Franz Josef on a rainy day
Rain is part of life in Glacier Country, and it doesn't have to spoil your visit. Flights and some walks are called off in bad weather, but the West Coast Wildlife Centre is fully indoors, with kiwi, kororā, tuatara, a glacier attraction and Māori storytelling areas. Every ticket is a 48-hour pass, so you can split the visit around the showers.
:format(webp))
What rain changes
Scenic flights don't fly in low cloud, and the call is usually made on the morning, so hold your flight early in your stay and keep a second day spare if you can. Tracks near rivers can close after heavy rain, because West Coast rivers rise fast. Check the MetService forecast for Franz Josef before you plan, and read our regional risks page.
Rain doesn't have to spoil the day. The Centre is fully indoors, and every ticket is a 48-hour pass, so you can split your visit around the showers rather than wait them out.
A wet-day plan around the Centre
Two indoor blocks on one 48-hour pass, with any break in the weather in between. Nothing here needs the sun.
-
9:00 am
Start with the kiwi
45 minutes:format(avif))
Meet the kiwiA grey morning is a good time for the nocturnal house, which is kept dim for the birds whatever the weather outside. Stand still for 3-4 minutes and let your eyes adjust; the kiwi are foraging in the leaf litter, often closer than you expect. If you can't spot one, ask a team member, who can help with an infrared torch.
-
11am
Morning kororā feeding
Meet the kororāThe rescued kororā don't mind the rain. Their feeding is part of admission, and the keepers explain how each bird came to live at the Centre.
-
Late morning
The glacier attraction
30–45 minutes:format(avif))
If cloud has grounded your flight or closed the valley walk, this is the glacier up close. Walk between the ice walls and learn how the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers formed, how they moved and carved the valleys you drove through, and what a warming climate is doing to them now.
-
Midday
Lunch at our café
1 hour:format(avif))
Our café is in the same building, so you can stay dry over lunch. Food from outside can't be brought into the Centre, but the bakery can make up a packed lunch if you're heading out later. The shop is next door, and the only dedicated bank ATM between Hokitika and Haast is just outside.
-
Afternoon
A break in the weather
1–2 hoursRegional risks to know aboutIf the rain eases, a short rainforest walk near the village is worth doing wet: the moss and ferns are at their brightest and the waterfalls are running. Stick to short, well-formed tracks, stay away from rivers and streams, which rise quickly here, and turn back if the water looks high.
-
3pm
Back in for the afternoon feeding
Meet the tuataraYour ticket lets you back in for 48 hours from your first entry, so come back for the afternoon feeding, the tuatara, and anything else you skipped this morning.
-
4pm
VIP Backstage Pass Tour (optional)
About 40 minutes:format(avif))
Book the VIP Backstage Pass TourIf the weather cost you a flight, this is a different kind of highlight. A Kiwi Ranger takes a small group into the hatchery, where rowi and Haast tokoeka are incubated and raised, and gives you a closer, ranger-guided look at the tuatara. What's happening in the hatchery depends on the season. Ages 8 and up.
West Coast Māori storytelling
Inside the Centre, the West Coast Māori storytelling areas share the Māori heritage of South Westland: the bond between the land, its wildlife and its people, and kaitiakitanga, the guardianship of the natural world that runs through the Centre's conservation work. They're part of general admission, and a quiet place to spend time on a wet afternoon, to sit quietly and watch some films.
Other ideas for a wet day
- Check out Franz Josef Wilderness Tours for a quad bike tour or a lake boat trip.
- Pools in the village: a soak in the rain is a Glacier Country habit.
- A lake walk on a day of light rain, when the bush is quiet, and the water is still.
- The indoor glacier attraction again: your pass covers 48 hours.
If the forecast is bad for days, the glacier attraction is the closest you'll get to the ice without a flight.
:format(avif))
More Franz Josef guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What can you do in Franz Josef when it rains?
Spend the morning at the Centre with the kiwi, kororā, tuatara and the glacier attraction, have lunch at our café, and use any break in the weather for a short rainforest walk. Come back on your 48-hour pass for the afternoon feeding.
Do scenic flights run in bad weather?
Not in low cloud or strong wind. The decision is usually made on the morning of the flight, so book early in your stay and keep a spare day if you can.
Is the West Coast Wildlife Centre indoors?
Yes, the whole Centre is indoors: the nocturnal kiwi house, the penguins, the tuatara, the glacier attraction and the Māori storytelling areas. Our café and shop are in the same building.
Can I upgrade my day pass to the VIP tour?
Yes. Show your day pass receipt at the desk and pay the difference, including on the second day of your pass. Places on each tour are limited, so ask early in the day.
Where can I check the weather for Franz Josef?
MetService has a forecast for Franz Josef. The weather changes quickly here, so check on the morning as well as the night before.