Landscapes and Travel
Chile
April 30 to May 10, 2023
This trip is designed for you to capture fantastic images of Chile's lesser known but still incredible natural and cultural spots, all with beautiful fall color! If you want to improve your landscape, people, and architectural photography (and your post-processing!) while taking amazing photos in an exotic destination, this is the trip for you! You will have two professional photographers with you at all times to provide a combination of local natural and cultural history, post-processing, and photographic expertise.
Date
April 30 to May 10, 2023
$
Price
$7,599
Difficulty Level
Easy
8
Available Spots
Sign up fast!
View the itinerary below, read more about the tour, or sign up now!
Leaders
Cristina Harboe
Veterinarian, professional guide and nature photographer, Cristina has carried out much of her work at Torres del Paine, where she spent three years studying the flora and fauna of the area. She has been a finalist in the Wildlife Photography of the Year competition in the past and the Fundación Imagen de Chile (Chilean government foundation) selected her photographic work on pumas to promote Chile abroad. Part of her photographic legacy can be found in publications such as, 20 Parques Naturales, Chile-Argentina-Brasil-Colombia-Perú (2011), Felinos de Sudamérica (2012) and Los Carnívoros de Chile (2012), among other publications.
Throughout her career she has worked with BBC film crews as a puma tracker, her passion and work since 2010. Because of her experience and especially her love for nature and photography, she began to organize expeditions to make Chile’s natural treasures known and share her love for nature and photography with others through her tour company PhotoTrackers.
Greg Basco
Gregory Basco is a professional nature photographer based in Costa Rica. After completing graduate degrees in political science and tropical ecology (his doctoral dissertation focused on the politics of ecotourism in Costa Rica), Greg worked in conservation before turning to photography full-time in 2006. His images have been awarded in the Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Nature's Best Windland Smith Rice competitions and have appeared in numerous magazines and books around the world.
His latest major project is the second edition of the large format printed book National Parks of Costa Rica in conjunction with Zona Tropical and Cornell University Press. His popular e-books include The Guide to Tropical Nature Photography, the mega e-book Flash for the Nature Photographer, and the new Complete Video Guide to Lightroom for the Nature Photographer.
You can see more of Greg's work at his website.
Follow him on Instagram @gregbascophotography
Gallery
Info
Airport
You should arrive to and depart from Chile's Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL). Our driver will be waiting to provide your private transfer to our capital city hotel.
Electricity
Electrical current is 220 volts and 50 Hz, so people from North America will need an adapter. Don't worry. We'll be happy to recommend our favorites.
Insurance
We strongly recommend you purchase trip insurance that includes trip cancellation and medical coverage while overseas.
Medical
Travel to Chile does not require any special vaccinations or medicines (except for possibly COVID), but you should be up to date on routine vaccinations. The CDC recommends being up to date on Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccinations.
Internet Access
All of our hotels have free WIFI. We will also have cell data coverage at times.
Certified
All of our services are conducted by fully licensed travel, lodge, and transport operators. This is part of our commitment to providing a professional travel experience.
Recommended gear
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Tele zoom 100-400, 150-600
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Camera body or bodies
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Medium zoom lens, e.g., 24-105
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Wide angle lens, e.g., 16-35
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Polarizing/ND filters
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Fast wide angle lens for night scenes
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Cable release
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Rain cover for camera
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Small pack or shoulder bag for daily shooting
View the full Itinerary +
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.
Itinerary includes
Lodging as specified in DBL occupancy
Meals as specified (One drink per meal)
Coffee/tea/snacks while in the field shooting
Domestic airfare
Transportation w/private driver in spacious air-conditioned tour bus
Private transfers from airport to hotel on Day 1
Professional, full-time photo instruction from your leader Greg and our local guides
Entrances and fees for all described activities
Taxes for all specified services
Itinerary does not include
International airfare
Dinner on Days 1, 9, and 11
Alcoholic Drinks except during certain scheduled meals
Tips
Non-mealtime snacks and drinks
Single room supplement - $1200
Booking a tour with us is easy!
1. Register for your tour using the form at the end of each workshop page.
4. Send us your traveler info form.
2. Send us your reserve deposit.
5. We will send you your final invoice.
3. Book your international air travel.
6. We´ll send you everything you need to know before you hop on the plane!
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+ Will someone be there to meet me at the airport?Certainly! We take care of you from the moment you step off the plane until the moment you leave to return home. We'll send you all of the info you need to know regarding arrival in a final info message before the trip.
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+ I plan to arrive a day early. Can you help?Definitely, we'll be happy to make your reservations to ensure that you get to the same hotel that we have booked for the official first night of the tour. By the way, private transfers to and from the airport are always included in our tours, and you can use this transfer whether you arrive early or depart later than the official dates.
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+ What kind of clothes should I bring?In general, your best choices are lightweight garments that breathe and dry quickly, and you'll want a mix of long sleeves and short sleeves. A light polar-tec and a good rain jacket are also good to have. For meals, it's informal at the lodges and in the region in general. A pair of jeans, tennis shoes, and a clean shirt are just fine for dinner, even in the capital city hotels. Lightweight hiking boots are fine for your photography out in the field, and if you're visiting a beach area, you will want sandals or aqua shoes as well. Of course a good hat and sunscreen are important. We will send you clothing information specific to your trip after you've signed up.
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+ Can I have laundry done?Many of the lodges we use offer laundry service for a cost of approximately $1 per garment with same or next day service. We will indicate to you which lodges have laundry service after you've signed up for a given trip.
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+ Can I drink the water?This is probably the question that our clients ask us the most. And it’s the one for which we have the least definitive answer, except to say that beer is always a safe choice!. Water in and around capital cities is treated with chlorine and generally can be consumed with no worries. The lodges that we use for our photo travel often have their own well water, which is tested regularly by the Ministry of Health. Nonetheless, upset stomachs do occur as a result of change in diet or simply bacteria different from those to which Northern stomachs are accustomed. Serious disorders such as Giardia or amoebic dysentery are virtually unheard of. Bottled water is very widely available at our hotels and lodges, and a conservative strategy would be to use it as often as possible when outside the capital. As with travel to any foreign country, immodium pills are good to have along, and some of our clients also bring along Cipro or other broad-spectrum antibiotics. Some go so far as to begin taking antibiotics before arriving in-country. For antibiotic use, we suggest you consult with your physician. That said, we have very very few problems with water and food-related issues on our tours. During the tour, we will indicate to you where and when it might be better to stick to bottled water.
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+ I'd like a single room. Can that be arranged?Certainly. Simply indicate your rooming preference on the workshop signup form. There may be an extra for the single room supplement. This is simply the difference due to what our hotels and lodges charge us. We do not take a commission for single room supplements.
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+ I'm traveling by myself but would like a double room. Can that be arranged?It depends. If we can match you up with a suitable solo traveler who also wants to share, we will be happy to place you in a double room.
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Should I bring a tripod?Yes, you always want to bring a tripod. We will advise your each trip of any need for specialized heads or flash brackets.