The Grand Traverse flight with Air Safaris Tekapo is a spectacular experience with incredible views of the Aoraki Mt Cook and its surrounding glaciers, The Godley Valley, The West Coast and all the rivers and alpine valleys in between.

I first flew with Air Safaris Tekapo in 2016 at sunrise during the spring time and it was a beautiful season to fly because the mountains still had some of their winter snow which created amazing contrast with the dark of the rocks and the whiteness of the snow.

The view of the three lakes at the head of the Godley Valley is an absolute bucketlist shot and is still one of my favourite photos to date. Up close views of Mount Cook are a once in a lifetime opportunity and I came off this flight absolutely buzzing and in awe of what I had just witnessed.

Photo Tip: I would see if you can get up in the air at sunrise or golden hours on the Grand Traverse flight (where these pictures were taken) and take your wide angle lens as well as a zoom lens for more abstract (river braid etc) imagery. Be sure to set a high ISO if you're going at up sunrise and a fast shutter speed (1/500 at least), then adjust your ISO as it gets lighter and the sun rises higher in the sky.