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There are very few places in the world that rival the untouched beauty of Patagonia. Its mountain peaks appear as if they were created by the hands of a meticulous sculptor, while its turquoise lakes are something straight out of a fairytale.
Patagonia is a sparsely populated area located in the southern portion of Chile and Argentina. Its Iconic Andean peaks and massive glaciers make for an incredible backdrop in a vast and largely untouched landscape. In Short, Patagonia is a photographer’s paradise!
Torres Del Paine, Patagonia
WHAT TO EXPECT
We’ll spend our time in Patagonia photographing some of the most beautiful locations on the planet. Our photographic efforts will be concentrated around the Perito Moreno Glacier, Mount Fitz Roy, and Torres Del Paine National Park.
The workshop will begin in El Calafate, Argentina on April 1st and conclude on April 12th in Punta Arenas, Chile.
We will photograph sunrise and sunset each full day of the workshop when weather permits. The middle of our days will be reserved for rest, travel, and post processing. I recommend bringing a laptop so you can work on your images during the workshop.
Many locations in Patagonia are easily accessible while others require a decent bit of hiking. This workshop has two optional uphill hikes that are on the longer side. Please read over the hiking section for more details.
A private car or taxi will be available for anyone who does not want to partake in either one of the long hikes in El Chalten. The vehicle will pick you up for sunrise and take you to an iconic view of Mt. Fitz Roy. (See image below) After sunrise, you’ll be transported back to the hotel. Please let me know if you are interested in sitting out the long hikes in advance so I can arrange for a taxi.
Sunrise on the Paine Massif
Note: All shoots are weather dependent. Under severe or unsafe conditions we may not be able to do one or more of the planned activities for any given day.
LODGING
Get ready to stay at some of the highest quality and most unique hotels in Patagonia! There will be no roughing it on this trip. I have personally hand picked the best places to lay our heads while we catch up on our well deserved rest. We’ll start our trip off in the charming town El Calafate at Posada Los Alamos Hotel. Moving on, we’ll check into the grand Destino Sur Hotel & Spa located on the main drag of El Chalten. This fantastic wood and stone building is walking distance to many restaurants and a few different trailheads. In Torres Del Paine we’ll be staying at one of the most picture perfect lodges in the world! Hosteria Pehoe sits on a tiny island in Lake Pehoé which is accessed by a short footbridge. Located in the heart of Torres Del Paine, Los Cuernos Del Paine can practically be photographed from your doorstep! There is no question that Hosteria Pehoe is the best place to stay in the park. Our last night of the workshop will be spent at Cabo De Hornos Hotel in Punta Arenas.
Torres Del Paine, Patagonia
WHAT’S INCLUDED
• High quality lodging for the duration of the workshop
• Van / Bus transportation
• Professional photography guide
• Local guides in Los Glaciers National Park
• Perito Moreno Glacier Hike (weather permitting)
• Post processing session
• Glacier Grey Cruise (weather permitting)
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
• Airfare & airport transportation
• Visa Fees (No fees for US travelers)
• Meals
• Drinks
• Gratuites
• Travel Insurance
• Photography Equipment
Laguna Torre, El Chalten, Argentina
ITINERARY
Below is a sample itinerary for our time in Patagonia. Please keep in mind that weather can alter the schedule.
Day 1: Fly into El Calafate Argentina | FTE - Comandante Armando Tola International Airport. Orientation will be in the lobby of our hotel at Posada Los Alamos Hotel in El Calafate at 7pm
Day 2: We’ll spend most of the day exploring the Perito Moreno Glacier in the southern portion of Los Glaciers National Park.
Day 3-7: On the third day of the workshop, We’ll depart El Calafate and head to Destino Sur Hotel & Spa in El Chalten. We’ll spend the four days photographing the famous peaks of Mount Fitz Roy. There will be two long (weather dependent) sunrise hikes in El Calafate. If you are not much of a hiker, you can use that time to catch up on your your rest and go to the spa!
Day 7-10: We’ll shoot an easy sunrise location on our last day in El Chalten. From there, we’ll cross over to Chile where we will spend the rest of our time photographing the majestic Torres Del Paine National Park. There we’ll be staying at the historic Hosteria Pehoe lodge with fantastic views right from the property! In Torres Del Paine we will photograph, blue glacial lakes, guanacos, and some of the word’s most famous mountain peaks.
Day 11: We’ll shoot one last sunrise near our lodge before heading to the Cabo De Hornos Hotel in Punta Arenas where we will spend one night to wind down from our adventure.
Day 12: Depart Punta Arenas, Chile | PUQ - Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport
Laguna Azul, Torres Del Paine, Chile
TUITION
$7,449
SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT + $1,305
PURCHASE THE WORKSHOP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE
If you'd like to have a room to yourself during the trip you'll need to purchase a single room supplement for an additional $1,305. If you are traveling solo and would like to share a room, please contact me to see if there is another participant looking for a room share.
The cost of this workshop includes only that which is covered in the the “What’s included” section of this page. A down payment of $2,000 dollars is required to reserve your spot on the workshop. Full payment is required no later than 120 days before the workshop starts. “Cancel for any reason” trip insurance is strongly encouraged.
CANCELATION POLICY
Sometimes life can get in the way of a good a thing. Hopefully that doesn’t happen during this workshop, but if it does the following cancelation policy applies.
• Cancel 120 days before the workshop starts – Full Refund Minus $250 Administrative Fee
• Cancel 0 - 119 days before trip – no refund unless your spot is filled or the workshop gets canceled.
Should you have to cancel after the cancelation deadline and I can find a replacement for your space, I’ll refund your full payment minus a $250 cancelation fee.
I strongly encourage “cancel for any reason” travel insurance. Check out Square Mouth for more details on trip insurance.
PATAGONIAN WEATHER
Patagonia’s weather can change quickly and can be very hard to predict. The autumn months (March / April) tend to be the driest but rain can be frequent at any time of year. It is very important to be prepared just about any kind of weather. When the sun is shining, the daytime temperatures can be quite pleasant but when storms come in, the temperatures can drop and snow can fall just about anytime of year.
All participants must be prepared for winter condition and bring waterproof hiking boots as well as rain pants and a rain jacket that will fit over layers. Staying dry will keep you warm and happy. It’s no fun shooting when you’re uncomfortable. The wind can be downright relentless in Patagonia, but luckily for us, fall is the calmest time of year. That being said, wind can show up at any time so make sure you have good windproof clothing. If weather conditions become too extreme at any point, we will focus our efforts on post processing during those times.
El Chalten, Argentina
HIKING IN PATAGONIA
Many of the locations that we visit in Patagonia are rather easily accessible but a few locations require some extra legwork to get to. You will be briefed each night so you know what to expect the following day. No hike or shoot is required and you’re more than welcome to sit out any portion of the workshop that you do not feel comfortable doing. The trails are maintained fairly well in Patagonia but they can often be muddy if it has recently rained. Please see the hike descriptions below.
Blue Lagoon in Torres Del Paine, Chile
HIKE DESCRIPTIONS
PERITO MORENO GLACIER
The Perito Moreno Glacier is an incredible place! Our hike will be conducted under the supervision of local professional guides who will provide our group with crampons for a safe and enjoyable hike. The trek is about a half mile on land before we hit the ice. Once we are on the ice we will slowly walk over a portion of the glacier. We’ll be on the ice for about an hour and a half and then hike the dirt trail back from which we came.
Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina
EL CHALTEN
Hiking in El Chalten is extremely rewarding when the condition are good. When conditions are bad it is essentially pointless if not downright miserable. I will take the group on two longer hikes in the El Chalten region. If the weather does not cooperate one or both of the hikes could get canceled and replaced with an easier option or post processing. If you do not think you are up to hiking 6 miles round trip, please let me know and I will arrange for a taxi so you can get great shots of Fits Roy from just outside of town.
El Chalten is a quaint little town settled near the base of Mt Fitz Roy. There are some great photographic opportunities just outside of town that are easily accessible. We’ll spend at least two of our four mornings in that area shooting those spots. The other two mornings we will get up very early in order to make it to our sunrise locations on time.
LAGUNA TORRE
The first hike in El Chalten is Laguna Torre which is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. That is why we will be trekking three miles to get there for sunrise. The first mile of the trail has a moderate to strenuous incline but then the trail becomes mostly gradual over rest of the hike. The overall elevation gain is 969ft. Once we arrive at the lake you’ll be happy that you made the effort!
Mount Fitz Roy, El Chalten, Argentina
RIO DE LA CASCADA
Our final hike in El Chalten will be to a fantastic view of Mount Fitz Roy. The hike gains a steady 800 ft in the first mile before leveling off a little bit for the rest of the way. After hiking four miles we well set up for our sunrise shoot of Fitz Roy. We’ll take plenty of time to shoot the area before heading back down to town for a much deserved break.
TORRES DEL PAINE
Most of the shooting in Torres Del Paine is very accessible with most of the locations just a short distance from the road. We will do a few relatively flat hikes that are around a mile or two in length. The only moderately difficult hike that we will be doing in Torres Del Paine is a 600 foot climb in three quarters of a mile. This hike is optional and participants can opt to shoot the incredible views just outside our lodge if they'd prefer not to hike.
Wild Horses near El Calafate, Argentina
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