A Colombian Photo Safari.
Right place, right time, right people equals great pictures on this Colombian trip of a lifetime.
The Lowdown.
Snap Snap Colombia! Change your perspective of Colombia with a photo safari that will shine a little light on and add some serious depth of focus to your understanding of this fascinating country.
Blessed with kaleidoscopic colours, stunning scenery, wonderful architecture, bountiful biodiversity and truly remarkable people, there are few places on earth that can match the visual riches of Colombia.
Capture it all with your lens. Whether you’re a beginner or semi-professional, This Is Colombia’s Colombian photography safari puts you in the right place at the right time every step of the way on a 12-day trip of a lifetime.
What We Love
A truly amazing trip that takes in the main pillars of Colombia’s inspirational visual tapestry: incredible people, stunning scenery, beautiful architecture, fantastic festivals and rich cultural heritage
Capturing Colombia’s traditions and biodiversity through the lens. Going before everyone else has been
Taking home sensational holiday photos and learning a few tricks from the professionals to take you to the next level
Stimulating encounters with people along the way. This is not a trip for voyeurs, this is about creating connections with the people to be able to take better pictures as a result
Learning how to make better portraits with a work shop with one of the world’s best portrait photographers
Staying in beautiful boutique hotels along route. Filled with character, the accommodation isn’t always five-star but it’s 100% unique
Great meals every step of the way, from traditional platters to gourmet galas, dinner time is a great time to compare notes and get some top tips from the photographic A-team
Your Itinerary at a Glance.
Day 1 — Arrive in Bogota.
Transfer to Your City Retreat. Your accommodation will be in a colonial house / gallery space in one of Bogota’s most traditional districts.
Includes:
Private transfer to your city retreat.
Day 2 — World Class Workshop.
Learn how to take portraits with one of the world’s most celebrated portrait photographers.
New York Times Photographer, Stefan Ruiz has photographed everyone from Donald Trump and Barbara Bush to James Brown and Liza Minelli.
Explore Bogota’s administrative and cultural center on our first foray into Colombia’s rich visual tapestry.
Famed for its colonial architecture, vivid street art and colorful characters, the Colombian capital is where s*** gets real. Capture everything with an award-winning photo-journalist on hand to help.
Includes:
Activity / An urban expedition
Day 3 — 100% Colombian.
Fly to Pereira. From here we will visit the picturesque town of Calarca.
Travel by jeep into the coffee plantations to see the way of life of the coffee pickers, photograph the process of selecting the world’s finest coffee and meet local villagers.
You will be joined by your photo-journalist guide and a local guide to ensure access to the roasting process.
Includes:
Flight / to Pereira
Transfer / to your hotel
Stay / Biohabitat Hotel
Activity / Tour of a working coffee farm
Day 4 — Village of Salamina.
We will take our 4x4 vehicles to the quaint coffee country village of Salamina where we will walk the streets and photograph ornately carved doors, elaborate water fountains, interesting churches, and parks.
This old town has picturesque architecture from the department of Antioquia’s colonial past. We will have a group slide show after dinner to highlight some of the best work and critique.
Day 5 — Travel to Medellin.
Leaving coffee country, we will arrive in Medellín late afternoon.
There will be a short stop in Jardin, another picturesque colonial village that grew up on the coffee business. The mountainous scenery on the way to Medellin is stunning.
Upon arrival in Medellin, the group will be free to download images, wash clothing, or explore the vicinity. We’ll meet for dinner at one of the city’s best eateries and will have a chance to reflect on the images taken so far.
Includes:
Activity / Discover Jardin
Stay / Patio del Mundo
Day 6 — Medellin Flower Festival.
The city of Medellin comes alive in early August with the Feria de las Flores, one of the biggest festivals in Colombia’s cultural calendar.
We’ll have press access to all of the festivities, including a parade of vintage cars on day one, many of them shipped to Colombia by the city’s notorious drug barons.
Includes:
Activity / Press access to the Festival
Day 7 — Feria de las Flores.
The main event, the Silleteros parade, a colourful display of the locals’ reputation for hard work and creativity.
Capture images of these 150 lb floral displays made up of over twenty varieties of flowers and the traditional campesinos that made and carry them.
There’s a carnival atmosphere in the streets with more than 500,000 visitors descending on the city for the festivities.
Includes:
Activity / Press access to the Festival.
Day 8 — Medellin’s Transformation.
After breakfast we will take the innovative public transportation system of cable cars and electric escalators that have transformed life for many of the inhabitants of the city’s poorest neighborhoods.
We’ll photograph the street artists and rappers that are transforming Comuna 13, previously the front line in the conflict between Colombia’s armed groups and learn of Medellin’s troubled history.
Our guide, Rainbow Nelson, the author of the photographic book, the Memory of Pablo Escobar will take us to meet and photograph, the inhabitants of Barrio Pablo Escobar, the barrio built by and named after, the world’s most famous drug dealer.
In the evening, we’ll fly to Cartagena where we’ll stay at the Hotel Quadrifolio.
Day 9 — Explore Cartagena
Welcome to Colombia’s jewel of the Caribbean. Steeped in history, this postcard-perfect colonial city has become a haven for gourmands and culture vultures.
After an early breakfast we will wander and photograph the streets in Cartagena's historic district. Cartagena’s Spanish conquerors certainly knew how to build pretty and the 17th century walls make for a wonderful backdrop. We will engage in street and architectural photography for most of the day.
A sunset photoshoot will take place in the evening with a special presentation by contemporary dance group, Periferia on the historic walls.
Day 10 — The Real Cartagena.
The group will venture out at six-thirty in the morning and head to Cartagena’s raucous open-air market, Bazurto. It is noisy and crowded and filled with life and characters.
We will photograph the fishmongers and local butchers. After this photo shoot, we will return to the hotel for a late breakfast and have time to download images and freshen up.
The afternoon will be spent photographing the colorful characters and street art of Getsemani. In this fiercely traditional neighborhood we will have the chance to photograph the craftsmen in their shops, and the locals hanging out on their porches and in the main square.
We’ll set up a pop-up photo studio so you can practice your portraits. Work will be placed in a local gallery recording the transformation of the barrio.
Day 11 — Island Hopping in Style.
More fun than photos. We’ll jump on a speedboat and race off to the Rosario Islands where you’ll have the chance to photograph Cartagena’s maritime fortifications and the stark contrast between the private island retreats of Colombia’s ultra-rich and the poverty in which most of the population live.
There’s also a chance to swim or scuba dive in Cartagena’s coral reefs and enjoy a well-earned day of rest and relaxation. Waterproof camera equipment only on this expedition.
In the evening, there will be a fantastic meal followed by a slide show of a selection of the best images taken on the trip.
Day 12 — Hasta Luego
You just have enough time for some last-minute shopping before catching your flight back home. All participants will be given a book of their best images.
FAQs
What’s Included on this journey?
11-nights accommodation in luxury hotels.
Three meals a day.
Airport transfers and domestic flights.
Daily scheduled photo expeditions.
Bilingual guides & photography experts.
Insurance.
What’s not included on this journey?
Tips and gratuities.
International flights.
Who will enjoy this journey?
Budding photographers who want to take their skills with a camera to the next level and go back home with some amazing shots of Colombia to impress their friends.
Is this a private or shared journey?
This is a group trip organized for like-minded people.
What time does the journey depart and return?
July 24, 2024.
Let’s Get Planning.
All of our signature Colombian journeys have been designed for the most demanding of international travelers but our team loves to rip up the script and get to work on a 100% tailor-made journey that will take your visit to Colombia to the next level.
With a little more information about your travel needs, we’ll be happy to draw up a completely bespoke vacation for you and your loved ones. All of our Colombian journeys start with a free consultation with one of our talented travel advisors.
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