Pato Andino: Panorama of the Andes
20 days | Small Group Tour | Argentina • Chile • Bolivia • Peru
A spectacular journey across the Andes, travelling through four countries and an extraordinary succession of landscapes — from colonial cities and colourful canyons to the Atacama Desert, the surreal salt flats of Bolivia, Lake Titicaca and the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu.
This is an especially good choice for photographers who love dramatic landscapes, changing light, colour and a sense of scale. The journey moves from the vineyards and red-rock valleys around Salta into the high Andes, across the Atacama and into Bolivia’s extraordinary altiplano, before continuing to Peru and the Inca heartland.
Highlights
📸 Photogenic landscapes at every turn — colourful Andean valleys, volcanic peaks, desert scenery, salt flats and high-altitude lakes.
🏜️ Atacama Desert — explore the otherworldly Moon Valley, with its sculpted rock formations, salt landscapes and spectacular sunset colours.
🌌 Salar de Uyuni — one of South America’s great photography locations, from dazzling white salt plains to surreal reflections after rain.
🦩 Laguna Colorada & the Bolivian altiplano — vivid mineral colours, remote lagoons, volcanoes and the possibility of seeing flamingos.
🏔️ Lake Titicaca — deep-blue high-altitude waters, traditional communities and the dramatic Andean backdrop.
🏛️ Cusco & the Sacred Valley — Inca architecture, traditional villages, markets and mountain scenery.
📷 Machu Picchu — the spectacular finale, with the ancient citadel dramatically positioned among forested Andean peaks.
The journey at a glance
Days 1–2 — Buenos Aires
Begin with Argentina’s vibrant capital, including a guided city tour and a day at leisure.
Days 3–4 — Salta & Cafayate
Fly north to Salta and explore the surrounding countryside, including the colourful canyons and vineyards around Cafayate.
Days 5–6 — Andes & Atacama Desert
Cross the Andes into Chile, passing spectacular mountain scenery before reaching San Pedro de Atacama. Explore the Moon Valley and, optionally, the extraordinary El Tatio geysers.
Days 7–9 — Bolivia & Salar de Uyuni
Travel by 4WD across the remote Bolivian altiplano, discovering colourful lagoons and volcanic landscapes before reaching the enormous Salar de Uyuni. Spend a full day exploring the salt flats, including Isla del Pescado and the famous train cemetery.
Days 10–13 — La Paz & Lake Titicaca
Discover La Paz before travelling to Lake Titicaca, crossing into Peru and visiting the famous Uros floating reed islands.
Days 14–18 — Cusco, Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu
Travel through the Peruvian Andes to Cusco, explore the Sacred Valley and travel by train to Machu Picchu. There’s also the opportunity to revisit the ruins or hike Huayna Picchu, subject to availability.
Days 19–20 — Lima
Finish in Lima with a guided walking tour before your international flight home or an optional extension.
Why it works for photographers
What makes this trip particularly interesting is the sheer variety. Within 20 days you can photograph colonial architecture, vineyards, colourful rock formations, volcanoes, desert landscapes, salt flats, flamingos, high-altitude lakes, traditional communities, Inca ruins and some of the world’s most recognisable mountain scenery.
It’s less about one particular wildlife encounter and more about building a photographic story of the Andes — with constantly changing landscapes and opportunities for wide-angle, detail, architectural, cultural and landscape photography.
The current listed price is from £5,222pp for 20 days, based on two people sharing and excluding international flights.
Own solo room available from an additional £871
Bookable for: September – October 2026 and March – September 2027
