Top South Island Helicopter Tours

Experience the mighty heights of Mount Cook from a different perspective as you fly around New Zealand’s highest mountain. This 45-minute helicopter ride takes in the highlights of the Mount Cook National Park, soaring over the Tasman Terminal Lake, swooping past the Hochstetter Icefall, and touching down on the Tasman Glacier. Hotel pickup and drop-off is included.

Located in the heart of Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound forms part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. Explore the stunning fiord by air and water during a half-day excursion. The exhilarating, round-trip helicopter flight from Queenstown includes a glacier landing on Mt. Tutoko. Perhaps spot dolphins, seals, and penguins during an unforgettable cruise.

See the Franz Josef Glacier from the air on a helicopter flight above ice falls, snowfields, and crevasses. Touch down on a snowfield to see the icy landscape up close, and take in sweeping views across the maritime glacier. This helicopter tour departs from a helipad in Franz Josef township.

The Mount Cook National Park is home to New Zealand’s longest glacier and highest mountain, and the stunning scenery is even more impressive from above. This tour includes a thrilling aerial tour by both ski plane and helicopter, soaring over the Tasman Glacier and Hochstetter icefall, and touching down on a snow-covered mountaintop. Hotel pickup and drop-off is included.

Soar to new heights on a 20-minute helicopter tour and alpine landing in the Remarkables, a mountain range that dominates the eastern skyline of Queenstown. Hover up close to the eponymous peaks and land 5,046 feet (1,538 meters) above Lake Wakatipu with unparalleled views stretching all the way to the Southern Alps. Your six-passenger helicopter flight includes hotel pickup and drop-off.

Appreciate the majesty and scale of Franz Josef and Fox glaciers from the air during a 30-minute helicopter flight and snow landing. Enjoy aerial views over both glaciers from your prime position in the sky, and hear live commentary from the professional pilot before landing atop either Fox or Franz Josef. Then hop out and focus your camera lens on a glacial scene of frozen icefalls, glowing blue ice fields and plunging crevasses — considered to be among New Zealand’s most stunning landscapes.

A scenic helicopter flight is the ultimate way to see New Zealand's Southern Alps. Soar through the sky on a 55-minute aerial tour of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Westland national parks. Top it off with a snow landing on Franz Josef, Fox, or Tasman glacier. Hotel pickup and drop-off is included.

The glacial waters, soaring cliffs, and thundering waterfalls of Milford Sound are spectacular from all angles, and this half-day tour takes in all the highlights. Enjoy thrilling aerial views of the Fiordland National Park on a round-trip flight from Queenstown, and marvel at Mitre Peak, Bowen Falls, and Mount Pembroke on a scenic Milford Sound cruise. Hotel pickup and drop-off is included.

See New Zealand's spectacular alpine landscape on a 30-minute scenic helicopter flight from Queenstown. Fly over Skippers Canyon and the Wakatipu Basin, and land on a snow-capped peak.

Truly the best way to see Milford Sound is by helicopter. Soaring high above the cruise boats, you’ll fly the length of the stunning fiord all the way to the Tasman Sea. This 2.5-hour aerial adventure from Queenstown takes you into the heart of Fiordland National Park. Your professional pilot hovers above iconic Mitre Peak and makes a landing on a coastal beach and atop Mt Tutoko glacier.

Experience the thrill of a helicopter flight and snow landing on a 20-minute scenic helicopter tour, departing from Mt Cook township. You’ll get sweeping views over the Ben Ohau Range in the Canterbury region before touching down on a landing site in a snowfield high in the mountains. Enjoy this South Island alpine setting as your professional pilot narrates the vista, including Lake Pukaki, from above.

New Zealand’s longest glacier is even more spectacular from above and this 25-minute helicopter ride includes a touchdown on the Tasman Glacier. Soar over the Mount Cook National Park, gaze down over the Tasman Terminal Lake, then hop out to admire the icy landscapes up close. Hotel pickup and drop-off is included.

Discover the best views of Queenstown from 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) on a 20-minute helicopter tour. Look down upon vast Lake Wakatipu and make an Alpine landing in the Remarkables Range, with Coronet Peak and Cecil Peak in the distance. It's a sensational photo opportunity. Hotel pickup and drop-off included.

Experience a Franz Josef Glacier heli-hike as you explore ice caves and other glacial terrain with a professional guide.  Then don provided boots, jacket and ice axe for a guided hike past deep crevasses and towering ice-blue pinnacles before the return chopper ride down. Choose from seasonal departure times to suit your schedule.

This 20-minute scenic helicopter flight takes you soaring above Franz Josef Glacier or Fox Glacier with a snow landing at the top — the perfect opportunity to get up close to a glacier in the South Island. You’ll be captivated as you lift off and fly up and over towering ice formations before a soft landing in a snowfield. Admire Mt Cook/Aoraki, New Zealand’s highest peak, from the glacial summit.

Take to the skies on a 50-minute Queenstown helicopter flight that includes a snow landing on Jura Glacier. Soar above Lake Wakatipu’s northern shores and discover unparalleled views of New Zealand’s Southern Alps from an aerial perspective. After your pilot lands atop the glacier, snap photos of surrounding alpine peaks, such as Mt Aspiring, before the return helicopter ride over glacier-fed lakes and the Rees and Dart River valleys.

Take a 1.5-hour helicopter tour to Milford Sound from Queenstown, including a landing in Milford Sound and a remote alpine landing. Fly into the UNESCO-listed Fiordland National Park, soaring over the South Island’s most dramatic scenery, such as Mitre Peak. You'll land in the remote mountains near the fiord. Hear entertaining live commentary from your professional pilot who points out remote alpine lakes and the rugged mountain peaks of New Zealand’s Southern Alps. The round-trip helicopter flight includes hotel pickup and drop-off.

On this Franz Josef Glacier helicopter tour and hike, land atop the glacier and explore ice caves and pinnacles with a small group. Soar above New Zealand’s Southern Alps during a scenic flight, then grab your crampons and make your way through dramatic ice formations during a moderately difficult hike. After your return flight.. Numbers are limited to 11 to ensure personalized attention from your expert guide.

Take your Queenstown visit to new ‘heights’ of adventure thanks to this 50-minute helicopter flight complete with a glacier landing. Soar above the spectacular scenery of Mt. Aspiring National Park, gliding above turquoise ice formations, hidden alpine lakes and towering mountains before landing on top of a glacier for photos.

Float into the air and above the mountains with this helicopter ride, which gets you to gorgeous high places without needing expert mountaineering skills. Glide over Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain and down the Tasman glacier, getting a spectacular view with helpful commentary from the pilot.

Gain up-close access to the remote alpine landscapes of the South Island on a premier helicopter flight. This 40-minute aerial tour from Mt Cook village soars above the Southern Alps and makes a snow landing atop Tasman Glacier, where you’ll enjoy prime views of Aoraki/Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak. Back in the air. Then, fly through the Burnett Mountains and marvel at the expansive Mackenzie Basin below.

Take a window seat for a scenic round-trip flight from Queenstown to Milford Sound, and see the splendor of Fiordland National Park from the air and sea. Board a cruise and pass dramatic waterfalls and Mitre Peak as you travel to the Tasman Sea. Then soar over the Southern Alps on your return.

The Fox and Franz Josef glaciers are New Zealand’s largest and most magnificent glaciers, and many visitors find it hard to choose between them. This helicopter tour takes in both with a thrilling flight over snowy peaks and frozen waterfalls, and an unforgettable snow landing overlooking the glacier.

The rugged peaks, wild glacial valleys, and frozen rivers of the Fox Glacier are even more impressive from above and a helicopter flight offers an unbeatable viewpoint. Hop aboard for a scenic helicopter ride, gaze out over the magnificent landscapes, then enjoy a thrilling snow landing overlooking the glacier.

Avoid the crowds and experience the grandeur of Milford Sound from the seat of a helicopter. This exclusive two-hour ride via helicopter will take you the full length of Milford Sound and, weather permitting, land on a glacier in Fiordland National Park. Listen to informative commentary from your skilled pilot during the trip, and stop for a short walk and photo opportunity at Milford Sound.