Peru Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley of the Incas 2012: May 2 – 12 (Trip full, wait list available). Second trip added: May 16 – 26 (4 spaces available)
Peru deserves its reputation as a mystical travel destination. From the beautiful colonial gem of Cuzco to the incredible Inca site at Machu Picchu to the Sacred Valley surrounded by the Andes with its picturesque towns and Majestic Inca ruins, to Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake with its traditional inhabitants living on islands in the lake, Peru is home to an incredible mix of photo opportunities.
Long before the Europeans showed up in America the Incas had established a great civilization in and around the Sacred Valley of Peru. Many reminders of this world still remain – in the ancient ruins at such sites as Machu Picchu, Pisac, and Ollantaytambo, and in the local people and their traditions. We will stay as near as possible to these archeological sites in order to photograph them in the best light in the morning and late afternoon. And we’ll visit the various towns on their special market days, providing many photo opportunities of the modern day Inca and their traditions.
Andean history comes alive in Cuzco. Quechua speaking descendants of the ancient Incas fill the streets and markets, colonial churches sit atop bases of smooth stonework laid centuries before the Conquistadors, and campesinos (Peru’s rural farmers) in colorful dress move busily back and forth across the plazas.
The beautiful Sacred Valley is home to the lofty Inca citadels of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, both perched high above the towns of the same names. It’s also home to bustling Indian markets and charming Andean villages.
Magnificent Machu Picchu, the most famous lost Inca city, sits high in the Andes in a truly spectacular setting, still retaining its air of grandeur and mystery. Travelers from all over the world arrive daily to marvel at its splendor. The changes in light as the sun comes up over or goes down behind the surrounding mounains are mesmorizing.
Lake Titicaca is famous as the largest lake in South America and the highest navigable lake in the world. However what really makes a vist to its shores magical is the quality of light in the clear high-altitude air as it sparkles on the deep blue waters of the lake. A visit to the tradittional islanders on Taquile island is a must.
Hopefully you’ll come away from this trip with the experience of a lifetime and great photos of a wide variety of incredible subjects.
Trip Leader: Jim Cline – The trip will be limited to 10 participants
| Day 1 (May 2): | Arrive from your flight to Lima. You will be transported from the airport to our hotel. We will have an orientation meeting in the evening and go to dinner. We'll spend the night in Lima. |
| Day 2: | We'll catch our flight to the beautiful city of Cuzco. After lunch and perhaps a coca tea, we'll go on a tour of this colonial gem, visiting the Cathedral and other churches. We'll see first-hand many of the walls built by the Incas which now form the foundations of colonial buildings built by the Spaniards. We'll catch the last light on the Cathedral and other buildings on the Plaza de Armas, and then photograph these buildings as the light changes to twilight. We'll spend the night in Cuzco. |
| Day 3: | We'll have the whole day in and around Cuzco. In the morning we'll have some free time to explore the ancient streets of the city on your own. In the afternoon we'll visit the Inca ruins at Sacsayhuaman, and stay for the last light, before returning to our hotel. Those who wish, can make the walk down from the ruins through the winding streets of Cuzco to the Plaza de Armas. That night during dinner we'll sample Peruvian cuisine and watch a traditional music and dancing demonstration. We'll spend the night in Cuzco. |
| Day 4: | In the morning we'll drive into the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the beautiful town of Pisac. We'll stop on the way for photo shoots at dramatic vistas of the Andes Mountains, and at Awana Kancha, a weaving cooperative where we'll have the opportunity to photograph various traditional weavers, and close-ups of llamas and alpacas. In the afternoon we'll drive up to explore the Inca ruins situated high on the hills above the town of Pisac. We'll photograph the ruins and the picturesque valley at the last light. We'll spend the night in Pisac. |
| Day 5: | Market day in Pisac: We'll wake up early and visit one the best textile markets in the Andes. We'll photograph the villagers who come from miles around in their colorful traditional dress. In the afternoon we'll drive to another Sunday market town - Chinchero. This is a great sunset location, with the last light hitting the picturesque church, and the colorful villagers selling their wares. We'll spend the night in in the nearby town of Ollantaytambo. |
| Day 6: | In the morning we'll explore the Inca ruins at Ollantaytambo. From the ruins, we'll have a view of the town of Ollantaytambo, as well as the Urubamba Valley, with the snow-capped Andes rising in the background. we'll also explore the town of Ollantaytambo - nestled in the Urubamba Valley, it is the best surviving example of Inca city planning with narrow cobblesone streets that have been constantly inhabited since the 13th century. The traditional villagers still utilize the Inca-built irrigation canals that run right through the town. In the afternoon we'll visit Salinas, where thousands of salt pans have been used for salt extraction since Inca times, situated high above the Urubamba Valley. We'll photograph views of the valley, and the last light reflecting in the ponds. We'll spend the night in Ollantaytambo. |
| Day 7: | In the morning, we'll visit a a couple of local villages to photograph the traditional inhabitants in their colorful dress, where we'll have special permission to visit and photograph a rural school. In the late afternoon we'll catch the train for the scenic ride along the Urubamba River to Machu Picchu. We'll arrive at the world famous ruins at Machu Picchu in time for dinner and rest. We'll spend the night in Aguas Calientes. |
| Day 8: | In the morning we'll visit the world famous Inca ruins at Machu Picchu. We'll have a guided tour and then we'll stay there all afternoon as the vast majority of visitors leave, photographing until the end of the day. We'll then take the 30 minute scenic bus ride down to our hotel in the town of Aguas Calientes. Those who wish can soak in the local hot springs. We'll spend the night in Aguas Calientes. |
| Day 9: | We'll wake up early and take the short bus ride up to the ruins to wait for the first light to arrive. We'll spend several hours of free time photographing the ruins. You'll have the option of taking side hikes up to the Sun Gate, the Moon Temple, or to scale the sacred peak of Huayna Picchu, the mountain that towers over the ruins. In the afternoon we'll catch the train back to Cuzco. We'll spend the night in Cuzco. |
| Day 10 | We'll have free time in Cuzco to wander the ancient streets and photograph, shop and relax. We'll also have some time for image sharing before dinner. We'll spend the night in Cuzco. |
| Day 11 (May 12 or 26) | In the afternoon you'll catch your flight back to Lima, where you can catch your onward flight home in the evening. (Those with flights the following morning will have the option to spend the night in a hotel). |
| or... | Day , 2 Night Optional E xtension: LAKE TITICACA & THE FLOATING ISLANDS Cost $575 : May 15 - 17 |
| Day 11 | n the morning we'll depart for Lake Titicaca, making several stops along the way. We'll visit Andahuaylillas, a village with one of the most beautiful churches in the Andes. Continuing on the drive we'll make other stops where we'll have the opportunity to photograph Inca ruins, llamas and alpacas, and incredible vistas of the Altaplana with the peaks of the Andes towering in the background. We'll arrive at our hotel in Puno at the end of the day. We'll spend the night in Puno. |
| Day 12 | We'll spend the whole day on a boat trip visiting the islands on Lake Titicaca. We'll wake up early and take a boat to the Floating Islands of the Uros people, unique islands made of the buoyant totora reeds that grow abundantly in the shallows of the lake. These reeds are also used to build the Uros' boats, homes, and many of their crafts. We then go to Taquile, where the inhabitants maintain a very traditional lifestyle. We'll arrive back in Puno near the end of the day. We'll spend the night in Puno. |
| Day 13 (May 14 or 28) | In the morning we'll visit a local market in Puno, and photograph the main plaza and the Cathedral. We'll then visit the ancient funerary towers at the archeological site of Sillustani, situated on the shore of sparkling Lake Urumayo. We'll then take a late afternoon flight to Lima where we'll catch our onward flights home. |
Jim Cline
An award-winning photographer based in San Diego, California, Jim especially enjoys exploring and photographing less-traveled areas, avoiding the typical tourist destinations. He takes particular interest in the indigenous peoples and traditional and tribal cultures of developing nations, and in documenting these disappearing cultures.
Through his photographs he strives to portray the dignity and timeless beauty of these people living in harmony with nature. Jim’s wanderlust and search for compelling images has brought him to 30 countries around the globe, but his area of special interest is in the countries of Latin America. He is known for his willingness to shoot all around the edges of light, creating images with tremendous impact that capture the essence of a place or culture.
As well as winning numerous awards, Jim’s work has been displayed in galleries and in the San Diego Natural History Museum and published in numerous publications including books, magazines, annual reports, brochures, and CD covers. To see some samples of his published work
Dates May 2 – 12, 2012 and May 16-26, 2012
Costs $4375
The price is based on double occupancy. A single supplement of $575 applies.
The trip will be limited to 10 participants.
3 Day , 2 Night Optional Extension:
LAKE TITICACA & THE FLOATING ISLANDS
Cost $695 : May 12 – 14 and May 26-28, 2012
Single supplement for the extension is $135
Cost Include includes in-country flights round-trip Lima -Cuzco, all ground transport including train to Machu Picchu, all 10 nights hotel accommodations, breakfasts and dinners, entrance-fees at tourist sites, and local guides.
Cost does not include: international flights, passport & visas fees, travel insurance, vaccinations and medical cover/treatment, accommodation on the night prior to starting, and personal expenses such as beverages/snacks, internet access fees, laundry fees etc.
*All prices subject to change without notice, owing to the variable nature of international currency exchange rates and sudden changes in local costs
To see a gallery of Jim’s 2006 Peru images click here
Deposit and Final Payment
A deposit of $600 per person is required at time of booking. Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure.
Cancellation
- On cancellations more than 120 days prior to departure, all monies are refunded less a $275 administrative fee.
- Less than 120 but at least 90 days prior, total deposit amount is forfeited.
- Less than 90 but at least 75 days prior, 50% of trip price is forfeited.
- Less than 75 days prior to departure, 100% is forfeited.
Notification by phone or email is acceptable, but please follow with written notice. In the unlikely event we have to cancel a tour, a full refund will be given.
Responsibility
Jim Cline Photography, and their agents act only in the capacity as agents in all matters pertaining to hotel accommodations, sightseeing tours, and transportation, and are not responsible for any loss, damage, theft, or injury to person or property resulting from a defect in any vehicle, or the actions of any persons who provide services for this tour or for the action or inaction of any third party. Baggage is at the owner’s risk entirely. The tour operator reserves the right to withdraw the tour at any time, to decline any person as a member of the tour for any cause at any time. All prices are based on current rates of exchange and, while every effort will be made to hold them firm, they are subject to change.
Health
It is the responsibility of each tour member to inform the tour operator of any possible health problems or handicaps upon registration. By forwarding a signed reservation form and trip deposit, you certify that you do not knowingly have any physical or other conditions of disability that would create a risk for you or other trip participants. Once a trip has been confirmed, medical circumstances will not be considered as exceptions to our cancellation policy. We assume no responsibility for medical care or for special dietary requirements.
Trip Insurance
To allow for any unexpected contingencies, all participants are strongly urged to purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance.
Itinerary
While Jim Cline Photography endeavors to make the itinerary as accurate as possible, it should be considered as an approximate schedule of activities rather than a rigid schedule of events. Trip itineraries are subject to revision due to weather, ocean or trail conditions, government restrictions, and other reasons beyond our control. The tour leader has the right to make changes in the published itinerary whenever in his sole judgment conditions warrant, or if he deems it necessary for the comfort or safety of the tour.
Health Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC website. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the infectious diseases section of the World Health Organization (WHO) website. The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.
Money: Currency exchange rates
ATMs, Credit Cards, Travelers Checks:
Internet Access
Electricity in: Converters & Adapters Required
Suggested equipment: Digital SLR with lenses offering a focal length from wide (24mm or wider) to telephoto (100mm or longer), laptop or netbook computer running image viewing software such as Breeze Browser or Photo Mechanic and an image editing program such as Adobe Photoshop, or a combintation softward program similar to like Lightroom. Additionally we strongly recommend a back-up device such as external hard drive.
An award-winning photographer based in San Diego, California, Jim especially enjoys exploring and photographing less-traveled areas, avoiding the typical tourist destinations. He takes particular interest in the indigenous peoples and traditional and tribal cultures of developing nations, and in documenting these disappearingcultures.
Karl is a humanitarian photojournalist specializing in the photographic documentation of relief efforts and development work of NGOs worldwide. Over the last ten years, Karl has worked in over 50 countries, covering stories from the Indian Ocean Tsunami, to HIV/AIDS, malaria and Micro-Finance.