Tasman Glacier Heli-hike Tour From Queenstown

We had an absolutely incredible flight from Queenstown to Mount Cook for a heli-hike, and the whole experience was simply extraordinary. The views were breathtaking, the flight was spectacular, and everything was perfectly organized from start to finish. A very special thank you to our pilot, Josh, who made the experience even more memorable with his professionalism, friendliness, and excellent flying. It was truly an unforgettable experience a 10/10! We would recommend True South Flights 100% to anyone looking for an amazing adventure in New Zealand. Thank you for an incredible day!

Great flights and guides. Thanks to Dan for a smooth flight.

Our Tasman Glacier Heli‑Hike Tour from Queenstown, booked through Viator, was an absolutely unforgettable experience from start to finish. The day began with an early‑morning one‑hour scenic flight from Queenstown to Mount Cook Airport — a breathtaking journey over dramatic alpine ranges, shimmering lakes, and snow‑covered peaks. The views alone were worth the trip, and the flight crew made the experience smooth, safe, and enjoyable. Upon arriving at Mount Cook, the adventure continued with a spectacular helicopter ride onto the Tasman Glacier. Landing on the ice felt surreal, and the two‑hour guided heli‑hike was nothing short of extraordinary. Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and clearly passionate about the region. We explored towering ice formations, deep crevasses, and stunning blue ice structures that looked like something from another world. The entire experience was exceptionally well‑organised, with seamless coordination between the flight team, helicopter crew, and glacier guides. Every moment felt special, immersive, and truly unique. This tour is a must‑do for anyone visiting Queenstown — it’s a bucket‑list adventure that delivers incredible scenery, expert guidance, and memories that will last a lifetime. We couldn’t recommend it more highly.

We had the experience of a lifetime with this fabulous organisation taking us to the Tasman Glacier. I wish to assure travellers that you are in Great Hands when venturing on this amazing trip. Lily our Airvan pilot is phenomenal, Ben the Helicopter pilot is amazing and Ollie our guide is perfect for taking people to this remote spot and increasing the wonder. And before all that, all of the crew were excellent commentators for this unique experience. Book it.

We had a wonderful day today on the Tasman Glacier tour, bookended by two great flights with Lily as our pilot. Having spent years as an aviator my self, in my experience Lily was both very professional, and very personable. Both flights were faultless, enjoyable and who could ask for more than two super smooth landings. Thank you. The rest of the day was absolutely amazing as well. Two great Helicopter rides too and from the Glacier, and topped off by our awesome guide Ollie on the glacier. So knowledgeable, friendly, and with safety in mind showed us so much in our time there! Highly recommend, not just these two individuals but the organisations they work for! Tas :-)

The scenic flight from Queenstown was amazing (thanks Lily) when we had thought it was going to be pure transport. Then the copter journey and the hike on the ice. The highlight of our trip so far and we've done a tonne of stuff.!

We had an amazing small plane / helicopter/ glacier hike with True South yesterday. Dan the pilot was fantastic! Such a smooth landing at Aoraki Mount Cook airport. The scenery en route was incredible. Then a quick helicopter flight onto the glacier, where Maddie was an awesome guide. We hiked over glacial ice, through ice tunnels, and into a Moulin. The scenery at Mount Cook and the Tasman glacier was an absolute highlight of our trip. Yes, it was expensive, but worth every cent. Highly, highly recommended. 🤩

Best way to see the landscape of the South Island. Luke, our pilot, was an excellent tour guide and helped make both the flight and the exploration of Mt. Cook National Park an unforgettable experience.

Stunning experience. Completely seamless from start to finish and we got blessed with great weather for flying and hiking. Both the fixed-wing and helicopter pilots were fantastic and our alpine guide was amazing as well. Highly recommend!

My husband and I recently flew with pilot DAN who was such an absolute delight. He was a talented pilot who kept us smooth and steady the entire time: so smooth some of us fell asleep on the return flight back to Queenstown. :) . He helped the transfer to the helicopter go smooth when we arrived and greeted us upon return from the glacier. I wish he could have come up with us, he was so friendly and gave off such a positive "happy to be alive" attitude. True South flights operated very smoothly, communication was excellent and were very clear on instructions with reminder emails leading up to the day of departure. The entire trip was so well done. It was a little pricey to fly from queenstown then take the helicopter to the glacier, but the alternative would eat up 2 days. to drive to mount cook would take 5+ hours. true souths saved us so much time and it was worth every penny. We were with a small group flying to mount cook which was nice and felt like a personal experience. Dont hesitate to book this experience, it is something i will never forget.

The weather was perfect, the visibility was brilliant. My first time in a 6 seater plane. Jason did a fantastic job flying us out to Mt.Cook and back. Highly recommend. Glacier and mountains didnt even seem real.

Fantastic trip to Tasman Glacier flying with Tanmay from True South Flights. Stunning views.

I don’t have words for this heli-hike. What a cool, once in a lifetime experience. The views were unbelievable. The flight and helicopter rides were incredible. Although this was my most expensive excursion, I have no regrets about the cost. Genuinely stunning. They provide coats, boots, crampons, and even a backpack to store your stuff in if you don’t have one. Also had hats and gloves available but you don’t need them. I did the heli hike from Queenstown which means I was deciding between the two options available to me - Tasman glacier and franz Josef glacier. I found it hard to find info on the differences online beforehand, so here is a summary of what I’ve learned. The franz Josef glacier in Milford sound is the most popular heli-hike glacier and the hike is more adventurous/challenging. However, seems like it gets cancelled due to weather all the time. That’s because it’s located on the side of a mountain that’s more susceptible to weather. The Tasman glacier hike is located on the other side of the mountain and is less likely to get cancelled due to weather. However, the hike will basically be a walk around an open space. It’s not adventurous in the sense that you’re going through winding paths. It’s an easier hike. We did see and enter two ice caves which was awesome. So: if you have your heart set on doing the popular helihike with the adventurous path, and have some backup days if the hike gets cancelled, you can do the franz Josef one. If you have limited time in New Zealand and want to maximize your chances of actually getting to do one, and are okay with it being an easier walk, do the Tasman glacier. To give you an anecdote, on the day I did the heli hike, the franz Josef one got cancelled due to weather but my Tasman one went ahead. One of the people on the franz Josef one mentioned that this was their second time trying to do the hike after their first booking also got cancelled due to weather. Also, I had another friend mention that she’d signed up for the franz Josef heli hike but it got cancelled and she never got to do any helihike because she wasn’t available any other days. My one constructive feedback is to remove the requirement for sunglasses. I didn’t bring sunglasses and was told they were mandatory because the ice will reflect and hurt my eyes, so I paid for sunglasses. Frankly I did not use them a single time and my eyes were just fine. I don’t think the sunglasses should’ve been mandatory. They also say that you must bring food/lunch. Again, I’m not sure that needs to be a requirement. I did nibble on my food but I could’ve gone without. It’s not like it’s a full day activity - it’s just a few hours. I also didn’t see anyone else eating their food.

The trip was a very well-organized activity delivered by both True South Flights (the scenic flight by a small plane to Aoraki) as well as by Alpine Guides (the helicopter flight to the Tasman Glacier and the glacier trekking). It took about 56 min to get from Queenstown Airport to Aoraki and 49 min from Aoraki to Queenstown. The view of mountain peaks covered with snow, especially during the return journey, was truly breathtaking! Our pilot was driving the plane in a safe and confident manner, and provided us with lots of interesting information regarding the local geography and venues we saw during our flight. At Aoraki base we very supplied with boots suitable for glacier trekking. A short helicopter flight was an unique opportunity to see the Tasman Glacier's forehead and dramatic changes to the local landscape caused by a rapidly melting ice. Before we started our trekking we were given crampons and taught how to use them properly. The glacier trekking was a great chance to learn about glacier geomorphology (caves, crevasses, holes). Since the trip time did not exceed 6 hours (7 hours with a shuttle bus transfer from your accommodation) I would recommend this activity to all travellers who would like to see a lot, but do not have too much time to spend one day on driving from Queenstown to the Tasman Glacier and back. This heli-hike adventure by Alpine Guides combined with a scenic flight by True South Flights left fabulous memories in my mind and was a very good idea for enriching my ski holiday in Queenstown.

The heli - hike was fantastic, a magical experience that we will never forget. The day was so special, enhanced by the very friendly staff, starting with the staff at the office, the young guy who guided to the plane, the pilot Luke, and Pablo and Andy at the glacier. Overall a wonderful day, full of fun and laughter.

Unreal experience , the view and the hike was amazing. The tour guide ( Kerry or terry ) i think his name was very friendly and helpful towards our group.

I just wanted to give a big shoutout to the True South Flight crew! They were absolutely fantastic! Belinda was so helpful and took the time to understand our preferences. She managed to book us a flight to Queenstown, and then she even arranged for us to go on the incredible Heli Hike at Mt Cook! It was an experience of a lifetime. And let’s not forget about our captain, Luke. The whole flight was so smooth and the views from the plane were breathtaking. Luke was also incredibly knowledgeable about the area and shared all sorts of interesting information with us. That made our tour even more special. If you’re ever in New Zealand and looking for an amazing flight experience, I highly recommend True South Flight. They’re truly a top-notch team!

Incredible and very well organized! Everything was so beautiful! The staff was also very nice — from the pilot to the team at base camp and the glacier guide, everyone was kind.

I did the Tasman Glacier heli hike and it was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life! The views from the helicopter rides, stomping on the glacier with crampons and crawling through ice caves made for an unreal day. The pilot, Luke, was super friendly and made for such a smooth flight that I nearly fell asleep both ways! Our guide on the glacier, Scott, was also just fantastic - enthusiastic, passionate and helped everyone break the ice (pun intended) and be friends. Super expensive but worth every dollar - don’t think twice!

What a great day! Very well organised- special thanks to Deborah, Andrew, our pilot Luke and our very patient Bristolian tour guide Matt!!

Helihike is an amazing experience. We are able to see the Glacier from height and also really have a nice walk over the Glacier! It is also interesting to have pilot Lily who picked you up from hotel and fly with you on plane. Glacier Walk guide Kenri brought us a joyful and special Glacier Walk experience!

Our trip with True South Flights was an incredible experience that really allowed us to explore and honor the beauty of the south island. Our pilot, Luke, was excellent - professional, knowledgeable, and very skilled. The flight was breathtaking and he offered a lot of information about the area, including places to visit and some history of its development. We appreciated the many photo opportunities from the plane and felt very safe and comfortable for the entirety of the flight. The flight & glacier hike were very well organized and communication was excellent throughout. Tasman Glacier is an incredible sight and is also an absolute must-see when visiting New Zealand. Looking forward to our next trip and next flight!

Such a smooth trip & a perfect day -thanks Andrew Wallace! Awesome communication before & during the tour. Great commentary so we knew what we were flying over. Approx 1 hour from The Remarkables airstrip to Mt Cook then a small wait while we checked in, got our boots & then on the helicopter for the Tasman Glavier landing. Awesome walking around the glacier & even into 2 ice caves. And then helicopter back and then another flight back to Queenstown. Great views of Mt Cook and the glacier. What a perfect day!

We had an unreal experience & this truly was a top 3 moment of our lives. Thanks to Andrew, our pilot from TrueSouth who gave us a smooth experience even with some bad winds. Scott was a great guide who showed us around the glacier. His energy made the whole experience pass by so fast as we explored the glacier. This is something we would do again & recommend to anyone! It's not cheap but it is 100% worth it.

This was such a great adventure. True South called us in the morning to confirm the flight was a go (dont check the weather- all the apps seem to be wrong for NZ- it showed over 60% chance of rain on our flight day and it was clear as could be) we arrived and checked in and met our pilot Tanmay who talked about the conditions at Mt Cook and what we could expect. We took a beautiful 45min flight with some narration from Tanmay and then arrived at the base camp to get outfitted for the glacier. They give you boots- and anything else you need to have a successful hike. Another quick flight on the helo to the glacier was also beautiful, and then you get to explore a place that really you could only access by air. it was amazing to be walking on and sometimes through the glacier (ice caves). Truly a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed. True South made everything easy and worry free. Highly recommend.

The experience was out of this world. It was a small group tour, and so it felt more personal. All of the staff were super friendly and or pilot Jason was the perfect tour guide. Even when the weather was iffy, you could tell that the staff really wanted to make the trip successful for the customers. Highly recommended.

Gorgeous scenery, the pilot is lovely and very nice. The guide is responsible and attractive. I am so grateful.

Our pilot Luke was very friendly and helpful. The weather was unpredictable but Luke tried his best to help us land through the thick clouds and find a helicopter to the mountain top.

The staff at True South truly deserve 5 stars plus. True South is a well run outfit with seamless professionalism by its staff and pilots. The Tasman Glacier experience is unique and worth doing before the glaciers are gone at the current rate of melt with global warming.

This was an unforgettable experience for the entire family. The plane flight to the helicopter was smooth, beautiful and great with the added points of interest pointed out by Luke our pilot. We were unable to do the glacier hike portion due to incoming weather so instead, Simon our pilot, landed flawlessly mid point of the mountain. What pristine terrain and unforgettable scenery! Would highly recommend to anyone looking for an incredible adventure.

The Tasman Glacier hike was absolutely breathtaking! From the moment we took off our pilot Luke made us feel comfortable and excited for the adventure ahead. He was incredibly friendly and shared fascinating insights about the area, making the flight a highlight in itself. Our guide, Scott, was super nice and knowledgeable. He expertly navigated us through the stunning glacial landscape and made sure we had a safe and unforgettable experience. His passion for the glacier was contagious and he truly made the trip one of a kind. I absolutely loved this experience and can't wait to do it again next time I visit!

A fabulous experience flying over to Mt Cook and back and trekking the glacier - beautiful weather, crawling and sliding through glaciers and learning about the area from the air and ice was a truly memorable day. To top it off, our pilot, Luke, was very knowledgable, and looked after us for the whole trip. Our trekking guide, Ange, made our trek such a safe and great adventure that time went way too fast! Highly recommend!

We had an absolutely amazing experience on this excursion! The pilot (Luke) was experienced and so nice. Our tour guide once on the glacier was knowledgeable and so experienced. He was friendly and accommodating and took videos and pictures for us. He even took us into the glaciers. We had a wonderful experience and the weather was amazing that day.

Amazing scenery that would take your breath away. A special experience walking on the glacier. The view was just epic. A must visit site and definitely a memory that will last a lifetime.

The best day out ever! Absolute blast, loved it. Such an amazing experience. Jason did a fantastic job flying us in and showing and sharing the spectacular sights. The team who took the heli hike were also fantastic, so friendly and helpful. Was definitely a highlight and a bucket list memory.

First time on a small plane, first time in a helicopter and first time on a glacier. Jason the pilot out of Queenstown and back was awesome and Mike the helicopter was incredible! Thanks for the views. Out guide Scott on the ice was the coolest mate ever and the glacier hike was the most amazing thing I’ve done. Just incredible. Thanks guys!!🤙🏻

We're a family of four with two daughters (12 and 14) and booked the Tasman Glacier Heli Hike trip with True South. The communication leading up to the trip was excellent and the check in process easy. Our pilot,Jason, walked us across the street from the True South offices and right to the airplane. He gave us some easy instructions and seat assignments and we were off. Jason was an awesome tour guide/pilot as we flew the 50 minutes to Mt Cook, pointing out both interesting geographical features and sites. At the Mt Cook airport he walked us to the Alpine Guides folks and introduced us, told us to have fun, and he'd be there when we got back. The Alpine Guides folks were also friendly and accommodating. Check in and getting geared up was easy. They gave us good hiking boots and made sure our coats, hats, and gloves were adequate (and had loaners if needed). We were put in assigned seats in the helicopter and were flown by the amazing pilot, Mike, up the glacier about 15 minutes to the landing site where our guide, Scott, met us and safely got us onto the ice. He showed us how to put our krampons (spikes) on our boots, gave us instructions for safely navigating the glacier and we set off. Scott is clearly passionate about educating people about the glacier, how they form and change, and why they behave the way they do. We were very lucky to have two ice caves to hike through. Scott encouraged us to take our time and really look at the ice and take as many photos as we could. At the end of the hike we made our way back to the landing site and Mike came in to pick us and delivering us safely back at the airport. Jason was there waiting for us to fly us back to Queenstown. We never felt rushed and Jason was so accommodating the entire trip. It felt like he was a friend along for the adventure with us. We can't recommend True South enough. This was a once in a lifetime experience that exceeded every expectation.

This was an absolutely breathtaking and amazing experience. The views on the plane ride were incredible, so many "wow" moments. The heli ride to the glacier was awesome. The glacier hike was exhilarating! If you do one tour while in Queenstown, this would be my number 1 choice hands down! Everyone involved from the shuttle driver, the staff that briefs you, to of course our pilot and our hike guide - were professional, friendly and made the day unforgettable. Thank you for such a wonderful experience :)

This was an absolutely breathtaking and amazing experience. The views on the plane ride were incredible, so many "wow" moments. The heli ride to the glacier was awesome. The glacier hike was exhilarating! If you do one tour while in Queenstown, this would be my number 1 choice hands down! Everyone involved from the shuttle driver, the staff that briefs you, to of course our pilot and our hike guide - were professional, friendly and made the day unforgettable. Thank you for such a wonderful experience :)

Truly an amazing experience to be able to land on a glacier and explore ice caves with an experienced guide. James, our pilot, flew us on a breathtaking flight by Mount Cook and other glaciers in the Southern Alps. The flight to and from Queenstown was very smooth. The operation was truly seamless. I would highly recommend this tour if you are based in Queenstown and don’t want to drive out to see the glaciers. This is a one of a kind experience that I will never forget!

I ended up at Franz Joseph and it was AMAZING. The flight alone from QT over the alps was unbelievable. I was originally cancelled for Tasman, but they did everything to find me something for the one day I had available. They were open and honest about limitations re: weather (we luckily had none!), and truly were so nice and so helpful. Pilot was great. Could not have had a more amazing experience in the glacier. 5 million stars.

It was very fun and the guide is kind :D :) i be the model whem we getting ice claw on when i go up at ski plane i feel little bit throw up

Absolutely fabulous trip from the time we got picked until we returned. Light plane flight to Mt Cook was great. Pilot commentary was very informative and interesting. Helicopter up to the glacier was equally as great. Our guides Sam and Emma made sure we experienced as much as we could safely. You are in a group of 10, which was fine.

Today's trip was EPIC! From the moment we were picked up, we knew this business had a great operation. We flew to Mt Cook with Sam, who flew the plane perfectly, not a bump, not a thump; it was as if we were floating. His local knowledge was impressive, and he was a downright lovely bloke! He made my husband’s fear of heights tolerable, which had never happened before. We hope to be back and fly with him again, 10/10! On the ground, at the Glazier we met our tour guide, Scott, who was equally outstanding, possibly the best guide we’ve ever had. We’re on a complete high from today’s adventure and will most definitely be using your services again. Thank you!

This is a fantastic experience, Matt our guild was fantastic and really looked after us and the group ensuring safety and a great experience The whole trip was fantastic, great scenery and once in a lifetime memory… Would have been a five star no doubt except for how we were greeted on return by the girl working on ground staff, We returned, got off the helicopter and walked into the terminal as had no other instructions After 5 minutes in the terminal we were approached by a young lady that said, did you just get off the last helicopter in. Yes I said. Why didn’t you wait in the yellow box she asked Because no one told us too I replied. You were supposed to wait in the yellow box, No one told us too Now I have to write a report on this. Not my issue I said. She again said you had to wait in the yellow box And again i said no one told us. When leaving my wife who missed the whole conversation said ‘thanks that great’ and was greeted with a grunt. 11 out of 10 experience if you take this girl out of play as the rest of it was amazing, pilot and guide fantastic. Only takes one person to pull things down.

Such a great experience, our guide Scott was very knowledgeable and made sure the whole group got to see some unique sights. Seeing the Glacier up close was definitely a highlight of the trip.

We got lucky to have a beautiful day and were able to hike through ice structures on Tasman Glacier. The helicopter ride from camp to the glacier and the scenic flights from Queenstown town were amazing and an experience in itself!

Can't beat the beautiful views. Great experience! All guides and pilots we're very professional and ensure everyone is having a great time.

An Amazing experience! Jason, our pilot, was outstanding and very skilled! They picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel. We highly recommend this once in a lifetime experience. Matt, our hiking guide was amazing too