Franz Josef Glacier Hiking

We traveled all day Sunday.  Along the way we stopped to see a seal colony at Cape Foulwinds, the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki, and the Jade Factory.  The views were pretty along the way but I slept most the way.

Monday we went glacier hiking.  There are only three glaciers in the world that border temperate rainforests and two are in New Zealand.  We did a four and a half hour trip.  It was actually an easy climb;  the guides carve steps with pick axes before any group goes up for the day.  After hiking for about an hour we stopped and had lunch while overlooking a rainforest and the glacier which was incredible.  The views are gorgeous and it is a really cool feeling to be hiking while surrounded by ice.  The guides are awesome and very knowledgeable about the glacier.