Overview

An intimate first-class photo adventure through the magnificent landscape of the South Island

“I feel my experience in New Zealand has made me a much better photographer. I had several ‘a-ha’ moments that I will carry with me everytime I pick up the camera.” –Marla R., 2016 participant

“The expedition greatly exceeded my expectations. It was no doubt an amazing and awesome experience of a lifetime!” – Susan S., 2015 participant

Towering mountain ranges, hanging alpine glaciers, wind-swept coastlines, crystal blue lakes, pristine turquoise river valleys, and primordial tree fern rainforests are just some of the scenes we will photograph as we explore the South Island on this intimate 16-day journey led by two top pros: National Geographic photographer Michael Melford (who recently covered the South Island on assignment for Nat Geo), and Phillip Bartlett, a renowned Kiwi landscape photographer and guide who is acclaimed for his professionalism and intimate knowledge of New Zealand’s stunning landscape. It was with good reason that motion picture director Peter Jackson chose New Zealand as his location for the fantasy world of Tolkien’s “Middle Earth”: the variety of incredible landscapes found in such a compact area is simply astounding.

We sought to design a trip that would take your breath away, visiting locations off the regular tourist path that offer superb photography. To access these areas we will be travelling by 4WD Toyota Landcruisers, with two guests per vehicle. In addition, private charter excursions by helicopter and boat – at Fox Glacier and Milford Sound – provide us access to some truly phenomenal opportunities. All the while, your trip leaders offer generous guidance and instruction to ensure that you make the most of the photographic possibilities.

All of our past three annual excursions were exceedingly well received by our guests (see testimonials at the top and bottom of this page), but nevertheless we have adjusted the itinerary slightly to maximize the quality of the overall experience.

Click “read more” below right to see the itinerary and photo gallery…

This journey will take you from the garden city of Christchurch south into the heart of the Southern Alps, where we photograph the east side of New Zealand’s glacier-covered mountains, punctuated by Mount Cook reflected in vast lakes. We then continue to Otago’s Moeraki Boulders on the south-east coast. At Invercargill on the southern tip of the South Island, we will photograph intimate waterfall and forest scenes, en route to the glacier-carved valleys of Fiordland and Milford Sound. There, we take advantage of the extraordinarily dramatic landscape opportunities, including a private charter boat cruise through Milford Sound. Nearby, the lakeside town of Te Anau, offers incredible mountain vistas, and a bit of a rest. Then, it’s on to the charming Lakes District town of Wanaka, where we will explore the surrounding hill country and photograph an iconic tree isolated in the waters of Lake Wanaka.  From there, we travel over to the rugged West Coast via Haast River Valley, enjoying the opportunities offered by the rainforest, beaches, and coastal wetlands where few have photographed before. Farther north at Fox Glacier, we helicopter over the glacier itself to shoot aerial views of the Mt. Cook massif, ice caves, crevasses, and hanging ice formations. Farther north along the west coast, we visit the Pancake Rock formations of the Punakaiki Area, and the tree fern forests of Paparoa National Park, based out of Greymouth. Finally, we traverse Arthur’s Pass as we return to Christchurch.

ITINERARY DAY-BY-DAY

October 12 – Day one ARRIVAL DAY IN CHRISTCHURCH

Fly into Christchurch International Airport (CHC; flights are not included) where you will be greeted by a friendly executive cab driver and transferred to our group’s hotel for our introductory meeting and orientation, followed by a group dinner at one of Christchurch’s fine restaurants.

Oct 13 – Day two CHRISTCHURCH – AORAKI/MT COOK NATIONAL PARK

We depart Christchurch this morning and travel south across the pastoral Canterbury Plains towards the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park and our base for the next two nights in nearby Twizel, which provides an array excellent photographic options and flexibility to respond to changing weather in the mountains. Aoraki/Mt Cook is New Zealand’s highest mountain at 12,218ft. (3724m), the centerpiece of the majestic Southern Alps. Aoraki was given by the indigenous Maori and means ‘cloud-piercer’, an apt description as this mountain backdrop soars 10,000 feet above turquoise Lake Pukaki and the braided Tasman River which offer stunning foreground subject matter. In the early evening we take a short walk to position ourselves to capture the last light on the mountains.

We are out in the field pre-dawn, and drive to a nearby location to photograph the first light in the Tasman Valley. The setting is once again Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Southern Alps, with this location offering stunning panoramic perspectives. We then return to Twizel for a late breakfast. After lunch we are out in the field again and spend the rest of the day photographing the Southern Alps from a new perspective.

Oct 15 – Day four TWIZEL – NORTH OTAGO

Another chance to photograph sunrise on the Southern Alps before we depart and travel east out to the coast. We arrive in the afternoon in time to photograph the late light at the Moeraki Boulders. These unusual spherical concretions, which look as though they simply dropped out of the sky, are embedded in the sandy beach and can reach nearly 10 feet in diameter.

Oct 16 – Day five NORTH OTAGO – CATLINS – INVERCARGILL

This morning we are on the beach well before sunrise for our first-light session at the Moeraki Boulders. We then travel south through the Catlins area on the south-east corner of the South Island, where we photograph intimate waterfall and forest scenery. We arrive at Invercargill in the early evening.

We leave Invercargill this morning and make our way to Milford Sound, which is located in the northern part of the Fiordland National Park. While most visitors make this a hurried day trip, we will be staying for two nights to take best advantage of the vast range of wonderful opportunities found in this area. The drive to Milford Sound passes through breathtaking glaciated valleys and we make stops to photograph along the way. We arrive at Milford Sound in the afternoon and shortly after set up on the water’s edge to photograph the iconic Mitre Peak and surrounding mountains.

Oct 18 – Day seven MILFORD SOUND

We have a full day of magnificent photography in the Milford Sound area today. At sunrise we will be down on the waterfront making use of the early light on Mitre Peak. After breakfast, we explore tree fern-filled rainforest and pristine rivers. After lunch we take a break before joining our private-charter photography cruise through the fiord and out to the Tasman Sea. In addition to the tremendous landscape of sheer mountains, plummeting waterfalls, and untouched coastline, we may  encounter penguins, seals, and dolphins. At last light we are back on the Milford Sound shore hoping for a colorful end to the day.

Oct 19 – Day eight MILFORD SOUND – TE ANAU

After a sunrise photo session of the fiord we journey back through the mountains to the lake town of Te Anau, arriving in the afternoon. The rest of the day is at your leisure to allow the instructors to prepare for the following morning.

A very early start for us this morning as we are packed and gone well before dawn. Our first-light shoot is at a high-country lake location hidden in the mountains. The golden tussock grasses growing here give the scene a distinctly New Zealand-wilderness flavor. We then drive back out to the main highway and make a stop for breakfast before we continue on to Wanaka, arriving in the afternoon. We take a break and meet up again to shoot the last light on Lake Wanaka.

Pre-dawn we are down at the famous lone tree, which has now become a local institution. After breakfast we explore the mountainous backcountry, photographing spectacular wilderness scenery. In the afternoon we travel into the hill country where we shoot expansive views of the surrounding mountains.

Oct 22 – Day eleven HAAST 

One more chance to perfect our lone tree image before we leave the lakes district behind us and travel over to the wild and isolated West Coast to the village of Haast. In the late afternoon we set up at a stunningly beautiful and ancient rainforest wetland. Last light finds us out on a nearby beach, which is covered with twisted and knotted driftwood.

Oct 23 – Day twelve HAAST – FOX GLACIER 

We continue north today and arrive at the Fox Glacier village in the late morning. A nearby forest offers wonderful macro opportunities of moss-covered trees, ferns, and cascading creeks, and we will spend time exploring this magical location. In the late afternoon we drive to a rural location to photograph Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Southern Alps. Overnight at Sunset Motel.

Oct 24 – Day thirteen FOX GLACIER: HELICOPTER AERIALS

This morning we go down to the nearby heli-pad for an exhilarating aerial shoot of Fox Glacier and the Southern Alps. This is aerial photography at its best with the doors removed for unobstructed shooting. We will make a series of flights in a capable Hughes 500 helicopter with two guests per flight in the right-side photo positions, along with one photo leader seated behind the pilot, not photographing, but instead directing the pilot and offering guidance to set up photographic compositions for the guests. Please note that this is weather-dependent for the helicopters to operate, though in the case of inclement weather we have two mornings and two afternoons to find a suitable weather window for these flights. After returning to the base we will have breakfast and then venture out again to photograph forest and glacier scenes. In the afternoon we take a well-earned rest before re-grouping for our evening of photography with the mountains as the backdrop. Overnight at Sunset Motel.

Oct 25 – Day fourteen FOX GLACIER – GREYMOUTH

We leave our accommodation pre-dawn to capture the famed mountain reflections of Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman at a nearby lake. After breakfast we depart Fox Glacier and travel north towards the coastal town of Greymouth. We take a short break to refresh before continuing along the coast to the Punakaiki area for our last-light shoot of the unique limestone formations of the Pancake Rocks.

Oct 26 – Day fifteen GREYMOUTH

We spend the day exploring the rugged Paparoa National Park coastline north of Greymouth, including a foray into the backcountry. This area is one of the best remaining examples of New Zealand coastal forest and is dominated by towering tree ferns and the endemic Nikau palm, giving a tropical feel to the landscape. Our sunset shoot finds us out of the coast again, capturing the last drops of light on this dramatic seascape. 

Oct 27 – Day sixteen GREYMOUTH – CHRISTCHURCH – DEPART

After breakfast we depart Greymouth and travel from coast to coast. The journey takes us directly east through the Arthur’s Pass, which is at the northern end of the Southern Alps. We will make brief stops along the way to photograph the imposing mountain scenery. For those departing this afternoon we say farewell and safe travels. Accommodation for this night can be arranged for guests who plan to fly home the following day.