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September 10-21, 2027
12 days, All-Inclusive: $10955
This was the best photography tour in which I have participated.
I wish you the very best, and thank you again
After meeting the group for breakfast in Queenstown we depart for Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park, where we spend our first three nights.
Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park showcases beautifully braided rivers, iceberg-dotted lakes, and more than 70 named glaciers, including the Tasman Glacier, the country’s longest. It’s also home to New Zealand’s highest peak, Aoraki Mt. Cook, which rises nearly two vertical miles from the surrounding plains. But for all its ruggedness, Mt. Cook National Park is highly accessible, and a few short tramps will put us in position for prime photography.
Wanaka is a land of rolling hills, pastures, and idyllic scenes. Not to mention a gorgeous lake, a famous tree, and tremendous scenery in and around Mt. Aspiring National Park.
We spend two nights in Wanaka.
Next we move on to Queenstown for three nights. Here we will find glacial valleys, vast lakes, and steep mountains. Here the opportunities for breathtaking photography are limitless.
We will undertake the second of our scenic flights, this time over spectacular Fiordland National Park. We will also have a full rest day to prepare for the stunning second part of the tour.
Part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, Fiordland National Park comprises over 4,800 square miles of glacier-carved fjords and sounds, deep river valleys, and rugged peaks.
One of the highlights of Fiordland, Milford Sound, has been called the 8th wonder of the world. From a deep, tranquil bay Mitre Peak rises straight up over a mile high to present a truly breathtaking view. Abundant precipitation and sheer-walled mountains create two powerful year-round waterfalls and hundreds of ephemeral ones.
Over the course of two days and nights we will explore Milford Sound by foot and by boat, in addition to venturing inland to experience some of Fiordland’s magical forests and other extraordinary sights.
On the penultimate day of the trip will take an extraordinary journey into the heart of Fiordland National Park by spending a night on the Fiordland Navigator, cruising the majestic Doubtful Sound. This incredible landscape has to be seen to be believed.
After our night in Doubtful, we will board our coach and return to Queenstown to bid adieu to these incredible landscapes.
This New Zealand South Island photo tour is for upbeat, adventurous photographers who appreciate a wide array of landscapes and scenes. If you love intimate details of ferns as much as grand landscapes, then this trip is for you. There is a wonderful range of subjects and scales to explore through the South Island of New Zealand, and photographers open to all kinds of different shots will find great joy on this trip. The focus of this trip is glaciers and fjords, so expect to see lots of stunning mountains, rivers, ice flows, lakes, waterfalls, and fjords.
Photography Experience Level
This tour is for photographers of all experience levels, from pros to novices. That being said, you will get the most out of this trip if you understand the basics of exposure and composition.
One of the most important things you can do to prepare is to know your camera. Understand how to change the settings, how to zoom in to 100% on Live View and on Playback, and how to quickly access the histogram and menus. When the good light is changing rapidly, simply knowing how to work your gear quickly and efficiently will set you up for success.
Drones
Please do not bring your drone on this trip. Drones in New Zealand are highly regulated and it is extremely difficult to get the necessary permissions to fly them in the locations where we will be photographing.
Group Dynamics
This is a group trip, and morale is a key factor to everyone’s enjoyment. Our favorite kinds of photographers:
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If this describes you, we’d love to have you aboard this tour. Negative, complain-y, or high-maintenance “everything needs to be my way” photographers need not apply.
In short, this tour is for anyone who wants to explore and photograph stunning scenery with a fun group of like-minded people. The trip is limited to 8 participants for a small, personal feel.
I truly enjoyed every moment of touring New Zealand with the group, and the camaraderie we shared was wonderful. I am profoundly grateful for your kindness, generosity, and expert guidance. You both led us to the perfect locations at the ideal times, allowing us to capture the breathtaking landscapes of New Zealand in all their glory. Thank you for making this experience so memorable! I am looking forwards to joining your other tours in near future.
This was the best photography tour in which I have participated.
I was so impressed with your expertise and willingness to share with others.
I will never forget you, my fellow photographers, the beauty, and all the wonderful places and experiences that you shared with us.
I wish you the very best, and thank you again
This New Zealand photo tour is appropriate for photographers who have good mobility and some hiking experience. You should have good balance and be able to navigate uneven terrain like boulders and streambeds. Hiking is approximately 1-2 miles total each day, with the exception of Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park you should expect multiple walks each day of up to 45 minutes each way to reach certain shooting locations. One hike has approximately 200 steps to reach our viewpoint.
Walking in the mountains can be strenuous and we recommend preparing for the trip by walking at least a few miles per week leading up to the tour. All participants are expected to carry their own camera, personal gear, and water during the tour.
This is a photo tour, meaning that we are focused on getting you to the right places at the right times to create amazing images.
This trip is about having the best possible experience in New Zealand’s stunning South Island. That means in addition to shooting we are also enjoying meals together, learning the history of these areas, and allowing for down time so that you can stay rested and excited. We set a relaxed pace during the tour so that you will enjoy each day, rather than feeling exhausted, burned out, or mentally fatigued. This trip is FUN, not boot camp.
While there are no boring lectures or deep dives into high technical esoteric processing techniques, depending on group interest we may arrange a few post processing or image review sessions during our midday breaks.
We are here to help, without overwhelming you.
In the field your guides are always available to answer questions, provide guidance and feedback, and give you ideas of how to approach your photography. In short, if you have questions, we’re here for you. At the same time, it’s important to avoid spending every field session cramming your brain full of as much photography knowledge as possible, as this only leads to overwhelm, burnout, and an inability to retain anything.
Your guides will also be shooting photos during the trip, both to provide examples and ideas, and so that you can see the scene through their eyes, get inspiration, and learn about their approaches to photography.
5:30 am – meet at our coach and drive 15-30 minutes.
5:50 am – walk 15- 30 minutes over good terrain to our shooting location.
6:20 am – arrive on location 30 minutes prior to sunrise and begin exploring and shooting.
6:50 am – sunrise.
8:30 am – wrap up morning shoot, and walk back to the coach.
9:00 am – breakfast.
10:00 am – check out of hotels as applicable.
Midday – lunch, rest, import photos, optional talks on approaches to landscape photography, transportation between locations.
3:30 pm – leave for afternoon shooting session. Drive 30 minutes.
4:00 pm – hike 15-45 minutes over good terrain.
4:30 pm – arrive on location 2 hrs before sunset to explore, see the landscape, and shoot.
6:30 pm – sunset.
7:00 pm – wrap up evening shoot, and return to the coach.
8:00 pm – arrive back at hotel for dinner
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Note that these times are given as a general sense of what to expect. Exact meet times, drive times, and hiking distances will vary day to day. Some drives are as short as 5 minutes, some are as long as 60+ minutes. Some hikes are 2 minutes, some are 45 minutes. We do our best to spread out the long drives and hikes, but we always let the conditions guide us to the best spots each day.
A $3,500 USD deposit is required to reserve your spot. The balance is due 4 months before the tour. Payment can be made via check, bank transfer, credit card, or PayPal. There is a surcharge for payments made via credit card (2.9%) or PayPal (3.5%).
| What's Included | Details |
|---|---|
| The Best Locations | An incredible tour of the most photogenic and spectacular sights of the incomparable South Island of New Zealand |
| Field Instruction | 12 days guided by two professional landscape photographers with intimate knowledge of New Zealand's landscapes and weather |
| Elegant Lodging | 11 nights in 4- and 5-star accommodations with a private single room for every guest |
| Transportation | Private transportation in a luxury 17-seat Sprinter van |
| Scenic Flights | Two jawdropping flights: a helicopter flight and glacier landing in Aoraki Mt Cook, and a fixed wing flight over Fiordland NP |
| Fjord Cruises | A breathtaking nature cruise through Milford Sound and an unforgettable overnight cruise through Doubtful Sound |
| Dining | Delicious and hearty breakfasts and dinners every day of the tour, along with bottomless fruit, chips, cookies, chocolate, nuts, soft drinks and other treats onboard the coach (Tim Tams included). Lunches during scheduled tour activities. |
| Positive Atmosphere | Fun vibes, a small group, games and surprises, encouraging and supportive instruction and feedback |
New Zealand is a western, tourism-driven economy, and high travel costs should be expected. Currently the New Zealand dollar is worth about 60 cents US. Conversely, a US dollar is worth about $1.60 NZ. To help you plan your trip, here are some sample items and their cost in NZ dollars:
Josh Cripps – Professional Sand Fly Squisher and Tim Tam Slammer
Josh has been visiting New Zealand since 1998 and cumulatively has spent two years of his life traveling through, exploring, and photographing this amazing island nation. He even lived for a short time in the far north town of Kaitaia. He’s been chased by seals at Arnott Point, eaten the best whitebait sandwich in the country, and explored ice caves in the west coast glaciers. Josh thinks New Zealand’s South Island is quite possible the most beautiful chunk of land on the planet and relishes every minute he spends there.
Daniel Murray – Professional Kiwi Photographer
For as long as I can remember I’ve been in love with wild places and epic scenery. Capturing and sharing the beauty of the world constantly motivates and inspires me.
I’m based near Christchurch, New Zealand. Living in this country is truly a privilege. Although there are many beautiful places around the world, there’s something very special about this little corner of the planet. We have almost every type of landscape you could possibly imagine, all tucked into a space encompassing less than 0.2% of the Earth’s land area. Within a 200 km radius (as the kea flies) of where I live I can stroll along the beach of an ocean (Pacific) and a sea (Tasman), wander among glaciated mountains towering nearly 4,000 metres high, and explore dense rainforest with an annual rainfall which can exceed 18 metres (not a typo). And here I am typing this in a location which is flat for miles in all directions and receives just enough rainfall to avoid desert classification!
We recommend bringing multiple layers of non-cotton clothing, like Merino wool, fleece, or synthetic fibers. Specifically you should bring:
This time of year we should experience beautiful spring conditions. Days will be mild and nights may be cool/cold. Kiwis often claim their country can experience all four seasons in a single day, so participants on this tour should be ready for a variety of conditions from rain and snow to warm sun.
Average temperatures at this time of year range between 30°F lows and 70°F highs (0°C – 20°C). Temperatures throughout the South Island will be relatively similar, with perhaps +/- 10°F (+/- 5°C) differences.
We take pains to ensure our activities are 100% above board. We obtain all the necessary permissions, certifications, and insurance required in order conduct our tours.
We are also strong advocates of Leave No Trace (LNT) wilderness ethics. We teach responsible photography practices and never sacrifice the environment for the sake of a photo. Our goal is to leave our tour locations in better shape than the way we found them.
Deposits are non-refundable. Additional payments toward your balance are fully refundable up to 120 days before the tour. If you withdraw from the tour and we are able to fill your spot, we will refund your payments (including deposit), less a $200 administrative fee and any discounts given to fill the space. If we cancel this tour for any reason, your entire tuition fee will be transferred to another tour or refunded to you at your discretion.
If you have a personal emergency prior to the tour such as a medical emergency or a death in the family, please contact us. We are willing to work with you to reschedule or refund your fee on a case-by-case basis (though your first line of defense should be travel insurance).
This tour requires a minimum of 5 participants. In the case of under-subscription we reserve the right to cancel the tour, in which case your registration will be transferred to another tour of your choosing. Or we may conduct the tour with a single instructor.
Unfortunately it does happen. Make sure to get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids to help prevent the chance of getting sick. If you do get sick, you may be asked to leave the tour depending on the severity of the illness. We will have hand sanitizer onboard the coach at all times.
Motion sickness may also be a factor on New Zealand’s curvy roads. If you suffer from motion sickness please let us know and we will provide ginger beer as a great-tasting remedy, or seat you at the front of the bus.
Please bring any medication along that you require and advise us of any allergies. In some areas we will be 2-3 hours from the nearest doctor’s office or pharmacy, so be prepared.
New Zealand does not currently have any COVID vaccine or testing requirements. That being said, if you are sick prior to the tour, please stay home and request compensation from your trip insurance. If you have significant symptoms and test positive for COVID-19 or the Flu while on the tour you will be required to leave the tour. Travel insurance will give you peace of mind in case of sickness. We have had people get sick and have to leave the tour!
Travel insurance is REQUIRED for this trip, which will reimburse you if you need to cancel for any reason, including illness. It can also provide medical coverage, lost luggage coverage, and other benefits while abroad. IMG and Travel Guard are reliable companies.
It is important to note that travel insurance will generally only cover up to a certain dollar amount for high value items like cameras and computers. Therefore please pay close attention to the coverage on your policy. You may need to have your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance cover these items if you wish to have them fully insured. CHUBB provides outstanding camera insurance through the North American Nature Photography Association.
Your guides are first aid / CPR / wilderness first aid certified. They each carry a first aid kit and emergency supplies, including a GPS locator beacon. In the event of an emergency, get to a safe area, stay put, and call 111.
We take safety very seriously and have developed a complete safety plan that is in full compliance with New Zealand standards and best practices for Alpine Hiking and Tramping. You can view the safety plan documents here:
