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Dancing Devils and Salt Flat Deserts - Bolivia Photography Tour

  • 25th Feb - 10th Mar, 2025

  • £5,749.00 / £750.00 Deposit

  • Approximately - Loading...

Our Bolivia photography tour 'Dancing Devils and Salt Flat Deserts' will take place in February and March 2025 and will be led by Flavio Bosi.

The Oruro Carnival is one of the most seductive and emotional in the world, with 20 hours of exciting music and spectacular masks dancing through the streets of Oruro to reach the church where they will worship the Virgin of the Mine. This is why they call it the Great Pilgrimage: it is an intense experience. After the Carnival, our Bolivian adventure will continue in and around the largest salt flats in the world, travelling through and witnessing otherworldly landscapes, photographing the Milky Way, sunsets and sunrises in the most incredible surroundings. We will conclude our tour in La Paz, the highest capital in the world, visiting its streets and markets and the Moon Valley, a lunar landscape. We will also see and photograph the traditional wrestling ladies in the city of El Alto, above La Paz. 

This photography tour is unique in the world and is an exclusive opportunity to witness and photograph a Unesco Heritage event that you will never forget. The variety of photo opportunities is vast, from event to landscape, from wrestling to wildlife, from astrophotography to local artisans. Join us for an experience that will yield images and memories to last you a lifetime!

Tags: Bolivia Photography Tour | Bolivia Photography Holiday | Bolivia Carnival, Street and Landscape Photography

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Dancing Devils and Salt Flat Deserts - Bolivia Photography Tour

Bolivia Photography Tour - Dancing Devils and Salt Flat Deserts
We will meet in La Paz, the highest capital in the world, perched on a cliff at the end of the Bolivian plateau. From there we will travel together to the mining town of Oruro for the main events revolving around the Carnival.

Two days before the main Carnival parade we will be photographing the Andean Anata, a non religious festival celebrated in Oruro since the pre-hispanic times for the blessing of the agricultural production. The communities and people of the surrounding areas parade through the streets of Oruro in their traditional garments, playing their own handmade traditional instruments and carrying their produce on their backs with the Aguayo, the famous cloth used by the Cholitas, the renowned Bolivian women wearing large skirts (polleras) and bowler hats. We will also visit and photograph some of the craftsmen and artisans making the spectacular masks and costumes for the main Carnival parade dancers.

Bolivia Photography Tour Oruro Street Carnival
Bolivia Photography Tour Oruro Street Carnival
Bolivia Photography Tour Dancing Devils Street Carnival

On Saturday, 1st March, the main event, the Gran Peregrinación (Great Pilgrimage), will start: the Oruro Carnival is one of the most suggestive and emotional in the world, 20 hours of exciting music and spectacular masks dancing through the streets of Oruro to reach the church where they will worship the Virgin of the Mine (Virgen del Socavón). It is a profound experience and a privilege to witness it. Oruro is a mining town and has been since it was founded in 1606. Its carnival is a blend of Christian and pagan traditions that date back to the 15th century. The main dance performed on the streets during the parade is the Diablada, a dance dedicated to the devil of the mines, el Tío Supay, that dates back 2000 years from the Uru civilisation. Today it is a suggestive sight with the spectacular masks and costumes, all handmade by local craftsmen. In total, there are 18 different dances performed during the Peregrinación, the main parade, all unique and steeped in history. Two of the major ones apart from the Diablada are the Morenada and Flavio's personal favourite, the Tinku, originating from the Tinku fighting festival celebrated by some of the Quechua and Aymara communities on the Bolivian plateau.

The day after Gran Peregrinación, Sunday, 2nd, the Entrada del Corso will start: the same dancers and musicians will parade all over again, but in a somewhat lighter fashion and in a more festive mood: the religious fervour was for the Peregrinación, now it’s time to party! We will photograph and enjoy this second event as well, freer to move in and out of the parade to get our best shots.

Bolivia Photography Tour Dancing Devils Street Carnival
Bolivia Photography Tour Dancing Devils Street Carnival

On Monday, 3rd we will travel to Uyuni and the largest salt flats in the world: we will be visiting the Salar de Uyuni salt flats the same evening to do some astrophotography. We will then start a three day tour of the most incredible otherworldly landscapes: the Rock Valley and the Lost Italy, the geysers Sol de Mañana, the most colourful lagoons, the Dalì and Siloli deserts, to conclude in the Salar de Uyuni salt flats. This is the raining season and an inch of water covers large areas of the flats and reflects the sky like a mirror. It’s a sight you will never forget.

We will be stopping to photograph at any time we like, sunsets, sunrises, the stars and the Milky Way.

Bolivia Photography Tour Salt Flat Deserts
Bolivia Photography Tour
Bolivia Photography Tour Salt Flat Deserts

The tour will finish back in the cities of La Paz and El Alto, the city that flourished on the plateau just above La Paz from the Aymara settlers coming from the surrounding areas. In El Alto we will see the Cholitas Luchadoras, the ladies wrestling in traditional clothes, a unique tradition cherished by the local community. In La Paz we will also visit the Witches’ Market, the central square, one of the best viewpoints for the city, and the lunar landscape of the Moon Valley.

Join us for a unique and exclusive photographic experience that will yield images and memories to last you a lifetime!

The group will be limited to 6 participants and will be expertly guided by your tutor Flavio Bosi.

This tour is rated as Two Footprints - Moderate. But it takes place at high altitude, so we strongly advise to arrive at least one day early to acclimatise.

  • Included

    • Accommodation - Single Occupancy - in carefully selected hotels and lodges

    • Breakfasts

    • Airport transfers from recommended flights

    • Transport during the tour

    • Tuition from Flavio Bosi

    • Guide present throughout the tour

    • Entrance fees to natural areas

  • Excluded

    • International flights

    • Meals not mentioned

    • Insurance

    • Extras

Tutored By

Tutored by Flavio Bosi

Flavio Bosi
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Luxury Editions

Essentially, a Luxury Editions tour is an exclusive micro learning group with five star tuition and treatment in all aspects of the tour. Each year a small number of ‘Luxury Editions’ tours will run where the group numbers no more than four photographers per tutor. Here the learning approach is more intensive where the leader is able to offer constant ‘hands-on guidance’ allowing them an opportunity to work in depth with each individual photographer in addition to working with the group on a collective basis. In addition to this, the accommodation will be of a high standard and special extras will be included. These tours are only taught by our long standing leaders who have years of experience and are highly sought after. If you would like to join a Luxury Edition tour, then the requirement would simply be a complete understanding of the workings of the camera and the desire and commitment needed to attend the workshop.

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Off the Beaten Track

Our 'Off the Beaten Track' tours cater for those more adventurous photographers who would like to get off the beaten track and explore roads untrodden or delve into the culture of a place. Groups are small and you can be assured that although the tour leader will have an in-depth knowledge of the location, you may veer off track if an unplanned photography opportunity presents itself! The tuition is five star on these tours. The accommodation varies on these tours from mid range hotels, shared cabins on a ship to basic and clean camps. Our priority is to get you to the best locations in time for the best shot and if this means camping half way up a mountain then so be it! Our 'Off the Beaten Track' tutors will have experience and knowledge of the area, so you can be assured that you will be completely taken care off to allow you to concentrate on that award winning image. If you would like to join an ‘Off the Beaten Track’ tour, then a good knowledge of your camera would be an advantage, but not essential, and the desire and commitment needed to attend the workshop. We do also ask that you have a good level of fitness as these tours could involve a large amount of walking. Check each tours description for requirements.

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Classic

Our Classic tours are aimed at those who wish to discover unique locations, but at a more leisurely pace than the Off the Beaten Track tours. There will be ample time to immerse yourself in the location and spend time on your photography. Classic tours also focus on sunrise and sunset (which are optional for those who like to sleep in!) and have a slightly larger group size (max 8 per tutor) to allow the social side of photography to be appreciated. Tuition is five star and hotels are mid-high range depending on the tour. Every classic tour is different so do refer to the tour description for details of accommodation and locations visited. If you would like to join a ‘Classic’ tour, then a good knowledge of your camera would be an advantage, but not essential, and the desire and commitment needed to attend the workshop. Fitness levels required vary depending on the tour so do check the exertion level under the description tab.

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City Tours

Interested in architectural photography or street photography? Do you get a buzz from photographing city life? Then a city tour is for you. We have a range of tours catering to various styles of photography including People/Street, Intentional Camera Movement, Iphoneography or Architectural photography. Tours range in length from weekend breaks, ideal for those who don’t have may days holiday left, or longer tours to allow yourself to truly explore the city. Our tutors have an in-depth knowledge of the location and will take you to undiscovered spots to ensure you come away with a varied selection of images that you are proud of. If you would like to join a ‘City’ tour, the requirement would simply be a complete understanding of the workings of the camera and the desire and commitment needed to attend the workshop. Fitness levels required vary depending on the tour so do check the exertion level under the description tab.

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In a Day

Only got one day to spare or have already used up your ‘holiday’ budget? Join one of our ‘In a Day’ photography workshops and we will provide you with the knowledge, the views and the techniques for making the most of the light. You will go away not only having met some like minded people but most importantly having learnt something new and exciting about photography. You only need to bring a camera and an open mind! Our photography workshops are ideal for all levels of photographer from beginner to advanced. Please note these one day workshops are exclusive of VAT, this will be applied at the rate of 20% at the checkout.

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Easy - most locations are arrived at by vehicle, and most subjects and viewpoints are within easy reach. No particular level of fitness is required.

Moderate - these tours involve some walking, perhaps sometimes in towns, or on well developed trails. There may be a limited amount of uphill walking. Please advise if you have any fitness concerns.

Strenuous - these are tours which may include demanding levels of walking, including some prolonged or steep ascents and descents. Rough terrain (off the beaten track) may well be encountered. A reasonable level of fitness is required for these trips.

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