OFF-ROAD ADVENTURE
Join us for a guided off-road adventure tour through Franz Josef's rainforests & glacial river bed.- 2 HOURS
- FROM $249
- FREE PHOTOS!
OVERVIEW
Join us for a scenic off-road experience through one of New Zealand’s most spectacular landscapes. This fully guided quad bike and buggy tour takes place in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, exploring Franz Josef’s glacial riverbed and pristine rainforest terrain.
After a safety briefing and a test-run to get comfortable with the controls, you’ll follow your guide on an unforgettable journey across glacier-fed riverbeds, muddy grasslands, and lush Jurassic rainforest. With the Southern Alps and Franz Josef Glacier as your backdrop, the scenery is just as memorable as the ride!
Our off-road adventure tour caters for beginners – or experienced riders alike. Choose from a single quad bike or share a double quad bike with a friend. We also have 2- or 3-seater buggy options which can be great for younger families!
On a clear day, enjoy some of the best views of the Glaciers & Southern Alps! And if it’s raining — even better! The puddles and mud add to the fun, and we’ve got all the gear to keep you dry. “The wetter the better” we like to say.
TIMES & DURATION
- DURATION:
- 2 hours
- WINTER:
- 1 Apr – Sept 30th,
10am / 1:30 pm.
- SPRING:
- 1 Oct – Oct 31st,
10am / 1pm / 4pm.
- SUMMER:
- 1 Nov – Mar 31st,
8:30am / 11:30am
/ 2:30pm / 5:30pm.
PRICES
- Single quad bike
- $249 (from Oct. 1st- $269)
- Double quad bike
- $340 (from Oct. 1st- $360)
- Double buggy
- $340 (from Oct. 1st- $360)
- Triple buggy
- $430 (from Oct. 1st- $450)
Choose your ride!
$249
Single Quad Bike
Ride your own bike on through the rainforest track & trails!
Our single quad bikes are automatic Can-am vehicles. These bikes deliver a comfortable journey over rough terrain featuring independent suspension and power steering!
Our trained and knowledgeable quad bike guides will let you learn the ropes on our test track before we head out on the tracks – so even if you’ve never driven a quad bike before this is a great opportunity to learn!
$340
Double Quad Bike
Our unique double quad bikes are the only certified passenger quad bikes on the market! Bring a passenger along for the ride and enjoy a comfortable trip all around. These double-seater automatic Can-am Outlanders come with power steering. The front and back seats are both padded and spacious, so you’ll be riding across the riverbed in style.
*Please note drivers and passengers cannot swap during the tour.
FROM $340 / $430
2 OR 3 SEATER BUGGY
Book the adventure buggy – which takes up to three passengers! The adventure buggy has a steering wheel instead of handlebars, but takes on all the same terrain as our quad bikes! The Can-am Defender buggy is great for children over 110 cm (generally 4-5 years old), and has a roof overhead.
The 3-seater buggy can be booked as a double or triple passenger vehicle, a great option for those looking for a different driving style, but want to join the same adventure tour as those on the quad bikes.
WHO CAN JOIN
- To ride as a passenger on a double quad bike you must be a min height of 145 cm.
- Passengers on our buggy’s must be min height of 110 cm.
- If you’re children are too short, you might be interested in joining an Off-Road Buggy Ride.
- Drivers must be a minimum of 16 years or older (no drivers license required).
- Drivers with passengers must be a minimum of 18 years or older.
BUNDLE
AND SAVE!
Book 2 tours to save 10% (COMBO10*)
Book 3 tours to save 15% (COMBO15*)
* Direct bookings only. Not valid with other offers. Discounts apply only when booking 2+ tours with the promo code.
WHAT TO BRING
- Come dressed warm enough for the weather on the day.
- Sunglasses if you’ve got them.
- Phone or go-pro (optional). We have go-pro clips on some of our helmets. Phone can be brought along but please note that drivers cannot use their phones on the tour (passengers can).
- Personal belongings may be left in our locked gear shed while on tour.
What’s Included
- FREE high quality digital photos
- Jackets
- Helmets
- Gumboots
- Pants
- Sunglasses
- Buffs (on dry days)
- Gloves (when it’s cool)
*Please note for safety reasons, drivers and passengers cannot swap during the tour. Please view our T & C’s for more information.
REAL STORIES FROM REAL ADVENTURERS
The best wet weather activity going. Our hike got cancelled and we made a quad biking booking last minute. The team were super accommodating and really cool. The wet weather made it even better. If you’re stuck on a rainy day, do yourself a favour and book a ride with these guys. Sooo much fun!
Patch Addams
REAL STORIES FROM REAL ADVENTURERS
Fantastic experience at Franz Joseph – the tour was very well run and entertaining. We booked in a family group with two ten year olds (doubling on quads) and a teenager riding separately and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The guides were experienced and knew the area well. We booked last minute on a whim and were so glad that we did as we were only in Franz for one night but the quad biking was one of the best experiences that we had in NZ. Do it!
Angela Tim So
REAL STORIES FROM REAL ADVENTURERS
We had an absolutely epic time on our quad bike tour with Brooklyn as our guide! From start to finish, Brooklyn made the experience super fun, relaxed, and most importantly—safe. The whole vibe was chilled and easy-going, but you could tell Brooklyn really knew what she was doing and made sure everyone was comfortable and confident on the bikes.
We got to ride through stunning forests, splash through glacier rivers, and even grabbed some really cool photos along the way. The mix of adventure, incredible scenery, and Brooklyn’s friendly, laid-back attitude made this tour one of the highlights of our trip. Couldn’t recommend it more—if you get the chance, definitely ask for Brooklyn!
Scott English
REAL STORIES FROM REAL ADVENTURERS
Our quad biking experience with Franz Josef Wilderness Tours was absolutely brilliant! The scenery was incredible — riding through rivers, forests, and open landscapes with the mountains in the background was unforgettable.
The tour was really well organised and so much fun, with just the right balance of adventure and safety. The guides were fantastic — friendly, helpful, and full of local knowledge, which made the whole experience even better.
A great bonus was that they took photos throughout the trip and sent them to us for free — such a lovely touch and a brilliant way to capture the memories! They also offer other tours, so if you’re looking for any trips while you’re in Franz Josef, definitely give them a try. They were fantastic — highly recommended!
Lara Salustro
GALLERY
FAQS
What if it’s raining for my quad bike tour?
What's the policy with kids on quad bike tours?
We can can safely cater to families with children 110 cm or taller, if in doubt please get in touch!
- Children that are a minimum of 110 cm can join as passengers in our Adventure Buggy! The buggy can join any regular quad bike tour, following the same route.
- Children must be a minimum of 145 cm tall (and reach the footrests) to be a passenger on our unique 2-seater Double Quad Bikes.
- Drivers must be a minimum of 16 years old (no drivers license required).
- Drivers with underage passengers must be a minimum of 18 years old.
- ALL drivers must pass a test track prior to taking part in the tour.
Younger children? Why not join a Boat Tour or Kayak Tour or Fishing Trip?
Do I need experience to drive a quad bike?
No! We cater to first-timers and experienced quad bike riders.
All our customers undergo a test track prior to taking part in the tour, the test track allows time to get used to the bikes and see if you’re comfortable riding the terrain on the track. If customers cannot pass the test track, we can try different bikes such as swapping onto a double quad bike or trying out a buggy.
It is not guaranteed that we can fit a suitable other option and in this case some customers cannot join the tour. If this happens we cannot guarantee a tour refund, for more information please get in touch with the team.
Is there a weight limit?
We have a combined weight limit for our Double Quad Bikes only of 220 kg.
If you’re concerned at all about size, or weight please get in touch. We can assure you that it’s likely fine and our jackets and pants sizes go up to 5XL. If you think the combined limit might exceed 220kg on a double quad bike we might suggest you try 2 single quad bikes or our buggy option!
Can I wear something under my helmet?
You must wear a helmet on our quad bike tour, regardless of any head pieces you may otherwise wear. For safety purposes you may be required to remove other headwear including beanies as we need to ensure they fit correctly for safety.
An exception to this is if you wear a turban/hijab where you must wear a thin fabric so the helmet still fits correctly, safety is our no.1 priority and wont be compromised.
Will I see the Glacier on my quad bike tour?
On a clear day we experience an amazing view of the Franz Josef Glacier from afar on our quad bike tours! If it’s raining, or the clouds are low, than we will not see the Franz Josef Glacier. We will still see the beautiful misty Southern Alps and when it’s raining we like to say “the wetter the better!” as we get down and dirty in the muddy puddles in the rainforest and riverbed.
Wheelchair accessibility for quad tours?
Our quad bike tours are not designed to be wheelchair accessible, but depending on the ability of the individual in the chair to transfer onto a quad bike and/or buggy there’s possibilities to make this happen. Please get in touch with us if you have any further questions.
Do we quad bike TO the Glacier?
No we do not quad bike towards the Franz Josef Glacier. Our tours take place in the Waiho riverbed, which is within the Franz Josef Glacier valley. On a clear day we have great views of the Glacier, about 10 km away.
Can a guide drive the quad bike for me?
The only vehicle option we offer which is driven by the tour guide is our 5 seater buggy ride. This is available for 1-5 passengers, and the youngest we take on this vehicle is 4 years old. All our quad bikes require participants to drive themselves and all bookings must be made with someone suitable to drive the vehicle. There’s different bike options available, if you’re more comfortable with a steering wheel than the handle bars and throttle on the quad bike, then you can look at the buggy option. For more information feel free to get in touch.
CANCELLATION
We want you to be confident when you book directly with us! We provide hassle-free full refunds without any penalties. We do ask that any cancellations and changes are made a full 24 hours prior to the trip time. Cancellations made within the 24 hour time frame cannot be refunded (for any reason including medical or other) so please let us know in time if you need to change, or cancel your booking! Private/Group bookings or charters incur a 48 hour cancellation policy.
We reserve the right to cancel tours if minimum numbers are not met or in the event of unsafe conditions, in which case full refunds are issued.
We're here to help, so feel free to drop us an email if you have any questions.
