Day 1, Arrival/Santiago

Arrival to Chile. Meet our representative at the Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport and transfer to our hotel in the heart of Santiago. If you arrive early this day, make sure to get out and stroll around the neighborhood surrounding the hotel. The vibrant business district is a pleasant place to have a coffee or do a little shopping. If people arrive a day early (highly recommended) we will take an aerial tram to a hilltop that offers beautiful views of Santiago (price included in the workshop).

Day 2, Santiago/Chiloe

 

After breakfast this morning at our hotel, we head to the airport for our flight to the island of Chiloe. After arriving to Puerto Montt, we take a ferry to the island and transfer in our private van to our hotel right on the waterfront of our fishing village home base for the next few days. We'll photograph along the way and will enjoy a delicious dinner this evening. 

Day 3, Chiloe

 

This morning we photograph the palafitos (the iconic stilted fisherman houses) with morning light. This is something you cannot miss. In the afternoon, we visit the local village of Chonchi, home to charming churches built by Jesuit missionaries in the 17th century. We enjoy a classic island lunch at Chonchi and photographs of their costanera (full of boats and old houses). We return to our hotel the late afternoon with time to photograph the village houses at blue hour before enjoying dinner at a local restaurant.

 

Day 4, Chiloe

 

Today we have another chance to photograph the stilted houses with reflections in the morning light. Afterward, we photograph the local church in Castro and then visit the nearby village of Dalcahue to meet the “carpinteros de ribera,” the people who build their own big fishing boats by hand. We can photograph the process as part of our storytelling effort. After lunch at the local market, we cross a channel to photograph a picturesque seaside church in the small village of Achao. We return in early evening to our hotel for dinner and night photography of “palafitos”.

 

Day 5, Chiloe to Araucania

 

We depart after breakfast to catch the ferry, after which we continue north in our private van to travel to the Araucania region. We'll photograph en route and enjoy a traditional local lunch. We arrive to our charming mountain lodge in the early evening and have time to grab dinner and settle in for the busy days ahead.

 

Day 6, Araucania

 

After breakfast, we head out into the forest the whole day for landscape photography. We'll look for fall color and reflections in some of the lakes. We return to our hotel for a relaxing dinner this evening. We'll have lunch in the field and will have snacks and coffee/tea/water available throughout the day.

 

Day 7, Araucania

 

We head out again today to different areas of the Araucaria forests. In the late afternoon we visit an area of snow-covered hills to photograph these amazing trees, and we'll stay until after dark to do night photography! We return to our hotel for a late dinner after this busy day of photography.

 

Day 8, Araucania

 

We have our last full day today for more photography in the mountains and forests. We'll make an effort today to search for the Andean Condor and Chimango Caracaras as well. We return to our hotel a bit earlier today so that we can enjoy dinner and have time to pack for our flight back to Santiago the next day.

 

Day 9, Araucania to Valparaiso

 

Today we fly back to Santiago and then drive about an hour to the very cool coastal city of Valparaiso. We arrive to our hotel, settle in, and then visit a scenic overlook for a blue hour photo of the city. Dinner is on your own this night just in case you are full and may not want dinner. The hotel restaurant is available though.

 

Day 10, Valparaiso

 

Today we head to the local outdoor fish markets where we can photograph the offering plus sea lions and gulls. We then have ample time to stroll the streets of Valpariso for photography of the great public art and cool old buildings. We'll have lunch at a local restaurant and then head just north of the city to photograph Inca Terns and sand dunes until sunset. We head back to our hotel this evening and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

 

 

Day 11, Valparaiso/Airport

 

We take the early morning for breakfast and bit more street photography before checking out. We head back toward Santiago and our flights home but not without one last surprise – a farewell lunch at our favorite Chilean winery. The food is delicious, and we can do some photography right on the winery grounds. What a way to end our trip! We'll be at the airport in Santiago in the late afternoon with plenty of time for you to make your return flight home.