Duration: 13 days/ 12 nights.
Departure Dates: Any day you would like, Dec- Mar peak season.
Pricing: From $3,295 USD per person
Suggested Extensions: Amazon Rainforest, Northern Argentina, Brazil
Homestay Options: Yes; days 3, 4, 5 & 8
The Andes are a photographers dream! Endless blue skies, snowcapped peaks, tiny traditional villages, and colorful markets are among the highlights, along with breathtaking Lake Titicaca and the incredible Uyuni salt flats. Our Peru and Bolivia Photography Tour includes the best of the Peruvian and Bolivian highlands from a photographer`s perspective; we work with local photographer-guides, providing the perfect opportunity to combine photography with more conventional tours.
Fly to historic Cusco, center of the Inca Empire. Spend the day wandering cobblestone streets and learning about Cusco`s most important sites. We`ll visit a local market, Cusco`s Plaza de Armas and cathedral, the Qoricancha, and the historic neighborhood of San Blas, all with a leisurely pace for photographs and stops at the most visually compelling spots.
Take the morning to explore Cusco on your own. Just before noon, head up to the ruins of Saqsahuaman, Quenqo, Pucapucara and Tambomachay for a picnic lunch of traditional Peruvian plates and an afternoon exploring with your photographer guide. Today`s highlights include fortress walls constructed with enormous, skillfully carved stones, sweeping views of Cusco and surrounding hills and valleys, and beautiful natural scenery.
Visit the traditional village of Poques, where locals continue to follow traditional customs and styles of dress. Our next stop is the ruins of Pisac, with extensive Inca terracing and sweeping views of the valley. We`ll break for lunch, then spend time browsing Pisac`s famous artisan market and sampling fresh empanadas before continuing to your comfortable Sacred Valley hotel
This morning we continue our exploration of the Sacred Valley, beginning with the interesting ruins of Moray. Moray is a group of circular, terraced depressions thought to have been used for agricultural research by the Incas, set against a backdrop of beautiful snowcapped peaks. Break for lunch at a local restaurant, then return to the area in the late afternoon to visit the Salineras, artisanal salt pans cascading down a steep mountainside.
The Maras Salineras are comprised of hundreds of salt pans (or pools) hanging above the Sacred Valley. The salty spring that feeds the pools has been in use by locals since before the arrival of the Incas to the area. It’s likely you’ll have the opportunity to observe salt being harvested in the traditional manner, especially if we wait until tour groups have left for the day. Overnight Sacred Valley.
Early this morning travel by train through green valleys, past glaciated peaks and a winding river to Machu Picchu, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. Discover famous highlights and lesser known gems with your insightful local guide. We`ll stay until closing, when the crowds start to thin out, for convenient access to the best spots.
Note: This itinerary include two Machu Picchu entries, for additional perspectives and time at the ruins. If you’d like to add a second day or short Inca Trail day hike, please let your Travel Planner know.
Today’s adventure consists of a day trip outside of Cusco…to the area’s famous, photogenic highlight, the Rainbow Mountain!
Arriving at the mountain requires several hours of travel by private van. You’ll arrive in the morning, with a bit of hiking required to reach the lookout point. Once there, enjoy views of the mountain, surrounding colored hills and valleys, and snowcapped peaks in the distance. It’s a truly gorgeous sight!
After time for images and rest, stop with your guide for a filling lunch and return to Cusco. Late afternoon return to your hotel.
Set out across the starkly beautiful Peruvian altiplano, with stops at a breathtaking colonial church, a visit with alpacas, seldom visited but fascinating catacombs and more. You`ll be traveling with your guide and private transportation, and we`ll be able to stop where we`d like at any point.
Arrive in Puno, located on the shores of Lake Titicaca, in the early evening.
Travel by boat over stunningly blue Lake Titicaca to experience indigenous culture in secluded areas of the lake`s famed islands. We begin with the floating islands of Uros, then continue to Taquile, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Capachica Peninsula. At all points the enormous lake stretches out around us. After a full day on the lake, return to your Puno hotel for a good night’s rest.
This morning cross into Bolivia from Peru and continue on to Isla del Sol (Sun Island). From Copacabana, set out across the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca towards San Island. From the dock, we begin with a walk to the Origin Stone, or Taypikala, and Chinkana. Chinkana is a labyrinth-type structure, it is thought to have been used to train Inca priests. Next, visit Yumani, where 206 steps lead to a sacred fountain said to be a fountain of youth.
After returning to Copacabana, continue to La Paz, Bolivia by private transfer. Overnight La Paz.
Get to know Bolivia`s one-of-a-kind capital on a walking adventure that includes descending dynamic El Alto, handicraft shopping in La Paz`s complex marketplaces, and taking in beautiful murals in the city center. A highlight of the morning is a ride on the city’s cable car system, which features dramatic views of the city and the snowcapped peaks that surround it. The final stop of the morning is Valley de la Luna, a unique valley outside of the city formed by erosion.
You’ll have the afternoon free to rest, explore and prepare for departure for the Uyuni salt flats early the following morning!
This morning, depart La Paz for awe-inspiring Uyuni. The largest salt flat on Earth, Salar de Uyuni affords visitors with stunning scenery unmatched anywhere else in the world. Covering 12,000 square kilometers (4,633 square miles) of Bolivian Altiplano, the vast salt flats are an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon and extremely photogenic at any time of year. Enjoy a full-day excursion of this surreal, natural landscape, with its expansive crystalline terrain, colorful lagoons, surrounding mountain ranges and volcanoes. Today we will visit the famous train cemetery and the rocky outcrop of Isla Incawasi, with unusual rock formations and a forest of giant cacti. At the end of the day, enjoy a spectacular sunset with refreshments on the salt flats before returning to your hotel for dinner and a good night’s sleep.
Depending on conditions and moon phase, stargazing may be available. Please ask your Travel Planner at the time of booking.
Today we depart the salt flats and head for the Lipez región, where we can observe Volcán Ollagüe in the distance. We’ll visit the colored lakes known as the “High Andean Jewels”: Cañapa, y Hedionda, where it’s posible to see the three types of flamingoes found in the región: James, Andino y Chileno, as well as other migratory birds. From there, we’ll return to your salt hotel for the evening.
Late afternoon to early evening time on the salt flats can be arranged with prior notice. Please let your Travel Planner know at the time of booking.
Rise early for a breathtaking sunrise and final breakfast in Uyuni. Return to the airport for the return flight to La Paz. In La Paz meet your international flight home.
Some areas of Uyuni may be inaccessible during wet season (roughly November-March). Alternative visits will be included if this is the case for your tour.
