Shoot 'n' tour - Peru, November 2013

I'm a regular visitor to Peru as a tourist. In fact I'm just back from my 3rd visit in 4 years. This time, I took some lighting gear and some props with me, and made some very fruitful connections with local photographers, models, Hair/MUA people and wardrobe stylists.

I'm going back in November 2013, and am looking at putting together a mini-tour of the country (approx 3 weeks) that will include a mix of tourism and photography/video activities for any who wish to join me.

If I can get some help from illustrators and audiophiles, am keen to do something in those media streams as well.

Of note:
- whilst we'll be doing some traditional "gringo trail" activites, a large majority will be leveraging local contacts in Peru to do something you won't get to do on a tour.
- participants will be welcome to have family/friends come along (different pricing for this)
- English/Spanish all the way
- Spots will be limited (not sure yet on numbers - depends on demand).

Potential stops (for all media types) might include:


Stage 1 - The Capital, Culture and Cuisine

Approximate Cost for this stage

• Photographer/Videographer: US$1800/person + accommodation
  
• Social/Tourist: US$850 + accommodation

Includes: transport and some meals, entry to locations. Models/MUA/stylist etc for all shoots.

Accommodation ranges between US$50 and US$90/night

Lima (4 days)
- sampling a variety of Peruvian food styles with cameras and stomachs
- fashion shoots in some very distinctive locations
- colonial/period in the historic districts of Barranco and Lima central
- Day in the life of Limean inhabitants (house maids, street beggars and hawkers, labourers etc)
- various tourist activities including day trips to Caral, Lomas de Lachay, Museo de la Nacion
- industry/cultural sessions for local Peruvian artists as well as international visitors to encourage exchange of culture, ideas and knowledge.

Pisco/Ica (4 days)
- vineyards (including sampling the world's best Piscos)
- dune buggy racing
- sand dune taboganning
- wildlife/bird sanctuary in Paracas
- Nazca lines


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Stage 2 - Canyons and moonscapes

Approximate Cost for this stage

• Photographer/Videographer: US$1800/person
  
• Social/Tourist: US$1100

Includes: Accommodation, transport and some meals, entry to locations. Models/MUA/stylist etc for all shoots.


Arequipa (3 days)
- El Monasterio de Santa Catalina, Arequipa Cathedral and Plaza de Armas
- a shoot including the "7 mountains" that encircle the city to the south, including El Misti
- Colca Canyon (2nd deepest in the world) and Cruz del Condor


Puno (2 days)
- Visit the world's highest freshwater lake, Lake Titicaca, and Taquille Island, where the Incan civilisation originated
- A day long train journey thrugh the Andean highlands from Puno to Cusco, with a photoshoot aboard the Andean Explorer


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Stage 3 - The Sacred Valley

Approximate Cost for this stage

• Photographer/Videographer: US$2300/person
  
• Social/Tourist: US$1600

Includes: accommodation, transport and some meals, entry to locations. Models/MUA/stylist etc for all shoots.

Cusco (4 days)
- Day shoot at Las Salinas de Maras
- Visit the fortress of Sacsayhuaman
- Day trip through the sacred valley, visiting highland towns and staying overnight in the Incan town of Ollantaytambo before continuing to Machu Picchu
- Machu Picchu (no scheduled shoots, but you can't visit Peru and not come here at least once)


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Stage 4 - The Amazon

Approximate Cost for this stage

• Photographer/Videographer: US$1750/person
  
• Social/Tourist: US$1200

Includes: accommodation, transport and meals, entry to locations. Models/MUA/stylist etc for all shoots.

Iquitos (4 days)
- river cruise on the Amazon
- stay in a jungle lodge
- visit indigenous tribes
- "Heart of Darkness" shoot aboard a derelict Amazonian ship (TBC)


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Stage 5 - The Cordilleras

Approximate Cost for this stage

• Photographer/Videographer: US$1400/person + accommodation
  
• Social/Tourist: US$TBC + accommodation

Includes: transport and some meals, entry to locations. Models/MUA/stylist etc for all shoots.

Huaraz (3 days)
- Day trip to either highland lakes (Paron or llanganuco), and the Portachuelo (highland pass); or to the Cordillera Negra and the Huinchus, with a full view of the Cordillera Blanca
- Shoots in Cañon del Pato, a narrow pass riddled with tunnels as the road snakes through the gap between the Nazca and South American plates.

Trujillo (2 days)
- The sprawling complex of Chan Chan
- Huacas del Sol y Luna
- excursion to El Brujo (a recently discovered and highly valued site on the outskirts)


Website here


I don't know about flights in from the Americas or Europe, but I know the pan-pacific crossings are both gruelling and expensive due to poor competition. Once in Peru however, travel is moderate and everything is dirt cheap.


If you're interested in taking part (or even in helping me organise), please either reply to this post, or send me a site mail.


Ben

(Edited on 2013-01-27 19:57:33 by cannboys)

Wow, I would love this! Sending you a sitemail!

Posting ideas for places to go, things to do on pinterest.


Currently working up a draft itinerary and we'll start taking registrations in the coming month.

Bit far in the future for a definite yes, but I'd certainly like to be on your provisional list...  please put me down as a possible!

Photography and Video streams are now in planning


BUT


We're in need of team leaders for the Illustration and Audio streams. Happy to consider all expressions of interest.


The gig is to identify activities and resources required by a team of illustrators or sound designers joining the tour, and then lead that team during the event. I can send a more detailed description to any who are interested (also if anyone can recommend someone who would be suitable, that'd be ace as well).

Website is up and registrations are open for those who are interested in getting their names on the list early.


Key changes:

• Event is now being run in stages/segments of 4-8 days to make it possible for people to come for a short period of time
  
• We have streams in plan for Photography, Video and Illustration with Audio still a possibility
• We'll be running the event during November 2013.

To be first in line for announcements like detailed itinerary or pricing, join the mailing list: planning-a-subscribe@sojourn.in. A confirmation request will send further details...

(Edited on 2012-07-02 15:32:07 by cannboys)

It would be nice to have an idea about the cost (hotel, average food cost, models, guides etc), also it would be good to have an idea on comfort level (quality of hotels, food, physical activities like climbing etc).

I will be returning from China in Early Nov but might be interested.

Working on the cost side of things at the moment. A lot of it will be hard to get a lock on until later in 2012.


We'll be looking to arrange deals with a few price tiers on the accommodation front - probably budget and mid-tier. In Lima we've got some connections with owners of apartments in Miraflores that offer decent rates for self-contained accommodation.


The exchange rate with the Peruvian Sol is generally pretty good - somewhere between 2.5:1 and 3:1 in favour of most major currencies and the actual cost of being there is very cheap. Generally speaking, if you budget around US$1000-2000/week, that should cover it (we'll know for sure closer to the event).


 


As to comfort level, that depends on your budget and which part of the event you're there for. There are numerous 5-star luxury hotels in many of the areas we're going to, and likewise there are multiple classes of bus and plane operators. We'll be endeavouring to get good rates with at least one hotel where ever we go and ideally, will have transport sponsored for much of it.


Food is ok provided you follow some common sense precautions and don't drink untreated water.


Physical activities will depend on which stage you're on. Lima-Ica should be fine for most unless you don't like small planes/hot air balloons (Nazca), however Arequipa, Cuzco/Machu Picchu and Huaraz & the Cordillera Blanca are at high altitude so you may succumb to altitude sickness. Given the time of year (early rainy season), Iquitos may be ok from a heat and humidity perspective.

2013?? Sorry my mistake, I was thinking 2012. I might be interested when the time gets closer. It certainly looks like a good adventure.
If you do not mind me saying;
If I were you, I would keep it simple, 10 days max, one fixed itinerary with fixed hotels, fixed price etc and do it sooner, you can do another one, may be a different location in 2013 if you want...
Also, as it is planned to be a stockalypse, I would not spend time on web pages etc, you can utilize this forum to the limits...

Heh - I had thought "wow, that's some forward planning!"


To clarify - it's not a stockalypse. Not even a mini. Hence why it's in meetups and not minis, nor having any official association with istock. I'm putting it on for a variety of creative people to participate in, from a variety of sites (not just micros). So a dedicated website is absolutely essential.


I started down the fixed price/fixed itinerary route but that limits who can/will come as it'll be too pricey for some, too cheap (basic) for others, too much/not enough time, skipping parts that are vital for some/sideshows for others.


Then what happens if I fork out all that cash for hotels, airfares and the like, and then people either don't come, or decide they want to bail at the last minute? No way I'll carry a financial risk like that ($10k plus) and no way people will commit until the 11th hour if they're risking losing a deposit etc.


Believe me, this approach of ticketed stages, with most things included but not the variable things that ppl like to choose for thesmelves like transport/accommodation, provides the greatest flexibility for all without running me and the others helping me put it together into the ground.

thanks for clarifying. Lets talk when the time gets closer.

This is the type of trip that I would like to do.  However, I don't have any Spanish skills.  Please keep me updated.  Thanks.

You won't need Spanish. We'll be organising guides or to have Spanish/English speaking participants within each group to deal with the language barrier.


 


...plus it's over a year away - plenty of time to get at least a little Spanish under your belt

I am interested in this - please keep me in the loop. Specifically interested in stages 1, 2 and 3 dependant on the costs.

(Edited on 2012-07-01 23:26:43 by tirc83)

Hm this sound definitely interesting . There's no way to see this far in the future for me now, but I'd love to stay updated.

To stay up to date - send an email to:


planning-a-subscribe@sojourn.in


 


...and follow the confirmation instructions.

I added myself to the registration list for stages 2 & 3, do I need to send an email as well or am I already on your mailing list?


I'll be brushing up my Spanish for the next year...  I needed an incentive to get back to it!

Adding yourself to the mailing list is an extra step outside registration, though I can add you if you want?

Yes please!

Done! Next round of updates will be as the itinerary starts to flesh out.