Overnight Experiences Queenstown

Join Ken Wright and Glen Howey on this exceptional seven-day photography tour of the South Island’s wild West Coast. Timed at the end of winter, when the light is crisp and low, the West Coast Photography Tour offers excellent opportunities to capture the area’s wild beaches, forests and waterfalls, and the snow-covered Southern Alps.
The South Island’s west coast boasts more forests, mountains, and protected lands than any other region of New Zealand. Here, wild and remote coastlines are flanked by primaeval rainforests, with the high peaks and glaciers of the Southern Alps rising beyond.
HIGHLIGHTS
Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage
Amazing coastal sunsets
Lake Matheson sunrise
White Heron Sanctuary Tour in the Waitangiroto Reserve

CHRISTCHURCH - QUEENSTOWN
Lake Matheson
Punakaiki Pancake Rocks
Westland National Park
Paparoa National Park

ITINERARY

Day 0 - Christchurch
Arrive in Christchurch and make your way to the hotel - this night accommodation is included in the tour.
Day 1 – Christchurch - Punakaiki
This morning we depart Christchurch and head across the Canterbury Plains and up into the Southern Alps. Driving through the famous Arthur’s Pass we will stop to photograph the waterfalls and forests of this area as we make our way to the West Coast. We will reach Punakaiki and its famous Punakaiki rock formations in time for sunset photography.
Day 2 - Punakaiki
The day begins with an exploration of the exquisite limestone and river landscapes of Paparoa National Park. We will spend the rest of the day exploring the exceptional coastline and sunset sees us heading out onto stunning beaches to capture the last light hitting the coastline and huge breaking waves.
Day 3 - Punakaiki - Fox Glacier
This morning, we drive down the coast stopping in at the Hokitika Gorge to capture the beautiful turquoise waters and then heading further down to Whataroa for a guided White Heron Sanctuary Tour up the Whataroa river; this is the only way to access the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve. Here, we will photograph the country's only nesting site for the beautiful White Herons (Kotuku), along with the Royal Spoonbill. We finish the day at sunset, we visit a remote west coast beach offering panoramic views of the snow-covered peaks of the Southern Alps.
Day 4 - Fox Glacier
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. If the weather is right, you 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. Sunset tonight will see us heading out to Okarito Lagoon, with panoramic views of the Southern Alps rising beyond a sweeping extent of rainforest.
Day 5 - Fox Glacier - Hasst
We travel along the coast, exploring the magnificent rainforest of the Te Wāhipounamu (a UNESCO World Heritage area). At sunset, we visit a remote West Coast beach for another west coast sunset.
Day 6 - Haast - Wanaka
After a coastal sunrise this morning we drive through Haast’s Pass, the gateway back inland to Wanaka. Along the way, we photograph a number of extraordinary waterfalls, including a beautiful 30-metre cascade in stately beech forest. Tonight we capture the sunset over Lake Wanaka.
Day 7 – Wanaka - Queenstown
This morning we will head out on a 4WD drive trip to capture the changing light over mighty peaks and mountain valleys. The rest of the day we will explore the hills around Wanaka before heading back over to Queenstown for late afternoon flights.


PRICE INCLUDES
7 days’ photography guiding by Ken Wright & Glen Howey
7 nights’ hotel accommodation (twin-share, single upgrade available) mostly 4✩
6 breakfasts
White Heron Sanctuary Tour
Wanaka 4WD Trip
Transport during the tour
Christchurch pickup / Queenstown dropoff
DOC (National Park) concession fees
Copy of our Pocket Guide to Landscape & Wildlife Photography
Donation to our Conservation Fund
Native tree planting to Carbon Offset your tour

EXPERIENCE
This tour starts in Central Otago with our High Country Masterclass Workshop which is designed as an ideal programme to expand your skills as a landscape photographer. You will learn to shoot a diverse range of subject matter including rugged mountains, lakes, rivers and rolling farmland and explore this remote location in 4WD vehicles.
For the next part of the tour we will drive inland to Wanaka. We will have 2 days full of capturing this stunning location and its photogenic colours, all against the backdrop of snowy mountains. Here we will explore Wanaka and Queenstown in 4WDs to access some more remote locations.
From Queenstown we will venture into the untouched wilderness of the Catlins Coast, which is full of surprises including fossilised forests, outstanding coastal scenery and amazing wildlife. Here we will capture the iconic Nugget Point Lighthouse. The final leg of the tour is through Te Anau and into Milford. The untouched wilderness of Milford Sound is famed as one of the world’s most spectacular landscapes. There is never a time - rain, snow or shine - where the area doesn’t look at its pristine best.

HIGHLIGHTS
High Country Masterclass Workshop
Explore some of the forgotten areas of the Maniototo and Central Otago
Milford Sound Cruise
Nugget Point Lighthouse
Catlins Coastal Rainforest Park

QUEENSTOWN - QUEENSTOWN
Central Otago
Wanaka & Queenstown
Milford Sound
Catlins


ITINERARY

Day 1 – Queenstown - Central Otago
We will pick you up early from your Queenstown accommodation and drive through to Wedderburn. After assembling in our unique conference barn, we will run through an introductory programme of advanced camera setup for landscape photography and tutorials on composition for landscape shooting. Later in the afternoon, we will explore more of the beautiful Central Otago Landscapes and set up for our first sunset at the base of Hawkdun Ranges.
Day 2 - Central Otago
The day begins with an early sunrise shoot at the iconic Wedderburn Railway Station before heading back to the Wedderburn hotel for breakfast. The rest of the day will be taken up alternating between locations in the area, including the historic Hayes Engineering Works and Homestead. Sunset this evening sees us venturing further afield to explore the beautiful Poolburn area.
Day 3 - Central Otago
This morning we capture sunrise across the Maniototo landscape. After breakfast, we spend the morning in the hotel conference room to offer some group critique of the photographs from the last 2 days and an in-depth post-production session covering the processing of landscape photographs. This afternoon we head to majestic St Bathans to explore this unique landscape and then capture sunset across Blue Lake.
Day 4 - Central Otago - Wanaka
This morning we aim for another sunrise shoot to capture some of the first morning light. We will then help you process your two best images from the workshop and produce a finished 16x22" fine art print of them to take home. This afternoon we make our way to Wanaka finishing the day with sunset across the lake.

Day 5 – Wanaka
A pre-dawn start sees us heading out in 4WD to the Nevis Valley for sunrise. We will then spend the rest of the morning exploring the Nevis and capturing the best of the light in this remote valley. This afternoon we will explore some of the stunning scenes around Alexandra before heading back to Wanaka.
Day 6 – Wanaka - Queenstown
This morning's sunrise will be at the famous Wanaka tree, capturing the early morning light against the backdrop of surrounding mountains. Departing from Wanaka mid morning to capture the quaint Arrowtown. This evening we will head on a 4WD trip into Skippers Canyon to capture the rugged mountain valleys finishing with the day here with sunset.

Day 7 - Queenstown
We will shoot sunrise this morning over Lake Wakatipu right outside our lakeside hotel. This afternoon will see us heading out on another 4WD trip to Glenorchy and Paradise. Travelling to explore a remote mountain valley before returning to Glenorchy for sunset over the jetty.

Day 8 - Queenstown - Catlins
This morning we will depart early for the stunning Catlins Coast, famous for its amazing wildlife and lush rainforests. We will spend the afternoon exploring some of the stunning beaches around the Catlins Coastline finishing with a Coastal sunset at Kaka Point.
Day 9 - Catlins
This morning we will capture the iconic Nugget Point Lighthouse in the early morning light. We will spend the day exploring the Catlins Coastal Rainforest Park, taking a waterfall road trip to the sensational Purakaunui Falls and then onto McLean falls, two of Otago's most famous falls. Sunset this evening will be down on the stunning beach.
Day 10 - Catlins - Te Anau
After sunrise at Kaka Point we explore the coastline to Waipapa Point Lighthouse and the world-famous twisted Macrocarpa tree hedge. Then departing the Catlins, we head towards Te Anau. Arriving here to finish the day walking the tranquil shores of Lake Te Anau, the South Island’s largest lake, at the start of the Kepler Track. This evening we photograph the sunset over an iconic Jetty on the lake, with a vast array of mountains beyond.
Day 11 - Te Anau - Milford Sound
This morning you have the opportunity to take to the air with your photography with a breathtaking helicopter flight. Soar above some of the world's most incredible wilderness landscapes and mountains, landing atop it all to photograph the morning light filtering through Fiordland. After breakfast we will take the Milford Highway up the Eglinton Valley. Winding through the mountains; past dark, brooding lakes and mossy beech forests, we arrive at Milford Sound to board our overnight boat and take to the water to capture the amazing landscapes from an alternative perspective.
Day 12 - Milford Sound - Queenstown
After waking up on the boat for sunrise, we will disembark and then spend the day exploring some more locations along the Milford road that we missed on the way in, before heading back to Queenstown in time for late afternoon flights and to end our tour.


PRICE INCLUDES
12 days photography tuition with Glen Howey & Ken Wright
11 nights hotel accommodation (twin-share, single upgrade available) in mostly 4✩
11 breakfasts
4WD trips in Central Otago
4WD trips in Wanaka
4WD trips in Queenstown
Milford Sound Overnight Cruise
Two 16x22" Fine-Art Prints
Transport during the tour
DOC (National Park) concession fees
Copy of our Pocket Guide to Landscape & Wildlife Photography and E-books
Donation to our Conservation Fund
Native tree planting to Carbon Offset your tour