Lake Pukaki & Mt. Cook (Southern Alps), NZ South Island / Maori Man in Rotorua, NZ North Island
This week’s new adventure release is one of our favorites. Explore the volcanos, dramatic coastlines, rolling green pastures, sandy beaches, the towering Southern Alps, mirror blue lakes, glaciers, & fjords with us…Need we say more? Then check out all the details of our New Zealand South Island and North Island Adventure Extension below!
1 SPOT AVAILABLE for the Iceland Uncovered trip this fall. It’s been sold out for months but with a recent cancellation we can now fit ONE more member! First to submit their payment snags it!
LAST 2 SPOTS for our Wonders of Japan journey remain, but we need to release the remaining rooms held in 1 week! LAST CHANCE to see & photograph the Japanese Alps, riverside hot springs, magnificent waterfalls, & 1000’s of temples which make Japan so iconic. Sign up now before it’s too late!
Travel Article of the Week: While we’re busy adding new off-the-path gems for our next China adventure, check out our latest blog article on our favorite spots throughout this massive nation.
Travel Photo of the Day: A timely image to celebrate the release of our New Zealand North Island Extension. Check out this shot we took during the last trip at the crazy geothermal region of Rotorua!
E-mail us OR fill out the form on our trip pages for the daily itineraries!
More details below…
REFER-A-FRIEND GIVEAWAYS
$100.00 Discounted Trip Credit for any member who refers just THREE friends or family to our travel club: http://photoflytravel.com/. All you need to do is make sure they put your name in the “how did you hear about us” section to receive the voucher. Once they join, e-mail us so we can confirm and send you the discount! *Voucher cannot be combined with other credits or discounts.
*Voucher cannot be combined with other credits or discounts *minimum 3 referrals required. *cannot use toward a trip you are already signed up for.
Epic New Zealand: South Island Adventure
March 2nd-March 13th 2020
Our outrageously popular adventure throughout New Zealand is back! Join us and experience the best off the path gems & must-see highlights of New Zealand’s South Island. The South Island IS the adventure isle of the world with rolling green pastures, sandy beaches, the towering Southern Alps mountain range, mirror blue lakes, glaciers, fjords, and so much more! The famed Queenstown has even been coined the “Adrenaline Capital of the World”. On this group adventure, we’ll hit so many of these beautiful and diverse places. The amazing photographic opportunities are endless with a myriad of landscapes, climates, and sub-cultures.
Don’t forget to check out our adventure filled New Zealand North Island Adventure Extension!
E-mail us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!
* 11 nights/12 days throughout the best of New Zealand’s South Island
* Private Kiwi guide throughout who knows New Zealand like no other!
* Breakfast Everyday
* 2 lunches, 2 Dinners (Including Welcome and Farewell Dinner Celebrations)
Christchurch → Kaikoura → Nelson/Abel Tasman National Park: 4 Nights
From the very start we’ll hit the ground running with a night in the “Garden City” of Christchurch, NZ’s South Island capital, before heading up on our first epic road trip along the gorgeous northeast coast. Our first stop is Kaikoura where we can go whale watching and swim with dolphins! Then on to Nelson, the sunshine capital of NZ. We’ll spend an awesome day in Abel Tasman National Park amongst stunning bush, ocean cliffs, waterfalls, and sandy beaches.
– Explore the earthquake ridden city of Christchurch, still beautiful with parks and interesting street art as major rebuilding is taking place (cool photos to be taken all around)
– Drive up the East Coast arriving in Kaikoura where we’ll have the option of going on a whale watch cruise with a 95% chance of sightings or opportunity to swim with wild dusky dolphins!
– Stop at Ohau Point to encounter juvenile seal pups near a magnificent waterfall!
– Explore Abel Tasman National Park: A boat trip with beach landing takes us to this coastal wonderland where we can relax on the beach or hike along the coastal track through lush forest and over river swing bridges. (Optional kayak tours and other guided hikes available). So many opportunities for stunning photos throughout this day.
Geymouth & Franz Josef Glacier: 2 Nights
– Cross the gorgeous Southern Alps with photo stops en route, arriving in Punakaiki to see and photograph the unique Pancake Rock formations
– Guided walk through the Truman Track in Paparoa National Park (Unspoilt sub-tropical forest, podocarp and rata trees, vines, and nikau palms everywhere)– Greymouth: Stop for the night in this quaint coastal town on the west coast. (Considered the heart of the west coast, the town is famous for its rich history of jade hunting, gold mining, and dramatic river floods)
– Franz Josef Glacier: See and photograph this unique glacier, one of only a few in the world that descends into a temperate rainforest. (Guided walking tour close as possible to the terminal face of the glacier, optional helicopter hikes or scenic heli rides with glacier landings available, end the day relaxing in soothing hot pools fed by natural springs nearby (optional)
Queenstown & Milford Sound: 3 Nights– Lake Matheson: En route to Queenstown we’ll take a short walk along the shores of this beautiful mirror lake (hopefully the water will be still for some cool photographs!)
– Check out Arrowtown nearby, a small village rich in history for its gold mining past (Many original shacks and structures from the gold mining era still stand today)
– Free day to explore Queenstown on your own. A number of optional activities are available including bungee jumping, skydiving, Skyline Gondola, horseback riding, wine tours, ATV tours, and more!
– TSS Earnslaw historic steamship ride to Walter Peak Farm for a kiwi style gourmet BBQ lunch and farm show.
– Mind Blowing Milford Sound Exploration & Cruise: This is a place that potentially tops all others in New Zealand (and that’s saying a lot!). So magical in fact, that famed British writer Rudyard Kipling deemed Milford Sound an 8th Wonder of the World. Numerous waterfalls decorate the walls of the cliffs, and shower down into the sea. Explore & photograph the gigantic fjords, and if we’re lucky, see fur seals, dusky & bottlenose dolphins, & the rare Fiordland Crested Penguin!
Lake Tekapo → Christchurch: 2 Nights
– Travel through the middle of the South Island to the MacKenzie area and Lake Tekapo (Amazing views and photographs to be taken of the Southern Alps with the Church of the Good Shepherd in the foreground)
– Clear skies & low light pollution make Lake Tekapo the best place for star & planet gazing(Optional Mt. John Observatory Astronomy Tour)
– Relax our muscles in the Tekapo Hot Springs under the stars (Optional)
– Visit Mt Cook Village (Photo opps of New Zealand’s tallest mountain and Lake Pukaki with it’s gorgeous turquoise glacier water)
* PhotoFly Travel Club adventures are laid back when it comes to photography. They are not workshop style based tours and you do not need to be an avid photographer to join. All are welcome!* International Airfare is not included. We are happy to help you find a good flight as always! (Flying into & departing from Christchurch (CHC) (South Island Only) / Flying into Christchurch (CHC) & Departing from Auckland (AKL) if joining North Island Extension)
* All Taxes, Fees, & Transfers Included
Don’t Forget to check out our once in a lifetime New Zealand North Island Adventure Extension!
E-mail at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!
New Zealand North Island Adventure Extension
March 13th-March 19th 2020
Whether you’re joining us on our Epic New Zealand South Island Tour or not, this adventure is not to be missed! All are welcome to join this extension option only! (*Ask about reduced rate since no domestic flight needed)To complete our New Zealand experience come with us to the North Island, a completely different landscape than the South Island, rich in geothermal activity and home to iconic volcanoes such as Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe (filmed in “Lord of the Rings” as Mt. Doom). We’ll spend time in the winterless North region of the Bay of Islands, cruising the beautiful bay in search of marine life and the famous “Hole in the Rock”. Experience & photograph fascinating geothermal activity in Rotorua and be immersed in Maori culture at a traditional village. In just one week, we’ll get to see & photograph a totally different range of landscapes than the South Island.
Don’t forget to check out the main group tour of New Zealand’s South Island!
E-mail us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!
* 6 nights / 7 days throughout the best of New Zealand’s North Island
* Private Kiwi guide throughout with extensive knowledge of the North Island!
* Breakfast Everyday
* 2 Dinners (Including Farewell Dinner Celebration)
* Domestic Flight from Christchurch (CHC) → Auckland (AKL) included (*Discounted rate available if only joining North Island program-please inquire)
Auckland → West Coast → Rangitoto Island: 2 Nights
On arrival at the Auckland International Airport, we’ll waste no time and head straight into the north island’s capital. Known as the “City of Sails”, NZ’s largest city boasts a beautiful harbor filled with sailboats. A drive around the city highlights takes us to some fantastic lookout points for great panoramic views and pictures!– Auckland War Memorial Museum: Our visit here is a great way to discover the country’s history and culture including a memorial to those who sacrificed their lives in wartime. It has pre-eminent Māori and Pacific collections (our favorite part!), significant natural history resources, and major social and military history collections, as well as decorative arts and pictorial collections.
– Muriwai’s Black Sand Beaches & Gannet Colony: This small community on the west coast has an impressive shoreline with cliff-top trails leading to a huge gannet colony! Easy access and viewing platforms let us get up close without disturbing the birds to capture amazing images! The trail and colony overlook a huge, volcanic, black sand beach that runs along most of the town’s coastline.
– Rangitoto Volcano Island: Part of the massive Auckland volcano field, the Rangitoto volcanic cone is the largest of them all. At 1000 ft, the last eruption was only 600 years ago. At the time, the Polynesian Māori were living on a small neighboring island & certainly witnessed it. In fact, footprints have been found solidified in ash, and oral history details several generations living here before the eruption.
– Volcanic Exploration: Journey through rugged lava crop on board a 4WD road-train, while learning all about the 600-year-old volcano’s fiery past. We’ll arrive at the base of the summit, and from here it’s just a short climb to the very top for epic views & photographs.
Waitomo → Rotorua: 2 Nights
– Waitomo underground caves: After making our way south through “King Country” we arrive in the small town of Waitomo famous for their mysterious limestone caves filled with glowworms. We’ll explore & photograph this fascinating underground world on a guided walking tour through the ethereal atmosphere, and marvel at the curtain-like limestone formations, crystal tapestries, and shimmering glow worms!
– Rotorua: “Catch a whiff of Rotorua’s sulfur-rich air and you’ve already had an introduction to NZ’s most dynamic geothermal area. The Māori boiling mud poolsrevered this place, naming one of the most spectacular springs Wai-O-Tapu (Sacred Waters). Today 34% of the population is Māori, with cultural performances and traditional hāngi (steam-cooked banquets) as big an attraction as the landscape itself.” – Lonely Planet
– Wai O Tapu: Here we’ll feel the “pulse of the earth”, famous for boiling mud pools, exploding geysers, and vibrant colored sulphur pools (yes this place is stinky but so worth it for the photography alone!).
– “Te Puia”: More colourful travertine terraces to photograph here but the highlight will be the Maori cultural experience with an authentic Hangi, or earth oven, feast with dancing and music that’s still a rich part of the Maori tradition today. (Like a New Zealand Luau, except better!)Taupo → Tongariro National Park → Auckland: 2 Nights
– Huka Falls: Experience awesome views of Huka Falls (New Zealand’s highest volume waterfall) on a hike to photograph the great rushing beast. A real New Zealand experience with crystal clear water, birdlife, and native bush lined riverbanks.
– Tongariro National Park: After a good night sleep by the enormous crater lake, Lake Taupo, we’ll spend the day in NZ’s oldest and most famous national park. More recently made famous from its role in the Lord of the Ring’s trilogy, the park is based around the three volcanic cones of Tongariro, Ngauruhoe, and Ruapehu, and combines excellent hiking with spectacular scenery. An easy-moderate hike will be offered with lots of stops throughout the park for amazing photo opportunities!
– PhotoFly Travel Club adventures are laid back when it comes to photography. They are not workshop style based tours and you do not need to be an avid photographer to join. All are welcome!
– International Airfare is not included. We are happy to help you find a good flight as always!- Flying into Christchurch (CHC) & Departing from Auckland (AKL) if joining South Island Main Program first).
–Flying into and out of Auckland (AKL) if joining North Island Extension only. (*Discounted rate available if joining North Island program ONLY (since no domestic flight needed)-Please Inquire)
* All Taxes, Fees, & Transfers Included
* This optional NZ North Island extension is an add-on to our New Zealand South Island Adventure!(All are welcome to join this extension option EVEN if not coming on the main South Island trip!)
E-mail us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!
We’re beyond excited to announce our new partnership with the extremely successful non-profit, Not Just Tourist. For 25 years their “mission is to help those who urgently need healthcare by matching tourists who are visiting developing countries with local clinics and hospitals in need of medical supplies. Not Just Tourists is the meeting point for travelers and donors. We provide the facilities and connections for hospitals, clinics, and medical suppliers to donate materials, and then we pack them into suitcases for world travelers to bring them where they’re needed most in the countries they’re already visiting anyway!”
On many PhotoFly Adventures going forward we’ll be working with NJT to bring suitcases filled with medical supplies to clinics and hospitals in the same regions we’ll already be exploring!
*If you’re interested in helping out and are signed up for a trip in 2019 already, please email us and we’ll let you know the details and options for that particular trip.
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK & INVITE FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO JOIN!
Any questions feel free to contact us anytime as always!
Travel Club Organizer: Steve Juba
978 479 4527
joinus@photoflytravel.com
*Please always review our cancellation and refund policy located at the bottom of every trip page before making payments. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
