- Overview
- Itinerary
- Trip Includes
- Trip Excludes
- Gallery
- Booking
- FAQ
There is a lot to see and do here and Queenstown is our initial base of operations to distant regions brimming with rugged beauty. From this quaint and modern town we are a short drive along the breathtaking shores of Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy, a township that is the jumping-off point to a few classic tracks (trekking routes) like the Greenstone, Caples, and Routeburn which is within Mt. Aspiring National Park. The Kiwis (New Zealanders nickname) truly love the outdoors and have created great access to remote areas; helping people get outside, while protecting the fragile landscapes so everyone can enjoy them for generations.
From this beautiful location we begin an overland journey north towards Lake Wanaka and then over Haast Pass onto the coastal highway on the western edge of the south island to visit the rocky seascape as well as placid lagoons and walk on glaciers that tumble into temperate rainforests in Westland National Park. There will be time to hike and get deep into the mountains including a flight via helicopter to the heart of the Southern Alps to experience this rugged landscape from above.
To experience New Zealand is to finally understand raw beauty, power and the allure of mother nature.
The wrinkled landscape of New Zealand has few straight roads and the helicopter ride will put in perspective how spectacular and remote these regions are, even though they may be a short distance in a straight line from each other. A few days later we head back over the pass and northward to Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park and spend a few days there to photograph colorful Lake Pukaki and the rugged peaks and deep valleys that have been carved by glaciers over eons.
We will head back to Queenstown on the last day for our last dinner together before your flight back home the next day.
We can run this trip at any time of the year, so please let us know your date preferences and we will create a custom departure date for you and your group.
Current tour departure dates:
- December 6-19, 2020
- January 3-16, 2021
There is a very good reason The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed in New Zealand. You really need to experience it first-hand in order to truly appreciate the immense variety and beauty of this land at the southern end of the Pacific Ocean. The trip begins with an arrival into Queenstown, a small modern city tucked into the elbow of Lake Wakatipu that offers everything a modern city does with quick access to fabulous adventures nearby via a short drive, bike ride, boat trip or hike.
Home – Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand
Depart U.S.: There are many options to get to Queenstown and most international flights arrive in Auckland on the North Island or Christchurch on the South island then make a connection to Queenstown. International airfare is not included in this itinerary.
For airline tickets, please contact our ticketing agent GEO Travel 1-800-938-7285.
Itineraries
Day 1
Arrival in Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand

Day 2
Queenstown – Glenorchy

Day 3
Glenorchy – Routeburn Trak – Routeburn Flats Hut

Day 4
Routeburn Flats Hut – Routeburn Trak – Glenorchy

Day 5
Glenorchy – Diamond Lake – Paradise – Glenorchy

Day 6
Glenorchy – Queenstown – Arrowtown – Wanaka

Day 7
Wanaka – Rob Roy Glacier/ Mt. Aspiring Hut (Happy New Year!)

Day 8
Mt. Aspiring Hut – Wanaka – Haast Pass – Franz Josef Glacier

Day 9
Franz Josef Glacier – Westland NP/Lake Mapourika – Franz Joseph Glacier

Day 10
Franz Joseph Glacier – Haast Pass – Wanaka – Twizel

Day 11
Twizel – Lake Pukaki – Mt. Cook National Park

Day 12
Mt. Cook National Park

Day 13
Mt. Cook National Park

Day 14
Mt. Cook National Park – Queenstown

Day 15
Queenstown – Home
We will provide a shuttle to the airport at an appointed time for your flight back home. (B)END OF OUR SERVICES
As per the itinerary:
- hotels
- meals (B,L,D)
- private transport
- professional guides
- airport transfers,
- decades of experience and local knowledge
*International airfare is NOT included in price
In order to make a reservation for a photo tour you can either fill in the form found in "BOOKING" and send it in directly from this website, you can e-mail us directly with any questions or call us.
The procedure from beginning to end is roughly the following:
1. Initial contact from you to us via several methods; online form (below), e-mail, postal mail or by phone
2. We respond to your query and send you whatever information you may have asked for
3. You fill out the Trip Application Form and send in a deposit (non-refundable) for a specific tour
4. We acknowledge receipt of Trip Application Form and your deposit and send you a Receipt/Invoice for the balance due
5. We send the general Pre-Departure information packet so you can begin to make preparations (gear, visas, clothing, vaccinations, etc.)
6. You send in final payment (60 days before departure date) and required paperwork (Medical Form, Liability Release, copy of passport, Travel Arrangement Form)
7. We send you the Receipt/Invoice for all payments and any balance due (if any) and final itinerary
8. We communicate with you about any last minute requests or questions you may have
9. We meet you at the starting point of the photo tour
10. We all have a great tour and you make awesome images to cherish forever
YES!
Anyone can book a single spot on any tour group at any time. These prices reflect the cost for one person, based on the total number of fully-paid people booked on a trip. If you have more people in your group and/or if the total number of people rises, the cost per person goes down. These prices are NOT based on a person or complete group bringing in a set amount of people on a tour
Final group size / price tier will be known 60 days before departure
Yes. You can check the current price tier for any group at any time. Every time we have a new booking we will update the price tier. The same goes if somebody cancels the trip.