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Atacama Desert

Volcanoes and Stars Tour

03 to 10/04/24 - Registration Open
21 to 28/09/24 - Registration Open

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DATES

TEAM

GENRE

FEE

SUP. SINGLE

DEPOSIT

GROUP

LEVEL

03 to 10/04/24 - 21 to 28/09/24

VICTOR LIMA

LANDSCAPE / ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

US$ 2950

US$ 750

US$ 950

7 to 15 PARTICIPANTS

ALL LEVELS

ABOUT THE TOUR

Don't miss the opportunity to join this epic photography adventure through the Atacama Desert. Allow yourself to be amazed by some of the most surreal and photogenic landscapes on the planet. We will explore lagoons with crystal clear water that appear in the middle of the salt desert, enjoy Flamingos feeding at dawn, witness the spectacle of boiling waters rising from the ground, walk among the volcanoes of the Andes Mountains, watch the most colorful evenings of the southern hemisphere, be enchanted by the most beautiful starry sky in the world and much more. Come on board with us and come and discover the Atacama Desert like you've never seen it before.

Below are the itinerary and other information about the Tour:

Atacama, the highest and driest desert in the world!?

The Atacama Desert, considered the driest desert in the world, is approximately 105,000 km long and is predominantly located in Chile. Contrary to what many people might think, this desert has landscapes that go far beyond traditional sand dunes and offers surprising scenery, precisely because it goes far beyond what comes to mind when we think of "desert".

Who would expect to find in the middle of the highest and driest desert in the world a lake with crystal clear waters, full of flamingos? Because in Atacama this is possible and exists. The explanation is that an area of the desert, called Salar de Atacama, has a different microclimate and allowed all these curious formations to be possible. There is even rain in this area, something practically non-existent in a desert like the Atacama.

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Who is this trip for?


A trip designed for nature, landscape and astrophotography enthusiasts, and for all lovers of the incredible scenery of the Atacama Desert. We will visit and photograph the main attractions of the San Pedro de Atacama region, alternating photo sessions at sunrise and sunset and also at night, when we will have the chance to photograph the Milky Way over the surreal landscape of Atacama. During the trip, we will study all aspects related to nature and landscape photography, from the basic concepts of photography to the post-production of images.

Trip program


Below you will find the complete tour program, which will take place in March and September 2023:

The meeting point is:

Calama/Chile Airport (CJC).

Arrival at CJC no later than 4pm.

PDeparture from CJC no earlier than 11am.

Day 1 - San Pedro de Atacama

  • Arrival in San Pedro de Atacama. Throughout the day, the expedition participants will be awaited and, after dinner, we will gather the group for a brief presentation of the participants and to discuss the details of the tour;

  • If the group is interested, we can do a first session of night photography in the vicinity of the accommodation.

Day 2 - Laguna Chaxa / Rainbow Valley

  • We will leave early in the morning towards Laguna Chaxa, which is located in the Soncor Sector of the Salar de Atacama and within the Los Flamencos National Reserve area. The lagoon is home to countless wild flamingos and a delight for wildlife admirers. Return to San Pedro de Atacama at 1 pm.

  • At 4 pm we will leave towards the Rainbow Valley, which got its name because it is formed by different minerals and each of these minerals has a different color, so, walking through the place, you will see formations of greenish, reddish, orange, yellowish colors, etc. It is a very interesting place for those who like mineralogy or geology, the look is very beautiful and it is a very quiet place, without much movement of tourists. The formations in the valley are quite large and you have the opportunity to walk around seeing their contrasts and the color of the minerals up close. We will do our first night photography session at this location.

  • Return to San Pedro de Atacama at 2:30 am.

Meals included: Brunch (Laguna Chaxa)/Pic Nic and Evening Snack (Rainbow Valley)

Day 3 - Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache/Magic Bus

  • Free morning.

  • We will leave at 2:30 pm towards the Lagunas Escondidas de Baltinache, which is a group of 7 small lagoons with emerald green water that appear in the middle of the Salar de Atacama. This place is pure contrast and beauty. The lagoons appear amid pure white salt crystals and their waters are completely transparent.

  • From there we will continue to Vallecito, where we will find the abandoned carcass of a bus in the middle of the Atacama desert landscape.. Here will be our Landscape Astrophotography section.

  • Return to San Pedro de Atacama at 2:30 am.

Meals included: Pic Nic and Evening Snack

Day 4 - Lagunas Altiplanicas / Mirante de Piedras Rojas / Laguna Tuyajto

  • Free morning.

  • We'll leave at 12:00h towards the Lagunas Altiplanicas, where we'll see one of the main attractions of the entire Atacama region, the Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons. These lagoons of turquoise blue water appear at the foot of Cerro Miscanti and Volcano Miñiques, which gives the place a fantastic aesthetic value.

  • We will continue to Salar de Aguas Calientes, also known as Piedras Rojas, where we will contemplate one of the most surreal landscapes in Atacama. The place takes its name from the reddish color of the rock formations in the region. Serving as background for this landscape we have Cerro Medano and Caichinque Volcano.

  • Next, we will visit Laguna Tuyajto, which is just a few minutes from Piedras Rojas. Laguna Tuyajto has a peculiar beauty, due to the small salt formations that are spread over a large part of its surface.

  • Based on the local weather and climate conditions, we will choose where we will take the photo shoot during sunset and also during the night.

  • Return to San Pedro de Atacama at 2:30 am.

Meals included: Pic Nic and Night Snack

Day 5 - Editing and Image Processing

  • Free morning;

  • On that day, around 2pm, we will meet to evaluate the images taken during the Tour and guidance will also be given on editing and advanced image processing.

Day 6 - El Tatio Geysers/White Geyser

  • We will leave at 5:30am towards the Geysers del Tatio, home to the largest concentration of geysers in the southern hemisphere and the 3rd largest in the world, behind only Yellowstone (United States) and the Kronotski Nature Reserve (Russia). During sunrise is when geyser activity increases and the vapor columns reach a height of approximately 10 meters. Its water boils at a temperature of 86 degrees – the boiling point, due to the high altitude. On this expedition you will stop at the geothermal field, in addition to the geyser spectacle, you will also be able to swim in a thermal pool.

  • Return to San Pedro de Atacama at 12:30pm.

  • Free afternoon.

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 7 - Andean Lagoons

  • Free morning.

  • We will leave at 12 pm towards the Andean Lagoons, where we we will visit a giant caldera that divides Chile, Bolivia and Argentina and which was formed after the eruption of the Vilama volcano, giving rise to a fauna and flora existing only in this region. We will discover rock formations between 30 and 40 meters high, shaped like monks by the action of wind and ice, known as monks of Pacana. We will observe birds and vicuñas in this part of the desert, which is also part of the National Flamingo Reserve. And we will pass by Lagoa Diamante, Salar de Águas Calientes and Salar de Quisquiro, places with a unique and exuberant look, with landscapes that remind us of a work of art.

  • The Landscape Astrophotography section will be in the region of the Monks of Pacana.

  • Return to San Pedro de Atacama at 2:30 am.

Meals included: Pic Nic and Night Snack

ABOUT THE TOUR

Dates:

  • 03 to 10/04/24 - Registration Open;

  • 21 to 28/09/24 - Registration Open.

Value and Payment Method:

  • Price per person in a double or triple room (2 or 3 participants per room): US$ 2950;

  • Supplement for single room: US$750 (may vary depending on accommodation);

  • Compulsory single room: US$500 (see “More Information” section);

  • Payment method: US$950 (registration) + balance up to 60 days before the start;

  • Payment Method: Transfer or Bank Deposit (Preferred). It is possible to pay installments through PayPal (upon request).

Included in the price:

  • Accommodation with breakfast during the Tour period (7 nights);

  • Private transportation and food during scheduled departures on the Tour;

  • Tickets for all places visited during the Tour;

  • Local guides;

  • Photography instructor (Victor Lima).

Not included in the price:

  • Area passages;

  • Visas and fees;

  • PCR test;

  • Any expenses for accommodation, transportation, etc. outside the tour period;

  • Travel Insurance - Mandatory item;

  • Photography equipment;

  • Personal expenses, tips, etc.

More information:

  • Get informed and reserve your spot through Instagram@victorlimaphoto or the form below;

  • All amounts expressed in US Dollars (US$);

  • For Brazilians: The value of the event in Dollars serves only as a reference for payments in Real. Monthly installments will be calculated based on the quote from theTourism Dollar-Economic Value ("Sale"). The final value of the trip in Reais will be defined 60 days before the start of the tour, based on the Dollar exchange rate at the opening of that day;

  • To the extent that vacanciesthey go being completed throughout the registration period, participants aredistributed in the shared rooms available for the group. In the end, if any participant is accommodated in a single room due to lack of space in shared rooms, they must pay a supplement of US$500 for accommodation in a single room;

  • A minimum of 7 participants is required to take part in the Tour;

  • The deposit is a reservation guarantee and is not refunded if the trip is canceled for any reason. The deposit amount will be deducted from the remainder of the payment, as soon as we reach the minimum number of registrants required to confirm departure. If the group is not confirmed, the deposit amount will be fully refunded;

  • The date of the event may be changed depending on situations involving public calamity or restricted access to the event location, such as: floods, landslides, epidemics, etc. In this case, participants must choose to participate in the event in question on its new date or receive credit for the amount paid to participate in another event with available places;

  • The dates were defined based on the best conditions for landscape astrophotography. Although the weather conditions in the Atacama Desert are quite predictable, we are not responsible for weather changes that may make this type of photography unfeasible;

  • This service provision is restricted to issues relating to the Photography Tour, including accommodation, food and transport during scheduled departures. Any other issues of a personal nature, such as individual documentation problems, etc., are not our responsibility;

  • During the Tour, we will visit places that are above 4000 meters in altitude. Consult your doctor.

What to bring (recommendations):

  • Mirrorless camera or DSLR;

  • Lenses from 16 to 400 mm;

  • Tripod;

  • Trigger cable (optional);

  • Polarizing and neutral density filters (optional);

  • Hand and head torches;

  • Sunglasses and sunscreen;

  • Cold-weather clothing (windbreaker, second skin, fleece, balaclava, gloves, etc.).

Required Documentation

  • Valid passport;

  • COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate (1st and 2nd doses).

Information and reservations

Use the form below to request your reservation or for more information.

We will respond shortly!

Seus detalhes foram enviados com sucesso!

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