New Zealand is a landscape photographer’s dream! After living, working, hitch hiking and traveling around New Zealand for 6 months, I decided to compile 10 of my best shots of New Zealand. Here are my 10 photos that will have you on the next flight to New Zealand!

Wellington, NZ is the Windiest City in the world and also happens to be the capital of the country. The city is awesome! Wonderful beaches, nightlife and an unique atmosphere make Wellington a must see for anyone visiting New Zealand. One of the highlights of Wellington is the beautiful lookout from Mt. Victoria. This is a must see for anyone visiting the windy capital!

#1 Mt. Victoria, Wellington

#2. Mt Victoria, Wellington

HOBBITON! This was one of my New Zealand “must dos” and I was ecstatic to finally arrive to The Shire! If you are unaware, the majority of the Lord of the Rings & Hobbit movies were filmed all throughout New Zealand.

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” -J.R.R. Tolkien

#3 The Shire aka Hobbiton

Mount Cook- I classify myself as a landscape photographer and New Zealand was absolute heaven for me! Although, the weather can be a bit unpredictable, it was such a stunning country to visit and capture through the lens of my new camera.

#4 Mt. Cook

Mount Doom is a fictional mountain from LOTR and its real name is Mount Ngauruhoe, unfortunately this is hard to remember/pronounce so it has been rebranded by most as Mt Doom. Regardless, it is a stunning mountain that I could have gazed at for hours! I was lucky to capture a nice shot, since those clouds on the right quickly covered the entire mountain for the rest of the day. Mount Ngauruhoe is accessible on the tongariro crossing, which is one of the world’s most famous day hikes (around 7-8 hrs.).

#5 Mount Doom (Mount Ngauruhoe)

Roy’s Peak was hands down my favorite hike I completed over the course of the 6 months I spent in New Zealand. A group of friends and I decided to summit the peak in pitch black and arrive at the top for the sunrise. We overshot our climbing skills and arrived at the peak about 2 hours before sunrise and it was freezing! We suffered through the cold weather and were rewarded with a magnificent sunrise.

#6 Roy’s Peak, Wanaka

Wanaka was my favorite town on the South Island. It was a lot more peaceful compared to Queenstown and was full of wonderful hikes and a sky full of stars. Outside of the outback in Australia, this was the clearest night sky I have ever seen.

#7 Wanaka

Blue Duck Station, is a 5,000 acre farmland practically untouched by the outside world. The farmland features some epic treks, activities and of course this wonderful waterfall!

#8 Kaiwhakauka waterfall

The People- From locals to tourists, the people are hands down what made my experience in New Zealand amazing. I met some amazing people over the 6 months I was working and traveling on the North and South Island of New Zealand. One month of my travels was spent hitch hiking the entire South Island. This was another outstanding experience and one I highly recommend to anyone visiting NZ!

#9 Campfire @ Blue Duck Station

#10 Raglan (One of NZ’s best Surf Spots)

Have you ever been to New Zealand? What was your favorite place?