Lesley Whyte – Founder, Photographer & Tour Leader

Lesley is the visionary founder behind Travel with Lesley Whyte, Women in Photography, Girls on the Road Again, and Hotel Chathams Tours. A multi-award-winning photographer, adventurer, and polar explorer, Lesley is passionate about curating incredible travel experiences that blend culture, adventure, and creativity.

As New Zealand’s leading female photographer dedicated to mentoring women, Lesley specialises in street photography and landscape photography, offering expert guidance to photographers of all levels. Her tours and retreats span New Zealand, Australia, the Chatham Islands, and beyond, including intrepid expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic.

Lesley personally leads many of her fully escorted tours, ensuring every trip is seamless, inspiring, and immersive. Whether it’s a photography retreat, an exclusive cycling tour, an artists’ escape, or a musical and cultural journey, Lesley’s passion for discovery and storytelling shines through.

With her warm and adventurous spirit, Lesley is dedicated to empowering women through travel and photography, helping them to capture, create, and explore in ways they never imagined.