Hokitika to FranzJosef and Fox Glacier road trip

15 March 2025

From Hokitika, we continued our road trip down the west coast to New Zealand’s glacier country. The Fox and Franz Josef glaciers, some of New Zealand's largest and most-visited, descend down from the Southern Alps and flow almost to sea level.

Well, almost.

With global warming, both glaciers had retreated much higher compared to the yester-years and I did not have high expectations on seeing much of the glaciers.

My plan for the day was simple. Drive to the town of Franz Josef Glacier to do a short hike to Peter’s Pool before continuing to Fox Glacier where we would stay for one night. We should have time to do a hike at Lake Matheson before dinner.

The drive to Franz Josef Glacier from Hokitika took about 2 hours. En-route, we made a brief stop at Lake Lanthe Wharf (Google Maps location here) for a coffee break. This is a good place to stop for a short break from driving as there are views of the lake, picnic benches and toilet facilities.

Enjoying a cup of hot coffee that we brought along on Lake Lanthe Wharf.

We arrived at the Franz Josef Glacier Car Park (Google Maps location here) as planned. This is the car park nearest to Peter’s Pool.

From the car park, we spotted the Franz Josef Glacier. I had not expected to see any glacier due to the weather conditions but we did! Even then, it was just a tiny bit of the glacier.

View of the Franz Josef Glacier from the car park.

A sign at the car park indicated that viewing conditions was GOOD.

We decided to do the impromptu hike to the end of the Forest Walk to get a better view of the Franz Josef Glacier. The signage indicated the hike would take about 30 minutes return or 15 minutes one way.

Signage pointing to the Glacier View at the end of the Forest Walk. 

It was an easy walk to view the glacier. Along the way, we had a sneak preview of the glacier. Despite the clouds hanging low over the mountain range, there was a break in the clouds, just enough for us to see the glacier with a bit of blue sky above.

View of the glacier along the short easy hike. 

Well maintained track with plenty of greenery and ferns.

Slight gradual uphill to the view point.

At the end of the trail, we arrived at an observation deck with views of the glacier valley and the glacier in the far distance. There is even a small waterfall on the cliff to our right.

At the observation deck at the end of the Glacier View track. This is the closest (3 km) we could get to view the Franz Josef Glacier.

Zoomed in photo of the Franz Josef Glacier.

The old walking track on the glacier valley is no longer accessible.

I remembered that back in 2004, my wife and I with our 3 kids, did a hike on the glacier valley. We were able to walk right up to the terminal face of the glacier (photo below). We could even touch the glacier and took photos right next to it. Now the track had been closed off for safety reasons.

Photo of our family’s hike to the glacier in 2004. The glacier was longer and reached right up to glacier valley.

 Memory of our hike (in light rain) to the glacier back in 2004.

It is sad to see that the glacier has receded so far up the mountain due to global warming. Franz Josef Glacier used to fill the whole valley in 1908. According to the sign, glaciers can shift up to 5 meters a day as it melts and retreats.

Nowadays, the only way to really see and touch the glacier is by helicopter to reach the top section of the glacier. This was what we did in 2004 as well.

The kids throwing snow on top of the glacier.

It was a once in a lifetime experience. So, once is enough. 

Peter’s Pool

After seeing the glacier, we took a walk to Peter's Pool as per our original plan. The track to Peter’s Pool starts from the same car park and should take only 25 minutes.

The total distance is 1.1 km, return via same track.

Sign explaining how the kettle lake was formed.

Peter’s Pool is a small kettle lake, which was formed by ice melting amongst glacial moraine about 200 years ago.  The glacier is long gone but the reflective pool remains.

We could enjoy the reflective views of the glacier valley and mountains but where is the glacier?

After our little hikes at Franz Josef Glacier, we drove to Fox Glacier, another town named after the glacier next to it. The journey took about 40 minutes, up and down switchbacks across the mountain.

We checked into the Rainforest Motel, our accommodation for the night. I thought the motel looked familiar. It was later than I discovered that we stayed at this same motel back in 2004.

View from our room at Rainforest Motel.

Fox Glacier is a smaller town compared to Franz Josef. I choose to stay here instead of the Franz Josef because of Lake Matheson, located within a few minutes drive from the motel. We had time to freshen up before taking the short drive to Lake Matheson.

Next post: Lake Matheson and what we did at the town of Fox Glacier.

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Morning Walk at Hokitika Gorge

15 March 2025

Blue lake and rocky shore
I will return once more
Boom-diddy-ah-da, Boom-diddy-ah-da, Boom-diddy-ah-da, bo-oo-oom

The lyrics of the above Canadian folk song (Land of the Silver Birch) that I used to sing at campfires when I was a Boy Scout immediately came to mind when I walked upon the suspension bridge over Hokitika Gorge.

Below me, I could see the turquoise water with white rocky limestone cliffs and lush green rainforest on both sides. With views like this, I was glad that we included the Hokitika Gorge Walk into our itinerary.

Hokitika Gorge as viewed from the suspension bridge.

Getting to Hokitika Gorge

Hokitika Gorge is located some 33 kilometres or 40 minutes drive inland from Hokitika town. It was an easy and scenic drive through the plains and farmlands.

Morning drive to the gorge from Hokitika town.

My son did the driving so I had the opportunity to enjoy the views and shoot some photos of our journey. I particularly like the views with the low clouds and mist that hangs over the farmland. 

Hokitika Gorge Walk

There is a large car park at the gorge and it was surprisingly crowded. Autumn morning was quite chilly, so we were decked out in our jackets. It was a good thing to cover ourselves as the place is known to have the black flies or sandflies.

We applied sandfly repellent to exposed parts of the hands and face at the car park.  The distance from the car park to the gorge where we could get to the water is about 1.2 km one way and should take about 45 minutes, according to the sign put up by the Department of Conservation (DOC).

The estimated timing is mostly accurate for the average walker.

Previously, the hiking trail at Hokitika Gorge was a loop trail over 2 suspension bridges over the gorge. One of the suspension bridge is now under maintenance, so the trail became a out and back trail. We have to take the same trail back to the car park. 

Map showing the current trail.

The trail is generally flat and it was an easy walk. The first 900 metres of the trail is through a fern forest with plenty of ferns. Breath in the crisp fresh air and enjoy the greenery.

First part of Hokitika Gorge trail.

Although ferns are common in my home country, I particularly like the tall tree ferns which are rare back home.

Tree ferns in NZ that can grow up to 20 metres in height.

We soon came to a suspension bridge where I first caught sight of the blue lake and rocky shores.

The suspension bridge is a little bouncy and this is the first of many that we would be crossing during this trip.

My son enjoying the views from the middle of the bridge.

The water of Hokitika Gorge appears turquoise blue due to the presence of glacial flour in the water. Glacial flour is a fine, silt-like sediment that is created by the grinding of rocks by glaciers. The sediment is suspended in the water, causing the sunlight to scatter and reflect off the particles, creating a striking blue-green hue that is both stunning and unique.

After crossing the bridge, the trail follows the edge of the gorge with a number of viewing platforms.

View of the gorge and suspension bridge that we crossed earlier.

We caught up with a local tour guide who was guiding a couple of tourists. As we passed them, we heard a loud splash. Apparently, a young man had dived into the blue pool from the rock face opposite us.

The rock face which was at the end of the trail.

The local guide muttered "What an idiot!".

I agree with her.

We soon reached the end of the trail with an observation deck. Access to the beach and rocks below is via stairs on the left side of the deck.      

Observation deck with good views of the gorge.

View of gorge from the observation deck.

There is a warning sign warning about the dangers in the gorge.

Despite the warning signs, there are young people diving from the rocks and swimming in the waters.

My son and I went down to take some photos on the rocks. There were sandflies near the water. The insect repellent we sprayed on was effective and they don’t bother us.

We could see the suspension bridge that is out of service. If it was in service, we would not have to go back the way we came.

We drove back to Hokitika town where we topped up the petrol in our car before continuing our road trip down the West Coast to the small glacier towns of Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier. Petrol is probably cheaper here than further down the remote coastal highway.

Lunch at Hokitika

We also topped up our stomach with a good lunch at a restaurant called the Thatcher and Small. We reckoned that there are also more restaurants in Hokitika than in the smaller town of Franz Josef Glacier.

This restaurant serves good food and coffee and is a good place to eat when in Hokitika.

NZ Beef steak with delicious fries and salad.

The fish and chips, made from blue cod, in New Zealand is really good with light crispy batter and sweet cod fish. This is miles better than the typical fish and chips we have back home.

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Hokitika’s Sunset, Bunnies, Pizzas and Glowworms

14 March 2025

We arrived at Hokitika after a fantastic journey on the Great Alpine Highway from Christchurch through Arthur’s Pass. We checked into Amberlea Cottages at about 4 PM, took some time to settle and rest before driving into the town centre at about 5 PM. 

Located on the West Coast, Hokitika started as a settlement and port supporting gold mining activities in the old days. Today, it is a tourist town with galleries specializing in greenstone jewellery and art. All of the galleries were closed by 5 PM but we had no interest in them.

The town did not change very much from the last time I visited back in 2004 with the whole family. 

Father and son at Hokitika in 2004 with the clock tower and Railway Hotel at Weld Street. 

Father and son at Hokitika in 2025 with the clock tower but from different perspective. The Railway Hotel is still around.

Hokitika Beach and Shipwreck Memorial

We parked our car at the town centre and took a short walk to the beach. The beach is full of driftwood and not a good place to swim. Not to miss is the iconic sign of the town’s name made from driftwood.

Sign made from driftwood at Hokitika Beach.

There are other art pieces made from driftwood on the beach.

A dragon made from driftwood on Hokitika Beach.

We walked along the esplanade towards Sunset Point which is supposedly a good place to watch the sunset. The western sky was cloudy, so we were not having high hopes of seeing a nice sunset.

On the esplanade leading to Sunset Point with nice cloud formation overhead.

Located near Sunset Point is the Shipwreck Memorial. When gold was discovered on the West Coast, miners set sail for Hokitika. However, the sand bar at the mouth of the Hokitika River was a shifting, dangerous obstacle and many ships ran aground there. The reconstructed schooner Tambo commemorates the 42 ships wrecked crossing the sandbar. The Tambo was grounded in a storm in 1866.

The memorial is a concrete replica of the salvaged vessel.          

This anchor is real and salvaged from the wreck.

Having some fun on the “ship”. 

Photographing the storm clouds at the western sky.

Storm clouds releasing rain just off the shore. Plenty of driftwood on the beach.

Bunnies on the beach!

We saw a baby rabbit that is so cute and unfearful. Soon after, more rabbits could be seen. The rabbits are wild but are quite used to humans on the beach. I was able to get close to them before they dashed away. That was when I noticed their prominent white cotton tails flashing as they hopped away. I was curious if that would make them easier for predators to spot.

I did some research and found that the white tails are actually a defense mechanism. The white coloring of the rabbit's tail actually distracts and confuses predators as the rabbit darts back and forth. Predators focused on the tail would not notice which direction the rabbit is heading next.

Interacting with the wild rabbits on Hokitika Beach.

Fat Pipi Pizza

We chose to have dinner at Fat Pipi Pizza because this restaurant is located by the beach and also it has good reviews.

We ordered two medium-sized pizzas and local beer. Their specialty was the whitebait pizza but we did not like whitebait. We ordered a Cajun Supreme (topped with chicken, shrimps, chorizo, red capsicum, jalapenos, red onion and cajun seasoning and a Mariner Pizza (topped with fish, shrimps, mussels, smoked salmon, red onion and capers).

Each pizza made to order with thin crust base, freshly prepared homemade authentic Italian sauce, and a mixture of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle of cracked black pepper, parmesan and parsley. A sign in the restaurant set expectations that the wait time may be long but we were in no hurry.

Outdoor seats at the garden in Fat Pipi Pizza.

Cajun Supreme and Mariner Pizza.

After about 15 minutes, the freshly made pizzas were served. The pizza crust was thin and hard and was quite delicious.

During our dinner, we took turns to go to the beach to check on the sunset. We knew weather conditions could change suddenly in NZ.

Hokitika Sunset

We were pleasantly surprised by beautiful red sunset at 7.40 PM. Miracle happened. The storm clouds had moved up, allowing the sun the peek through.

 

Many people were crowding around the Hokitika Beach Sign and enjoying the beautiful sunset. 

After the fantastic sunset, I was hoping that we could see an astronomical event that was supposed to happen after sunset on this day. From 8 to 8.30 PM just after the sun sets in the west and the moon rises in the east, the earth’s shadow would pass over the full moon giving rise to a total lunar eclipse. The moon would turn blood red during this period.

No more miracles. The eastern sky over the mountains remained cloudy. In any case, I doubt that we could see the moon even on a clear day since the moon would probably be blocked by the mountains.

Hokitika Glowworm Dell

We went to the glowworm dell as planned. We had done a recce of the place earlier in the day.

 

Information on glowworms posted at Hokitika’s Glowworm Dell.

Glowworms are actually the larvae of fungus gnats, an insect that looks similar to mosquitos and only found in Australia and New Zealand. They feed on insects smaller than them. Glowworms are bioluminescent animals, meaning that they create light through their tail with a process called bioluminescence. To capture their food, they have to build a network of silk threads that hang vertically from their habitat that are covered in a sticky mucus. Their prey are drawn to the glowing bioluminescent light. They fly towards it and get stuck onto the sticky threads.

They most commonly live in caves, forests and other sheltered, damp areas. The most popular glowworm caves in New Zealand are in Te Anau and Waitomo. To see them in this locations, visitors have to join a paid tour.

In Hokitika’s Glowworm Dell, we could see the glowworms for free, without needing to join a tour.

There were already a few cars at the car park at 9.30 PM but there was enough space for our car. There were a few groups walking in and out of the glowworm dell.

We are supposed to keep quiet and not shine bright light at the insects. We brought along a red light torch and point it only at the floor so as not to disturb the glowworms and also other visitors. 

Within a few minutes walk from the road, we arrived at the place where the glowworms live. Once our eyes get used to the darkness, the bioluminescent light from the glowworms became more visible.

This is what the place looked like in the day. At night, the place is totally dark.  

The glowworms appeared as
tiny pinpoints of blue lights. There were hundreds, maybe even thousands, of tiny lights shining like the stars in the night sky. This was my first experience with glowworms and it was quite magical.

Photographing the glowworms was challenging, requiring long exposure with our smartphones mounted on a tripod. We managed to take a few photos but soon gave up since there were too many people and some were shining lights from their phones as they moved around. 

The tiny blue lights from the tiny glowworms look like stars in the sky.

We enjoyed the magical experience of witnessing the free light show put up by these amazing creatures in the dark forest.          

 

Not a very good photo of the glowworms but this is to show them hiding amongst the branches and leaves.

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