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Glacier walks with children



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 31st, 2005, 07:06 PM
de13
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Default Glacier walks with children

We would like to take our 6 and 10 year old with us to one of the
glaciers, Franz Josef or Fox. We would like to incorporate, if
possible a short glacier walk which my 6 year old could do.
Does anyone have any info or suggestions on where we could do this?
I'm not sure if the only way is with an organized tour, or if there is
a center where you just go hike out a little ways.
We are from the US and the only other time on a glacier is when I did
some trekking in ALaska.
We are deciding if it's something we want to do, traveling up from
Queenstown. We only have a week in South Island, and are doing an
overnight on a Milford Sound cruise, then onto one other stop(???)
before staying around Queenstown. Not sure if the glacier area is
where we should drive up to....I know we could take a flight option,
though it's very expensive for a family and looks like we would still
have to go up to the glacier area
Thank you in advance for any help!
Diana

  #2  
Old February 1st, 2005, 01:07 AM
Dwayne
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The shortest glacier walk at Franz is the Heli-Hike, it's 2 hours walking on
the glacier, but it is the most expensive ~NZ$230 per person) . The next
shortest is the half day hike, it's 4 hours. You get dropped off at the
parking lot walk to the glacier (1hour) then walk up for a little over an
hour, and then walk back. Then full day hike is 8 hours and it takes you 2
hour higher than the half day. The walks (and Heli-Hike) are separated into
groups; fast, medium speed and National Geographic. The situation at Fox is
similar. There are walks around the glacier (Franz Joseph) , and you could
easily spend a few days just on these walks. The walks vary from 5 minutes
(Peter Pool) to 8 hours one way (Alex Knob). These walks start from the car
park which is about 4 miles from town. There is a glow worm dell at Fox and
a short walk (1.5 hours) near the egde of town (Minnehaha), from which you
could take the longer Ngai Tahu walk back. A good walk would be around Lake
Matherson (4 miles from Fox). The lake is usually very still, and you can
see Mt Tasman (left) and Mt. Cook (right) in the reflection of the lake
(look for the postcard in the shops).

If you're driving between Queenstown and the Glaciers stop in Wanaka for a
day or so. Puzzling world is a must see, holograms, a giant maze and a room
tilted at 15 degrees are a few of the attractions. Plus the tables are full
of little puzzles, should keep the kids entertained for a while. The
Paradiso movie theater is also a must (old recliners are the chairs as well
as a converted VW bug). The walk up Mt. Iron give a great panaromic view.
The 3 hour Rob Roy track at Mt Aspiring National Park (34 miles from Wanaka)
gives a great view. There is also rock climbling, Transport & Toy Museum,
Fighter Pilot Museum etc..

The best thing to do is get a hold of a Lonely Planet New Zealand and thumb
through it. It will also give some web-sites that you may want to check
out.

Dwayne


  #3  
Old February 1st, 2005, 02:09 PM
Jack
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"de13" wrote in message
oups.com...
We would like to take our 6 and 10 year old with us to one of the
glaciers, Franz Josef or Fox. We would like to incorporate, if
possible a short glacier walk which my 6 year old could do.
Does anyone have any info or suggestions on where we could do this?
I'm not sure if the only way is with an organized tour, or if there is
a center where you just go hike out a little ways.
We are from the US and the only other time on a glacier is when I did
some trekking in ALaska.
We are deciding if it's something we want to do, traveling up from
Queenstown. We only have a week in South Island, and are doing an
overnight on a Milford Sound cruise, then onto one other stop(???)
before staying around Queenstown. Not sure if the glacier area is
where we should drive up to....I know we could take a flight option,
though it's very expensive for a family and looks like we would still
have to go up to the glacier area
Thank you in advance for any help!
Diana


We were there Sept 03 - 3 kids 10, 7,5.
Hored a camper - great way to do it!!

For FJ, your kids are too young for paid walks from what we found out.

What we did, walk from FJ car park to first barrier (easy walk). Ignore
first second and third barriers - they are only advisory anyway. You can
walk right up to the glacier terminus. We even went a few yards up the
glacier - more would be unadvisable.

None of the tour guides who passed us gave negative comment on us (and lots
of others) being there.

Of course you must use your own judgement as to what you do whe you get to
the terminus (like walking through the ice tunnel if there is one when you
are there.

Of note - keep your eys on the valley walls - there is a spot where a rift
is clearly seen - this is the join between to continental plates -
interesting if you are into geology at all and if the kids have a science
bent, they might get a buzz out of stepping from one plate to another.


  #4  
Old February 2nd, 2005, 06:42 AM
Gerrit 't Hart
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"de13" wrote in message
oups.com...
We would like to take our 6 and 10 year old with us to one of the
glaciers, Franz Josef or Fox. We would like to incorporate, if
possible a short glacier walk which my 6 year old could do.

SNIP
We are from the US and the only other time on a glacier is when I did
some trekking in ALaska.


I don't know where in the USA you live but if anywhere near the western side
maybe you could drive to Banff or Jasper in Canada and visit the Columbia
Icefield. There you can take a bus which takes you onto the glacier and lets
you out for a walk.
Seeing as they do this all the time I would imagine it is safe even with 6
year old kids!

Gerrit - Oz


 




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