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Lake Matheson Nature Tour: Visit Iconic New Zealand's Great Short Walk for Mountain Reflections
4.8
14 Ratings
Franz Josef / Waiau
Experience the beauty of Lake Matheson, New Zealand’s Great Short Walk, known for its mirror-like reflections of Mt Tasman and Mt Cook. Join our guided nature tour for a relaxing walk through a primeval rainforest and breathtaking mountain views.
Experience the beauty of Lake Matheson, New Zealand’s Great Short Walk, known for its mirror-like reflections of Mt Tasman and Mt Cook. Join our guided nature tour for a relaxing walk through a primeval rainforest and breathtaking mountain views.
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Lake Matheson Walk - Our guide will pick you up from your accommodation or at one of our meeting points, and drive to the Lake Matheson car park. From there you will begin your guided walking tour in our small groups with your knowledgeable guide. There will be lots of stops along the way, with about 30 mins for a cup of tea and a chance to marvel at the views of this stunning mirror-like lake.
- Lake Matheson Walk - Our guide will pick you up from your accommodation or at one of our meeting points, and drive to the Lake Matheson car park. From there you will begin your guided walking tour in our small groups with your knowledgeable guide. There will be lots of stops along the way, with about 30 mins for a cup of tea and a chance to marvel at the views of this stunning mirror-like lake.
What's Included
- Walking poles available upon request
- Limited stock of walking boots - call to reserve
- Umbrellas provided
- Complimentary snacks
- Experienced driver/guide
- Tea and coffee included
- Comfortable transport via air-conditioned minivan
- Wet weather clothing available
- Walking poles available upon request
- Limited stock of walking boots - call to reserve
- Umbrellas provided
- Complimentary snacks
- Experienced driver/guide
- Tea and coffee included
- Comfortable transport via air-conditioned minivan
- Wet weather clothing available
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Water
- Lunch
- Water
Additional Information
Immerse yourself in Lake Matheson’s beauty with Glacier Valley Eco Tours’ Lake Matheson Nature Tour. Nestled in ancient forest, the lake offers stunning mirror views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman. Departing from Franz Josef Glacier, we’ll drive you to Fox Glacier (30 minutes) or pick you up in Fox Glacier. This Great Short Walk meanders around…
Immerse yourself in Lake Matheson’s beauty with Glacier Valley Eco Tours’ Lake Matheson Nature Tour. Nestled in ancient forest, the lake offers stunning mirror views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman. Departing from Franz Josef Glacier, we’ll drive you to Fox Glacier (30 minutes) or pick you up in Fox Glacier. This Great Short Walk meanders around the lake on a well-formed track, crossing bridges and boardwalks over mountain streams, suitable for all ages. Our knowledgeable guides share insights into the lake’s history and the conditions creating its reflections. Join us in the early evening for the best views. Experience Lake Matheson’s serene magic.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Please bring an extra on or two long sleeved warm top layers of clothing
- Please wear suitable footwear for walking
- Please call us to order sizes for wet weather clothing
Location
20 Main Road
Main Road
Glacier Valley Eco Tours, in The Helicopter Line building Franz Josef (next to Glacier Motors) check in is 15 mins prior to the departure time
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(14 Ratings)
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1 star
738lenad
Feb 28, 2025
Worth Every Penny - Beautiful mirror lake. Cliff was an excellent guide, spotting many birds. Our evening trip was marred by cloud obscuring the highest peaks but we saw an amazing sunset on the way back.
You can easily do this without a guide if you had transport. However, the guide was worth every penny. Cliff spotted many birds and had a lot of information on conservation and on the trees, etc.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
L5693uqstephenw
Jan 9, 2025
Peaceful walk around beautiful lake - Following on from our Fox Glacier Tour, we spent the evening wandering around Lake Matheson. Definitely lived up to its mirror lake reputation. Special shout out to our guide Tyler who remained top notch even at the end of a long day. Given close proximity, combines well with Fox Glacier walk.p
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kwjw
Dec 28, 2024
Hiking Lake Matheson - Great guide. Personable and knowledgeable. He was considerate of my knee injury and still provided a great experience
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brubble512
Oct 26, 2024
Excellent lake side walk - Excellent evening walk around Lake Matheson. Cliff and Petra were great guides showing us the different plants and birds in the area. I even added a new bird to my list. There are various viewing points around the lake each showing a different aspect of the reflections in the lake. Even the rain held off until we got back to Franz Joseph. A must do for visitors to this area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
485sherreev
Mar 16, 2024
Splendid Hike! - This is a must-do when you're in the Franz Josef area. And, it really is a hike that is easy enough for most people.
I was transported to Lake Matheson and back, and had some wonderful views of a rainbow with the mountains on the way.
Once at the lake, we started our several hours' hike (with breaks to take pics). The hike is quite easy and there are some beautiful spots to take pics. Jerome told us all about the plants and wildlife in that area, and also had some hot beverages and snacks for us.
The weather co-operated, which gave us some stunning views :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tracyl865
Mar 10, 2024
Could not be better - We were at the end of a month-long trip to New Zealand and our last couple of days of our February 2024 trip before heading towards home was at Franz Josef. We wanted to add a guided activity and found GVET. We arranged a nature guided hike around Lake Matheson. When we arrived for our evening hike, we were greeted by Cliff and Tyana, Tyana was to be our guide and we happened to be her only clients that evening. It is hard to describe the amazing evening we had with Tyana. She knew the environment, was passionate about the surroundings yet had a sense of humor and was just an absolute pleasure to have as a guide. We’ve done a fair amount of guided trips in our travels but the evening with Tyana, no doubt, was our best. I don’t think we could have ended our trip any better or with a better guide. We highly recommend GVET if you are in Franz Josef.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katie
Feb 13, 2024
Absolutely superb, highly recommend. - Wow, what a fabulous evening tour, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Kath our lovely guide was delightful, kind, considerate, so knowledgeable about the plants, wildlife and the area, she is so passionate about what she does it’s infectious and not only did she give us a great tour but also provided a hot drink and delicious cookies, thank you Kath all very much appreciated, we learnt so much. The scenery and nature are just stunning and the icing on the cake was the mountain reflections on the lake, just breathtaking. If you get a chance do this trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kim_b
Feb 5, 2024
Fantastic evening really... - Fantastic evening really lucky with the weather, it was raining when we left, but the sun came was out by the time we reached the lake. We got some beautiful photos of the lake. Lovely mirrored shots well worth a visit. Our guide Jerome was very informative, thank you Jerome for taking us. A real perfect evening
Review provided by Viator
Bridget_b
Jan 18, 2024
Astounding view - Besides the guide being very knowledgeable, the area was beautiful despite the weather being rainy. We were still able to go around the lake
Review provided by Viator
Waltry
Aug 24, 2023
Visit to the South Island of NZ - The place is still charming for all types of people. Hikers and non-hikers, the path is very simple, you walk through the lush vegetation of New Zealand until you reach the fantastic views of Lake Matheson, which is an authentic mirror of the mountains. This visit is a must. You can't miss it if you want to enjoy unbeatable views
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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