New Zealand Photo Adventure 2027

Embark on an unforgettable 13-day photography adventure through New Zealand’s breathtaking South Island. This tour is perfectly timed for astrophotography and winter landscapes, offering the best time of year to capture the region’s spectacular scenery. From glittering glaciers and majestic mountains to deep fjords and ancient rainforests—the South Island is brimming with untouched natural beauty and incredible diversity. Winter brings stable, often clear days and nights, making it ideal for astrophotography.

This tour will help you expand your landscape and astrophotography portfolio as you explore some of New Zealand’s most iconic locations. Highlights include New Zealand’s highest peak, Aoraki/Mt. Cook, and Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its towering peaks, roaring waterfalls, and enchanting ancient beech forests.

With three to four nights in most locations, you’ll have plenty of time to fully immerse yourself in the extraordinary natural beauty of the South Island and capture it through (astrophotography).

Experience breathtaking landscapes by day and by night!

This trip is designed for all photography enthusiasts and lovers
Landscape photography, with a special focus on night and astrophotography. The difficulty level of the trip is easy to moderate, and a reasonable level of fitness is required. This is a photography-focused trip. You will visit and photograph the most beautiful locations on New Zealand’s South Island. During the trip, you will gain knowledge of astrophotography and landscape photography, covering everything from the theory of image capture and planning to post-processing. We’ll start with the theoretical and technical basics and apply them in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The goal of the trip is to return home with fascinating photographs.

The program is subject to change due to factors such as weather conditions.

Please leave your departure point early enough to arrive in Queenstown on time.

Day 1 and Day 2
Queenstown

The tour begins in Queenstown, where you can arrive at your convenience on this day. (Queenstown International Airport (ZQN))
We’ll meet for dinner to get to know each other before setting out the next day to explore the area around Queenstown—including a trip to Glenorchy, where we’ll take photos at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu and at the start of the famous Routeburn Track.

Day 3, Day 4, Day 5
Fiordland and Milford Sound

We’ll spend three nights in the charming lakeside town of Te Anau, using it as a base to explore the surrounding region. As the gateway to Fiordland National Park, Te Anau offers access to a variety of unique, diverse, and dramatic landscapes. During our stay, we’ll capture the serene beauty of Lake Te Anau, the largest lake on the South Island, and take a scenic walk along the Kepler Track, one of New Zealand’s “Great Walks,” which offers breathtaking views of the lake and the surrounding mountains.

Our journeys take us to a variety of breathtaking places, including the spectacular Milford Highway through the Eglinton Valley. Along the way, we encounter dark, mysterious lakes and moss-covered beech forests nestled against steep, dramatic slopes.

We’ll also explore pristine rainforests and take in the breathtaking views of Milford Sound, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Te Wāhipounamu – South West New Zealand. Milford Sound is famous for its extraordinary natural beauty, with its stunning granite cliffs rising steeply from mirror-smooth waters, adorned by cascading waterfalls and surrounded by lush rainforest and towering peaks. We’ll take a boat tour of the Sound, where you’ll have the opportunity to photograph the massive waterfalls plunging into the sea, conveying a sense of vastness and grandeur that is truly impressive. Whether bathed in sunlight, shrouded in mist, or glistening in the spray of the many waterfalls—this untouched wilderness offers unparalleled photo opportunities.

Day 6, Day 7, Day 8
Wanaka and the West Coast

You’ll spend three nights at the picturesque Edgewater Hotel on the shores of Lake Wānaka, which is perfectly situated for exploring the region’s legendary scenery. Capture the famous Wānaka Tree and the mountain landscape, and discover breathtaking spots that reflect the region’s beauty.

During our stay in Wanaka, we’ll take a long day trip to the West Coast. We’ll pull over on the highway to take pictures of some of the impressive waterfalls and forests along the way before continuing on to one of the West Coast’s wild, rugged beaches.

Day 9 and Day 10
Twizel

We will spend two nights in Twizel, the gateway to Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park and the breathtaking Mackenzie Country—the perfect base from which to explore and photograph the dramatic views of New Zealand’s highest peaks, as well as to engage in astrophotography.

Day 11 and Day 12
Mt. Cook

We’ll spend the last two nights of our tour in Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park. We explore the park’s landmarks, including the Tasman Valley, the breathtaking Hooker Valley, and the stunning scenery surrounding Aoraki/Mt. Cook. The photo opportunities are endless—from the turquoise glacial waters of Lake Pukaki to the mountain lakes and the towering peaks of the Southern Alps

Day 13
departure

The tour ends in Queenstown in time to catch late-afternoon flights.

Optional extras:
Helicopter landing in Fiordland:

Experience the unique thrill of landing amidst the majestic mountains of Fiordland to photograph the sunrise in the high Alps, with views of fjords and mountain lakes. Enjoy the breathtaking views of Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau, as well as the rugged beauty of the Kepler Mountains.

To ensure the best possible service, the maximum number of participants is limited to 8. The minimum number of participants for the tour is 6.

Participation is open to those with knowledge of English and German.

The costs include:
-Accommodation (double room)
-breakfast
-Licensed transportation in our private van with a local driver
-Airport transfer
-Support from a photographer
-Local Guide
-Boat tour of Milford Sound
-National park fees
-Photo Editing Lesson
-WhatsApp Group

The cost does NOT include:
- Travel insurance that covers health insurance/luggage insurance (recommended)
- International flights
- Local costs
- Visa
- Other meals
- Single room (surcharge: 1100 euros)
- Anything that is not specifically mentioned as "includes".

The recommended photography equipment consists of an SLR or mirrorless camera with a fast wide-angle lens (f/2.8 or faster, preferably f/2.0 or faster), a standard zoom lens (e.g., 28–70 mm), a telephoto lens (e.g., 100–400 mm), and a tripod.
Optional recommendations: photo filters (ND and polarizing filters), remote shutter release with interval timer, laptop.

It is winter on New Zealand’s South Island, and daytime temperatures are often in the single digits, while nighttime temperatures can drop well below 0 °C. It is best to choose clothing that allows you to add or remove layers depending on the weather. For example: thermal underwear, a wool or fleece mid-layer, and a windproof and waterproof jacket and pants. Spare socks and hiking boots are required.

- Passport / ID card valid for international travel
- Visa (if required), international health insurance, and travel cancellation insurance (recommended)
- The local currency is the New Zealand dollar.
- Credit cards (Mastercard/Visa) are widely used, accepted almost everywhere, and serve as the primary method of payment.

The total price of the trip is EUR 6900 .

To book the trip, a deposit of EUR 1700 is required and the balance must be paid up to 30 days before the start of the trip.

The single room supplement is 1,100 EUR.

Cancellation & Refund

If the entire trip must be canceled (e.g., due to safety concerns, operational restrictions, or a change in the political situation that makes it impossible to proceed with the trip), we will look for an alternative date or you will receive a full refund of all payments made for the trip. However, we recommend purchasing travel insurance that covers trip cancellation and interruption.

If a participant decides to cancel their reservation and booking, they may do so at any time. However, please keep in mind that a participant’s cancellation can cause administrative difficulties with the bookings and carries the risk of failing to reach the minimum number of participants required for the trip (and consequently the need to find a replacement). In this case, deposits and payments will be handled in accordance with the cancellation policy:

If the cancellation is submitted MORE than 3 months (before departure), you will receive a full refund.

If the cancellation is submitted LESS than 3 months (3–1 months) before departure,
you will receive a 50% refund of the trip price.

If the cancellation is submitted LESS than 1 month before departure,
It is NOT possible to receive a refund.

*Unless the customer who wants to cancel their booking brings another person who is willing to take their place by paying the total amount of the trip themselves.

liability

Stefan Liebermann (www.stefanliebermann.de) is acting as the tour coordinator. The tour is organized and conducted by New Zealand Photography Workshops (www.photographyworkshops.co.nz).