Atacama Bolivia Salt Flats

Atacama Desert, Volcanoes, and Bolivia's Salt Flats

April 1 – 10, 2024

When the winter rains flow down from the high Andes surrounding the Bolivia flats, the water spills out onto sections of the 11,000 square kilometer area, creating a stunning, sparse landscape with incredible reflections and polygon shapes in the mud from evaporation.

To reach this spectacular location, we’ll take an overland adventure through the Andes, reaching altitudes of up to 16,000 feet with volcanoes reaching as high as 21,000 feet. We’ll spend the first four nights at 8,500 feet in altitude, so everyone has time to acclimate to Bolivia’s higher elevations. These days acclimating will be filled with photography too! We’ll photograph the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon), Laguna Chaxa (Los Flamencos National Reserve), and Humdedal de Putana (Putana Wetland).

Then we’ll ascend to 15,000 feet, where we’ll cross into Bolivia. We’ll pack into Land Cruisers and head through the wilderness of the high Andes to the salt flats. We will have a few long drives through the fantastic landscapes of the high Andes mountains as we venture north into Bolivia to the town of Uyuni and beyond. We’ll visit Laguna Colorado, home of three species of flamingo, as well as many other birds, Isla Incahuasi (large cacti hill), and many more great and exotic locations.

By day, you’ll learn techniques to best capture the reflections of the salt flats and the spectacular, star-filled night skies. We will also have our famous image critiques and Lightroom instruction.

Everything is covered, from the airport pickup in Calama, Chile, to the airport shuttle in Paz, Bolivia. You are expected to acclimate to 16,000 feet for this workshop, and we will carry oxygen in each vehicle for emergencies. Due to the high altitude, there is an age limit for this workshop: you must be fit and 70 or younger.