Central West Coast
7 Day Tour

Landscape and Astro

When: 24th - 31st May 2025
Where: Central West Coast
Group Size: Minimum 2, maximum 4
Skill level: Any
Cost: $5499.00 | 10% deposit required

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Highlights

Helicopter flight and landing, over either the Southern Alps and alpine wilderness hidden behind Hokitika OR wild southern beaches, estuaries, ancient rain forests and hidden river valleys. Weather will determine the route we take.

Scenic sunset eco boat tour along the meandering Mahinapua waterway
Motukiekie Beach, with its stunning sea stacks and starfish dotted tidal reef

Astrophotography tuition with one of NZ's leading astrophotographers under a bortle class 1 night sky

Overview

On this 7 night adventure we'll be visiting some of the West Coast's most iconic scenes and hidden gems both day and night, all within an hour drive from our base at Riverstone House, which is situated on the banks of the Taramakau River halfway between Greymouth and Hokitika, owned and operated by yours truly.

You'll have your own private king or queen bedroom with access to a full kitchen stocked with all the essentials, including continental breakfast provisions that you can help yourself to.

The tour commences at 3pm Saturday 24th of May and concludes Saturday 31st of May at 11am.

Included in this tour is an epic helicopter flight and landing, which will be determined on the day according to the weather. We may fly over the Southern Alps or along rugged coastline and ancient river valley's

We'll also take a sunset eco boat cruise with West Coast Scenic Waterways along the stunning Mahinapua Creek where we will enjoy the tranquility of birdsong, ancient Rimu and Kamahi trees mirrored in the waterways, the snow-capped Southern Alps in the distance and outstanding West Coast flora, fauna and native rain forest

The exact schedule will be determined according to the whole group’s photographic objectives but the weather will be the main deciding factor so I keep a flexible itinerary to accommodate this. Being based at the same accommodation for the duration of the tour means less time travelling and packing up our gear, and more time exploring the amazing locations this specific area has to offer.

Places we may explore include the many bays and beaches of The Great Coast Road consistently rated among the top 10 drives in the world, including Motukiekie Beach, the Pancake Rocks and Blow Holes in Punakaiki, Woodpecker Bay and Seal Island, Tauranga Bay and Seal Colony, Charleston's Nile River, Constant and Joyce Bay along with the Pororari River and lagoon.

The bays of Lake Brunner and Lake Kaniere are also a photographers dream as are our beautiful waterfalls such as Coal Creek Falls, Dorothy Falls and Carew Creek Falls.

Let's also not forget the world famous Hokitika Gorge with its white granite cliffs, pristine mature podocarp forest and glacial blue waters.

What you can learn

How to plan your compositions and timing to find the best light using apps such as Photopills
Wide-field Astrophotography
Settings and methods specific to your gear and skill level
Single frame exposure techniques
Blended exposure techniques
Long exposure techniques using filters if you have them
Milky Way panoramas (mosaics) and how to stitch them
Milky Way Stacking
Post processing using Photoshop, Lightroom, plugins, PTGui, Sequator and Starry Landscape Stacker.

What to bring

Mirrorless or DSLR camera
Ideal lenses:
-A wide zoom lens for day landscapes such as, but not limited to, a 16-35mm
-A telephoto lens for day landscapes such as, but not limited to, a 70-200mm or 100-400mm
-A fast and wide prime lens for astro; f/1.4 through to f/2.8 or 16mm through to 24mm for the best results, although up to f/4 is fine if your camera has high ISO capabilities.
Spare camera batteries and SD cards
Sturdy tripod (essential)
Filters if you have them
Intervalometer if not built in to your camera body or shutter release cable
Waterproof camera sleeve
Travel umbrella
Lens heater (not essential but very helpful if you have a bulbous lens that is prone to fogging up at night)
Remote shutter or intervalometer if not in-built in your camera body
Laptop or desktop with Lightroom Classic and/or Photoshop installed.
Thermal base layers
Warm jacket*
Waterproof jacket
Gloves
Sturdy and warm footwear
Hat, hood or beanie
Head torch with a red light or low light setting
2-3 lens cloths*
Water bottle
Snacks
Sunscreen
Insect repellent

We can experience 4 seasons in 1 day on the Coast so please come prepared for anything

*The high humidity on the Coast causes dew. If bringing a puffer jacket, please bring a waterproof jacket to go over top. This also is why we need plenty of lens cloths in case your lens starts fogging up at night.

Physical Difficulty

A minimum level of physical activity is necessary to enjoy this tour. All locations we shoot will be within a short walk along bush tracks or the coastline. These are sometimes uphill, over uneven ground, or rocky beaches and you will be responsible for carrying your own equipment. There may be a couple of longer walks (30-45 min one way). If your fitness or mobility is an issue please let me know in your application form.

Whats Included

6 days and 7 nights of photography tuition in the field
Accommodation at Riverstone House with your own private king or queen bedroom
2 post processing sessions to make your images pop
Travel during the workshop in a comfortable 4WD Landcruiser
Daily continental breakfast provisions to help yourself to
Full kitchen with all the essentials to cook and prepare your own meals should you wish to dine in
DOC concession fees
Comprehensive Safety Management Plan
Pick up/drop off at Hokitika airport
Digital workflow sheet spilling all my secrets on how I plan, shoot and edit an image from start to finish.

Whats not Included

Personal, equipment and travel insurance
Lunch, dinner and snacks

Central West Coast 7 Day Tour