This tour starts in Central Otago with our Maniototo 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.
Explore some of the forgotten areas of the Maniototo and Central Otago
Milford Sound Cruise
Nugget Point Lighthouse
Catlins Coastal Rainforest Park
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.
12 days photography tuition with Glen Howey & Ken Wright
11 nights hotel accommodation (twin-share, single upgrade available) in mostly 4✩
11 breakfasts, 1 packed dinner, 1 boat dinner
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
Thank you for your booking on our Southern Landscapes tour! We know that you’ll want to begin planning your trip, please find below some helpful information and details you will need for your booking with us.
Essential Guide
Here is a link to our Essential Guide, this PDF has lots of useful information for your trip with us, please take the time to read it.
Recommended Flights
You will need to fly into Queenstown the day before your Tour starts as we will be leaving early (7-8am) in the morning and flights on the day can be problematic if delayed. On the first day of the tour we can pick you up from any centrally located (or close to the airport) accommodation.
Recommended Return Flights
We will be arriving at the airport at 3pm for domestic flights no earlier than 4pm. Please do not book flights earlier than this or you will not make it to the airport on time. Please check your required check-in times for international departures.
Single Room Upgrade
If you would like to have your own room for the duration of the trip you can add the single room upgrade to your booking, if you didn’t do this at the checkout, just send us an email we can add this for you. Please note if we do not hear from you about this we will assume you wish to share a room with another tour participant.
Online Course
As a part of this tour you will receive complimentary access to the online course, this will be sent out30 days prior to departure so that you are camera ready for your trip.
Once you have booked your flights and made your travel plans please let us know what these are and where you would like to be picked up from to join the tour.
Thanks again for booking with us, we will be in touch again closer to your departure date.
We look forward to having you on tour with us soon!