night you can relax in the hostel’s spa or enjoy a well-earned drink or two in the bar. If you want you can stay longer and carve it up!
Queenstown
View on map
Queenstown or ‘Aspen of the South’ as some people call it, is surrounded by snowcapped mountains, which include some of New Zealand’s best skifields – Coronet Peak, Cardrona, Treble Cone and the Remarkables. During winter you can jump off the bus and ski as much (or as little) as you like. In summer – mountain biking is a great option to take advantage of the spectacular surroundings.
