New Zealand
Franz Josef Glacier
Kia ora! Franz Josef Glacier is a giant, slow-moving river of ice on New Zealand's South Island, tumbling down from snowy mountains almost all the way to a lush green rainforest.
Why is it famous?
It's one of only a few glaciers in the world that flows down close to a warm, green rainforest instead of bare rock.
The glacier stretches about 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) long, winding down from the Southern Alps.
How was it formed?
Snow falls high in the mountains year after year, packing down into thick ice that slowly slides downhill under its own weight.
Franz Josef moves about ten times faster than most glaciers, so it's always changing — sometimes growing, sometimes shrinking, as it flows.
Amazing facts
Its Māori name, Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere, means "the tears of Hine Hukatere."
Franz Josef is the steepest and fastest-moving glacier in New Zealand.
Quick facts
- Its Māori name, Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere, means "the tears of Hine Hukatere."
- Franz Josef is the steepest and fastest-moving glacier in New Zealand.
- Visitors can hike right up close to the ice, and helicopters can even land on top of the glacier.
- The glacier has grown and shrunk many times over the last century as the weather has changed.