Top 5 Photo Ops – South Island
From iconic favourites such as Mitre Peak to far-flung lighthouses where seals are the main residents, the South Island has some of the world’s most gorgeous vistas – here are a few to get you started:
Nugget Point Lighthouse, Catlins Coast - Perched on a knife-edged ridge, overlooking a group of rocky islets that sounds like a 60s pop group (The Nuggets), wild and windswept Nugget Point is guaranteed to provide more than just one photo opportunity. You’ll find penguins, gannets and spoonbills, and a large breeding colony of native fur seals. Located at the end of a gravel road near Kaka Point.
Lake Tekapo & The Church of the Good Shepherd - The quaint stone Church of the Good Shepherd – a memorial to the pioneers of the Mackenzie Country – is framed by uninterrupted views of Lake Tekapo’s vivid turquoise waters and the snow-capped Southern Alps beyond. Awwww, it’s so cute!
Lake Matheson - By a happy coincidence of nature, Lake Matheson, near Fox Glacier, is perfectly situated to capture the truly stunning reflections of New Zealand's two highest peaks - Aoraki (Mount Cook) and Mount Tasman. Whatever you do, don’t forget your camera!
Mitre Peak – Fiordland’s much photographed peak is snapped so often for a reason – and that’s because it truly is a majestic sight, jutting 1,692 metres (just over a mile) from the eerily still waters of Milford Sound. For that matter – just about anywhere in Fiordland will provide more photo opportunities than you have space on your camera for.
The West Coast – Driving down New Zealand’s wild
west coast, it’s going to be hard to control that itching index finger… wind-swept beaches strewn with pebbles and huge logs of driftwood, towering rainforest, mighty glaciers, the Pancake Rock blowholes and old mining towns. Where do you begin? Don’t miss this magnificent stretch of natural paradise.
If you have your own favourite photo stops in the South Island, tell us where you get your inspiration…
