New Zealand is an amazing country, with fantastical landscapes and coastlines, a unique ecology based entirely on birds, and friendly, independent people. I spent a year at University here. This will be my fourth trip to New Zealand’s South Island and it’s different every time. Our start and end point will be Queenstown (ZQN), an easy flight from Christchurch and central to local walks along the Shotover River, bungy jumping, jet boats, zip lines, and everything Kiwi-adventurous, as well as locations like Piopiotahi/Milford Sound and Patea/Doubtful Sound, Wanaka, Aoraki/Mt. Cook and the Hooker Valley, Moeraki Boulders, Lake Pukaki, Lake Tekapo, temperate rainforest, blue glacial rivers, and, of course, waterfalls.

Two or three days based in Te Anau, we’ll spend an entire day at Milford Sound, including a 2-hr cruise and, potentially, a hike to Lake Marian. The next day we’ll depart from our hotel for an overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound, which includes a short cruise across Lake Manapouri and a bus ride over remote Wilmot Pass. Expect to see dolphins, seabirds, the cheeky Kea, New Zealand fur seals, maybe even penguins or a rare whale sighting, and we’ll be able to photograph sunset and sunrise in this remote part of Fiordland National Park. Kayaking and perhaps a shore excursion are also available as part of the Doubtful Sound overnight. An optional excursion on your own from Te Anau is a tour of the glow worm caves at the base of the Luxmore Track. Arrangements can be made at our accommodations in Te Anau if you choose to take that option.

We’ll leave the mountains for the coast for an overnight at the Moeraki Boulders, catching a sunset and sunrise at this iconic location, returning to Queenstown for a final night before departures home.

We are covering a relatively small area of the South Island because there is so much to see and spending hours driving is unproductive for photographers.

There is a minimum of 3 and maximum of 5 for this New Zealand PhotoExploration. A deposit is due before March 31, 2027, with the balance by June 15. Early deposits ensure the Doubtful Sound overnight, which is very space limited.