While New Zealand is well-known for its breath-taking scenery, it is also a haven for a delightful variety of wildlife. This stunning 15-day tour is a wonderful mix of mountains and marine mammals, forests and feathered friends.

Our route takes us from the garden city of Christchurch, on the South Island's eastern seaboard, north to the seaside settlement of Kaikoura. In the waters off Kaikoura a complex marine system provides an abundantly rich habitat for marine mammals and seabirds. We take boat trips to photograph the playful and acrobatic Dusky dolphins, and the mighty Sperm whales which are residents in this area.

The road turns west as we drive through the mountains to the untamed West Coast. Beneath lofty mountains, dense rainforest thrives from the doorstep of glaciers to the ocean's edge. We then travel through the Otago lakes district, a region characterised by rugged mountain ranges and brilliant blue lakes. As we explore this area we find ourselves inside landscapes used in the Lord of the Rings films, evoking a sense of the surreal.

The valleys deepen as we continue on through Fiordland to Milford Sound, which has been described as the eighth wonder of the world. While most visitors make this a day trip, we stay overnight to photograph the iconic Mitre Peak, not forgetting The Lion and The Elephant, in the evening and dawn lights. Our boat cruise through the fiord provides stunning photography in any weather.

After days encircled by mountains, we head for the wide open spaces of the southeast coast. The city of Dunedin is well known for its Scottish heritage and the architecture here reflects this. While here we visit the Otago Peninsula albatross colony for a close encounter with these regal birds. We then continue north along the coast to a location off the tourist route where we photograph the fascinating Hoiho (Yellow-eyed penguin).

The mountains are beckoning again so we make for the highest in New Zealand: Aoraki/Mt Cook. From our base under the shadow of the mighty Southern Alps we explore this inspiring alpine environment and photograph Aoraki/Mt Cook from different locations.

Our adventure is almost at an end as we drive back to Christchurch for our last evening together.

Tour duration: 15 Days
2010 Tour dates: September 19 - October 3
Group size: Maximum 8 participants. Small group fee applies when less than 5 guests travelling.

This stunning 15-day tour is a wonderful mix of mountains and marine mammals, forests and feathered friends including:

Click here to view the route map for this tour.

Day one CHRISTCHURCH - KAIKOURA
We begin our travels this morning, and drive north along the coast to the seaside settlement of Kaikoura. Overlooked by majestic mountains, which are snow-capped for many months of the year, this coastal town was once only known for the rock lobster caught here. Now, Kaikoura is famous for the abundance of marine mammals and seabirds found offshore. In the afternoon we visit a large seal colony which provides many subjects for us to photograph.
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Day two KAIKOURA
This morning we join a sea cruise to to photograph Dusky dolphins - natural acrobats who seem to enjoy showing off their skills for spectators. In the afternoon we take another boat trip look for resident Sperm whales. The whales' feeding grounds are about 30 minutes from land, giving us plenty of time to look for these spectacular mammals.
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Day three KAIKOURA - PUNAKAIKI
After a sunrise shoot we leave Kaikoura and head for the famous West Coast and Punakaiki. The force of the ocean has carved the coastline into fascinating rock sculptures, and we arrive in the afternoon at the most unusual of these formations: the Pancake Rocks.
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Day four PUNAKAIKI - FOX GLACIER
We turn south along the coast this morning as we head for the glaciers. Under the shadow of the Southern Alps the Franz and Fox Glaciers are the most accessible in New Zealand, and still flow towards the sea. Franz Josef is the first glacier we visit and an easy walk leads us to a magnificent location to photograph. Very shortly after we arrive at the Fox Glacier Village and hike around Lake Matheson where, on a still day, New Zealand's two highest peaks, Mts Aoraki/Cook and Tasman, are reflected in the dark waters. 
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Day five FOX GLACIER
Today we go up onto the glacier - a great opportunity to shoot the ice patterns up close. After returning from the glacier there is time to relax in the village before we meet again in the afternoon to photograph the mountain surrounds as the sun sets. 
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Day six FOX GLACIER - QUEENSTOWN
We leave the glaciers and continue driving south. One of our last shoots on the West Coast is at an ancient swamp, filled with New Zealand's tallest growing trees: the kahikatea. We then take the Haast Pass road east, travelling through a valley carved by glaciers, stopping along the way to shoot waterfall, forest and river scenes. Once over the pass we descend towards the Otago lakes district, photographing the mountain-bordered Lakes Hawea and Wanaka before arriving in Queenstown in the evening.
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Day seven QUEENSTOWN
An early start as we set out to capture the sunrise on Lake Wakatipu. We then continue on into the Mt Aspiring National Park. Moss-laden forests, crystal clear rivers and deep valleys provide us with exciting photographic opportunities from detailed macro to sweeping panoramas. In the early afternoon we return to the township where there is an opportunity to relax, do a spot of shopping or for a surge of adrenalin there's the bungy jump and jetboating. We meet again in the late afternoon to photograph the Remarkables mountain range. 
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Day eight QUEENSTOWN - MILFORD SOUND
We leave Queenstown this morning and make our way to Milford Sound. The drive to the fiord is every bit as spectacular as the destination, and visitors are always overwhelmed by the grandeur of the landscape. We stop to photograph dramatic glacial valleys, expansive mountain vistas and forest-fringed lakes. No doubt at one of our stops we will be greeted by the cheeky mountain parrot, the kea. Later in the afternoon we arrive at Milford Sound and shoot the fiord as the sun sets. 
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Day nine MILFORD SOUND - TE ANAU
This morning we take a boat journey along the fiord and out to the Tasman Sea. As well as shooting this incredible landscape of sheer mountains, cascading waterfalls and untouched coastline it is possible we will see seals and dolphins. Once back ashore we spend the rest of the day photographing at different locations in the Fiordland National Park as we make our way back to Te Anau. 
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Day ten TE ANAU - SOUTHLAND COAST
After breakfast we head for the southern coast in search of the New Zealand, or Hooker, sealions. We will spend time photographing these imposing mammals, as well as some of the superb coastal scenery.
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Day eleven SOUTHLAND COAST - DUNEDIN
This morning, we drive north to the Scottish-influenced city of Dunedin, where you have time to explore and shoot some of the city's historic architecture before we meet again for our visit to the Otago Peninsula, where the world's only mainland colony of the albatross is found. These birds are immense and, with a wingspan of 3 metres, are an absolute thrill to photograph!
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Day twelve DUNEDIN - NORTH OTAGO
We continue north along the coast and our afternoon will be spent photographing the rare Hoiho (Yellow-eyed penguin). These delightful seabirds come ashore from mid-afternoon and we will set ourselves up to take full advantage of their return. 
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Day thirteen NORTH OTAGO - AORAKI/MT COOK NATIONAL PARK
We are out early this morning to photograph the unusual spherical boulders at Moeraki beach.Then we drive north to the small town of Oamaru. The whitestone Victorian buildings found here are great examples of early Otago architecture and we spend some time after breakfast photographing them. We then leave the coast and turn inland towards the heart of the Southern Alps and the home of New Zealand's highest mountain: Aoraki/Mt Cook. We arrive at the Mt Cook Village in the afternoon in time for a hike to capture the stunning views of Aoraki/Mt Cook.
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Day fourteen AORAKI/MT COOK NATIONAL PARK - CHRISTCHURCH
After photographing sunrise in the Tasman Valley we shoot the towering mountains which overlook the village before departing for Christchurch late morning. We take the inland scenic route past turquoise lakes and high country rural scenes, stopping to photograph along the way. As tonight is our last night we enjoy a special farewell dinner together; a great time to reflect on the roads travelled, the friendships made and, of course, the sensational photographs captured! 
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Day fifteen CHRISTCHURCH - DEPART
As you prepare for your flight home, or onward to another destination, there will be time for some last-minute shopping, a visit to the arts centre, or maybe just a relaxing coffee overlooking the Avon River. 
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Tour fee:
NZ$6730.00 per person twin share
NZ$1260.00 single supplement

Deposit:
NZ$500.00 per person

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