New Zealand In Autumn Photo Workshop

Please note that the fixed wing flight on day 3 can’t be guaranteed if weather doesn’t behave. Our itinerary does give us some flexibility to maximize our aerial opportunities in the case of bad weather.

Day 0: Arrive in Queenstown

Arrive at Queenstown International Airport (ZQN) on this day. Air travel delays are possible, so please consider arriving early, possibly the day prior. We don't want you to miss out on trip activities.

There are no events scheduled for today. Our tour officially starts tomorrow morning.

Day 1: Into the Southern Alps

We’ll meet in Queenstown at 9:00 AM and get to know each other over breakfast before heading north towards Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park. With New Zealand’s highest mountains ahead of us and a few photography stops along the way, there’s plenty to look forward to before we even reach our hotel.

The drive takes approximately 3.5 hours, excluding stops. After settling into The Hermitage, we’ll head out for our first afternoon of photography. It’s a chance to start working with the mountain light, get comfortable with your gear, and talk through what you’d like to learn during our time together. We’ll finish the day over dinner.

Day 2: Glacial Lakes and Mountain Valleys

Our first sunrise takes us to Tasman Lake, where we’ll photograph the mountains as the light reaches into the valley. With a little luck, icebergs will add another element to our compositions. We’ll take our time looking for foregrounds and finding ways to show the scale of this landscape.

After the one-hour return walk, we’ll head back for a buffet breakfast and a break. In the afternoon, we’ll explore Hooker Valley, with its mountain views and opportunities to build an image around the landscape unfolding ahead of us.

Both outings follow easy-graded tracks. The Hooker Valley walk can take up to three hours return, depending on track access and how far we explore.

Day 3: The Southern Alps from Above

We’ll begin with a short drive to photograph sunrise from Lake Pukaki or the Tasman River, choosing our location for the conditions. Both offer opportunities to place Aoraki / Mount Cook within a wider landscape and work with the first light on the peaks.

After breakfast, we’ll travel to Tekapo to photograph the lake and the Church of the Good Shepherd. The return drive takes approximately three hours, with time at our destination to explore different compositions.

Towards sunset, we’ll trade our ground-level views for a charter flight over the Southern Alps with Air Safaris. During approximately 60–90 minutes in the air, we’ll photograph the peaks, glaciers, and valleys from a completely different perspective. Have your batteries charged. This is a day you’ll want to be ready for.

Day 4: From Aoraki to Lake Wānaka

We’ll enjoy one final sunrise in Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park before continuing to Wānaka, approximately 2.5 hours away.

After checking into our lakeside hotel, we’ll take a short, 15-minute stroll to the famous Wānaka Tree. This lone willow has drawn photographers from around the world, but our aim will be to find our own interpretation. We’ll work with the water, mountain backdrop, and changing light, paying attention to how small changes in position can simplify a composition.

Day 5: Morning Light and the Road to Queenstown

We’ll return to the Lake Wānaka foreshore for sunrise. Revisiting a location gives us a chance to build on what we saw the day before, and a change in light or weather can make a familiar scene feel entirely new.

After checking out, we’ll travel over the Crown Range towards Queenstown, stopping in Arrowtown for lunch and time to enjoy the village. The drive takes approximately an hour without stops, but we’ll give ourselves room to enjoy the journey.

Once settled into our Queenstown hotel, we’ll head out for a local sunset shoot before dinner.

Day 6: A Day at Your Own Pace

After several early mornings, today is yours to enjoy Queenstown at a slower pace. Sleep in, walk along the waterfront, find a good café, or spend some time working through your photographs.

It’s also a chance to catch up on editing, conduct an image review with Daniel or Viktoria, recharge your batteries, and perhaps deal with the less glamorous side of photography travel: laundry.

If you’d like to book a local activity, we’re happy to help you explore the options. Breakfast and dinner are included; optional activities are at your own expense.

Day 7: Reflections at Moke Lake and Glenorchy

A 25-minute drive brings us to Moke Lake for sunrise. Surrounded by hills and open farmland, this is a place to slow down and watch the light. If the water is calm, we’ll work with reflections to bring the landscape together.

After breakfast back at our hotel, we’ll follow the lakeside road to Glenorchy, approximately 50 minutes from Queenstown. The red shed is a familiar subject, but we’ll also spend time exploring the lake and surrounding mountain views.

We’ll stay through sunset before returning to Queenstown for dinner.

Day 8: The Road into Fiordland

After a local sunrise shoot and breakfast, we’ll leave Queenstown for Milford Sound / Piopiotahi.

The drive takes approximately four hours without stops, but the journey deserves time of its own. As we travel into Fiordland, we’ll stop along the way to photograph the changing scenery and make the most of the conditions.

Our home for the next two nights is Milford Sound Lodge, tucked into the rainforest. After checking in, we’ll take a short drive to the foreshore for sunset, where Mitre Peak rises above the fiord. Access involves an approximately 15-minute return walk.

We’ll finish with dinner at the lodge, with another full day in Milford Sound still ahead.

Day 9: Milford Sound from Shore and Water

We’ll return to the foreshore for sunrise and another opportunity to photograph Milford Sound as the morning develops. We’ll let the conditions guide our approach, looking for everything from wider views to smaller details in the landscape.

After breakfast, we’ll board a two-hour nature cruise. From the water, we’ll photograph the fiord’s steep walls and waterfalls, with opportunities to watch for seals and dolphins along the way.

Later, we’ll return to shore for sunset photography before dinner at the lodge. Having a full day here gives us time to explore how light and weather change the photographs we make.

Day 10: An Overnight Journey into Doubtful Sound

We’ll leave Milford Sound and drive approximately two hours to Manapouri, where our journey to Doubtful Sound / Patea begins.

There’s something special about staying overnight in a place like this. As we travel into the fiord aboard the Navigator, we’ll have time to watch the landscape unfold, photograph from the boat, and enjoy being surrounded by mountains and water.

We’ll share dinner on board and settle into our accommodation for the night. Tomorrow, we’ll wake up already in the landscape we’ve come to photograph.

Day 11: One Last Morning in Fiordland

Our final morning begins aboard the boat in Doubtful Sound. We’ll enjoy breakfast and the remaining time on the water before making our way back to Manapouri.

From there, it’s approximately a 2.5-hour drive to Queenstown, arriving at the airport around 4:00 PM

Then it’s time to say our goodbyes—with photographs to work on, new friendships to carry home, and hopefully a few ideas that will stay with you every time you pick up your camera.

Departure from Queenstown International Airport (ZQN). Book your departing flight no earlier than 7:30 PM on this day.