“HIGH ANDES ADVENTURE” 2012 – September 20 – September 27

with Andrew Gibson, 8 days/7 nights

This adventure will take us to one of the most remote areas in South America, a place seldom visited but incredibly photogenic. This trip is for the adventurous type and includes camping in unbelievable locations under the most pristine skies, abandoned towns, lagoons, salt flats, tiny mining towns lost in time, inaccessible to independent travelers, all with the highest safety standards and the security of our private 4WD vehicles.
Andrew S Gibson is a writer and photographer based in Auckland, New Zealand. He's the Technical Editor of EOS magazine and has written articles for photography magazines in the UK and Australia. He also writes photography ebooks for ‘Craft & Vision”, including “The Magic of Black & White” series and “Andes” – the story of his travels through the Andean regions of northwest Argentina, Bolivia and Peru.
Andrew first visited South America in 2001 and has been back several times since. His favorite region is the Argentinean Northwest “Puna”, for the otherworldly landscapes, beautiful scenery, the local culture and traditions and seemingly endless photo opportunities. The mountains of the Andes exert a powerful pull on anybody who has been there, and he looks forward to returning and being a part of your Andes experience.

Check out Andrew's work here:


Itinerary

Day 1: Salta - Quebrada de las Conchas - Tolombon

Our 4WD will pick us up at the airport, and after lunch at the beautiful Finca Valentina (www.finca-valentina.com.ar ) we will begin our journey into the deep Andes.
We’ll drive through the Calchaquies Valleys, enjoying its dramatic rock formations eroded into wild shapes such as in the Quebrada de las Conchas and Cafayate (Cafayate and Shell Gorges). We’ll spend the night at the Altalaluna Hotel Wine & SPA (www.altalaluna.com ). Wine lovers can taste the fantastic world-class wines produced in this region.

Day 2: Tolombon - Hualfin - Laguna Blanca - El Peñon

One more day of incredible rock formations, small colonial towns across beautiful valleys and gorges on our way to El Peñon. Little by little we begin climbing towards the high altitude deserts. We’ll spend the night at the Hosteria de Altura El Peñon (www.hosteriaelpenon.com ).

Day 3: Full day visiting the Pumice Stone Field, Carachi Pampa Volcano, white Sand Dunes

This is one of the highlights of our trip. The Pumice stone field is approximately one hour away from our hotel, across a beautiful valley that requires some challenging driving. The field is about 55,000 square miles and lies in the heart of the Puna. It represents the largest Pumice stone concentration in the world, with some stones reaching 60-feet tall, surrounded by black sand from a volcanic eruption. Near the Pumice Stone Field we’ll visit giant white sand dunes under a blue sky. We will explore the north and south regions of the field as well as the Volcano of Carachi Pampa. Finally we will visit some huge white sand dunes that require skilled 4WD. The dunes are a few hundred feet tall and were originated by erosion of the pumice stones nearby.

Day 4: Antofagasta de la Sierra - Antofalla - Cono Arita - Arizaro salt flat- Tolar Grande

Today we’ll leave El Peñon and head North through amazing valleys lost in time, by small water springs with llamas and wild vicuñas. We will arrive finally to the Arizaro salt flat and the Cono de Arita. Here, we’ll begin to understand the remoteness we are heading into. We’ll spend the night in Tolar Grande, an old mining town at the edge of the salt flat, where time seems standing still. We can visit the water holes near the town. Tolar Grande doesn’t have a hotel, so we’ll stay at the refuge AFAPUNA. The refuge is a basic but clean bunk-type accommodation. We’ll visit the only local eatery for dinner.

Day 5: Tolar Grande - Caipe - Mina La Casualidad - Mina Julia - Llullaillaco Lagoon (Camp)

We begin our 2-day tour of the abandoned ghosts towns of Caipe, Mina La Casualidad and Mina Julia from Tolar Grande. These former mining towns and mines were abandoned years ago, but still transmit an eerie feeling. One feels as if they were abandoned in a rush as some houses and structures remain as left. We’ll learn about the lives of their former inhabitants as well from our guides. We finally will set camp by the beautiful Llullaillaco Lagoon. Our guides will set camp and prepare dinner.

Day 6: Llullaillaco Lagoon - Socompa Lagoon – Water Springs - Paso Socompa - Camino de Corniza - Caipe - Tolar Grande

Another incredibly scenic day today. We will visit the gorgeous Socompa Lagoon and the Water Springs on our way to the Socompa mountain pass. An incredibly remote place with surreal views. Heading back to Tolar Grande to end this 2-day tour, we’ll pass again through the abandoned town of Caipe, by the cliff overlooking the salt flats. We’ll spend the night at the AFAPUNA refuge and eat at the local eatery.

Day 7: Tolar Grande - Labyrinth Desert (Red Desert)- San Antonio de los Cobres- Salinas Grandes - Purmamamrca

We begin heading back to Salta today. Our first visit is the unbelievably gorgeous Red Desert, with its zigzagging roads across amazing red rock formations and through the Pocitos salt flat with its water hole. We arrive in San Antonio de los Cobres for lunch, the largest town in the Puna. In the afternoon, we head towards the Salinas Grandes, one of the most beautiful salt flats in the southern hemisphere, with its characteristic rectangular pools carved in the salt. We end the day at La Comarca Hotel (www.lacomarcahotel.com.ar/docs/eng/ ) in the colorful town of Purmamarca

Day 8: Purmamarca - Salta Airport

Today we drive to Salta airport in the morning for our flight back to Buenos Aires.

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

  • All accomodation during the workshop (7 nights)
  • All Meals
  • Private 4WD drive transportation especially prepared for the area (oxygen tanks in case of altitude sickness)
  • National Authority Passenger’s Transportation Permit (CNRT)
  • Safety equipment: satellite phone, radio, first aid kit, Spot
  • Logistic support, mechanic assistance and 24hs emergency line
  • Specialized Guide/Driver
  • AWP – Tour coordinator throughout the trip

NOT INCLUDED:

  • Extra accommodation before/after the workshop (need assistance booking hotels in Buenos Aires, Salta or anywhere in Argentina? Please contact Daniel Portal at anotherworldphotography@gmail.com )
  • International or domestic flights (need assistance booking flights? We can help! Contact Daniel Portal at anotherworldphotography@gmail.com )
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Personal expenses

PRICE:

Minimum number of participants: 5

Please make sure to check with us that this workshop is running before booking your flights!

Price: $ 4,500

If you register (USD 1,000) before 12/31/11 there is a USD 200 reduction in price. Registration guarantees you a place in the Workshop if full payment is received 90 days prior to departure. Please read our refunds and cancellations policy below.

Accepted forms of payment (Please read our refunds and cancellation policy below):

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

All passengers must fill a basic Health Form and it is mandatory for them to inform about health conditions and/or any other relevant information regarding health. The form must be emailed before the departure date.

Please read our disclaimer policy

WHAT TO BRING TO THE PUNA?

  • Sun block and sunglasses (protection against UV)
  • Hat, neck warmers
  • Gloves
  • Warm as well as lightweight clothing. Days can be warm despite the altitude but nights are chilly
  • Windproof Jacket
  • Moisturizing cream


More questions? Please ask us at anotherworldphotography@gmail.com

Refunds and Cancellations

All payments are refundable upon request of cancellation (except a $50 processing fee and the Paypal/Credit Card fee of 2.9%). Cancellations (except mentioned fees) are in full up to 90 days prior to departure. Cancellations between 89 and 60 days prior to departure are subject to 50% of total in charges, between 59 and 30 days, 75% and no refunds will be issued with 29 days or less of notice. We start paying our providers 90 days in advance in most cases and often times those payments are not refundable, that is why we are forced to charge for late cancellations. However, in some cases (not all) some of the payments can be used towards another trip run by AWP. We will do our best to consider individual cases. If payment is not received in full 90 days prior to departure we cannot guarantee your spot on the workshop. Any participant wishing to register in full can take that spot.

No-shows are not entitled to any refunds