Last Stop in Aotearoa

The Nelson Lakes National Park was the final destination on our travels through the South Island of New Zealand. The region is known for its large lakes with crystalline waters. In the winter, it also serves as a ski destination, nestled perfectly between the lakes and the surrounding alps. An excellent way to end our time in Aotearoa, and one of the very final places we had left to see here.

Keep an eye out for my blog posts over the next few weeks to see what I’ve been up to since moving all the way from New Zealand to the United States!

The Famous Wharariki Beach

Wharariki Beach, or “that beach on the Windows desktop background”, as it is more commonly known, is one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets. As it is in the northernmost tip of the South Island, getting there from the Abel Tasman region takes a little bit of time, patience, and planning. I tried to leave plenty of time during my visit, allowing for two sunsets and a sunrise, but the weather was having none of it. Despite the overcast mornings and evenings, and the almost constant rain, we managed a partly cloudy mid-morning visit. It’s not all I had hoped for from this detour, but it was still certainly worth the trip.

Abel Tasman Surroundings

The Abel Tasman region of New Zealand has many wonderful views to offer - green countryside, perfectly transparent water springs, and orange sand beaches! It is also at the very top of the South Island, meaning it has milder climate than most of the remaining island, and warm summers. Besides, the biggest city in the region, Nelson, has some of the best restaurants and wineries in all of New Zealand. It is no wonder the place is so popular with holidaymakers and retirees!

Below are just a few of my images from my brief visits to the Te Waikoropupū Springs and two of the local beaches…

Walk to Wainui Falls

Don’t be fooled by the images - the Wainui Falls on the West Coast of New Zealand are actually surprisingly challenging to photograph. The waterfall is so powerful at its full potential that you have only a few seconds to take a photo before the front of the lens is drenched! This was the perfect walk for a slightly overcast day, which left an even light on the water and surrounding landscape.

Inside Ngarua Cave

The Ngarua Cave on New Zealand’s West Coast is one of the few artificially-lighted caves in the country, and one of even fewer that allow photography. The tour is certainly worth it, as it takes visitors through the cave while learning about both its geography and history. Inside the cave, you can even see the bones of now-extinct Moa birds that fell to their deaths through the sink holes leading into the cave.

Riuwaka Resurgence

The waters of the Riuwaka River are sacred to the native Māori people of New Zealand, as they are thought to have healing properties. The most picturesque part of the river is the Riuwaka Resurgence at Kahurangi National Park, where it flows from an underwater spring to form a number of rapids and small waterfalls. As with many such places on the West Coast, this is lesser-known spot that offers a peaceful escape from the more popular tourist destinations. A place for contemplating, relaxing, and enjoying the sounds of nature.

The Caves of Karamea

The Oparara Basin Arches require a considerable detour to reach: they are at the very top of the West Coast region, near the town of Karamea. Despite the long drive, this is a truly must-see for every photographer visiting the South Island of New Zealand. The caves naturally frame the reflections of the surrounding landscape in the water, lending themselves to iconic images. I spent several hours at this location, enjoying the complete silence of nature afforded by their isolation, and the majesty of these geological formations.

Stars From The Underground

As night falls and darkness covers the land, the New Zealand landscape comes to light. I’m not referring to the stars in the skies of Aotearoa, but to their invertebrate counterparts. Glow worms such as these are abundant in many caves and dells across the country, shining bright to lure their prey. Their bioluminescence is the effect of a chemical reaction where luciferin is combined with oxygen to produce a mesmerizing blue glow...

The West Coast from Above

A bird's-eye view always reveals a different perspective on the landscape and brings out the true scale of the place. I had a few opportunities for aerial photography during my road trip through the West Coast of New Zealand, and I think these images really show off the untamed beauty of the region. The images below were taken near Tauparikākā Marine Reserve and Cape Foulwind.

Pancake Rocks and Their Inhabitants

These rock formations in New Zealand’s West Coast are, of course, named after their looks - they look like stacked rounded layers somewhat resembling pancakes. Pancake Rocks even boasts a suitably-themed pancake-serving café near the entrance to the park. I visited on a stormy evening and, although the weather left much to be desired, the white-fronted terns (Sterna striata) that inhabit this location more than made up for the moody skies.

Glacial Blue Waters

Glaciers are not only stunning in and of themselves, but also offer an additional feature to the surrounding landscapes: glacial water. Due to the sediments contained in it, glacial rivers and gorges are of a unique turquoise colour. There are plenty of opportunities to see such places in the South Island of New Zealand, and especially on the West Coast. Today, I share some of my favourite images from Callery Gorge Walk and Hokitika Gorge, two truly stunning locations near the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers.

Cute Little Visitor

Female tomtits have adorable disproportionately large heads for their minscule bodies. I was fortunate enough to spend some days living right next to a pair of these beautiful birds during my visit to Franz Josef village, and the female would often bring about new nesting material. Watching her hop from tree to tree through my telephoto lens was a great way to spend a lazy afternoon!

Franz Josef Surroundings

The region surrounding Franz Josef Glacier on the West Coast of New Zealand is not to be missed. On a rare clear day, the scenery is truly astounding. Today’s blog post highlights only a couple of locations in the area: Peter’s Pool and Lake Mapourika. Stay tuned for more features of this amazing corner of the world in the coming weeks!

Lake Matheson Reflections

Lake Matheson is an especially reflective lake due to the dark sediments in its water, which create a perfect mirror on a still day. But beware: even the tiniest bit of wind will cause ripples on the surface of the lake and ruin its picture-perfect reflections.

I must admit that, during my recent trip through the West Coast, I fell in love with this location and this is probably my favourite place in all of New Zealand. I visited this stunning location not once, not twice, but on three separate occasions. Funnily enough, my best images of the lake were all from my very first visit, on a cloudy but still day, both before and during sunset.

A Drive Past Haast

The drive through Haast in the West Coast of New Zealand offers some really stunning scenery, such as the dune walk at the Tauparikākā Marine Reserve and the views from Knights Point Lookout. Perfectly clear skies are rare in the region, which is known for its rainy weather, so the timing of my visit was extremely lucky.

A Morning Swamp Walk

The images featured in this week’s blog post are from a very early morning walk around the swamps of Tauparikākā Marine Reserve in the West Coast of New Zealand. The soft morning light really transformed this magical place and really brought out all the details in the landscapes…

West Coast Waterfalls

The West Coast of New Zealand is brimming with beautifully wild landscapes. Among them are dozens of incredible waterfalls nestled in among vibrant forests. Here are just three of my favourites - Roaring Billy Falls, Thunder Creek Falls, and Coal Creek Falls.

Remarkable Queenstown

One of the best places to catch spectacular sights of The Remarkables mountain range in Queenstown is Deer Park Heights. This lesser-known spot just recently reopened after several years out of operation. It is a photographer’s dream, and also full of famous locations from the Lord of the Rings movies. More information on the locations and how to book your visit can be found here.

Above the Treeline

There are several great walks in Kaikoura. One of the best known is the long track up to the snowy Mount Fyffe, which begins with a trail through lush native New Zealand forest. We explored the surrounding area, and took to the skies to photograph the beginning of this track from above.

In Search of the Sperm Whales

Following a whale-watching flight over the Kaikoura coastline, we also took the opportunity to watch these giants from up close. An early morning cruise with Whale Watch provided several sightings of Sperm whales, the world’s largest toothed predator. These giants of the sea were commonly hunted in the 19th and 20th centuries, which inspired the classic novel Moby Dick. Now the species is protected throughout most of its territory, but there is still work to be done to fully protect them.