Nature and Culture
Peru
May 14-25, 2027
Peru is absolutely incredible, and we'll photograph birds and wildlife and also landscapes, macro, and even cities, people, and markets. Biodiversity includes human culture, and our workshop is designed to help you tell an in-depth story of the country by using a variety of photo techniques. This trip takes us from the Amazon lowlands to the high Andes! With three professional photographer leaders plus local guides at each site, this trip will offer you incredible instructional learning value that you simply won't find on other tours!
Date
May 14-25, 2027
$
Price
$TBD
Difficulty Level
Moderate
8
Available Spots
Sign up fast!
View the itinerary below, read more about the tour, or sign up now!
About the Workshop
Nature and Culture
About the Workshop
Nature and Culture
Leaders
Frank Pichardo
Frank Pichardo is a Peruvian wildlife photographer and tour leader with a strong passion for nature, most of his experience in the field comes from his seven-year work as a naturalist guide for the prestigious lodges of Rainforest Expeditions leading people and teaching about the flora and fauna since 2009. Frank obtained his degree from the Tourism School in Lima, where he also became fluent in English and German. This was the beginning of a long term work in the ecotourism industry.
At the moment, he is part of Tropical Herping, contributing for the “Reptiles of Ecuador”, “Reptiles of Galapagos” and “Amphibians if Ecuador” books, joining also scientific expeditions into remote areas to understand better this group of animals, leading workshops and photo tours. Frank’s work has been featured in National Geographic and BBC Wildlife Magazine.
Follow Frank on Instagram -- @frank_pichardo
Lucas Bustamante
Lucas Bustamante is a passionate biologist and environmental photojournalist from Ecuador. For more than a decade, he has documented tropical biodiversity and its interactions with humans. He is a co-founder at Tropical Herping and Savia Fund. Like Greg, Lucas's images have been honored in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Nature's Best Windland Smith Rice contests.
In addition to leading photography workhops, he has also written several articles and books about conservation, photography, and herpetology. Lucas's photographic work has been featured in National Geographic, Audubon, GEO, Smithsonian, and many other magazines, books, and articles.
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 Lima's Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM).
Electricity
Some electrical outlets in Perú are US-style types A and B) while others or European-style (type C). Please bring the adapter for the type of plugs you don't use at home. Voltage is 220, but personal electronic items and chargers work just fine with either 110 or 220.
Insurance
We strongly recommend you purchase trip insurance that includes trip cancellation and medical coverage while overseas.
Medical
No vaccinations are required for entry to Perú. Please consult with your doctor regarding general travel vaccinations.
Internet Access
All of our hotels have free WIFI. We will also have cell data coverage for most of the trip.
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 and legally operated travel experience.
Recommended gear
Tele lens 500 mm or longer
Teleconverters
Camera body or bodies
Medium zoom lens, e.g., 70-200 mm, 100-400 mm
Macro lens
Wide angle lens
Cable release
A flash with TTL functionality
Telephoto flash bracket
Flash plus Better Beamer for birds and wildlife
Rain cover for camera
Small softbox or diffuser
Small pack or shoulder bag for daily shooting
View the full Itinerary +
Day 1, Arrival/Lima
Arrival to Perú. After clearing customs you cross the street to our hotel right in the airport complex, where Foto Verde Tours’ Greg Basco will be awaiting your arrival. The hotel has free wireless Internet throughout the grounds and in the rooms. We suggest you arrive a day early for your convenience and so that we can take a super cool city tour of Lima's vibrant business district and incredible historical center for some great photos with your phone and real camera.
Day 2, Rainforest
After breakfast, we fly to the Amazon city of Tarapoto. After a quick stop in town to purchase any necessary odds and ends, we arrive to our jungle lodge for lunch and check-in. In the afternoon, we head out for a river boat ride to photograph hoatzin, herons, toucans, and kingfishers.
Day 3, Rainforest
Today we spend all of our time on the lodge grounds where we will concentrate on macro photography of some amazing species of frogs such as the Three-striped and Mimic Poison Dart Frogs plus insects and reptiles! We'll help you to get comfortable with flash so that you can take awesome photos of the colorful subjects the Peruvian rainforest offers us.
Day 4, Rainforest
Today we make a trip to a local reserve to photograph beautiful hummingbirds, including the iconic Rufous-crested Coquette. If we're lucky, we may be able to photograph the elusive oilbird as well! We return to our lodge for a relaxing dinner after this busy day.
Day 5, Arequipa
Today we fly from Tarapoto to the city of Arequipa in the country's southwest. Arequipa is the gateway to the Colca Canyon and the best spot we've found to photograph the Andean Condor. We arrive this afternoon to our charming hotel right on the main plaza of Arequipa where we will practice blue hour city photography right from the terrace.
Day 6, Arequipa
Arequipa, founded in the early 1500s, is amazing, and today we'll visit the main local market, which offers beautiful soft light for photography of fruits, vegetables, meats, seafoods, and the people who sell them. After a great local lunch, you'll have a free afternoon to rest or simply stroll the streets of this super walkable city. At the end of the day, we'll take you to a great spot to photograph the city and the surrounding mountains at blue hour.
Day 7, Colca Canyon
Today we drive to the Colca Canyon and our beautiful lodge replete with natural hot springs. Along the way, we'll have an opportunity for landscape photography and a session with local Andean weavers.
Day 8, Colca Canyon
We're up early this morning to photograph the condors and then we'll enjoy lunch in the quaint town of Chivay, which is quite photogenic. This afternoon we'll have a visit to the small town of Maca and the home of a genius local seamstress named Zaida who makes traditional clothing for local cermonies!
Day 9, To Cusco
After breakfast today, we check out and fly to Cusco but not without another session with the condors! We arrive to Cusco in the late afternoon with time to check-in and chill. For those interested, we can head over to the main plaza (which is incredible) for a bit of travel photography or timelapses.
Day 10, Cusco
Today we'll offer you some leisure time in the incredible city of Cusco, but we definitely want to take you to the local market which is absolutely amazing as a simple human experience and for photography. At the end of the day, we are so proud to offer you a unique experience to photograph our friends Edgar and Lucio who will perform traditional music and portray the emblematic Andean Huaylaca (a kind of highland festival MC" for us in a narrow alleway that is 500 years old, right at blue hour!
Day 11, Cusco/Sacred Valley
Today we visit the town of Pisaq for street and market photography, a great typical Peruvian lunch, and then a photographic session with a local cultural and dance group with whom we've established a relationship. This is a great day to experiment with slow shutter speeds, video, and timelapses, and we'll be there to guide you.
Day 12, Cusco/Sacred Valley
After an early breakfast this morning we visit a local nature reserve for photos of hummingbirds, including the iconic Sword=billed and Giant hummingbirds. After lunch at an amazing restaurant that highlights the versatility of the native potato (Peru, its home, boasts over 4,000 varieties of our favorite spud), we take the afternoon to visit the amazing and super photogenic Maras community salt ponds, a perfect opportunity to tell a story using wide angle and telephotolenses..
Day 13, To the airport
This morning we head to the airport in Cusco for our flight back to Lima, from where you will continue home.
Itinerary includes
Full-time photo instruction by Greg and Frank and Lucas
Lodging as specified in DBL occupancy
Meals as specified
Local nature and cultural guides
Private transportation in spacious tour bus
Internal flights throughout the trip
Entrance fees for all described activities
Taxes on all services listed above
Itinerary does not include
International flights
Dinner nights 1, 5, 8, 11
Alcoholic drinks
Gratuities
Non-meal time snacks
Non-meal time soft drinks and bottled water
Single room supplement - $TBD
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!