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Scenic flights from Franz Josef

Scenic Flights from Franz Josef Glacier Country Helicopters is a local, family owned and operated company based in Franz Josef, on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island.

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Literally going above and beyond

Glacier Country Helicopters is run by husband-and-wife duo Gus and Poppy Gordon. They are both experienced pilots with over forty combined years of flying experience and for over ten years, they have shared their passion for the South Island of New Zealand’s incredible scenery.

Family-owned and operated with three generations of flying heritage, we specialise in offering unforgettable scenic flights over Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, complete with awe-inspiring snow landings and bespoke chartered experiences.

With a gold-rated safety record, and award-winning customer service, and a business excellence award in 2024, our small team aims to literally go above and beyond so you go home with a story worth telling.

 We want you to experience the real West Coast and would love for you to join us to soar above the stunning mountain peaks and rugged glaciers, back to the intrepid rainforests and wild coastlines that form our incredible backyard.

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What our customers say

10/10 one of the best experiences of my life, completely worth it!

King Pukeko

From a spur of the moment booking to an amazing experience! A NZ owned business that has true NZ hospitality! We will be back to take the longer flight. I cannot sing their praise more, thanks team!

Peter Wieczorek

From entering the office to returning after the most wonderful exhilarating experience, Glacier Country Helicopters were friendly, informative & extremely safety conscious & we would highly recommend them. It was an experience to remember & worth every cent.

Donna E

Awesome experience, lovely views and so worth! An NZ Must-Do! Thanks to the team on the ground for rescheduling our tour due to bad weather & our pilot – all professional, helpful and made it a great trip.

Ailsa B

I think my comment on reflecting upon landing on the Shackleton Glacier ‘We humans are so insignificant compared to this.’ It’s beauty – and the whole flight was breathtaking.

Warren B

I am familiar with aviation; it can be daunting. This operation is very organised with very good helicopters. One of our greatest life experiences seeing three amazing glaciers and landing on the snow. Amazing, thank you!

Bjorn F

We flew with Poppy & had a great flight with a snow landing on Shackleton Glacier in full sun & blue sky. Awesome experience. Having flown the Grand Canyon, Uluru & Kata Juta, & the Swiss Alps, this was certainly up there. We can thoroughly recommend GCH, their personal friendly service is excellent.

Xante

The most amazing experience. The highlight of my NZ holiday. The company and staff were great. Highly recommend Glacier Country Helicopters.

Robyn M

Outstanding experience! Don’t buy into the other reviews with anything less than 5 stars. Lovely friendly people, excellent pilot, great commentary, stunning views & a smooth flight. Worth every penny!

Ali Holden

The best fun we have had in NZ. Mike was a brilliant pilot – full of knowledge and happy to share. Snow landing was sooooo good. Smooth, safe, brilliant. Thank you!!

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