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Bolivia Uyuni Kevin Floerke Photography

10-Day Bolivia Salt Flats and Atacama Desert Photo Tour

10-Day Bolivia Salt Flats and Atacama Desert Photo Tour

$0 per person

HIGHLIGHTS

A journey of a lifetime to a unique and remote corner of the Earth.

This photography expedition will show you the most important places to see around Uyuni Salt Flats and Atacama Desert.

  • La Paz
  • Uyuni Salt Flats
  • Astro Photography
  • Wild Flamingos / Alpacas, Viguñas …
  • High Lakes, Geysers
  • Atacama Desert
  • Valley of the moon

NEXT GROUP DATES :

Andean Photo Expeditions is proud to partner with Kevin Floerke Photography to offer an in-depth exploration of the Bolivian altiplano and the Atacama Desert of Chile.

  • From the 30th of September until the 9th of October 2024
  • A group from 4 up to 12 people max.
  • 6450 USD per person.

Your Guide: Kevin Floerke is an adventure photographer with over ten years of experience exploring the remote corners of the Andes. Trained as an archaeologist, he got his start combing the ruins of the Inca civilization, mapping their road system across South America. He has explored this route numerous times, including crossing the Salar de Uyuni on foot in 2018 as part of an expedition mapping the Inca Road through Bolivia. His work has been published worldwide, including in the Guardian, BBC Travel, and the Outdoor Journal. He brings his knowledge of the wilderness and his photography expertise to share with us on this epic adventure!

Join us for an adventure across otherworldly landscapes and night skies like you’ve never seen before. Andean Photo Expeditions is proud to offer an in-depth exploration of the Bolivian altiplano, the Atacama Desert of Chile, and the mesmerizing Bolivia salt flats.

Take in colorful Lagunas filled with flamingos, the endless white expanse of the Salar de Uyuni – one of the most iconic Bolivia salt flats, the highest and driest desert in the world, and night sky scenes of unrivaled clarity as we escape civilization on an overland journey through some of South America’s wildest and most remote landscapes.

Travel in 4×4 vehicles across the world’s largest salt flat, hiking on cactus-covered islands of fossilized coral, remnants of a vast inland sea that vanished millennia ago.

Savor sweeping vistas of colorful mineral-rich volcanoes that tower over the world’s driest desert. These destinations offer a plethora of photographic opportunities, perhaps none better than the crystal-clear views of the night sky from our high altitude vantage points far from the big city lights.

Whether you dream of capturing scenes of wildlife grazing in the open plain, snow-capped mountains towering over the desert, or the perfect image of the Milky Way galaxy, this tour is sure to be a feast for your senses and your lenses!

INCLUDES

  • All transports ( Private cars and overland 4×4 vehicles throughout )
  • Flights from La Paz to Uyuni
  • Private Photography/Cultural Guide.
  • Local and licensed guide in La Paz, Uyuni, and Atacama Regions
  • Entrances to all sites and national park tickets.
  • Oxygen bottle in case of altitude troubles.
  • Accommodations from Day 1 to Day 10.
  • Breakfast every day, some lunches and dinners as noted.

WHAT TO BRING

  • Your Photography gear.
  • Warm clothes for the night and the morning ( gloves, beanie, winter jackets, winter socks ) Rain coat in case of bad luck. Good comfortable walking shoes.
  • Headlamp for walking in the dark, essential!
  • Sharp eyes and your smile!
  • PLEASE NOTE: Visa requirements for your country of origin for Bolivia. US
    Passport holders can obtain their visa in advance of the trip or at the airport
    upon arrival.

RECOMMENDED GEAR

  • Mid-range zoom to cover a variety of focal lengths
  • Wide angle for landscape opportunities and astro-photography (f 2.8 or wider works best)
  • Tripod for landscape shots and astro
  • Filters for landscapes (ND, Grad ND and CPL recommended)
1 Review
  • Departure/Return Location
    La Paz, Bolivia - Calama, Chile
  • Departure Time
    Flexible
  • Return Time
    Flexible
  • What to wear
    Comfortable seasonal clothing & shoes
  • Included
    Accommodation
    Entrance Fees
    Guide
    Local Flights
    Lunch
    Meals
    Photo Assistance
    Transport
  • Not Included
    Extras
    Insurance

Tour Plan

1
DAY 1 - Arrival
Pick-up from El Alto International Airport and transfer to our hotel in the heart of La Paz.
The day will be spent at leisure to acclimatize to the altitude. In the afternoon we meet in the hotel lobby with our local guide to discuss the itinerary and plans for each upcoming day.
Meals: Breakfast at the hotel upon arrival. Lunch and Dinner on your own. Accommodation: La Casona Hotel Boutique (early check-in is guaranteed)
2
DAY 2 - La Paz Photo Day Tour
We will start a small visit of the Bolivian Capital.
Today we take a tour of the highest city in the world. Surrounded by the glacial peaks of the Cordillera Real, La Paz sits at nearly 12,000 feet, with parts of neighboring El Alto surpassing 13,000 feet of elevation. We take in La Paz’s unique architecture and vibrant blend of cultures as we tour La Paz’s open markets, including the famous witches’ market where ceremonial goods hang in storefronts.
We stop for lunch in a local restaurant to get a taste of Bolivia’s famous empanadas. After lunch, we visit elevated viewpoints of the city and the surrounding mountains, culminating with a ride on the cable car system. Our day ends with a visit to the southern neighborhoods of La Paz where we’ll enjoy a delicious dinner at Gustu, considered one of the 50 best restaurants in Latin America.
3
DAY 3 - Early flight to Uyuni Salt Flats, Sunset, and Astrophotography Tours
After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer to the airport to take a flight to Uyuni, where we take our first foray onto the Uyuni Salt Flats. Our tour of the world’s largest salt flat begins with a short visit to the famed train cemetery, full of rusting train cars that were once used to transport minerals and people to and from Uyuni. We then continue to the salt-harvesting village of Colchani to see how the locals produce salt.
At last, we drive onto the great Uyuni Salt Flats, visiting the bizarre Incahuasi Island, a mound of ancient coral that is covered in enormous cacti. From this surreal vantage, we get an amazing elevated view of the flats, which stretch like a white sea from horizon to horizon. Our visit is timed to hopefully coincide with recent rains, with any luck we will find an area where the water creates a perfect mirror on the salt flats. There we take in a sunset in the middle of the endless expanse of glittering salt before returning to Colchani to overnight in a hotel built from salt bricks! After dinner in the hotel, we return to the salt flats to take pictures of the sky full of stars and, with luck, the Milky Way.
4
DAY 4 - Full Day Uyuni Salt Flats Tour and Astrophotography Tour
An early morning pick-up from the hotel will have us on the salt flats to take pictures during the sunrise (coffee will be provided, and warm clothing is recommended!) We return to our hotel for breakfast before visiting the community of Coquesa, situated at the base of the Tunupa volcano.
Fields of quinoa and herds of llamas and alpacas provide a foreground for spectacular views of the volcanic cone and the expanse of the salt flats. We take a walk along the volcanic slopes to a burial chamber containing ancient mummies, preserved by the arid climate and the high altitude.
From various viewpoints, we will be able to appreciate the strong colors of the landscape juxtaposed with the immense whiteness of the flats. We enjoy a special lunch in the middle of the salt flats to take before returning to the hotel to take a rest. Another optional night tour will be offered this evening for those who would like to return to the flats one last time to capture the Milky Way.
5
DAY 5 - Full Day Uyuni Salt Flats Photography Highlights Tour
Today we take another full day to explore the Salar de Uyuni and its many otherworldly vistas. We will revisit any locations we particularly enjoyed and chase the best conditions around the salt flats on a day entirely devoted to photography.
You’ll be amazed how a few days on the Salar will change your perspective, and how the photos you capture will evolve with more time in this unique environment. Tonight we offer one last optional excursion onto the Salar at night to be sure you capture the Milky Way at its very best or rest up for our onward journey in the morning.
6
DAY 6 - Eduardo Avaroa Reserve Lagunas and Flamingos Tour
Today our adventure continues through the lunar landscapes of the southern altiplano at Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve. As the country's most visited protected area, the reserve boasts volcanos, deserts, colorful lagoons, and unique Andean wildlife, such as flamingos and vicuñas. We enjoy a picnic lunch next to one of the region’s multi-colored lagoons, as flamingos flock overhead.
We continue our overland journey to the Siloli Desert, where we will photograph the unique rock formations created by wind erosion over millennia. Today’s tour finishes with a visit to the brilliant red waters of the Laguna Colorada. We retire to our remote eco-lodge nestled in the high mountain passes of Southern Bolivia for dinner and a well-earned rest.
7
DAY 7 - Eduardo Avaroa Reserve Volcanoes, Geysers, and Hot Springs Tour
Today we continue our journey to the southernmost part of Bolivia, exploring the Lípez region and the southern extreme of the Eduardo Avaroa National Park. Among our many photo stops are the steaming geysers of Sol de mañana, located at more than 16,000 feet above sea level.
We continue to the thermal waters of Polques where the brave among us can enjoy a soak in a natural hot spring. From there we head to the Valley of the Stones before continuing to our hotel in Villamar, built right into the walls of a cave in the style of ancient shelters of the region.
8
DAY 8 - Travel to Atacama Desert, Valley of the Moon Tour
In the morning, we will travel through the Dali Desert, named for its resemblance to the work of surrealist artist Salvador Dali.
Afterward, we visit the Emerald waters of the Green Lagoon where the imposing Licancabur Volcano serves as a backdrop. From there we continue to the remote border crossing of Hito Cajon where our Chilean drivers and guides will be waiting to show us the wonders of the world’s highest-altitude desert. They will take us to our lodging in the small town of San Pedro where we have lunch. In the afternoon we visit the otherworldly rock formations of the Valley of the Moon to see our first Chilean sunset. We return to our hotel for dinner and to rest up for our final days!
9
DAY 9 - Atacama Desert Day Tour, Observatory Visit and Astrophotography Night Tour
We awake early and take breakfast to go for a sunrise shoot at the colorful Laguna Chaxa. We continue our exploration of the Chilean Altiplano with an all-day tour to highland lagoons Miscanti & Meniques with breathtaking views of the volcanoes above and the Atacama below.
Take in a sunset shoot of the mountains over the the desert before returning to town for our final dinner together. Be sure to save some energy for our final night of astrophotography in the dark skies of the Atacama, complete with a visit to the famous ALMA high-altitude observatory.
10
DAY 10 - Sunrise Shoot and Departure
Those who feel up to it can join us for a sunrise shoot in the Cordillera de Sal before returning for breakfast at the hotel and a transfer to Calama airport for departure.

Tour Location

Uyuni Salt Flats - Bolivia

The Uyuni Salt Flats, or Salar de Uyuni, located in southwestern Bolivia, present a remarkable and unparalleled natural canvas for professional photographers. Spanning over 4,000 square miles, these expansive salt flats extend into the horizon, offering a surreal and otherworldly landscape that attracts accomplished photographers from around the world.
As the largest salt flats on Earth, the Uyuni Salt Flats boast an array of captivating natural features that provide endless photographic opportunities. Towering cacti, reaching heights of up to 30 feet, emerge dramatically from the salt crust, creating stunning contrasts and compositions. The vibrantly colored lagoons, such as Laguna Colorada and Laguna Verde, provide striking backdrops for wildlife and landscape photography, owing their vivid hues to the minerals and algae within their waters. Furthermore, the salt flats serve as a habitat for thriving flamingo colonies, which offer the chance to capture these elegant birds against a stark white background.
The extraordinary flatness of the Uyuni Salt Flats enables photographers to create captivating images that play with scale and perspective. This unique characteristic has transformed the salt flats into a sought-after location for innovative and imaginative photo shoots. The salt flats are also an exceptional setting for astrophotography, as their high altitude and remote location minimize light pollution, unveiling a dazzling, star-studded night sky that captivates and challenges photographers to capture its beauty.
For professional photographers seeking a one-of-a-kind destination to expand their portfolio, the Uyuni Salt Flats are an essential stop on any South American journey. Their enchanting scenery and boundless photographic potential make them an ideal location for artists striving to create extraordinary and memorable images that showcase the diversity and splendor of our planet.

Atacama Desert - Chile

The Atacama Desert, nestled in the northern reaches of Chile, offers a spellbinding and unparalleled natural canvas for professional photographers. Spanning approximately 41,000 square miles, this vast expanse of arid terrain is considered one of the driest places on Earth, providing an otherworldly landscape that captivates accomplished photographers from all corners of the globe.
As one of the most unique deserts in the world, the Atacama Desert boasts an array of captivating natural features that provide endless photographic opportunities. Jagged rock formations, sculpted by centuries of wind erosion, rise dramatically from the desert floor, creating striking contrasts and compositions. The vast salt flats, such as Salar de Atacama, offer surreal backdrops for landscape photography, their shimmering surfaces reflecting the intense colors of the surrounding terrain. Additionally, the Atacama Desert is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna, such as the vicuña and the rare Atacama Desert bloom, which photographers can capture thriving against the odds in this extreme environment.
The exceptional clarity of the Atacama Desert's skies offers photographers the opportunity to explore the realm of astrophotography. The high altitude, remote location, and minimal light pollution create an unparalleled setting for capturing breathtaking images of the Milky Way, star clusters, and celestial phenomena. In fact, the Atacama Desert hosts several world-class observatories, such as the ALMA Observatory and Paranal Observatory, which stand testament to the region's extraordinary stargazing conditions.
For professional photographers seeking an extraordinary destination to expand their portfolio, the Atacama Desert is an essential stop on any South American expedition. Its striking landscapes, abundant photographic potential, and pristine night skies make it an ideal location for artists striving to create awe-inspiring and memorable images that showcase the wonders and extremes of our planet.

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