West Coast Wilderness Photography Tour – experience the untouched beauty
Join Glen Howey and Matthias Risse on this exceptional seven-day photography tour of the South Island’s wild West Coast. Timed for 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.
Journey through the dramatic landscapes of Arthur’s Pass, the unique formations of Castle Rock, and the geological wonders of Punakaiki before exploring the West Coast wilderness. This region, home to more protected lands than any other in New Zealand, offers unparalleled photographic opportunities. From the perfect reflections of Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman at Lake Matheson to the untouched rainforests and rugged coastlines, every moment of the West Coast Wilderness Tour is designed to inspire and enrich your photography.
We will photograph waterfalls and lush forest in Arthur’s Pass, the highest pass over the Southern Alps. At Punakaiki we will explore and photograph the unique and fascinating rock limestone formations that began to form 30 million years ago and were pushed from the seabed by earthquakes. At Paparoa National Park we’ll explore the exquisite limestone and river landscapes and exceptionally wild and beautiful coastline with its huge breaking waves and vast, deserted beaches.
We will capture the stunning turquoise waters of the Hokitika Gorge and visit Whataroa for a guided White Heron Sanctuary Tour along the Whataroa River—the only way to access the protected Waitangiroto Nature Reserve. Here, we will have the opportunity to photograph the country’s only nesting site for the elegant White Heron (Kotuku), along with the striking Royal Spoonbill. We’ll enjoy panoramic views of the Southern Alps as they rise beyond a vast expanse of rainforest at Okarito Lagoon,
Exploring the magnificent rainforest of Te Wāhipounamu, a UNESCO World Heritage area, we will immerse ourselves in its rich landscapes and diverse ecosystems. If conditions allow, there is an opportunity (at additional cost) to take a helicopter flight onto the Franz Josef Glacier, offering an incredible vantage point for photography. Our journey also includes a visit to the stunning Lake Matheson, where we can capture the mirror-like reflections of Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman.
We will explore Haast Pass, the gateway back inland to Wanaka, stopping to photograph a series of extraordinary waterfalls, including a stunning 30-metre cascade set within a stately beech forest. From our lakeside base in Wanaka we’ll capture the stunning vistas of multiple mountain ranges and the lake. Via a backcountry adventure, we’ll capture the shifting light over rugged peaks and mountain valleys. The rest of the time will be spent exploring the hills around Wanaka.
Tour Finishes: Queenstown
23rd Sept 2025: After travelling from Wanaka, the tour finishes in Queenstown. We will arrive at Queenstown 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.
Glen has been a travel, documentary and landscape photographer for more than 30 years. As an educator at Massey University, The Photo School and through workshops, really enjoying helping others discover their affinity for 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 uses comfortable lodge accommodation and mainly 4 star hotels.
Sole Occupancy/Twin Room: Please select sole occupancy or twin share room when booking.
Food:The price tour includes breakfast each morning, this is normally at the hotel but sometimes a local cafe. Lunch and dinner (apart from any listed as being included) are at your own expense. We will stop at a cafe/shop for lunch and book a table for the group for dinner each day at a local restaurant. Sometimes evening meal times might be early/late to fit around the time of sunset. New Zealand has great food and caters well for any preferences like allergies, vegetarian etc.
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
Excellent.
Back in Australia after a great West Coast Tour with Ken and Glen. Learnt so much and had a fun time. Thanks so much.
Richard and Ken were great instructors. They both helped set up my camera properly and were there to guide me and the other students through the process of taking great photographs. Everything from the technical through to composition was covered. Their scouting of locations meant that I was able to maximize great locations for photography in a relatively short window of time. Great fun, great camaraderie, great photographs. Would I do another NZPW tour? One word: Yes.
The professionalism of Richard started well before the tour did. I booked 8 months ahead and I was always kept well informed of tour details by Richard. The tour started with Richard and Shaun determining our proficiency levels and what we expected to get from the tour. This was followed by a one hour education session on camera settings for the different types of photography we’d be doing on the tour. Each day started with a dawn shoot and finished with a sunset. The day time hours were also busy at different locations. Richard and Shaun were always on hand to offer tips on settings and composition. Just one day was marred by rain so a review of our selected images was done one afternoon where I picked some useful processing tips. The accommodation along the way was always good. And the evening meals were always fantastic. I would thoroughly recommend New Zealand Photography Workshops to anyone interested in furthering their photographic skills whilst being thoroughly looked after.