Day 11: Punakaiki → Franz Josef
2026-11-12 · Punakaiki → Franz Josef
134 mi · 216 km · 3h 21m @40mph
A morning limestone-canyon walk up the Pororari River, then south to Hokitika for lunch and greenstone galleries (with an optional detour to turquoise Hokitika Gorge). Arrive Franz Josef around 4:30pm; if it's clear, Lake Matheson at sunset for the mirror reflection of Aoraki.
Stops
- Pororari River Track~09:34walkLimestone-canyon river walk through nikau palm forest at Punakaiki, an easy jungle-like stroll.
- Hokitika~11:07townHistoric West Coast greenstone town with pounamu galleries, a driftwood beach, and a glowworm dell.
- Hokitika Gorge~12:41viewpointUnreal turquoise glacial water under a swing bridge, 33 km inland from Hokitika.
- Franz Josef Glacier~14:14sightA glacier tumbling through rainforest; valley walk to the viewpoint, or a heli-hike onto the ice.
- Lake Matheson~15:48walkA dark, tannin-stained lake near Fox Glacier whose mirror-still surface produces some of New Zealand's most famous reflections of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, best at dawn on a calm day.
Tonight: Franz Josef
No place picked for this night yet.
In Franz Josef base plan
- Franz Josef TOP 10 Holiday Park holiday-park
Two-night base in Franz Josef village for the glacier and the flex day. Powered sites; book both nights — the park sells out in season.