New Zealand's South Island Photographic Expedition DAY 1: PRE-TOUR NIGHT: Arrive at Christchurch Airport and take the shuttle service or a taxi to your preferred Christchurch hotel. Once you arrive and get settled, you will have the afternoon to relax and overcome travel fatigue. Dinner can be taken at the hotel, or the hotel staff can assist you with a transfer to one of Christchurch s many restaurants. OVERNIGHT: Commodore Hotel or other (we can assist) INCLUDED: Airport transfers EXCLUDED: Accommodation, meals & beverages The Wildlight team is here to assist with pre-tour accommodation in Christchurch. You may need more than one day to acclimatise and deal with the time difference from your home country. DAY 2: You will be collected at 09h00am by your guides Chris McLennan & Dean Fitzpatrick, who will drive you to the lodge in Arthur's Pass. Absorb the authentic high country experience over lunch before setting off to Castle Hill. This imposing array of limestone boulders, reminiscent of an old, run-down stone castle, provides photographic opportunities at every turn. OVERNIGHT: ARTHUR'S PASS PHOTOGRAPHY: CASTLE HILL, ARTHUR'S PASS DAY 3: Enjoy the sunrise over Castle Hill before proceeding through the dramatic scenery of Arthur's Pass towards the West Coast. Once at the coast, you will travel north to some very isolated but stunning coastal country. Arrive at your accommodation, unpack your bag, and head out for late afternoon photography. OVERNIGHT: WEST COAST (far north) PHOTOGRAPHY: BEACHES, LAGOON, HIDDEN BASIN, LIMESTONE ARCHES
DAY 4: Rise early before sunrise to photograph the lagoon, the mighty Karamea River and the stunning limestone basin, surrounded by the beautiful native rainforest of the Kahurangi National Park. You will also visit the iconic Moria Gate Arch. Return to the resort at the end of the day, well after sunset. You will be welcomed back with a sumptuous roast dinner, true Kiwi fare! OVERNIGHT: WEST COAST (far north) PHOTOGRAPHY: OPARARA BASIN, MORIA GATE ARCH DAY 6: Photograph the sunrise over the Pancake Rocks before travelling further south via some stunning beaches to Fox Glacier. Named after Sir William Fox, New Zealand s prime minister from 1869 to 1872, Fox Glacier describes both the glacier and the nearby village. The glacier descends from the Southern Alps down into temperate rainforest just 300 metres above sea level and offers amazing scenery. The afternoon will be spent photographing the area or taking a hike to a glacier. OVERNIGHT: FOX GLACIER PHOTOGRAPHY: GLACIERS, COASTLINE, FOREST, LAKE MATHESON DAY 5: After an early morning photography session, travel south down New Zealand's scenic, rugged West Coast. The transfer is about 2.5 hours, and you will stop for lunch en route. Once settled in at the lodge, you will set out for photography in the late light at the magical Pancake Rocks and Blowholes, where columns of water shoot skyward from rocks that resemble giant stacks of hotcakes. Dinner will be served in a cozy typical New Zealand tavern. OVERNIGHT: PUNAKAIKI REGION DAY 7: Today you will continue exploring and capturing this distinctive glacial region. Highlights include the nearby glacier at Franz Josef, Lake Matheson with its famed reflections of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman, and the lush wetlands of the Okarito Lagoon. OVERNIGHT: FOX GLACIER PHOTOGRAPHY: GLACIERS, LAKE MATHESON, OKARITO LAGOON PHOTOGRAPHY: PANCAKE ROCKS, WEST COAST BEACHES
DAY 8: Wake up early to photograph the first sun over Lake Matheson. You will then travel further along the coast via the scenic Haast Pass and head inland to Wanaka. En route, visit desolate beaches, capture beautiful lakes and walk through ancient rainforest. The township of Wanaka is surrounded by spectacular alpine scenery and serves as the gateway to Mt Aspiring National Park. OVERNIGHT: WANAKA, National Park fees PHOTOGRAPHY: LAKE MATHESON, BEACHES, HAAST PASS, LAKE WANAKA DAY 10: Capture the sunrise at Lake Wanaka before driving through very picturesque farmland, fringed with mountain ranges on the road to Mt Cook. The final part of the road rests along the edge of Lake Pukaki. The exquisite opaque turquoise colour of this lake and others in the area is caused by fine, glacier-ground rock particles held in suspension. You will spend the rest of the afternoon photographing the Mt Cook region. OVERNIGHT: MT COOK VILLAGE & beverages PHOTOGRAPHY: MT COOK, LAKE PUKAKI DAY 9: Spend the day discovering all that this region has to offer, including the iconic Lake Wanaka, New Zealand's fourth largest lake. You will also visit the beautiful shores of Glendhu Bay and Mt Aspiring National Park, a wonderful mixture of remote wilderness, high mountains and spectacular river valleys. OVERNIGHT: WANAKA & beverages, National Park fees PHOTOGRAPHY: MT ASPIRING NATIONAL PARK, CROWN RANGE, LAKE WANAKA, GLENDHU BAY DAY 11: The Aoraki Mount Cook National Park includes the highest peak in Australasia: Mt Cook (3755m). The region attracts mountain climbers, hikers and of course photographers. A variety of walking trails begin in or near Mount Cook Village most take only a couple of hours and will take you to magic scenery for photography. OVERNIGHT: MT COOK VILLAGE & beverages PHOTOGRAPHY: MT COOK
DAY 12: Depart from Mt Cook reasonably early for the transfer to the iconic Wakatipu region. Along the way, you will drive through the Lindis Pass, offering dramatic mountain and tussock grassland scenery, stop in the quaint Arrowtown and drive through Queenstown to take the road to Glenorchy, one of the most scenic drives in New Zealand. The road follows the edge of Lake Wakatipu, providing breathtaking vistas of snow-capped mountains. The quirky township of Glenorchy is located at the head of Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by mountains in every direction. PHOTOGRAPHY: LINDIS PASS, ARROWTOWN, LAKE WAKATIPU DAY 13: Capture the scenery often used in international movies such as The Lord of the Rings, Narnia, The Hobbit, Walking with Dinosaurs and more. Your guides will take you to Paradise, Diamond Lake, the Dart Valley, Rees River and many more breathtakingly beautiful locations. PHOTOGRAPHY: PARADISE, DIAMOND LAKE, DART VALLEY, REES RIVER DAY 14: Early morning you will fly by helicopter to the peak of Mt Alfred, close to Glenorchy. Capture the 360 views over the Humboldt ranges, the various valleys and beautiful Lake Wakatipu. Then fly to Milford Sound with breathtaking views of Fiordland National Park. Once arrived you will board a cruise ship to experience the Sound at sealevel. Capture cascading waterfalls, birds and marine life during the cruise. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the shores before flying back over the Humboldt ranges to Glenorchy. Upon return the afternoon is at your leisure, to digest the Milford adventure. In the evening we will have a final dinner with the entire group. INCLUDED: Transfers, photographic guiding, breakfast, lunch PHOTOGRAPHY: MT ALFRED, MILFORD SOUND DAY 15: Mid-morning you will be transferred to Queenstown for onward travel. BON VOYAGE! Included: -Road transfers in a comfortable large van -Accommodation as per itinerary -Photographic guiding & tutoring -All meals during tour -Selected beverages during daytime Not included: -Visa fees -Travel insurance -Equipment insurance -Flights to Christchurch and departing from Queenstown -Pre- and post-tour accommodation in Christchurch & Queenstown (we can assist) -Additional beverages & bar at accommodation