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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.

Photography Details

Tour Location

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All Levels Welcome Golden Hour

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

Daily Itinerary

Day 1 - Dec 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
Christchurch, New Zealand

Day 2 - Dec 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 in morning light Mt Cook at dusk
Lake Tekapo & Mt Cook

Day 3 - Dec 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 Hooker Valley views Alpine scenery at Mt Cook Glacial lakes and mountains Tasman Valley sunset New Zealand's Southern Alps Dramatic mountain peaks
Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park

Day 4 - Dec 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.
Lake Wakatipu reflections
Queenstown

Day 5 - Dec 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 Middle Earth landscapes near Glenorchy
Glenorchy & Te Anau

Day 6 - Dec 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

Day 7 - Dec 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

Day 8 - Dec 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

Day 9 - Dec 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

Day 10 - Dec 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

Day 11 - Dec 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

Day 12 - Dec 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
Starting from $8900 per person
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Your Instructors

Glen Howey

Glen Howey

Lead Instructor

Landscape Photographer & Educator

Glen Howey is an award-winning landscape photographer with over 30 years of professional experience. Based in Queenstown, New Zealand, he has photographed more than 50 countries and led photographic tours to remote areas of Cambodia and throughout New Zealand. Glen holds an Advanced Certificate in Photography (Honours) from Wellington Polytechnic and a Bachelor of Applied Arts (Visual Art and Design) …

30+ years 85 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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