Ultimate New Zealand Photography Tour

In the heart of Mackenzie Country, we’ll stay for two nights at Aoraki Mt Cook Village, right at the foot of New Zealand’s tallest peak. Photographic opportunities abound, from the glacial turquoise waters of Lake Pukaki to the alpine lakes and towering peaks surrounding Aoraki/Mt Cook.

Here, we’ll explore the breathtaking Tasman & Hooker Valleys; walking out along well-graded tracks leading to alpine lakes, sweeping river views, and majestic mountain scenery—ideal for capturing the raw beauty of this alpine environment.

Next, we travel to the Otago Peninsula to stay in the historic Larnach Castle, one of New Zealand’s most impressive buildings. Here, you’ll experience the acclaimed Trust the Chef dining experience in the castle’s grand dining room, an unforgettable culinary highlight of our tour. The Otago Peninsula’s dramatic coastal landscapes offer spectacular sunrise and sunset photo opportunities. It is also known as the wildlife capital of New Zealand with many rare species including penguins, albatrosses, and sea lions.

We will spend our stay here focusing on some exceptional wildlife experiences including a boat trip to take you around the world’s only mainland breeding colony of Northern Royal Albatross to photograph these majestic birds from the sea. We will also visit Orokonui Ecosanctuary; home to native birds and rare species like the takahe and tuatara, you’ll have the chance to photograph these fascinating creatures in their natural habitat.

We will make a stop at Moeraki to photograph the striking Moeraki Boulders and extraordinary collection of large spherical rocks scattered along the beach in a dramatic coastal setting.

We then head to the wild beauty of The Catlins Coast with sweeping views and abundant wildlife that make it an unforgettable location for photography; its pristine beaches provide the perfect setting for a dramatic sunset over the Southern Ocean. We explore the highlights of the coastline from Nugget Point; one of New Zealand’s most stunning coastal landmarks featuring a historic lighthouse perched above rocky inlets to Waipapa Point Lighthouse with its iconic windswept macrocarpa trees and expansive coastal vistas. Inland we will visit the tranquil waterfalls of the Catlins Coastal Rainforest Park which offer serene scenes surrounded by lush greenery. During our time in the Catlins we will also visit a private eco-reserve, where you’ll have the chance to photograph yellow-eyed penguins.

We then have two nights in Invercargill, New Zealand’s southernmost city. From here we embark on an unforgettable day trip to Stewart Island/Rakiura, New Zealand’s third largest island and one of its most treasured wilderness destinations. We will visit the remarkable Ulva Island, an open sanctuary within Paterson Inlet, where predator-free forest is alive with rare and endangered native birds. With no roads and virtually no human disturbance, Ulva Island offers extraordinary opportunities to photograph species such as the South Island robin, Stewart Island weka and kaka in their natural habitat.

We spend three nights exploring the wild heart of Fiordland, including an overnight stay aboard a boat on Doubtful Sound and a night at Milford Sound Lodge — two of the most spectacular and remote landscapes in New Zealand.

Doubtful Sound is far less visited than Milford, and arguably even more photogenic. With no direct road access, we first cross Lake Manapouri by boat, then travel over the dramatic Wilmot Pass to meet our boat. Spending a night surrounded by Doubtful Sound’s towering peaks, cascading waterfalls and pristine waters, far from any city lights, is a true wilderness experience few travellers ever have.

At Milford Sound, the jewel of Fiordland National Park, we stay overnight at Milford Sound Lodge. With the iconic Mitre Peak rising dramatically from the fiord, the lodge provides an extraordinary base to photograph Milford at its most magical — at sunset as the golden light plays across the peaks, and again at sunrise before the day visitors arrive. For those seeking aerial views, an optional helicopter flight offers a spectacular perspective of Fiordland National Park, with the opportunity to photograph the fiords and glacial lakes from above.

After exploring the amazing wilderness of Fiordland, we return to Queenstown for one final night. This enables us to head to Glenorchy for sunrise on the final day of the tour, capturing some of the majestic scenes over the mountains.

Tour finishes: Queenstown

Saturday, 13 May 2028: After a sunrise shoot in Glenorchy, we return to Queenstown, where the tour concludes by lunchtime. This allows plenty of time to book domestic or international flights departing that afternoon.

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.

This tour runs with a group of 8 to 10 photographers and two tutors, who are with you in the field throughout. Keeping the group this size means there is always time for individual attention, expert tuition and personal feedback at each location. Smaller groups of up to 5 may only be led by one tutor.

A minimum level of physical activity is needed to enjoy this tour. Most locations involve a short walk of 10 to 20 minutes each way along formed forest tracks or the coastline, sometimes uphill, over uneven ground or on rocky beaches, and you will be carrying your own equipment. There are a couple of longer options of 30 to 45 minutes each way, and we can split the group at these locations if that suits people better.

We focus on being out shooting in the best light, which often means starting before dawn and finishing after sunset. There is usually time to rest during the middle of the day, and we fit image review and post-processing sessions around the hours when the light is not at its best.

The daily schedule is set by the conditions rather than fixed in advance. If a location is not working we will swap it for one better suited to the weather that day. Fiordland in particular is at its most dramatic in changeable weather, and rain often produces the waterfalls and mist that make Milford and Doubtful Sound so photogenic.

This tour is about how to use your camera rather than what camera you own. A recommended equipment list is available at photographyworkshops.co.nz/about/recommended-equipment. A tripod is essential for the low-light and long-exposure work we do throughout.

It will be autumn in New Zealand temperatures can cool especially for early morning sunrises, we want you to stay warm so recommended clothing list at photographyworkshops.co.nz/about/recommended-clothing

You can select either a twin share or single occupancy room when you book this tour. Cabin arrangements for the overnight stay on the Doubtful Sound boat are twin share or single occupancy cabins with ensuite.

The tour includes 17x breakfasts, 2x three-course dinner at Larnach Castle, and Doubtful Sound boat. Lunch and additional 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!

Yes. New Zealand caters well for allergies, vegetarian, vegan and other dietary preferences, and we book group dinners at local restaurants each evening. Let us know your requirements when you book so we can pass them on in advance.

Due to limited space in the vehicle there is a limit of two items per person: one suitcase and one camera bag. For the overnight stay on the Doubtful Sound boat you are permitted a small overnight bag and a camera bag, and any remaining luggage stays securely in our van.

For the start of the tour we recommend flying into Queenstown the day before, as a delayed flight on the morning of day one cannot be waited for. At the end of the tour we arrive at Queenstown Airport at 3 pm, so book domestic flights departing after 4 pm and international flights departing after 5 pm.

Most hotels on the tour provide wifi. There is no mobile coverage on Doubtful Sound and coverage through much of Fiordland is limited or non-existent, so plan to be offline for that part of the tour.

Yes. We build image review and processing sessions into the tour, scheduled around the times of day when the light is not suited to shooting. Bring enough memory cards and a means of backing up your work, as you will come home with a lot of files.