Stan

Hello! we will be travelling by train then coach from Christchurch to Franz Joseph in January. The trip is approx 8 1/2 hours total.<BR><BR>Any suggestions about lodgings which are close to the station would be appriciated.<BR><BR>If a person is physically challenged, unable to do the wonderful walks and other activities which can be experienced, would it be worthwhile to stay more than overnight before continuing on to Queenstown and the rest of the island?<BR><BR>Thanks for your guidance.......

LN

HI Stan<BR><BR>If you are going to Franz Josef I would suggest that you stay within the little village and NOT on the outskirts at "Glacier Gateway motel. It would leave you very stranded as it did us. Also, I would have to be honest and tell you that I think it could be impossible for you to get to the glacier. You must walk up a long riverbed and then climb up and down and it was challenging. <BR><BR>What I might suggest (and I suggest it cause I wish we had done it) would be to take a helicopter and tour franz Josef and Mt Cook using the same tour. I know this can be done cause we saw it after we had taken the 8 1/2 bus trip. You wouldn't be nearly as tired after taking the helicopter and you would get views of the glacier and Mt Cook that none of us on the ground did.<BR><BR>Have a wonderful time on your trip.

margo

I can't recall where I stayed at the glaciers, but I seem to recall that pickin's were slim.<BR><BR>I would reinforce the helicopter tour, though. I did it and it was the most magnificent thing I've seen / done. Depending on your degree of disability, you can get out and wander around the glacier a bit, but even without, it's just the most spectacular thing.<BR><BR>You'll be tired after the train / coach trip, so take a rest day, if you can afford the time. That way, you'll be awake enough to appreciate the next stage of the trip, through some spectacular scenery to Queenstown.

Stan

Thank you LN and Margo for your help! We will stay a full day and take the helicopter trip if physically able. We are so much looking forward to this trip but need more advance planning than we would like due to my being in a wheelchair. Any and all suggestions are most welcomed.

LN

Stan<BR><BR>I learned about the heli trips using google.com - in your search do franz josef helicopter tour and a couple tours should show up. I believe that could be a little more helpful than getting around by yourself. Are you able to get around at all without the chair or do you not have any mobility? As you have probably gathered by now New Zealand is a beautiful but rugged country. I believe that if you can talk with some of the tour operators that you'd like to take you can learn more of your capabilities.<BR><BR>I know you both will love Christchurch and Queenstown, although Queenstown is quite hilly and you might be better off staying near the lake (perhaps at Rydges hotel). There's a great boat trip to take on the Lake and you'll enjoy that and probably the tram to the top of the mountain. Good luck and if I run across any of our tour people I'll pass them on. You're going to love it there!!! And one of the extra special things - your dollar goes 3 times as far.....