Discover the Top of New Zealand’s South Island through your camera lens, where golden beaches, turquoise bays, and dramatic limestone coves create an unforgettable coastal playground. Explore Kaikoura’s rugged coastline and marine animals, capture the serene beauty of the Marlborough Sounds, wander the lush trails at the start of the Queen Charlotte Track, and marvel at the Archway Islands at Wharariki Beach in Golden Bay, famous for their sea-formed arches and sculpted rock formations.
Photographers will delight in the extraordinary variety of landscapes—from shifting sand dunes and sculpted rocks to native forests and tranquil waters where mountains meet the sea. Every stop offers perfect light, texture, and perspective to frame unforgettable images.
Join us on this immersive photographic journey and return home with a portfolio of breathtaking coastal and bay scenes. Capture the essence of New Zealand’s Top of the South—experience it, photograph it, and create images you’ll treasure forever.
Tour Starts – Christchurch
29th September 2026: Our tour with early pickups in Christchurch and we journey to Kaikōura, where the mountains meet the sea.
This dramatic coastal region offers outstanding photography opportunities, from rugged shorelines and crashing waves to abundant marine life, including playful New Zealand fur seals. You’ll also experience remarkable close encounters with some of nature’s most extraordinary seabirds on a dedicated boat trip along Kaikōura’s wild coastline. We take advantage of sunset shoots chosen for the best light, with the Kaikōura Ranges rising magnificently from the sea.
A night in Havelock gives us the opportunity to explore the stunning Marlborough Sounds on foot. Gentle walks through this breathtaking region provide a perfect mix of landscape, wildlife, and nature photography opportunities. Capture winding waterways, lush hillsides, and native flora and fauna, all framed by ever-changing light that enhances the natural beauty of this remarkable area.
Over three days we will capture the beautiful Golden Bay coastline, capturing sunrises, sunsets, and the dramatic scenery of Wharariki Beach and Farewell Spit. Photograph unique sand dunes, rock formations, and coastal wildlife. This extended stay allows us to capture the region’s limestone formations and beech forests, creating a rich mix of coastal and forest landscapes for your photography collection.
Tour Finishes: Nelson
5th October 2026: We will arrive at Nelson airport at 3 pm in time for domestic flights departing from 4 pm. Please only book flights after 4 pm, or you will not make it to the airport on time. For international departures, please ensure you plan your flight departure allowing for the required check-in time requested by the airline.
Ken Wright’s seascapes speak for themselves, outstanding moments in time that capture sunrise and sunset. With 40 years experience in creative industries, Ken is highly skilled in design, illustration and photography.
Matthias H. Risse is a photographer and technologist who has dedicated his career to exploring the intersection of nature, technology, and human experience.
Accommodation Type: This tour features mainly 4–4.5 star hotel, motel or lodge accommodation.
Sole Occupancy/Twin Room: Please select sole occupancy or twin share room when booking.
Food: The tour includes 6 cooked breakfasts, lunch and dinners are not included. We’ll stop daily at local cafés or supermarkets for lunch, and a dinner reservation will be arranged each evening at a restaurant. We recommend bringing a water bottle and plenty of snacks to keep you energised throughout the day!
A 15% deposit is required to reserve your space (deposit is non-refundable). The remaining balance is due 90 days prior to the start of the workshop.
Booking and Cancellation Policy: Please click here for our booking and cancellation policy.
Our exact schedule each day will be determined according to the weather to allow for the best shooting, we may choose to swap out locations for others that are better suited to the conditions and we keep a flexible itinerary to accommodate this. We focus on spending as much time as possible out shooting, often from before dawn until sunset. During the tour, we will make time for some image review and processing session, we will fit these around times that are not optimum for shooting.
This tour runs with a maximum group size of 8 and 2 tutors, offering 1:4 ratio of tutors to guests. Limiting group sizes ensure we provide you with expert guidance, instruction, and personal attention according to your learning style. Smaller groups of up to 4 may only be led by one tutor.
A minimum level of physical activity is necessary to enjoy this tour. A lot of locations we shoot require a short walk (10-20mins one way) along the forest tracks or the coastline. These are sometimes uphill, over uneven ground, or rocky beaches and you will be carrying your own equipment. On this tour, there may be a couple of longer walk options (30-45 min one way) but if these are difficult for the group, we do have the option to split the group at these locations. If your fitness or mobility is an issue please let us know.
Camera Equipment: Our tours focus on how to use your camera, not your type of camera. A basic list of recommended camera equipment can be found here
Clothing: A list of recommended clothing to bring on the tour can be found here