Bolivia: The Faces & Places of the Andes – 12 Days

A 12-day photographic journey into another time…

The photographic tour of the Bolivian Andes has been designed to cover the most iconic locations in the Bolivian highland region. There are unlimited photo opportunities in this under-developed land of native people, festivals and surreal landscapes. In Bolivia, the people are intimately tied to the land. The jaw-dropping landscapes you encounter from one region to another encompass the glacier-covered Andes, the vast Altiplano (similar to the Tibetan plateau), mystical Lake Titicaca and the otherworldly Salar de Uyuni as well as the cities of La Paz, Copacabana, Uyuni and Potosi. If you want a real experience and the space needed to make special images then Bolivia is your blank canvass. Some highlights are Lake Titicaca and the Island of the Sun, Sajama National Park, sleeping in a hotel made of salt in the Salar de Uyuni and visiting Potosi (UNESCO) and overnight in a colonial-era hacienda. The colors and smells, the wacky and bizarre, the unique and the brazen acts of people living on the edge are all across Bolivia. This is the harvest season so there will be a lot of activity going on with people working the land and taking their goods to market – often on donkeys, llamas and on their back. You need to be ready and shoot quickly and we’ll be constantly seeking special moments that may be of interest. We will leave it up to you to decide if you want to make the image but we will put you at the right places so you can concentrate on making images, not thinking about the logistics. The itinerary describes the day-to-day journey but it does not explain the jaw-dropping beauty and authentic feel that Bolivia serves up to each visitor in many unexpected and random snippets of daily life. Whether you are a globe-trotting traveler or a first-timer, we will do our best so that you come back with images that will fill your mind with unforgettable moments and fond memories. This is a complete photographic journey, with adventure, panoramic vistas, history and real people.

The leaders of this photographic journey are professional photographers Sergio Ballivian (native of La Paz, Bolivia) and Raymond Gehman (freelance photographer for National Geographic Magazine since 1988) both of whom travel all over the world shooting people and places that have inspired them. Sergio lives in Boulder, Colorado and is constantly traveling around South America leading tours from the Andes to the Amazon, encompassing everything from hard-core adventures to photographic workshops to select groups. Ray continues to shoot personal projects, leads photo tours to the Canadian Rockies on horseback and teaches in-depth Photoshop classes at the West Palm Beach Photo Center. Their combined knowledge with decades of shooting in diverse places across the globe, teaching Lightroom and Photoshop as well as their ability to be at the right place at the right time – anticipating those special moments – will surely add to the success of this journey across the Bolivian highlands.

Prices are in US $ and include all services as per the itinerary. Please contact us with any questions.

Included are: all airport transfers, accommodations, meals as noted (B,L,D) , bi-lingual guides, private 4×4 vehicles, our years of experience and local knowledge.

- ITINERARY -

Depart U.S.: Flights to Bolivia depart late in the evening from Miami. International airfare is NOT included in this itinerary. For airline tickets, please contact our ticketing agent GEO Travel 1-800-938-7285.

Day 0 / Sat / June 9: Depart Miami, FL to La Paz, Bolivia*

The American Airlines flight departs Miami late in the evening and arrives at 5 AM the next day at the city of El Alto (the airport is at 13,200’ asl) and you will drop into the canyon where La Paz actually sits – where you will sleep at around 11,500’ asl.

*(this is a typical scenario for you to consider, international airfare is NOT included.)

Day 1 / Sun / June 10: Arrival in La Paz – Afternoon City Tour

Arrival at El Alto International Airport in the city of El Alto (above and next to La Paz) at 5 AM in the morning. Transfer to Hotel Oberland (3*) and free morning to rest and acclimatize. Lunch at the hotel. Afterwards we have a city tour to see the impressive setting where La Paz sits. There is a group meeting in the early evening to check plans and prepare for the trip. Dinner on your own. To acclimatize better, we recommend plenty of rest, eating lightly and drinking lots of water and mate de coca (coca tea). Overnight at Hotel Oberland (3*) (L)

Day 2 / Mon / June 11: La Paz – street photography

After breakfast we head into the heart of La Paz and see what kinds of interesting things we can find. The city offers innumerable opportunities for street photography where you will capture the daily life of the residents of this city. The best way to describe this city is controlled chaos and there is always something interesting happening. We have lunch at an appointed time. In the afternoon we will get together and download the images from the morning and talk about the workflow, digital capture, processing, etc. as well as vision, framing and how to make better images. There is much to cover so we want to make sure everyone is up to speed on the technology and how to best deal with their particular digital asset management needs. Dinner on your own. Overnight at Hotel Oberland (3*). (B,L)

Day 3 / Tue / June 12: La Paz – Tiwanaku – Achocalla – La Paz

After breakfast you depart to the ancient port city of Tiwanaku with a professional bi-lingual guide that will share knowledge as to the reason why this civilization vanished and its importance in the middle Andean region. There will be plenty of options to photograph the local people as they go about their daily lives not only in the town of Tiwanaku but along the route as well. Lunch en route. Afterwards we will return to La Paz via another valley called Achocalla, a colorful agricultural valley, that offers striking views of the Cordillera Real and the canyons next to La Paz as well as the local Aymara campesinos that grown a variety of crops here. This is harvest season so there should be lots of photo ops along the way. We will arrive in the Valley of the Moon and our hotel in the mid-afternoon. The rest of the day is free to visit La Paz at your own pace and to go shopping for the famous Bolivian Alpaca sweaters and other handicrafts. Dinner on your own. Overnight at Hotel Oberland (3*) (B,L)

Day 4 / Wed / June 13: La Paz – Lake Titicaca – Copacabana

After breakfast we depart north to the portside town of Copacabana on the shores of mystical Lake Titicaca. There will be countless photo ops along the route so be prepared to shoot quickly if an opportunity arises. As we bypass the smaller part of the lake and cross the Altiplano we drop down into the Strait of Tiquina where the vehicle will cross on a barge and you will take a motorized boat to the Peninsula of Copacabana. Once across you will continue the journey high above the lake with spectacular views of the Cordillera Real (Royal Mountain Range) rising above Lake Titicaca and the Islands of the Moon and Sun before arriving in Copacabana. Lunch upon arrival. There are a lot of pilgrims that come to Copacabana for religious blessings and such so there may be unique opportunities to shoot as they happen, especially in front of the cathedral. We will check into Hotel La Cupula then climb up to the Calvario, high above the town and overlooking Lake Titicaca to get a better sense of the relationship between the lake, the mountains and this pilgrimage site. The views from this promontory are vast and you will get a chance to catch the sunset this evening and if you are an early-riser, the sunrise next morning. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight at Hotel La Cupula (3*). (B,L,D)

Day 5 / Thu / June 14: Copacabana – Yampupata – Island of the Sun

Today is dedicated to getting an early start so we can shoot the sunrise before having breakfast. After breakfast we depart via 4×4 for about an hour to the portside town of Yampupata then board a motorized boat to the Island of the Sun. The boat trip is approximately 1.5 hours to the northernmost bay on the Island of the Sun. From a small port we do a short climb to the area known as the Chincana Inca ruins where we will visit where, according to legend, the first the Inca was first born and see the ruins where the virgins were kept for the Inca rulers. The views are pretty spectacular from the ruins and one can get sense of how large Lake Titicaca really is, with Peru in the near distance. We will hike back to Challapampa for about 45 minutes and arrive at the town where we will have lunch. Afterwards, we will take the boat back to the southernmost point of the island called Yumani. There are no roads on this island so footpaths are the only way to get around. A short but steep hike to the top of the island along steps created by the Incas will get you to your hotel for the night. The people on the island are very friendly and still cling to a basic way of life so there are many photo ops of people tending to their fields and animals everywhere you look. The views from this promontory are nothing short of fabulous and you will get a chance to catch the sunset this evening and the sunrise next morning. Dinner at the main lodge. Overnight at Estancia Eco-Lodge (3*). (B,L,D)

Day 6 / Fri / June 15: Island of the Sun – Copacabana – La Paz

For those that like sunrises don’t miss this one in the morning – the views south to Illimani and the east to the Cordillera Real are stunning! You should see the very early morning light begin to glow behind the Cordillera Real as sunrise begins to make its appearance on the eastern horizon. It will be chilly out in the morning but it’s worth the effort to get out and get to a good spot so you can capture the spectacle, you can also open a window and shoot from your cabin! Of course much of it depends on Mother Nature and good weather for great images. After an early breakfast we head south, down the Inca stairs to the port and board a boat that will take us to Copacabana and our vehicle. The drive will take you back across the peninsula of Copacabana and the Straits of Tiquina towards La Paz. We will have lunch en route on the lake. We should arrive in La Paz in the late afternoon. Dinner together. Overnight at Hotel Oberland (3*) (B,L,D)

Day 7 / Sat / June 16: La Paz – Sajama

Today we depart after breakfast and heading south-southwest towards Sajama National Park which is on the western edge of Bolivia next to the Chilean border. Along the way you will get to experience the Altiplano and see that it is not flat at all but is an undulating plateau that has many interesting and uncommon features and characteristics. When we reach the town of Patacamaya we head west towards Chile and eventually arrive in Sajama National Park; which is named for the massive volcano that dominates the view. Lunch en route. The most prominent feature here is, of course, the volcanoes on the western edge of the Andes and Sajama is the tallest one in the region at 21,486’ above sea level – Bolivia’s highest peak. We will arrive in the mid-afternoon and have time to check-in to a local hostel that offers clean but basic accommodations in Tomarapi. We will be ready for the sunset that often provides spectacular photo ops in this region. It is going to get cold quickly so have the proper gear handy. Dinner after returning to the hostel. Dinner together. Overnight at Hostal Tomarapi (3*) (B,L,D)

Day 8 / Sun / June 17: Sajama – Salinas de Garci Mendoza – Tahua

An early morning departure is necessary in order to get to the village of Tahua today. The drive heads south along the western edge of the Altiplano and crosses north of the Salar de Coipasa (Bolivia’s 2nd largest salt flat) as we continue to the base of a very large and prominent volcano called Thunupa. This volcano is our guide as we circumnavigate it until we arrive on its southern slopes to the village of Tahua, our overnight stop for the day. The drive is full of adventure and amazing landscapes to photograph with some of the most impressive panoramas of the central Altiplano including massive salt flats! We should arrive in time for sunset over the Salar de Uyuni. Our hotel is one made of salt bricks that have been cut out of the salt flat only a few kilometers away – that includes the walls, chairs, tables, floor, etc. After checking-in we will have dinner. Overnight at Hotel Tayka de Sal in Tahua. (3*) (B,L,D)

Day 9 / Mon / June 18: Tahua – Salar de Uyuni – Uyuni – Potosi

After an early breakfast we head east to the village of Coquesa and drive up the slopes of this volcano to see some mummies from many centuries ago from a civilization that dissapeared. We will have lunch in the next village called Jirira at Dona Lupe’s Posada, an oasis in this dry and surreal land. After lunch we enter the Salar de Uyuni – the world’s largest salt flat at over 10,582 sq kilometers (4086 sq mi)! We head south to an island called Incahuasi, a surreal location that is the remnant of a coral reef that used to be at the bottom of the ocean millennia ago now covered with tall cactus and endemic plants and animals where a 360 degree view of the salt flat is finally possible. It should prove to be quite impressive! We exit the salt flat to the east, via the town of Colchani, and where we visit the salt miners working by hand. You will have time to visit with these people and see how they gather salt and get a sense of the manual labor required to mine tons of salt on a yearly basis, all done with picks and shovels. We continue to the city of Uyuni, gas up and head up into the Andes, our destination is the sky-high city of Potosi. The drive to Potosi is about 3 1/2 hours on a mostly paved road, depending on road conditions and traffic. The terrain and scenery along the way encompasses river canyons, imposing ridges and active as well as abandoned mining centers. The red earth and green weeping willows are a beautiful contrast to the desert-like beige-colored Altiplano and glacier-white salt flats we just left. We will actually head to Hacienda Cayara, a colonial-era farm (and now a living museum) which is about 800 feet lower than Potosi and offers a nicer climate and a wonderful atmosphere that takes you back 500 years into the colonial era. Overnight at Hostal Cayara (3*) (B,L,D)

Day 10 / Tue / June 19: Hostal Cayara – Potosi – Hostal Cayara

After breakfast we head up to Potosi, which sits at 13,400′ asl. The setting is nothing short of spectacular and its height will take your breath away, literally. You should be well acclimatized at this time so it’s appropriate to experience one of the unique opportunities available to us in Potosi – visiting the mines of Cerro Rico. Upon arrival we will head to a mine cooperative that allow non-miners to enter into the heart of Cerro Rico. We will be provided with all the gear we need to enter the mine, just bring your camera, a fast lens and a flash. It gets very warm inside the mines, even though it may be quite cold outside so we will address how and what to wear. This mountain is the source of the seemingly never-ending wealth of which the Spanish monarchy eagerly exploited in order to enrich themselves. It has been said that a bridge made of silver could have been built from Potosi to Madrid based on the quantities of silver extracted from this one mountain! It will be dark, cramped, dirty and somewhat hazardous but it provides amazing photo ops! Lunch afterwards. Then we will visit the Casa de la Moneda (The Spanish Mint) to get a better sense of money, wealth and slavery and how it all ties to Bolivia’s convoluted and colorful history. Walking the narrow alleys and streets of Potosi is the best way to find great photos that show the character and sense of what Potosi is all about. We will return to Cayara and enjoy the Mediterranean climate and visit the village before dinner. You will have time to freshen-up before dinner at the hostal. Overnight at Hostal Cayara (3*) (B,L,D)

Day 11 / Wed / June 20: Potosi – La Paz

The drive from Potosi to La Paz is pretty spectacular because it stays high in the mountains for the first half of the trip and it’s on a paved road all the way to La Paz so, it’s fast and comfortable. Along the way you will see multi-colored valleys, high Andean peaks, green lush Andean puna with llamas and alpacas grazing and the Altiplano as well as the Cordillera Real as you get closer to La Paz. The drive is about 9 hours but with plenty of unique scenery and is truly amazing and should provide plenty of visual appeal along the entire route. We should arrive in La Paz in the early evening. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at Hotel Oberland (3*). (B,L,D)

Day 12 / Thu / June 21: La Paz – Miami – Home

The AM flight on American Airlines departs at 7 AM. So we will pick you up at 4 AM for the 40-minute drive to El Alto International airport. After you check in and get your boarding pass, you will head to the airport tax window and pay the fee (approx. US $ 25.00) and then head to the international wing for your flight back to the US. The flight heads to Santa Cruz first to drop-off and pick-up passengers then continues to Miami and you will arrive roughly around 4 PM the same day where you can make your connection back home.

End of our services.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions feel free to contact us directly via phone at 303-545-5728 (Office), 303-808-7713 (mobile) or via e-mail at phototours@sergiophototours.com