$4,606 USD per person, land only | Limited to 8 photo travelers

  This photography tour has 8 places available at this time
 Updated Tuesday the 2nd of December, 2008

Gateway city: Christchurch, New Zealand [CHC] | Arrival window: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Go to Orbitz for the average roundtrip air-fare from your city

Also see New Zealand Photo Gallery

Also see Tasmania

OUTLINE: New Zealand has long been the land of the 'Long White Cloud' and now 'Lord of the Rings' scenes. This ‘Middle Earth’ is 'Aotearoa' to the Maori, and you’ll find South Island to be dotted with wild Lupine, waterfalls, pristine blue lakes, old growth forests, and mountain ranges. Also included on the trip is Mount Cook, Tekapo, Christchurch, Dunedin, Otago, Te Anau, Milford Sound, Queenstown, a Maori 'Ko Tāne', plus the Albatross in flight, Yellow-Eyed Penguin and other seabirds.

OVERSEAS TRAVEL
<> It is recommended, but not imperative, that you arrive a day early to be fresh and on time for the trip!
<> Early arrival also enables you to explore the gateway city should you wish.
<> A late flight arrival on day 1 of the trip might entail you having to find your own way to the first hotel, if not close to the airport.
<> Please note that the ending date of the trip is the day of your departure flight. Please arrange your flights accordingly.

To compensate for the International dateline changes, clients from the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia should depart their home country a day or two prior to Day 1 for on-time arrival in Christchurch, New Zealand.

DAY 1  |  Arrive CHRISTCHURCH, South Island. LYTTLETON HARBOUR
I'll meet your morning flight into Christchurch, get you to our hotel for a bit of recuperation, and the trip will commence just after midday with lunch near our hotel. Then out for panoramic shots of the Christchurch skyline, followed by a trip over Dyer's Pass for photography around Governor's Bay and Diamond Harbour. This is the Banks peninsula, and we'll explore small shoreline communities for images of harbors, boats, old jettys, an 1860's church, shells, birds, and vistas around the harbor topped by the surrounding peaks. Dinner with the harbor in view, and back to Christchurch via some colorful late light.
CHRISTCHURCH, 1 night

DAYS 2, 3 and 4  |  To TWIZEL. MOUNT COOK
After breakfast we'll head across the Canterbury Plains in the direction of Twizel. We'll be on the lookout for serendipitous events that make each trip unique, and you'll also see some of the sheep that outnumber the locals 40 to 1. Via Burkes Pass to the high desert region for a photo op on the shore of Lake Tekapo complete with classic church window view of the glaciated blue water and peaks at the Church of the Good Shepherd. On to Lake Pukaki which affords magnificent Mount Cook views, with the mountain being the tallest in all of Australasia. The mountain is Aoraki to the Maori.
On days 3 and 4 will be out early and late to explore New Zealand's tallest peaks with a side trip into the Tasman valley thrown in for good measure. Also Lake Pukaki, and free time around the middle of the day to recharge.
TWIZEL, 3 nights

DAY 5  |  To WANAKA
A last look at Mount Cook in the morning before going south via Omarama and over Lindis Pass, and via Tarras with a large number of photo stops along the way. On to Wanaka for check-in, dinner, and evening light photography on the southern shore of Lake Wanaka where we’ll also spend the night [well, not on the shore but at a motel!]. 
WANAKA, 1 night

DAY 6  |  To QUEENSTOWN
Sunrise on Lake Wanaka and following breakfast we’ll take to the Cardrona Pass. Photography as we go including historic and colorful Cardrona and views into the Kawarau basin. Via Arrowtown to the New Zealand origins of bungee jumping for a few frames, then via Lake Hayes to Queenstown which lies on Lake Wakatipu. After check-in to our accommodations we'll follow the shores of Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy with many a stop as we go. Further on, and about as remote as it can get, is Paradise where we'll rendezvous with the last light of the day.
QUEENSTOWN, 1 night

DAYS 7, 8 and 9  |  To TE ANAU. MILFORD SOUND
Early light on the shores of Lake Wakatipu this morning. Breakfast and more area photography prior to turning for Te Anau. We'll shoot the Kingston Flyer steam train, and go via Mossburn to find ourselves in Te Anau in the late afternoon. Photography along the shoreline of Lake Te Anau following check-in, free time and supper.
On day 8 or 9 - weather will dictate the choice of day - grandeur in its most spectacular sense awaits us in Fiordland National Park as we depart prior to dawn for Milford Sound. I’ll time our arrival for the first light on Mitre Peak, and in case you weren't aware of it Milford Sound is awesome! The post-dawn light will see us photographing along the eastern shore of the sound, and following breakfast we’ll take a boat cruise under the towering peaks and waterfalls which are dominated by mile high Mitre Peak. Dolphins, and Seals are often seen. Subjects on the return home will include close-ups of the Kea bird, spectacular vistas in all directions, old growth forest studies, waterfalls, Lake Gunn and more.
Day 9 is somewhat of a rest day after the exertions of Milford Sound, and besides free time, we'll spend half a day exploring Lake Te Anau, Rainbow Reach, Lake Manapouri and pastoral scenes of sheep and mountain ranges.
TE ANAU, 3 nights

DAYS 10 and 11  |  To the OTAGO PENINSULA
On day 10 we’ll head for the Otago Peninsula on the east coast via Gore and the pastoral scenes alongside the Kaihiku mountain range. An afternoon detour will take us to Nugget Point lighthouse, and nearby it is possible that we’ll have the opportunity to photograph Yellow-Eyed Penguins and Sea Lions. 
Day 11 is set aside for the Otago peninsula where the highlights will be coastal and agricultural scenes, plus rustic boat houses, and wildlife including Albatross and other species in flight at Taiaora Head. In the late afternoon we'll detour for an excursion to the Yellow-Eyed Penguin colony, plus more.
PORTOBELLO, 2 nights

DAY 12  |  To MOERAKI
Early light photography out at Taiaora head, then to Dunedin the ‘Edinburgh of the south’ since being established by Scots in 1848. Photography around the Octagon then northwards along the coast to the Moeraki lighthouse, adjacent peninsula, and harbour. Then to our accommodations with late photography based upon the available light.
MOERAKI, 1 night

DAY 13  |  To CHRISTCHURCH
The round Moeraki Boulders face east, so we’ll have the best possible dawn light right at sea level on this morning. We'll explore the white-stoned town of 'Victorian' Oamaru as we go north, and say farewell to the Pacific Ocean at St. Andrews. We'll then cross the agricultural Canterbury plain, and go on to Christchurch for hotel check-in and a short break. To round off your New Zealand experience you'll attend a Maori 'Ko Tāne' which you'll find to be rich in photo opportunities!
CHRISTCHURCH, 1 night

DAY 14  |  NEW ZEALAND to the USA
Late morning or early afternoon flights from Christchurch will place you back in North America on the same calendar day, and we’ll make sure you are at the airport in good time.

Trip Leader: John Baker

See also New Zealand autumn

This itinerary is © John Baker, Travel Images,
and is not to be copied by business entities for their own professional use.  

PHOTO TOUR FEES

PRICE: $4,606 per person, double occupancy [land only]

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $460

SMALL GROUP SUPPLEMENT:
Only applicable to a group of less than 6
For 5 photo travelers the Small-Group Supplement is $460 per person
For 4 photo travelers the Small-Group Supplement is $920 per person

ADMISSIONS: The Milford Sound cruise, the Yellow-Eyed Penguin colony, the Moeraki Boulders and Maori 'Ko Tāne' are included in the trip fees . Any other admissions such as a helicopter ride to see Mount Cook etcetera, are optional and not included.

Refer to Terms and Conditions for complete details.

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