Patagonia : Capture Magical Images at the End Of The Earth!

Highlights

Join this breathtaking Photo Quest Adventure led by pro photographer Tom Bol on his 9th trip to Patagonia! In this region shared by Chile and Argentina, Tom will show you how to get the best shots of Patagonia’s stunning panoramic landscapes and diverse wildlife as you explore the Andes at Los Glaciers National Park in Argentina and the foot of the “Towers” and “Horns” dramatic peaks in the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. You will also learn how to capture the flavor of the Patagonian culture with unique portraits of Tango Dancers in Buenos Aires and Gauchos with their horses in Calafate and El Chalten.

• Private Photo Session with Tango dancers in Dorrego Plaza and La Boca in Buenos Aires.
• Boat excursion on the Viedma Lake for the experience of a lifetime photographing the spectacular Viedma Glacier. The true adventure starts here as we trek on the glacier with crampons photographing the ablation areas, ice caves and model released ice climbers in colorful gear.
• Photograph the rich collection of fauna including: guanacos, lesser rheas, black-necked swans, geese, flamingos, magellanic woodpeckers, peregrine falcon, foxes and condors on the mountain slopes.

Itinerary

Feb 11 – DEPART THE U.S. FOR BUENOS AIRES

Feb 12 – BUENOS AIRES

Arrival at Buenos Aires-Ezeiza International Airport around noon and transfer on your own to your hotel. This afternoon we will photograph Tango Dancers in La Boca for a few hours. Late in the evening you will enjoy a tango show and dinner at the traditional “Esquina Homero Manzi” (transfers included). Lodging at Hotel Mansion Dandi Royal.

Feb 13 – EL CHALTEN/FIZ ROY

After breakfast we will photograph Tango dancers in the Dorrego Plaza before we leave to the airport at 12:30pm for a 2 pm flight to El Calafate. Our bus will take 3 hours to drive us through the Patagonia steppes to El Chalten. This is a small village close to Viedma Lake and Glacier, with the Fitz Roy chain of peaks as its backdrop. This area, north of Los Glaciares National Park, with its peaks: Fitz Roy (11,073 feet) Cerro Torre, Torre Egger, Aguja Standhardt, Aguja Poin-cenot, and St. Exupery, constitute a singular challenge for climbers around the world. The landscape photography is AMAZING here! Sunset shoot from outside town. (B) Lodging in Hoste-ria Fitzroy Inn.

Feb 14 – LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK: EL CHALTEN/FIZ ROY

Today you will enjoy some hiking and driving to great areas for photography. We’ll start at sunrise with the first light on the mountains. In the morning we will photograph Gauchos and horses with Fitz Roy in the background followed by an afternoon shoot at Salto Grande, a spectacular waterfall. Lodging in El Chalten. (B).

Feb 15 – LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK: VIEDMA GLACIER

Full day boat excursion on the Viedma Lake to view and photograph the spectacular Viedma Glacier, and short trekking on the glacier with crampons visiting the ablation areas and ice caves. (hats and gloves mandatory). We will photograph, model released, ice climbers in colorful gear…this is an amazing adventure! Picnic lunch during the excursion. Photograph the sunset. Lodging in El Chalten. (B,L).

Feb 16- LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK

Drive back for 3 hours to El Calafate, a small town located along the shores of Argentino Lake. The landscape of the region is a combination of arid steppes to the east, where eagles, falcons, lesser rheas, guanacos, hares, foxes and pumas live, and forests of lengas and nires near the West Andes. Arrival, and lodging at Estancia Alice. Photograph different activities at the ranch, gauchos and sheep. Barbeque dinner and show (asado) (B, L, D)

Lodging

Rooms are all based on double occupancy
Single Supplement: $1050

ARGENTINA
BUENOS AIRES: Hotel Mansion Dadi Royal

EL CHALTEN: Hotel Lago del Desierto

EL CALAFATE: Estancia Alice

CHILE
TORRES DEL PAINE: Hosteria Lodge Cerro Guido

Cost per person

Cost per Person $6395 based on double occupancy – from Buenos Aires

Single occupancy supplement $1050

Limited to 12 participants

Terms and Conditions

Included:

• Quest workshop Fee
• Tour leader to assist the group during the trip.
• Lodging for 9 nights (as mentioned or similar category hotels, Inns and estancias)
• Domestic flights: Buenos Aires/El Calafate /Buenos Aires
• Private bus transportation private for the group
• Local bilingual guides for excursions as necessary.
• Tango Dancers and Ice Climbers
• Meals as mentioned in itinerary
• Park entrance fees

Tom Bol

Tom Bol is an editorial and commercial photographer who specializes in adventure sports, portraits and travel photography. He shoots assignments for clients including Columbia Sportswear, Men’s Journal, National Geographic Adventure, Nikon, Sunset Magazine and the Wall Street Journal. He is represented by 6 stock agencies, and his images are used for advertising, books, billboards, brochures and posters. He loves to teach, and has taught workshops for 12 years. Tom was on the list of National Geographic Adventure’s “50 of Americas Top Visionaries” for his photography.

Quest Leader’s website: www.tombolphoto.com

Climate and Clothing

Buenos Aires & Santiago: The weather in the capitals is hot and humid.

Daytime high temperatures can be expected between 85-95°F. The weather in Patagonia varies greatly depending on the regions. It is important to be aware that any itinerary into these regions is subject to change due to weather factors. Daytime high temperatures during our trip will be between 58-72°F, with nighttime low temperatures ranging between 40-45°F.

Visit for current weather information: www.weather.com

A water/windproof jacket, fleece, waterproof/comfortable hiking shoes and sun protection is recommended. Patagonia experiences an amazing variety of climates and wet weather is common so fast-drying clothes that can be layered work best for these areas. Bring gloves and a hat for the trekking adventure on the Glacier!

Health and Medical

No immunizations are currently required for visiting Patagonia. For the most current information, please consult your doctor and/or visit the website for Center for Disease Control www.cdc.gov.

Food

Our planned meals include a mix of regional and international specialties such as BBQ, sand-wiches, pasta, fresh produce, etc. Beef is central to the Argentinean diet. Barbecue grills and steak houses are common, often with 10-15 different choices of beef cuts.
On the Chilean side, seafood is among the worlds best and can usually be prepared to you liking fried, grilled or steamed.

Travel

Travelers with a US or Canadian passport do not need a visa. Visit www.embassy.org for entry requirements if your passport is from another country.

Your passport must be valid at least 6 months following the end of your trip for entry into Chile or Argentina. If it expires sooner, you must get a renewal. For passport service visit: Passports and Visas

Check in luggage for the flight to El Calafate is 15 kilos per bag.
There will be a departure tax going to and coming from El Calafate of 18 pesos per person and US $18 from Buenos Aires back to the US.

Money Matters

The local currency in Argentina is the Peso Argentino. Credit cards are widely accepted, except in smaller and more isolated towns and villages. It is not advisable to carry travelers’ checks, as it is costly to use them. The major cities in Patagonia have several ATM’s available. After we cross the border into Chile you can exchange money right there. The local currency in Chile is Chilean Peso.
Many restaurants, markets, and other service providers readily accept US dollars.

Visit to get the current exchange rate: finance.yahoo.com

Miscellaneous

Patagonia uses 220 volt, 50-cycle electricity Plugs are either two rounded prongs, two flat prongs (like the US), or three angled flat prongs so most travelers will want plug adaptors as well.

Country Information Argentina and Chile

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is the capital of the Republic of Argentina and the country’s largest city. It is a modern, dynamic & radiant city that features the European architecture of its founders and the passion of its people the “Porteños” meaning the people of the port.

Considered “The Pearl” of South America, Buenos Aires has an intense cultural life where tango, long coffee klatches and football (soccer) are essential elements in its people daily lives.

Buenos Aires Tourism: www.turismo.gov.ar

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)
• 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 www.lacie.com
• Card Reader
• All cables for drives, computer, card readers, storage devices, etc. Power converters/adapters for all International Quests