Franz Josef Glacier, Temperate maritime glacier in Westland National Park, New Zealand.
The 12-kilometer glacier descends from a 2,500-meter elevation through a steep valley, creating a distinct ice formation in the Southern Alps.
German geologist Julius von Haast named the glacier after Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria during his 1865 expedition to study German settlers.
The Maori name Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere translates to 'Tears of Hine Hukatere', referring to a woman whose lover perished in an avalanche.
Visitors can access the glacier through guided walks from Franz Josef village, located 5 kilometers away, with helicopter tours available for aerial views.
The glacier experiences one of the world's highest precipitation rates, receiving up to 15 meters of snow annually in its upper névé section.
Location: West Coast Region
Location: Westland District
GPS coordinates: -43.47500,170.20000
Latest update: May 28, 2025 18:38
Glaciers represent some of the most remarkable natural formations on Earth. These ice masses form over centuries through the compression of snow and move slowly through valleys and across mountain slopes. They shape landscapes from the Patagonian Andes to Arctic regions and store approximately 70 percent of the world's freshwater. The Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina covers 250 square kilometers and ranks among the few glaciers currently not retreating. The Jostedalsbreen in Norway forms the largest ice mass on mainland Europe at 487 square kilometers. The Vatnajökull in Iceland covers eight percent of the country's land area and conceals several active volcanoes beneath its ice cap. These glaciers serve science as climate archives and demonstrate through their changes the effects of rising temperatures. Many glaciers worldwide continuously lose mass, which has consequences for water supply and sea levels.
New Zealand offers photographic locations from mountains and beaches to cities. The landscape spans from thermal springs in Rotorua to glaciers in the Southern Alps. Visitors find waterfalls like Purakaunui, volcanoes like Mount Taranaki, and sand beaches on the Coromandel Peninsula. The Hobbiton film set, Waitomo Caves, and Larnach Castle showcase cultural diversity.
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