Leica Photo Adventure: Patagonia | April 23 - May 1, 2025
$9,195 ($2,495 Deposit)
Workshop at a Glance
Physical Activity
Photographic Intensity
Classroom Instruction
Climate/Weather Severity
Food and Accommodations
Cultural Immersion Good for Non-photographers-
Join Leica Store Miami for a photographic adventure to Patagonia! We'll travel to the far reaches of South America to photograph one of the most dramatic landscapes in the world. With barren, wind-swept plains, ethereal glaciers, the imperious Andes mountains and the rain forests of Chile, this magnetic destination has it all. On this photography tour to Argentina and Chile, you will witness spell binding glaciers, snow-capped mountains, majestic lakes and winding rivers. Get ready to cross this off of your bucket list because our autumn adventure to Patagonia will be a trip of a lifetime.
While other cameras are certainly allowed on this trip, the focus is on Leica camera systems and learning how to use them to their full potential. Current owners as well as those wanting to try Leica gear out for a week of real shooting are encouraged to attend. We’ll share our favorite tips and tricks so you can get the most out of this exceptional gear.Leica experts Colin McKinley and Kirsten Vignes from Leica Store Miami along with expert photographer and guide Raymond Hoffman will be on hand to give assistance and advice as you photograph everything from glacial sunsets to the peaks of the Andes.
Why this trip is differentThis is not a workshop where you spend most of your daylight shooting hours sitting in a classroom. Why travel to some of the most beautiful and picturesque locations just to be stuck indoors? Instead, we will focus on making the most of each and every day to capture as many great photo opportunities as we can.
What to Expect
This is primarily a photography trip. We will be shooting some days from before sunrise until after sunset. We will cover a fair amount of ground each day with many stops along the way to get out, explore and shoot. At each destination, there will be plenty of time to set up your tripod, compose your shots and get in some quality photography.
Weather in Patagonia is highly unpredictable and conditions and temperatures can often fluctuate without warning. But this unpredictability can generate some amazing photographic scenes! -
Dates:
Wednesday, April 23 - Thursday, May 1, 2025
Cost:
$9,195 - Double occupancy lodging (Single room available for $1500)
Size:
Limited to 12 attendees
Included in the cost of the trip:
- Double occupancy lodging w/ private facilities (Single room available for $1500)
- All meals except alcoholic beverages & snacks
- Ground transportation in spacious motor coach
- Professional local guide and driver
- Lago Grey glacier cruise in Torres del Paine Park
- Gratuities for guides and driver
- All national parks entrance fees
- All airport transfers
- In-the-field photography instruction
- Adobe Lightroom post processing instruction
- 1-on-1 critique/review sessions
- Use of loaner Leica SL, Q and M equipment (*limited availability)
Not included in the cost of the trip:
- Airfare
- Medical/Travel/Gear insurance
- Alcoholic beverages
- Snacks
Signing UpTo sign up for this photo adventure, checkout here on our website, call 305-921-4433 or email us (workshops@leicastoremiami.com). We are happy to answer any questions you may have. A $2495 deposit, along with the single room supplement fee should you choose it, is required to hold your spot. The balance will be due on January 23, 2025.
We look forward to seeing you in Patagonia!
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Itinerary
Day 1 (April 23)- Arrival
We'll begin the adventure in the bustling Argentinean city of El Calafate, where you'll arrive on your chosen flight. Your arrival airport will be El Calafate's Comandante Armando Tola International Airport (FTE). You will then head to your hotel in the heart of the city, where you'll check in. There will be some time to rest before we meet together as a group in the evening for a delicious Argentinean dinner. You'll get to know your fellow travelers while your photography guides go over the itinerary for the days ahead.
*We recommend arriving a day early, on April 22nd, for this trip just in case there are any airline/airport delays. Most likely, you'll have to enter Argentina through Buenos Aires. You can book your extra room night directly with the hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel Kosten Aike
Day 2 (April 24)We'll rise early on day two for breakfast, before setting off for the beginning of our journey towards the beautiful Perito Moreno glacier. We will capture its blue ice glistening in the sun until the evening, wandering through the Patagonian forest as we hunt for compositions with the autumn foliage framing the glacier behind. Our evening will be spent at El Calafate.
Accommodation: Hotel Kosten Aike
Day 3 (April 25) - El Chalten
After an early breakfast, we'll travel the 3 hours that it takes to get to El Chalten – a small village located in Argentina. We will base ourselves in this village for the next two nights. In the evening, we will head out for a sunset shoot at a nearby canyon, where lush vegetation meets the flowing water of the Fitz Roy river snaking towards the snowcapped peaks of the Andean mountains. No doubt there will be some fascinating colours in the sky, clinging to the clouds overhead as the sun begins to set.
Accommodation: Los Cerros Hotel
Day 4 (April 26) - Fitz Roy, Lago Desierto
Day four sees us returning to the Fitz Roy river for another magnificent sunrise shoot. The Fitz Roy massif of El Chalten is breathtaking with the first light of alpenglow bathing it in deep red hues. Our day will be spent in the Lago Desierto region, chasing waterfalls with our cameras and practicing our long exposure photography techniques. In the evening, we'll shoot the sunset at a nearby viewpoint, with panoramic vistas all over the surrounding area and the peaks of Fitz Roy in the distance.
Accommodation: Los Cerros Hotel
Day 5 (April 27)
We'll rise early on day five for breakfast, before setting off on our journey across the border towards the beautiful Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. There will be a multitude of wildlife to photograph along the way. We'll make stops to capture them grazing in their natural habitat. Some of the animals that we may see include puma, guanaco, ostrich and armadillo. The closer that we get to Torres del Paine, the wilder the landscape will appear to be. You'll catch your first glimpse of the Andean mountain range, rising high into the clouds. Along the way, we'll make numerous stops to capture the wonderful surrounds. Once we arrive at our accommodation within the national park, we'll check-in and have some time to freshen up. Don't get too settled yet though, as we'll soon head out for our first sunset session at a location nearby.
Accommodation: Pampa Lodge
Days 6-7 (April 28-29) - Torres del PaineWe'll spend the next three days visiting various locations within the Torres del Paine National Park. Our itinerary depends on the weather conditions. As the weather in this region can be quite dynamic, we will not have a set itinerary. Rather, your photography guide will keep an eye on the conditions and plan for you to be at the right places at all of the right times to capture the most incredible shots.
Accommodation: Pampa Lodge
Day 8 (April 30) - Punta Arenas
After breakfast on day eight, there will be some time to capture our final memories of the Torres del Paine National Park, before we have lunch and make our way to the city of Punta Arenas. In the afternoon, we'll check into the hotel and get settled for our final evening in Patagonia. There will be some time to explore the city centre before we meet together for a final farewell dinner in the evening as a group.Accommodation: Cabo de Hornos
Day 9 (May 1) - Departure
Today is the last day of what will be an unforgettable photography adventure in Patagonia. Departure flights are from Punta Arenas International Airport (PUQ), and all international flights back to the United States will fly out of Santiago. If you'd like to extend your stay, you can reserve additional nights by contacting the hotel, Hotel Cabo de Hornos Punta Arenas.
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Payment
A $2495 deposit, along with the single supplement room fee if you choose it, is due at the time of registration. The balance will be due on January 23, 2025.
Withdrawal and Refund Policy
Enrollment is limited to 12 participants, and once you sign up, we are counting on your attendance. If you need to withdraw from this workshop, please notify us in writing (email is acceptable) as soon as possible. This is our refund policy:
If you cancel and we find someone to fill your seat, we will refund you the full amount you have paid towards the tuition, minus a $250 service charge. If you cancel and we cannot find someone to fill your seat, then you will be refunded according to the following schedule:
At least 90 days before the start of the workshop: Full refund minus $250 service fee.
Between 89 and 60 days before the start of the workshop: 75% refund
Between 59 and 45 days before the start of the workshop: 50% refund
Less than 45 days from the start of the workshop: No refundCourse Cancellation and Other Terms
Leica Store Miami reserves the right to cancel a reservation if full payment has not been received by 90 days prior to the start of the workshop.
In the event that this workshop must be canceled due to inadequate enrollment, all fees and deposits will be refunded in full or may be transferred to another workshop within 24 months.
In the unlikely event of illness, accident or injury to one of the instructors, Leica Store Miami reserves the right to replace that instructor with a comparable instructor.
In the event of a natural disaster or severe weather event, Leica Store Miami reserves the right to postpone or cancel the workshop.Travel Insurance (required)
It is a requirement of booking that guests provide evidence of personal travel insurance to cover cancellation and curtailment, medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation - we suggest $500,000 in evacuation coverage), personal accident, injury and death in addition to loss of/damage to luggage and possessions, personal possessions and flight cancellations/delays. Leica Store Miami is not responsible for cancellations due to medical or personal emergencies so we highly recommend purchasing travel Insurance. Companies like Travelex and Allianz Global Assistance are reputable but you can choose any vendor you like. Leica Store Miami is not responsible for reimbursement of non-refundable airline tickets in the event of a workshop cancellation.
Camera Gear Insurance (STRONGLY recommended)
We advise all of our workshop attendees to insure their camera gear against damage, theft, loss, etc. If your gear is not already insured, check with your home owner's insurance to see if they offer coverage. There are several photo specific insurance policies out there as well.
Communicable Illness Protocols
Our main goal on all of our tours is to keep everyone safe. To that end, we ask that everyone do their best to avoid exposure to communicable diseases like Covid-19, influenza, RSV, etc before and during our trip. If someone in our group becomes ill on the trip and we deem it to be harmful to the group, we reserve the right to remove them from group activities where social distancing is not possible.
Single Room Policy
If you sign-up for double occupancy room sharing and there are no other attendees to pair you with, you will be responsible for paying the single room supplement.Transfers
If for any reason you wish to transfer your deposit or workshop fee, please notify us by email. You must register and complete a new workshop within 24 months of the withdrawal. We reserve the right to accept or deny any transfer.There are no exceptions to our Cancellation and Transfer Policy.
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