The great crossing of the Bolivian altiplano 15 days PHYSICAL LEVEL COMFORT LEVEL ALTITUDE LEVEL 6 PERSONS DATES: November 18 to December 2, 2018 PRICE: 4 170 8 days on a 4X4 expedition to discover the South Lipez: Salar de Uyuni, laguna Canapa, Hedionda, Colorada and Verde, arbol de piedra, Dali desert... 3 days excursion in 4X4 in the magical area of Tupiza Many shootings at sunrises, sunsets and milky way under the Bolivian starry sky The domestic flight Uyuni-La Paz 1 professional photographer specializing in landscape photography and phototours, including a Francophone Photo Level: All Levels Themes: Wide spaces, deserts, volcanoes, night photos / milky way, animal watching «Leave with passion and follow your dreams». Di Fruscia is a World Visionary Fine Art Nature & Landscape Photographer He quickly realized that photography was an art form that would enable him to express his inner feelings about the world around him. This soon became an insatiable desire to record the beauty of nature. The camera soon became the perfect medium to express his true inner feelings. Di Fruscia s work has won many awards, has been published and displayed thru a multitude of Medias (books, calendars, magazines, travel guides etc.) and by many prestigious companies such as, National Geographic, Time Magazine and Wall Street Journal, just to name a few. His work has also been displayed in several art galleries around the world. Constantly searching for those rare magical moments when the Perfect Light embraces nature in all its glory, you can rest assured that this is only the beginning of a long and dedicated quest to capture the breathtaking beauty of nature.
1 hour Welcome to La Paz, where your photo workshop starts in Bolivia! The city is the highest capital of the world, staggered between 3,200 and 4,000 meters of altitude. It has one of the most beautiful natural settings in the world, surrounded by a hundred snow-covered peaks of more than 5,000 m. Welcome by our guide at the airport and transfer to the hotel to La Paz downtown. Briefing on the content of the trip. Free time in the morning. Then free lunch and visit in the afternoon of the historical center of La Paz. Free dinner. Overnight in La Paz.
3h30 and 12h30/13h30 night train In the train After breakfast, last round in town then departure for Oruro by car. We will take the train from Oruro at the end of the day and arrive the next morning in Tupiza. 3h30 We will dedicate 3 full days around Tupiza to meet its rare and secret places and perfect our acclimatization to the altitude before the great departure for the desert of Lipez. First stop, the impressive rock massif of El Angosto. We continue our way to Entre Rios, the confluence of the two biggest rivers in the region. A symbolic place, a source of life in this seemingly austere desert. Finally, we will arrive at La Torre, an astonishing monolithic formation, where we will have lunch. The afternoon will be devoted to the exploration of Palmira Valley, particularly aesthetic where the variants of ocher tones at the end of the day will delight the photographers. We will meet the Puerta del Diablo, Valle de los Machos and we will walk in the bowels of the Inca Canyon. Return early evening to Tupiza. Overnight at the hotel.
3 hours Hostel We take back our SUVs. This morning, in the direction of Torre Huayco, a community settled in one of the most beautiful places in the region, a string of rock formations eroded for millennia. We will be welcomed at the inhabitant to radiate in star from the village in direction of astonishing geological formations. Return to the village in the late morning for lunch with our hosts. We will wait until the end of the afternoon to continue exploring the places bathed in a warm light. The evening will be devoted to a night shooting session. Late evening return to our host village to spend the night. Walking time: 1h30 approximately - No elevation 4h This last day around Tupiza will take us to the site of El Sillar, incredible rock formation with sharp profiles. In the afternoon, we will finally reach the village of Oploca which lies in the middle of a shimmering desert, born of the crust of the earth's crust and giving rise to a fault where the oxides have been able to express themselves fully to the land surface. This lunar valley, at more than 3 800 m of altitude will be one of the highlights of this discovery of the region. Return to the end of the day in Tupiza via the singular villages of Monterico and Charahota. Overnight at our hotel in Tupiza.
6h hostel First day of approach of the desert of Lipez, in the extreme south-west of Bolivia, on the border with Argentina and Chile. Departure with our 4X4 in the early morning. We leave the atmosphere of the American Far West to climb up to the Altiplano. The day will be punctuated with stops. We can observe, with a little luck, nandus (South American ostrich species), vicuñas (one of the 4 Andean camelids) and armadillos. Arrival in the middle of the afternoon in San Pablo de Lipez, our last stop of the day. Installation in a small inn at the inhabitant. 6H Today we meet the landscapes so characteristic of this region, where nature is totally extravagant: distant horizons interspersed with lagoons of varied colors, an omnipresent avifauna, active volcanoes surpassing the 5,500 m. Lipez is worthy, but is one of the most aesthetic places in the high Andes. In the morning, we cross the astonishing ghost town of San Pedro de Lipez (former abandoned mining village) before entering the Eduardo Evaroa National Reserve, which encompasses the southwest quarter of the desert. We will reach Quetena Chico in the late afternoon. Settling in a modest hostel in the village. 6h30 Refuge In the night, we leave for the crater of the volcano Uturuncu (optional for those who want to try the experiment). The trail allows us to reach the 5,600 m altitude. 400 m separates us then on foot of the summit to exceed the 6 000 m (6 008 exactly!). At the top the spectacle is just amazing : the panorama stretches from the Cordillera of Lipez to the Altiplano... Return to Quetena for a well deserved breakfast. Road to the Chalviri lagoon and a bath in its hot springs; crossing the desert of Dali then installation at the shelter of laguna Blanca. Walking time (Uturuncu summit): 03h30 approx. A / R for those wishing to venture there 4h30 refuge Day dedicated to enjoy by foot of one of the most beautiful places of the desert of Lipez. Numerous hiking possibilities: the lagoon Blanca (avifauna) or the bravest (low altitude but high altitude, average 4 700 m), the base of the Licancabur volcano (5 960 m). You will then be able to observe one of the most beautiful panoramas on the volcano, with below the laguna Verde. Return by the same route to our refuge. Walking time: approx. 03h30 depending on the chosen option 6H30 Refuge Departure at the dawn of the lagoon Blanca to join the laguna Verde and laguna Colorada. En route, lagoons, geysers, thermal springs and Altiplano. A festival of colors and isolated places awaits us. Arrival in the afternoon at the Colorada lagoon to enjoy the site on foot when the last rays of the sun disappear. Overnight in a refuge near the lagoon.
3H30 This morning, we will take some time to observe the Colorada lagoon at its best angles at sunrise, then head north through the beautiful landscapes of the Siloli desert and its famous "stone tree" where sometimes venture a few viscachas. At the end of the morning, you will arrive at the Tayka, located in front of the volcanic cordillera, in the heart of the Siloli desert. In the afternoon, there will be beautiful shooting sessions on the marbled cordillera of magnificent ocher tones. Night in hotel 7 H We follow the Chilean border along the "route of jewels": laguna Honda, Ch'arkota, Hedionda and Cañapa, sanctuaries of 3 varieties of flamingos. Stop at the mirador of the Ollagüe volcano. This active volcano (5865 m alt.) Is also home to one of the world's highest sulfur mines. Then the track descends about 4200 m at 3600 m altitude. We cross the small Salar de Chiguana, at the foot of the volcano Tomasamil (5900 m alt.), Before reaching the village of San Juan, where are spectacular mummies of the "lords of Lipez" (1200 D.C) and a small museum. A last short stop will take us to the village of Atullcha, on the edge of the Salar de Uyuni where we spend the night in a hotel of salt.
5H From Atullcha, 45 minutes of track allow us to reach the salar of Uyuni (3650 m), the largest salt desert in the world, where we will witness the sunrise. Magic moment... The sensation is unique : the horizon has no limits and the immensity invites to silence. Cape full north to the island of Incahuasi, of volcanic origin and covered with stromatoliths and giant cacti (stromatolites are fossilized bacterial colonies, first traces of life on Earth). In the afternoon, head south-east towards the town of Uyuni. En route, visit a salt mine in Colchani. A last hook will allow us to observe a cemetery of trains along the old railway line that connected Uyuni to the Chilean coast. We will arrive at Uyuni in the middle of the afternoon. 3H30 Breakfast Early in the morning transfer to Uyuni airport for domestic flight Uyuni - La Paz. Arrival at the hotel of La Paz in the late morning. In the afternoon, you can reach the Chacaltaya glacier refuge (5,200 m) for a spectacular panorama of the entire Cordillera Royale at sunset. In single file : The summits of Huayna Potosi, Condoriri, Chachacomani, and Illampu... Return early evening to La Paz for a last dinner together. Overnight in La Paz. 1H breakfast Transfer to La Paz airport for the international flight. Notes on level and conditions This phototour is accessible to all but requires a good physical condition. Walking and hiking are easy, there is no technical difficulty. A small physical preparation, such as jogging or walking, will not be useless. It should be noted that the journey takes place at very high altitude (more than 4 000 m.) Acclimatization to the journey will take place during the first days. However, headaches and other discomfort can occur. Climatic conditions can sometimes be difficult, so it's a matter of making your bag to be protected as much as possible against the rain, the wind, the sun... Please note : nights in mountain refuge with basic comfort (no shower). These are the only accommodations possible in these desert places. The advantage is to be on site at some places to watch sunrises / sunsets. Depending on the meteorological and operational conditions, the guide reserves the right to modify this itinerary, for your safety and that of the group.
Our morning will be devoted to the trip from La Paz to Copacabana. We are approaching the Cordillera Royale shortly before Tiquina. Then it is the passage of the strait in mini-ferry, on Lake Titicaca. Splendid views. Arrival in Copacabana before noon. Departure by boat to join the Ile du soleil in the early afternoon. When we land on the island, we can visit the temple of the sun before continuing on foot to the village of Yumani, where Ismael is waiting for us, who will welcome us with his family in his small inn. End of day free. Free lunch. Overnight in Yunami on the Sun Island. Tourist bus (combined service) We leave our hosts to start a small hike to reach the north of the island. We follow the soft relief of the island, still in the heights, with stunning panoramic views of the lake and the Cordillera Royale as a backdrop before reaching the archaeological site of Chinkana. We will take time to dwell on its sacred rock, its ushnu (ceremonial place), and the remains of the small citadel that housed the priests of the island. We arrive at the end of the morning at the village of Challa'pampa where we will have lunch before returning to our boat and sailing back towards Copacabana. Overnight at hotel in Copacabana. Free lunch In the early morning, return by bus to La Paz. Arrival in the early afternoon. End of day free. Overnight at hotel in La Paz. Tourist bus (combined service). Free meals Transfer to La Paz International Airport for your return at home! The information mentioned is only indicative for French nationals. They may be subject to change without notice by the authorities concerned. It is therefore prudent to check them with the consulates in the month before your departure. Passport valid 6 months after return. Consular functions performed by the Embassy: 12, avenue du Président Kennedy - 75016 Paris Tel: 01.42.24.93.44 - Email: embolivia.paris@wanadoo.fr No compulsory vaccination, however, make sure you are up to date with "classic" vaccinations: tetanus, diphtheria, poliomyelitis and typhoid. Hepatitis A and B vaccines are also recommended. Rabies vaccination may also be proposed by your doctor. In particular, given the regular existence of human rabies cases in the country, any bite by a street dog must be followed by a vaccination "preventive after exposure". Seek advice from your doctor or an international immunization center. UPDATE MAY 2017: Following the emergence of a recent case, the Bolivian authorities recommend that travelers be vaccinated against yellow fever. The vaccine is not mandatory but recommended as in many countries and therefore we strongly recommend that you do so for your safety and in case of tougher border controls.
This journey takes place at a high altitude. Some people may suffer from discomfort (headaches, swelling, loss of appetite). To limit these effects, in addition to correct physical condition, efforts must be limited during the first few days. Above all do not force, slow down and avoid shortness of breath. Drink plenty: water, tea, coca mate. Avoid alcohol, coffee, and excitement during the first few days. It is difficult to predict a possible altitude sickness. Most of these symptoms usually disappear within a few days but sometimes they worsen and can develop into serious illnesses; pulmonary edema or cerebral edema. There are no preventive medicines for MAM. Altitude also revives dental problems or other chronic pain. Think about it before you leave. Prevent the guide of your state of health, even in case of slight troubles. We strongly recommend a repatriation or multi-risk insurance for this journey in altitude or isolated. Insurance related to the use of bank cards offers lower ceilings and coverages than the multi-risk insurance policies that are specially studied for this type of travel. It is advisable not to drink tap water: prefer the waters in capsule bottles. Avoid ingesting ice cubes, fresh fruit juices, raw vegetables and unpeeled fruits. Avoid eating raw food (fish, meat, poultry, milk). Be sure to wash your hands regularly before each meal. In hotel (double room basis) 2 * and 3 * (one night in hotel - dormitory), refuges, hostels. At the inhabitant : simple but relatively comfortable rooms. Shared bathroom. Not always water, or hot water as you are in the desert. In the morning, full breakfast, lunch break in the restaurant or picnic, dinner at the hotel or in the restaurant. Drinks are not included. As mentioned in the program, some meals are not included. During the whole trip, you will be accompanied by a French speaking guide, supplemented by a local guide in Tupiza, 1 photographer and a representative of the world photo agency. Overnight train, 4x4 vehicles, domestic flight Uyuni - La Paz Time GMT -4 In summer, when it is 12:00 in Paris, it is 6:00 in La Paz, that is 6 hours less. In winter, when it is 12:00 in Paris, it is 7:00 in La Paz, that is 5 hours less. 220 / 230V, 50Hz. These are traditional round picks. Except in La Paz, use 115V, 50Hz. : Flat sockets (American). It is recommended to bring your own adapter.
At high altitudes, in the Andes, the climate is cold, dry and windy with strong temperature differences between day and night ; while in the plain the climate is damp and sweeter. The average annual temperatures are between 8 C in the Altiplano. At this time, in the Altiplano, the temperature during the day is around 15 to 20. Unless the wind rises. The temperature can then drop easily 5. At night, the temperature can drop to -5. It is better to equip yourself against the cold and the wind! You must pack all of your belongings in 2 bags: 1 backpack and 1 large soft travel bag. 1 - The backpack: Backpack for carrying your personal belongings during the day and photo equipment. Generally, the weight of cabin luggage is limited to 10 kg per person. (remember to take an over-bag to protect it from moisture during your stay on site) 2 - The large traveling bag: It must contain the rest of your business. It will be in the hold during air transport. The weight of the luggage in the hold will be indicated on your convocation or ticket. A pair of hiking shoes (gore-tex type) Waterproof, windproof and breathable warm jacket Wool sweaters or thick fleece jackets 1st Breathable Thermal T-shirts Hiking pants Wool warm socks Thermal underwear (long shorts and t-shirt) Comfortable outfits for evening and night A pair of warm gloves A warm hat and collar High protection sunglasses 1 liter bottle Headlamp, with spare batteries Sun protection cream, lip protection stick and hand balm Plastic bags or waterproof bags recommended for the protection of your fragile business in case of rain Wipes - quite useful in shelter A bag sheet is a real plus. Personal medicines: Your usual medicines, paracetamol, anti-diarrhea, broad spectrum antibiotic treatment (to foresee 8 days of treatment), eye drops, elastic adhesive tape, adhesive bandages + disinfectant compresses, anti-inflammatory ointment, treatment for colds and ailments of throat (pellets), biafine, double skin (protection against blisters)... Gear : reflex Waterproof camera cover type easy cover lenses: a wide angle 10-18, a versatile lens, a telephoto lens (70-200 and a 300-400 for animals: condors, flamingos, vicuñas...) memory and backup cards batteries and battery chargers a tripod (in checked baggage) ND and GND filters if you have A remote control Waterproof photo bag Cleaning kit, cloth and soft brush
The national currency is the boliviano. 1 EUR = approx. 8.16 BOB (August 2017) You can get bolivianos on arrival at the airport by changing euros or dollars at the exchange office or by directly withdrawing bolivianos with your credit card (Visa or mastercard) to the distributor. Do not rely too much on your credit card outside the cities. For your daily purchases, the best is of course to pay in local currency but the dollars are quite easily exchangeable. When you leave Bolivia, you will have to pay an airport tax. You can pay it in bolivianos or in dollars. TIPS This is a common and not compulsory practice. Depending on your satisfaction at the end of your trip, it is customary to tip your guide and the local team. It must be adapted according to the standard of living of the country and the duration of your trip. As a general rule, for a correct service, count 2 EUR per day per participant and per attendee. Travel dates (information and exchange rate on 19/12/2017): Price per person 4 170 The price includes : Airport transfers -> hotels Transport in private vehicles and 4x4, Oruro-Tupiza train in upper class, domestic flight Uyuni-La Paz Accommodation in a 2 * and 3 * hotel (in a double room), in a hostel, in a refuge All breakfasts Some lunches s (especially on the last night!) All excursions mentioned in the program All entrances to the sites visited during the excursions, entered on reserves Supervision: 1 professional photographer, a tour leader from Worldway photo, a French speaking guide specializing in Bolivia (supplemented by a local guide in Tupiza), drivers, cook (expedition south lipez) Security: first aid kit (responsibility of the accompanist) and satellite device to communicate with our team in La Paz The price does not include: International flight Personal expenses Some meals, count 5 to 10 per meal The drinks Tips to local teams: guides, drivers, cooks... Options: Travel insurance International flight: please contact us Single supplement (subject to availability): 500 Extension to Lake Titicaca 3 days / 2 nights: please contact us Size group: 6 to 8 persons Deposit on registration: 35%. The balance must be paid at least 45 days before departure. Please note that this information is provided as a guide only to help you plan your trip. If a change of date or price occurs, it will be communicated to you during your registration.
Contact us Phone number: (+33) 1 73 74 54 62 e-mail contact@worldwayphoto.fr Booking https://worldwayphoto.fr/voyage/18/bolivie WORLDWAY SAS au capital de 7 500 euros - immatriculée au RCS de PARIS sous le n 825 397 953 - TVA n FR84825397953 - Siège social : 149 avenue du Maine 75 014 Paris - Tél : 01 73 74 54 62 Immatriculation IM075170035 - Garantie Financière : APST - Assurance RCP HISCOX EUROPE 19 rue Louis Le Grand 75002 Paris N RCPAPST/236 708 www.worldwayphoto.fr contact@worldwayphoto.fr