Bolivia : Dramatic Altiplano Landscapes and Quaint Andean Villages

Bolivia is a dream destination for the photographer who wants to capture some of the planets most extreme and unearthly geography along with some of the world’s most beautiful Andean people and their villages. PQA is heading to the Bolivian cities and villages of La Paz, Sucre and Potosi as well as the Altiplano – where the Andes high plains are at their widest and are considered the most extensive area of high plateau on earth outside of Tibet. From the warm people of this uncharted Andean Nation to the unending photo ops of its surreal and varying landscapes, you are bound to capture mind-blowing images of this unique country!

• The colonial city of Sucre and its colorful markets, indigenous Andean people and stunning churches
• Traditional lodging in the “Hacienda Candelaria” in Sucre still run by 82 year-old Doña who will demonstrate traditional bread making in the morning for you to photograph and eat!
• Explore the Quechua village of Ch’illa Apacheta where the women are famous for their fine colorful weavings. We’ll take you off the beaten path to get rare portraits of the women weaving in their own homes
• UNESCO World Heritage Site of Potosi mining village located over 13,000 feet above sea level

Itinerary

Nov 6 – DEPART THE US FOR LA PAZ-BOLIVIA

Nov 7 – ARRIVE LA PAZ
Arrive in La Paz and transfer to the hotel. Meet your Quest Leader for a presentation and introduction about your Bolivia Quest. Afternoon city tour of La Paz. Overnight at El Ray Palace Hotel.

Nov 8 – FLY TO SUCRE AND HACIENDA CANDELARIA (B,D)
A short flight brings us to the colonial city of Sucre often called “La Cuidad Blanca” At 9200 feet above sea level, Sucre enjoys the perfect spring climate year round. Sucre is a rich cultural center, full of interesting people indigenous to the Andes. Photograph the colorful markets and stunning churches before we drive to Hacienda Candelaria. The 82 year-old Doña Aby still runs this working hacienda, overseeing the planting and harvesting of corn, potatoes, and chili peppers each year. Grandma Aby and her daughter Elizabeth show us some old fashioned hospitality during our stay. ON: Hacienda Candelaria.

Nov 9 – TARABUCO MARKET (B,L,D)
Photograph the Sunday market in the village of Tarabuco, where farmers and weavers from the countryside join together in a festive atmosphere to trade food and fine weavings. Explore the Quechua village of Ch’illa Apacheta where the women are famous for their weavings. We’ll visit several homes with a local guide to photograph weavers before heading back to the hacienda and have a picnic lunch along the way. ON: Hacienda Candelaria.

Nov 10 – POTOSI (B)
Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Potosi mining village located over 13,000 feet above sea level. Capture Potosi’s rich colonial architecture and tragic history as you wander through the narrow streets and alleys of this mining town including the sites of Plaza del Estudiante, Mercado de los Mineros and Plaza 10 de Noviembre. Hotel: Hostal Colonial

Nov 11 – POTOSI TO UYUNI (B)
From Potosi we travel for 7 hours in our private four wheel drive trucks to the Salt Desert of the Uyuni (12,000 ft) through rugged canyons and past adobe villages. You’ll cross a pass of over 15,500 feet catching wildlife photos of llamas, alpacas, vicunas, the Andean rhea (ostrich)and Andean flamingos against an impressive Altiplano landscape. Arrive at Uyuni in late evening. Overnight at the Hotel Tambo Aymara.

Nov 12 – SALT LAKE, FISH ISLAND, FLAMINGOS AND SALT HOTEL (B,L,D)
Before sunrise, we depart to explore the Salar de Uyuni with a stop at the salt lake fields in the world. Later you’ll learn about the production of salt bricks in the village of Colchani and photograph graceful flamingos wading through a red lake. We will photograph Isla de Pescadores, a bizarre island surrounded by salt and studded with 20-foot tall cactus. Overnight at the Hotel Luna Salada (Hotel built out of salt!)

Lodging

Nov 7 – Hotel El Rey Palace

Nov 8 ,9 – Hacienda Candelaria (Shared accommodations)

Nov 10 – Hostal Colonial

Nov 11 – Tambo Aymara

Nov 12 – Luna Salada

Nov 13,14 – Hotel Tayka

Nov 15 – Overnight on the train

Nov 16 – Hotel El Rey Palace

About Accomodations

The range of accomodations throughout the country can be anything from hostels to 1 to 5 star hotels in the major cities. In general, the more remote it is, the less chances of finding quality and comfortable accomodations. Most cities and towns offer hotels, hostals and residenciales of all levels.

Cost per person

$3999 per person

(pricing updated 7/28/2008)

Single occupancy supplement $850.00

Limited to 14 participants

Terms and Conditions

Included:

• Quest workshop Fee; leader, customized portfolio reviews and classes.
• 4 nights comfortable hotels
• 5 nights rustic guest houses
• 1 night train/bus, tour leader
• Domestic flight
• Local guides
• All domestic transfers by private vehicles
• Entrance fees
• Most breakfasts and other meals as specified in the itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)
• International arrival transfer

Not included:

• International airline ticket
• International departure transfer
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses, phone calls, laundry, other meals or services not mentioned in the itinerary description.
• Beverages during meals, alcoholic beverages
• Insurance
• Airport taxes

Adam Jones

For over 20 years Adam Jones has continually honed his craft and today this highly successful photographer’s images grace prestigious national and international publications. He is widely published in a variety of consumer and commercial publications .With well over (100) calendar credits annually, Adam’s wildlife and scenic images are highly sought after by major publishers.

Other Credits/Clients:

National Geographic, National Wildlife Federation, Natural History, Life Magazine

Book Credits:

• The Step – By – Step Photography Workshop 2004
• Great Smoky Mountains – Simply Beautiful 2004
• Kentucky Impressions 2004
• Kentucky – Compass American Guides, 2001
• Dr. Thomas Walker and the Wilderness Road- 2000
• Kentucky River Palisades, Westcliffe Publishing, 1997

Quest Leader’s website: www.adamjonesphoto.com

About Bolivia

Known as the Tibet of the Americas, landlocked Bolivia is the highest and most isolated country in the Americas. With elevations ranging from sea level to over 21,000 feet, the Bolivia landscape offers a extreme array of complex ecosystems and stunning scenery. Although Bolivia boast some of the most amazing biodiversity in the world including the Amazon, this trip will focus primarily on the high altitude areas of the Altiplano region – where the Andes high plains are at their widest and are considered on of the most extensive high plateaus regions on earth. Aside from this dramatic scenery, PQA will also take you face to face with Bolivia’s people known as the largest indigenous population in the Americas. With over 50% of its population maintaining traditional lifestyles and beliefs, Bolivia is a cultural treasure for you to discovered and capture in images.

Approximately the size of France and Spain combined, Bolivia can be broken into five geographic regions – the stark Altiplano, the lush Yungas, the fertile highland valleys, the scrubland of the Chaco, and the impenetrable Amazon Basin. Most of the population lives on the Altiplano and highland valleys. It’s on these windswept plains and high valleys where the birth of Andean culture can be found. In archeological sites like Tiahuanaco near La Paz and Quechua villages, visitors can feel the ancient spirits of the Andes and begin to understand the rich cultural heritage that is Bolivia. Ornate buildings line the cobblestone streets of crumbling Potosi and the White City, Sucre, still lives up to its name with whitewashed buildings and red clay rooftops stretching out in all directions.

Requirements for U.S. Citizens to Obtain Visa to Enter Bolivia

• A valid U.S. Passport is required. (must be valid at least 6 months beyond date of arrival, and contain at least one blank visa page)
• One visa application form fully completed and signed
• 1 Passport type Photograph
• Copy of Hotel Confirmation
• Copy of Round Trip Airline Ticket
• Copy of Bank Statement (copy of Credit Card also accepted)
• International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever is required (except for minors age under 1 year)
• Completed Cover Page and Credit Card Authorization forms (print from browser)

Religion

The predominant religion is Roman Catholic, but there is a scattering of other Christian faiths. Indigenous Bolivians, however, have blended Catholicism and their traditional beliefs. An example is the near synonymous association of Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) and the Virgin Mary.

Language

Spanish is the official language throughout Bolivia, although only 60-70% of the population speaks it, and then often as a second language. The indigenous languages of Quechua and Aymara are the preferred languages. When bargaining in rural markets, a Quechua word or two will not only endear you to the vendors, but usually get you an extra orange or more juice! Several other small indigenous groups speak their own languages. English is understood in the best hotels and in airline offices and travel agencies, but it’s of little use elsewhere.

Food

Staple foods in the highlands include meat, potatoes, corn pancakes, rice, eggs and vegetables often with a spicy sauce. Local specialties include pique a lo macho, grilled beef and sausage; lechón, suckling pig; and cuy, whole roasted guinea pig-however, some delicacies may only be for the most adventurous stomachs. Though vegetarians can be easily accommodated in all areas, options typically leave out the meat rather than adding vegetarian mainstays such as tofu, beans, or nuts.

Climate

The only thing predictable about Bolivia’s weather is its unpredictability. For most visitors, the climate is usually cooler than they would expect. Generally speaking, Bolivia has two seasons, wet and dry, but in a country as geographically diverse as Bolivia, local weather patterns vary greatly! Expect varied weather in any area, particularly on the highlands where most of our trip takes place.

Clothing

In La Paz and Sucre temperatures during the day in the dry season are perfect for a light fleece. Uyuni and Potosi, however, can be chilly in the middle of the day and temperatures can drop below freezing at night, so bring lots of layers. Good walking shoes and sun protection are also a must for Bolivia. At high elevation, it takes very little time to get a serious sunburn.

Electricity

Except for La Paz, Bolivia electricity is 220 volts and 50 cycles. In La Paz you’ll find both 110 and 220 volts and 50 cycles. Using American-made appliances in some places require plug adaptors. To be on the safe side, it would be advisable for travelers to bring both a voltage converter and plug adaptors. Travelers will usually require a voltage converter for 110 volt devices. Plugs are either the 2 pronged flat type found in the US or the 2 round prongs, bring an adaptor just in case.

Altitude

Our destination in Bolivia lie at high altitudes ranging from 8,500 to over 13,000 feet. Altitude affects each traveler differently and until you have visited an area with high altitude, it is impossible to predict how your body will react. Common mild altitude symptoms for travelers may include fatigue, headache, or light-headedness during their first day or two at elevation. Severe altitude sickness is rare. In this case, the best treatment is to go down in elevation as soon as possible. Many severe cases of altitude sickness are the result of a pre-existing condition that is aggravated by the altitude. It is important to ask your doctor whether or not travel to high altitude is advised, especially if you have a pre-existing heart or lung condition such as high blood pressure, asthma, angina, etc. You might also want to ask your doctor about prescription Diamox, a diuretic that many travelers swear by to help them adjust to the a

Gear to Bring

We recommend you bring the following gear with you on our Quests.

Camera Gear

• Digital SLR with back up camera that will fit your lenses
• Battery charger
• A few extra batteries
• Memory cards (bring plenty!!!)
• Sensor cleaning supplies
• Flash with plenty of batteries

Lenses

• 12-24mm (for the 1.5x sensor size cameras) or 17-35mm (for full frame shooters) lens for landscapes and cityscapes; also for environmental portraits
• 28-105mm lens or similar for street shooting and portraits; a nice lens to have shooting busy markets.
• 70-200mm lens for portraits and nearby wildlife; VR or IS lenses are very helpful.
• 70-300mm or 100-400mm lens for more distant wildlife
• 1.4X tele-converter for telephoto lenses
• Polarizing filter(s)v
• Lens hoods for all lenses
• Lint-free cloth to clean lenses and blower ball for dust
• Fish-eye lens (if you have one, very creative lens!)
• Lensbaby if you have one or else you can try ours!

Computer / Digital Acessories

• Laptop with charger and Photoshop CS3 and Lightroom (not mandatory)
• Storage device, such as an EPSON P5000, or portable hard drives like Lacie hard drives
• Card Reader
• All cables for drives, computer, card readers, storage devices, etc.
• Power converters/adapters for all International Quests