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Overview

Discover the beauty of the South Island of New Zealand on this fabulous 12-day adventure! During this tour, we'll photograph some of the spectacular sights this diverse country offers, from glistening glaciers to fields of flowering lupins, majestic mountains, deep fiords and ancient forests. There is something on this trip for everyone – beginners, amateurs and professional photographers alike. Expand your landscape photography portfolio and experience the best of New Zealand's South Island, which brims with untouched natural beauty and incredible diversity. We'll begin our travels in Christchurch, the largest city on New Zealand's South Island. From there, we will explore mountain towns in the Southern Alps and visit their glacial lakes. With wildflowers, lupines, blazing sunrises and sunsets articulating our adventures, we'll journey through the glacier-carved fjords and witness the natural diversity that inspired the Lord of the Rings trilogy, filmed here. We will then make our way along the South Island's west coast, where we'll encounter lush rainforests, wild and expansive coastal scenery, and Punakaiki's unusual limestone landscapes. Our highlights include the magical lakes of Tekapo, Wanaka and Pukaki, a scenic cruise through Milford Sound, the pancake-like rock formations of Punakaiki, and Queenstown's popular adventure capital destination.

Daily Itinerary

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Day 1: Arrival in Christchurch

This tour has been designed to fly into Christchurch this day. We will arrange a group dinner this evening and a hotel has been booked for the group in Christchurch.
Dramatic New Zealand landscapes

Dramatic New Zealand landscapes

Christchurch, New Zealand
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Day 2: Tekapo - Aoraki/Mt Cook

Setting off from Christchurch, we make our way inland across the Canterbury plains, heading towards Lake Tekapo where we will photograph the Church of the Good Shepherd. We will depart for our next destination, Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, for New Zealand's finest alpine surroundings, including our largest mountain, Aoraki/Mt Cook. This evening, we will photograph the sunset in the Tasman Valley, where occasionally, icebergs float gracefully in lakes below the mountains.
Mt Cook at sunrise with perfect reflections

Mt Cook at sunrise with perfect reflections

Lake Tekapo & Mt Cook
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Day 3: Mt Cook

The day begins with the option to shoot the sunrise. Watching the first light hitting the summit of Mt Cook from right outside our hotel is a stunning photographic opportunity. This morning you have the option (at additional cost) to take a skiplane flight over Aoraki/Mt Cook and land to photograph the glacier. For sunset tonight, we will head into the Hooker Valley, with New Zealand's highest peaks.
Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park

Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park

Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park
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Day 4: Mt Cook - Queenstown

We will catch the early light over Mt Cook again at sunrise this morning. After breakfast, we will depart for Queenstown, stopping at one of the best Bannockburn wineries for lunch and a wine tasting. Once in Queenstown, we'll capture the sunset from a stunning high vista above Lake Wakatipu.
Queenstown
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Day 5: Queenstown - Te Anau

This morning, we'll head to the top of Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy, where we'll shoot sunrise over the lake, mountains and iconic jetty before exploring picturesque Glenorchy. This region offers a glimpse into the heart of Middle Earth, world-famous for film locations from the Lord of the Rings movie. We head south to Te Anau this afternoon, passing through diverse landscapes and stopping to capture unique places. Tonight, we photograph the sunset over the lake, with a vast array of mountains beyond.
Lake Te Anau at golden hour

Lake Te Anau at golden hour

Glenorchy & Te Anau
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Day 6: Milford Sound

Today, we will venture out early to Milford Sound for sunrise. Its granite peaks soar skywards more than a mile above the dark waters of the fiord. Huge waterfalls cascade into the sea, giving the area a scale and grandeur that has to be seen to be believed. We will cruise on the fiord this afternoon to capture this magical place from the water before returning to the Milford Highway towards the Eglinton Valley. Our journey winds through the mountains, past dark, brooding lakes and mossy beech forests clinging to impossibly steep slopes.
Milford Sound
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Day 7: Te Anau - Wanaka

This morning, you can photograph the sunrise over Lake Te Anau in front of the hotel. After breakfast, we will go to the historic Arrowtown, a beautiful old riverside village from the Goldrush era, nestled beside forest-clad mountains. From here, we travel to Wanaka for the afternoon to shoot a sunset over the lake.
Arrowtown & Wanaka
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Day 8: Wanaka

Today, you will have a free day to explore Wanaka, a quaint mountain town nestled beside the lake. The famous Wanaka Tree is a 5-minute lakeside walk from our hotel, and the early morning light is the perfect time to capture it against the backdrop of the surrounding mountains. Today you have the option (at additional cost) to take a helicopter flight to land on an iconic Wanaka peak, where you'll have the chance to photograph from the summit at sunrise.
Wanaka
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Day 9: Wanaka - Fox Glacier

This morning, there is another chance to return to the Wanaka Tree for sunrise. After sunrise, we will depart for the West Coast, a community as remote as they come in New Zealand. En route, we shall photograph some of the countless stunning waterfalls throughout the Haast Pass. We stay the night in Fox Glacier, a tiny town with some outstanding features to its name.
Alpine wilderness
Glacier reflections
Fox Glacier
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Day 10: Fox Glacier - Punakaiki

This morning, we will photograph the sunrise at Lake Matheson, capturing the often-perfect reflections of Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman - New Zealand's highest mountains. Afterwards, you'll have the option (at additional cost) to take a helicopter flight onto the vast upper neve of the Fox Glacier for some unparalleled photo opportunities. This afternoon, we head north to Punakaiki, famous for its pancake rocks, to photograph the sunset.
Lake Matheson & Punakaiki
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Day 11: Punakaiki

The day begins with exploring the exquisite limestone and river landscapes of Paparoa National Park. We will spend the rest of the day exploring the exceptional coastline in this area. We'll head to one of the stunning beaches for sunset tonight to capture breaking waves and the last light hitting the coastline.
Paparoa National Park
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Day 12: Punakaiki - Christchurch

After shooting the sunrise this morning, we will part ways with the wonderful West Coast, heading inland through the famous Arthur's Pass to photograph the mountain views. We will return to Christchurch in the afternoon to arrive in time for airport or hotel drop-offs.
Arthur's Pass & Christchurch

Your Instructors

Criz Quinn

Criz Quinn

Lead Instructor

Lead Instructor & Co-Founder

Criz Quinn is an accomplished photographer and lead instructor with a passion for capturing the beauty of Asia's most scenic landscapes. Specializing in drone and cultural photography, Criz combines technical expertise with artistic vision to help photographers create stunning imagery. …

12+ years 45 tours led
Mark Denney

Mark Denney

Lead Instructor

Expedition Leader & Landscape Specialist

Professional photographer and expedition leader specializing in Patagonia and landscape photography. Mark leads photography tours throughout Patagonia, helping photographers capture the dramatic beauty of this wild region.

8+ years 32 tours led

What's Included

Included

  • 12 days of professional photography guiding
  • 11 nights of hotel twin-share accommodation (3/4 star)
  • 11 breakfasts
  • Milford Sound boat cruise
  • Local photography guide
  • Professional driver
  • Transport in a 24-seater Rosa Bus
  • National Park guiding fees (DOC concessions)

Not Included

  • Meals (except breakfasts)
  • International airfares
  • Visas (if applicable)
  • Single supplement
  • Optional activities (skiplane, helicopter flights)

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Photography Details

Tour Location

Skill Level Required

All Levels Welcome

Required Equipment

  • DSLR or Mirrorless Camera
  • Wide-angle lens (14-35mm)
  • Sturdy tripod
  • Extra batteries & memory cards

Recommended Lenses

  • Ultra-wide (14-24mm) for landscapes
  • Standard zoom (24-70mm) for versatility
  • Telephoto (70-200mm) for details

Best Shooting Times

🌅

Golden Hour

Priority shooting

🚁 Drone Photography

Skill Level

No experience needed

Tour Organizer

Criz Quinn

Criz Quinn

Professional Photography Guide

Your experienced photography guide with years of experience leading tours in this region.

Preparation Guide

How to Prepare

Everything you need to pack for this expedition.

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Photography Tools

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Starts at
$8900
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