NEW ZEALAND ACCOMMODATIONS - FEBRUARY WORKSHOP
Accommodations are included in the price of this workshop. With photography as our paramount concern, we first selected the best photography locations on the South Island and then chose the best lodging available at each of these prime locations. We then reserved the most desirable rooms in each lodge. Based on New Zealand’s Qualmark Rating System we will be using only 4 & 5-Star properties.
QUEENSTOWN
With its unmatched location and views overlooking Lake Wakatipu, we’ll spend 2 nights here at the edge of the lake in our roomy Lakefront Suites. Each suite has a living room, separate bedroom, kitchenette, laundry, and deck overlooking the lake. This will be our gateway to the southern portion of Mount Aspiring National Park with its ice-clad mountains, turquoise rivers, and deep glacier-carved valleys. We’ll enjoy a helicopter flight above the lake before landing on a high mountain ridge to photograph the scenery around us.
WANAKA
With its stunning location on the shore of 25-mile long Lake Wanaka, our lodge will serve as our gateway to the central and northern portion of Mount Aspiring National Park. Each of our spacious one-bedroom suites offers a living room, separate bedroom, & kitchenette. We’ll spend 3 nights here as our base to photograph waterfalls, thundering rivers, narrow canyons, and glacier-clad peaks as well as a private 1.5-hour helicopter excursion into the heart of the park.
MILFORD SOUND
Located just around the bend from iconic Milford Sound, our individual chalets overlook the Cleddau River and have sweeping views of the surrounding mountains. We’ll spend 2 nights here in the heart of Fiordland National Park with its countless waterfalls, thundering rivers, soaring mountains, and tremendous glacier-carved valleys.
MOUNT COOK NATIONAL PARK
Located at the base of New Zealand’s highest mountain in the heart of the park, we’ll have stellar views of the 12,218′ ice-capped summit of Aoraki Mount Cook from our rooms at the renowned Hermitage Hotel. We’ll spend 3 nights here, surrounded by some of the most magnificent mountain scenery on Earth. One of the highlights of our stay will be a private, customized 1.5-hour helicopter excursion with a glacier landing in the most dramatic region of the park.
PAPAROA NATIONAL PARK
Located along the sublime, lush, almost-tropical-feeling west coast, we’ll spend 1 night here at the edge of the Tasman Sea. We’ve reserved the best rooms at the lodge; all perched side-by-side on a high bluff overlooking the beach and only minutes from the most dramatic photography locations in Paparoa National Park. This park is best known for the unique limestone formations of Pancake Rocks which have been sculpted into caves, grottos, and natural bridges by thundering surf over the millenia.
CHRISTCHURCH
Located only a few minutes from the airport, we’ll meet here on the first night for our orientation before beginning our adventure. We’ve reserved their most comfortable rooms with an early check-in if your flight arrives before noon. This will be an ideal place to recover from our long trip before we head out. The hotel’s close proximity to downtown Christchurch – with a free intercity bus stop just across the street – means this will also be a great location to access the city if you’re arriving one day early and would like to do some exploring. The hotel also provides a 24-hr free shuttle from the airport and has an excellent on-site restaurant.
WESTLAND NATIONAL PARK
We’ll spend 2 nights here at the base of the Southern Alps with the 12,000-foot ice-draped summit of Mount Cook rising into the clouds above us. We’ll photograph a variety of stunning locations in the heart of Westland National Park. The highlight of our stay here will be our private, customized helicopter excursion to the upper reaches of the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers for a landing on the ice before continuing our flight around the summits of Aoraki Mount Cook and Mount Tasman.