Franz Josef Glacier is 12 kilometers long and found on New Zealand’s West Coast (South Island). It’s the world’s fastest moving glacier – moving at speeds of up to one meter per day. Big Franz Glacier is located only 300 meters above sea level and is surrounded near its base by temperate rainforest.
It’s a fascinating sight, as this photo hopefully shows.
Franz Josef Glacier
You have a number of different options if you want to see the glacier.
You can go on a guided glacier tour with Franz Josef Glacier Guides. Read my review of the experience here.
Also, a number of different companies in Franz offer helicopter tours. Check out this post for some great pictures from one of the flights.
I took the photo featured here from the summit of Alex Knob. This 4,249 foot peak can be reached in about four hours. The trail head leaves from just outside of the village.
It’s a challenging walk, but you’re afforded superb views of the glacier, the surrounding mountains, and the Tasman Sea – so long as you go on a clear day. The earlier you start, the better your chances of reaching the summit before the afternoon clouds roll in.
Do you have a photo and a brief write-up you’d like featured on Backpackingmatt’s Monday Escape? Email me at matt (at) backpackingmatt (dot) com. I’ll gladly post your photo with a link back to your blog. Cheers!
When I first made plans to move to New Zealand, buying a campervan was never something I imagined myself doing. While I am here on a working holiday, I didn’t suspect I’d want to invest in a vehicle. I have never owned a car in the US, and I certainly didn’t think I would buy my first vehicle as a backpacker in New Zealand.
I thought wrong. Shortly after arriving in Auckland, Nicole and I began to realize that traveling in a campervan was the ideal way to get around the country. We didn’t want to be committed to the schedules and routes of an InterCity bus. We didn’t want to be trapped in a Kiwi Experience bus with loud, 18 year old, gap year drunks. And we absolutely didn’t want a Kiwi Experience bus driver deciding what corners of New Zealand we would get to see.
We wanted the flexibility of going where we wanted to go, when we wanted to go there. Having your own car or van with a generator like one of these allows you to see more of New Zealand than you would if you traveling by bus. Also, we decided to buy a van on the assumption we’d save money in the long run. Instead of paying $25-30 a night for a hostel, we often stay for free in the van.
View of the Tasman Sea
We bought our campervan, Max, in Auckland. Here’s how you can do it too:
Buying a campervan (or car) is a very realistic option for the working holiday maker or backpacker who is traveling to New Zealand for more than a couple weeks time. If you’re here for much less than two months, I wouldn’t suggest buying a car. While it’s an easy process, you run the risk of spending too much time looking for and then attempting to sell your vehicle.
Where to look …
There are plenty of older, affordable cars and vans throughout New Zealand. Many of these have been passed down from backpacker to backpacker. These are your best bet and you’ll have the most luck looking for your van in one of New Zealand’s population centers: Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch. Chances are, they’ll be cheaper in a city where there are more options.
Hostels will have notice boards listing various backpacker related items for sale. These items will very often include backpacker cars and vans. Spend an afternoon looking around the hostels in one of New Zealand’s cities. In Auckland, I stayed at Base ACB (a terrible hostel which I don’t recommend). They actually had an entire notebook with various backpacker cars and vans for sale. It was a terrific resource.
I also recommend you check out Backpackerboard.co.nz’sonline listings. This is where I found Max, and it includes a constantly updated list of backpackers’ vehicles for sale. There is no middleman involved, so you’ll get what the seller thinks the car or van is actually worth. If you’re unable to find a van using hostel noticeboards or online listings, your next best bet is to look at a Backpackers Car Market.
Max
You’ll find a Backpackers Car Market in both Auckland and Christchurch. Often, these are where backpackers end up selling their cars or vans if they wait to long to do it on their own. These companies buy cars and vans from backpackers, and sell them back to backpackers. Expect the prices here to be significantly higher than they would be if you find a personal sale elsewhere. Nonetheless, the car markets often have good, quality vans. Before they can be sold, they are required to have a mechanical check. Chances are, you won’t get stuck with a lemon as the Car Market wouldn’t want to buy a lemon.
Lastly, you can check out Car Fairs in many of New Zealand’s larger cities. These will have a much wider selection of cars, trucks, and vans, which aren’t going to be specifically geared towards the backpacker. If you find a van at a Backpackers Car Market, or on a hostel notice board, or on Backpackerboard, chances are these will be converted with sleeping facilities, cooking supplies, maps, guidebooks, and anything else you might need on the road.
Things to consider before you buy …
Warrant of Fitness (Wof): All vehicles on New Zealand’s roads must undergo a test to ensure they’re safe for the road. A Warrant of Fitness essentially says that your van is roadworthy and safe. Older vehicles must undergo a WoF inspection every six months.
Considering this, I recommend you look for a van that has been recently WoFed. You’ll be guaranteed no immediate expenses – baring something doesn’t go wrong mechanically. If you buy a van which has to have its WoF inspection in three weeks, you run the risk of a garage bill of hundreds of dollars.
You might also consider arranging to take the vehicle you’re interested in to a mechanic to have a general inspection of the vehicles’ health. This shouldn’t cost you over $100.
Registration (ReGo): Similar to the WoF, all cars on New Zealand roads are required to be registered. While not a huge expense, it will cost you about $100 for every three months of registration. Check to see how long the car or van you’re buying is registered for. All registration labels are found on the top, left hand corner of the windshield.
Gas or Diesel: One of the first things you’ll notice about fuel prices in New Zealand is the stark difference between the price of diesel and gas. Diesel is significantly cheaper – at the moment, about seventy cents cheaper per liter. On the surface, you’d expect to save heaps of money with a diesel van. In reality, you don’t end up saving any money. In addition to a Registration fee, you’re required to pay road user charges for each 1,000 kms you drive.
Supplies: Does your van come with a New Zealand atlas? What about a gas cooker? Or pots and pans? These items add up quick quickly in New Zealand. Consider what things are or are not included when looking for a van.
After you find your van …
I was shocked by how easy it was to complete the purchase of my van. After you’ve paid for your new ride, a quick trip to any Post Shop will allow you to finish the deal. You’ll need to file for a change of ownershipwhich will cost you about $10. You’ll need to list an address on this form, but the address of the hostel where you’re staying will do.
Believe it or not, insurance is not mandatory in New Zealand – not even Third Party Insurance. This actually makes buying insurance a pretty good idea in my mind. I was surprised to find the process of insuring my van cheap and easy.
BBH (Budget Backpackers Hostels) offer third party insurance packages specifically geared for backpackers. They can be purchased online. It’s quick and easy, but it’s also overpriced. If you’ll be in New Zealand for a short period of time, it’s arguably the way to go. Policies for as little as three months can be purchased and would cost you $180 if you were over 25. The longer your policy, the cheaper the cost.
I opted to go with Kiwi Bank Auto Insurance. You can find details at the Post Shop when you’re transferring ownership of your new vehicle. This option is significantly cheaper. I pay just about $30 a month to insure my van with Kiwi bank – and, in addition to third party insurance, I get full coverage plus fire and theft.
How much?
How much you spend will depend on a number of factors. If you’re buying at the start of the summer, you’ll pay significantly more than you would in the middle of the winter. Either way, you can expect to pay $3000 or more for an adequate campervan with sleeping facilities. You could get away spending less than $2000 if you went the car route.
This is certainly easier to stomach if you’re traveling with a friend. Also, you can plan on getting all or a good portion of the cost back when you decide to sell. Do realize if you’re buying in the summer, and selling in the winter, you may inevitable lose some of what you paid.
Buying a van in New Zealand is a straightforward process. It’s so easy, a backpacker can do it. And you should.
Are you considering buying a car or van in New Zealand? While I hope this post was hopeful, I trust it didn’t answer all of your questions. Send any questions you have my way. Use the contact form or email at (matt) at (backpackingmatt) dot (com)
On my interrail trip across Europe in 2008, I decided to begin my journey across the continent in Amsterdam. Amsterdam was a ‘must see’ for me and should be for any backpacker.
Considering its location, Amsterdam is a logical place to start your interrail trip. You can head south to France via Belgium, or you can head east to Germany. Whichever path you decide to take, Amsterdam is beautiful city and well worth a couple days of your time.
Amsterdam Canal
Amsterdam is often referred to as the ‘Venice of the North.’ It’s full of picturesque canals, 17th Century cobblestone streets, beautiful parks, famed coffeeshops, and terrific museums. And, well, prostitutes. With decriminalized drugs and legalized prostitution, Amsterdam undoubtedly has quite the reputation among backpackers. But if you visit Amsterdam and walk away only knowing the Red Light District and a couple of coffee shops, you’ve missed out.
Don’t miss …
The Van Gogh Museum – though it’s a trek from the city center, this museum can’t be missed. It houses the lagest Van Gogh collection in the world and is an amazing place to spend a day.
The Houseboat Museum – on many of Amsterdam’s canals, you’ll come across houseboats which serve as homes for many of Amsterdam’s permanent residents. This small museum (or houseboat) gives you a taste of what life living in a boat would be like. Well worth your four Euros.
The narrowest house – Amsterdam’s (and perhaps the world’s) narrowest house is found at Singel 7. It’s only three feet wide and is certainly a site to see.
Today’s guest post was submitted by Nicole Graham. Nicole has a passion for Scotland that is probably unsurpassed by few.
Nicole has also written a great post about her hometown and favorite city in the world, Edinburgh – read about her perspective of Scotland’s capital here.
Many people often come to Scotland for a city break, whether it’s Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh, or Aberdeen. Some seem to forget about the rest of Scotland, and to me the most beautiful parts of this country are found by escaping the cities and heading out to the wilderness of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Steeped in history dating back more than a thousand years, Scotland’s past is filled with stories of freedom fighters, clans and their lands, Kings, Queens, and bloody battles against the English.
Highlands
If you are planning a trip to Edinburgh and you’re short on time, think about taking a day trip out of the city and up into the most stunning scenery this country has to offer.
Haggis Adventure Tours offer one day round trip tours to Loch Ness, near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. The tour, the Loch Ness Hunter, heads north out of Edinburgh towards Stirling Castle, the Trossachs National Park, Rannoch Moor and the infamous Glencoe. It continues north through Fort William, home of Scotland’s highest peak Ben Nevis. You then follow the Great Glen and stop for lunch in the highland village of Fort Augustus on the banks of bonny Loch Ness. Here you have the option to take a boat trip out onto the Loch to perhaps do some monster spotting.
Loch Ness is definitely a must see sight in Scotland. Its mysterious, murky black water stretches over 24 miles up the Great Glen fault line and is 924m deep. All the water from England and Wales is still not enough to fill this monster of a Loch. Loch Ness is of course not just famous for its size and depth, it’s what’s lurking beneath that makes it probably one of the most famous bodies of water in the world – Nessie.
Loch Ness
After a couple of hours its back on the road again this time heading South down through ‘Monarch of the Glen’ country, Perthshire and a quick visit to the historic town of Dunkeld before heading back towards Edinburgh over the famous Forth Road Bridge.
This tour gives visitors a chance to see some of the most beautiful scenery Scotland has to offer in a day. It’s great for backpackers with a time schedule and a budget. Haggis Adventure Tours ensure that you learn something too – their informative guides will tell you stories of legends past and present, of Kings and Queens, and of bloody battles. They have an incredible passion for Scotland, its history, and its landscape, and they’ll leave you wanting to know and see more of this truly fascinating country.
If you are thinking of taking a day trip with Haggis Adventure Tours, here is some info to get you started:
Price: The one day tour will cost you GBP32 and includes a free packed lunch. Not bad considering it’s a full day.
Times: Tours run daily. They depart Edinburgh’s Royal Mile at 8am and return at 8pm.
If you have any additional questions about the tour, send them to matt@backpackingmatt.com and I’ll send it on to Nicole.
If you’re thinking of taxing a tour with Haggis Adventures (or their parent company, Radical Travel), do me a favor and book your trip with this link. I’ll earn a small but appreciated commission on your purchase. Cheers!
Below is an edited post which originally appeared on my first blog, ‘a year abroad.’ This blog allowed me to document my thoughts and stories from my travels around Ireland, Scotland, and mainland Europe. You’ll find these posts in their original format on this blog – also, I’ve decided to occasionally edit and repost some of these stories for any new readers which may be stopping by backpackingmatt. Enjoy!
My experience thus far in Turkey has at times left me speechless. The history and beauty of the country aside, Turkey is full of brilliant people. I have read so much about the kindness of the Turkish people. It has been amazing to finally experience the kind, hospitable, and outgoing culture first hand.
Unlike Western European countries who sometimes seem to have grown tired and sometimes bitter of the tourists which flock to their cities, Turkey embraces the tourist. Everywhere I’ve traveled, I’ve encountered a society which embraces tourists and goes out of their way to ensure you (as a traveler) have the best possible experience in their country.
Since arriving in Turkey, I’ve drank more tea and played more backgammon than I ever imagined was possible. Turkey is famous the world around for its coffee – brewed in its own, unique way. Turkish coffee is brewed in a special pot called a cezve; the pot is heated three times and each time taken away from the heat when the foam reaches the neck of the cezve. Prepared with sugar, Turkish coffee is thick and strong. To be honest, it’s not really to my liking. I’ve grown far more fond of the black tea which many of the Turkish drink.
Brian, Peter, and I have spent a good deal of time in the traditional, Turkish Kahveane – an area where men congregate to drink tea, play the national game of tavla (backgamon), and socialize. Each time we walk into one of these Kahveanes, we are immediately recognized as tourists. The men in the Kahveanes
Backgammon
will always come to us, welcome us to Turkey, and do their best to speak with us – regardless of how good or bad their English is.
This isn’t unique to the Kahveanes. Wherever I’ve been, I’ve been almost overwhelmed with the number of people who go out of their way to speak with me. Even if their English is limited to, “Where are you from?” they do everything they can to make you feel welcome in their country. It’s very refreshing.
Two nights ago, Brian, Peter, and I were wandering the streets of Selcuk awaiting a pick up from our hostel. As we were walking, I was fiddling with my Turkish beads I had picked up at the bazaar in Izmir.
A man approached me on the street and let me know I was doing it all wrong … he took them from me, and began to spin them as the Turkish do. As he was doing this, the string on which the beads were attached broke. You could instantly see the embarrassment in his eyes. He insisted on taking me to his shop and fixing the beads for me.
The three of us followed him to his nearby shop. As he was working on my beads, he offered us tea. Wrongly, we first tried to object to his offer. The Turkish often are offended by the refusal of gifts or refreshments. After he continued to insist on the tea, we all accepted his offer. As we were talking, one of his mates came in and started talking with us as well. After the beads were fixed, we were invited to Ali’s Turkish carpet shop where we spent the next couple hours talking, playing tavla, learning about Turkish carpets, and drinking tea.
“You should never deny the offer for a cup of tea,” he told us. “In Turkey, we say that one cup of tea will lead to 40 years of friendship.”
Kia Ora - I'm Matt. Adventurer, Instagrammer and New Zealand travel planning expert living in Queenstown, NZ. Founder of Planit NZ - New Zealand's largest travel planning & booking website.
Hello! I’m Matt. Thanks for checking out my blog. Be sure to follow me on Instagram for loads more New Zealand travel inspiration. Comment on one of my photos so I know you came from here!
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