Journey the Untamed Beauty of Bolivia with us.
Photography Tour August 10th – 20th, 2026
The Altiplano
Captivating Moments from Bolivia
Bolivia Altiplano: Where Earth and Story Meet
The Bolivian Altiplano is a place where land and life are inseparable, where history, belief, and daily survival are written into the lakes, plains, and highlands. From ancient civilizations to living traditions, this is a landscape shaped as much by story as by stone. This photo tour invites you to step into that intersection, to witness how people and place form one another, and to create images that reflect depth, dignity, and connection. Here, photography becomes more than observation; it becomes a way of listening to the people and their land and honoring the stories they hold.
The Altiplano is one of South America’s most visually and culturally compelling regions. From the shores of Lake Titicaca to the high plains where Andean history and belief are alive, this journey moves through landscapes where ancient civilizations and living traditions coexist. It is an immersion into a place where culture, faith, agriculture, and survival remain deeply tied to the land, offering photographers a rare opportunity to engage with story, scale, and humanity in a meaningful and authentic way.
The Path of Our Journey
Bolivia Photo Tour Itinerary
Discover Bolivia’s Hidden Gems
Join us for an unforgettable journey through Bolivia’s breathtaking landscapes from August 10th to August 20th. Our tour begins in La Paz, where we’ll explore the vibrant city life and rich culture. Next, we’ll venture to the stunning Uyuni Salt Flats, capturing the surreal beauty of this natural wonder. Our itinerary includes visits to the picturesque town of Potosí, the colorful lagoons of the Eduardo Avaroa National Park, and the majestic peaks of the Andes. Each day is meticulously planned to offer unique photographic opportunities, with expert guidance from Matt Brandon, ensuring you capture the essence of Bolivia’s diverse scenery.
Day 1 – Arrival in La Paz | A Sacred Beginning
Our driver meets us at the airport and transfers us to our hotel. Arriving through El Alto is an experience in itself, an immediate shift in altitude, culture, and rhythm that reminds us we have entered a very different world.
Rooms are available upon arrival so you can settle in and rest after your journey.
Later, we head above the city where La Paz gives way to the vast Altiplano and the neighborhoods of El Alto cling to the cliffs. Here we meet a yatiri, an Andean spiritual guide who plays a living, active role in Bolivian daily life. This is not a staged ceremony or folklore performance, but an authentic encounter with a tradition that continues to shape how people seek balance, protection, and guidance.
In Bolivia, visiting a yatiri before a journey is common. People come to ask for safety, clarity, and harmony. Around a small altar, he reads coca leaves and prepares an offering to Pachamama, Mother Earth. Each of us is invited to place simple intentions for the days ahead: protection, strength, peace, and openness to what this journey may bring.
The blessing concludes as the offering is given back to the earth or to the fire. We leave with a small talisman and a quiet sense that our time in Bolivia has begun with respect, humility, and connection to the land and its people.
Overnight: MET Hotel
Included: Airport transfer, English speaking guide, entrance fees, lunch, public transport, room & breakfast, dinner (no drinks)
Day 2 – La Paz | Markets, Memory, and the Living City
We set out for a full day of exploration in La Paz, beginning at the central cable car station where we meet our morning guides, the lustrabotas. Often called shoeshine boys, they are an essential yet frequently overlooked part of city life. Through the association Hormigón Armado, they share their stories and their La Paz, offering a rare and personal view of the city from street level.
Our first stop is the General Cemetery. Far from somber, it is vibrant and full of life, decorated with flowers, murals, music, and offerings. Here, remembrance is active and expressive. Families gather to honor their loved ones through song, food, and celebration, creating a powerful space of memory and connection.
From there, we walk through a series of market streets, each dedicated to a specific trade: fish, medicinal plants, hardware, and beyond. We continue along Calle de los Andes, home to carnival costume makers and mask artisans. The craftsmanship behind the Diablada masks is mesmerizing, and nearby shops display custom hats, jewelry, and the layered skirts worn by cholitas.
With our local guides, we meet merchants and caseritas, immersing ourselves in everyday Paceño life. These encounters are rich in character and authenticity, offering strong photographic and cultural moments.
We part ways with our morning guides in Sagárnaga, where we pause for mate de coca, a traditional tea used to help with altitude adjustment. We then walk through the Mercado de las Brujas (Witches’ Market), where miniature objects are sold to honor Ekeko, the Andean symbol of abundance and prosperity. These miniatures represent hopes and aspirations, reflecting how belief and daily life remain intertwined.
Lunch is shared at one of the market’s communal tables, surrounded by locals. The aromas of grilled meats, ají sauces, fried foods, and hearty soups fill the air, giving us a true taste of La Paz.
La Paz is a city of contrasts. Just a few streets separate the dense, colorful market district from the historic center, now a business hub. We explore Calle Jaén, one of the last preserved colonial streets, with cobblestones, bright facades, hidden courtyards, galleries, and small museums, including the Museum of Musical Instruments.
Later, we take the cable car to El Alto, floating above rooftops, courtyards, and terraces where traditional clothing and dance costumes dry in the sun. From above, the scale and rhythm of the city become fully visible, offering striking photographic perspectives.
For dinner, you are free to choose from a curated list of recommended restaurants. Bolivian cuisine reflects the country’s incredible diversity: Amazonian fruits, Altiplano potatoes and quinoa, Beni beef, Lake Titicaca trout, and wines from the high-altitude vineyards of Tarija.
🧐 About Hormigón Armado:
Founded in 2005, Hormigón Armado works with children and young people living and working on the streets of La Paz, especially lustrabotas, a highly marginalized community. The organization advocates for dignity, visibility, and opportunity, and publishes a weekly newspaper that gives these youth a voice.
Overnight: MET Hotel
Included: Entrance fees, English-speaking guide, local guide, public transport, lunch (no drinks), room & breakfast, dinner (no drinks)
Day 3 – La Paz to Copacabana | Tiwanaku and the Living Andes

We leave La Paz and travel along Lake Titicaca to the archaeological site of Tiwanaku, the most important pre-Columbian site in Bolivia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Between 500 and 900 AD, Tiwanaku was a powerful spiritual, political, and scientific center whose influence reached across the Andes. Its architecture was aligned with the cardinal points, its stonework executed with extraordinary precision, and its urban design shaped by deeply spiritual principles.
We explore the great monoliths, the Semi-Subterranean Temple, and the iconic Gate of the Sun, remnants of a civilization rooted in cosmology, astronomy, and sacred order. More than an empire, Tiwanaku was a place where knowledge, spirituality, and daily life were inseparably connected.
From ancient history, we move into present-day life by visiting the Nina family, whose home sits quietly on the Altiplano plain. Their adobe walls rise from the land with little signage or formality, surrounded by open sky and distant mountains leading toward Lake Titicaca. This is Tiwanaku not as a ruin, but as a living heritage.
Like many families from the region, Franz’s sisters work in El Alto as seamstresses, cooks, and laborers. But through Franz’s family tourism project, they are reconnecting with their ancestral land and considering a return to village life. What appears dry and empty at first glance reveals itself as deeply fertile when seen closely. Ancient canals and agricultural platforms still shape the soil, reminders of how Tiwanaku once sustained a vast population.
We share a traditional watia for lunch, an ancestral cooking method in which potatoes, beans, vegetables, and meat are buried with hot stones and slow-cooked in the earth. Simple, communal, and deeply rooted in Andean tradition, it is one of the most meaningful meals of the journey.
In the afternoon, depending on the season, we may accompany the family to the fields to plant potatoes, prepare chuño (dehydrated potatoes), or walk through the ancient agricultural infrastructure that is slowly being revived today. Franz reminds us that Tiwanaku heritage is not only technological, but spiritual, relational, and cultural.
We then continue along the shores of Lake Titicaca, with sweeping views of the Cordillera Real, until we reach Copacabana. As evening approaches, there is the option to walk the Calvario path for a stunning sunset overlooking the lake.
Overnight: Hotel Rosario del Lago
Included: Entrance fees, English-speaking guide, private transport, lunch (no drinks), room & breakfast, guide expenses, dinner (no drinks)
Day 4 – Copacabana to Yumani | Islands of Origin and Myth

Today we set out by boat across Lake Titicaca toward Isla del Sol, the Island of the Sun. Along the way, the vastness of the lake opens before us, framed by the snowcapped peaks of the Cordillera Real. On the island, we walk among pre-Inca agricultural terraces that still shape the landscape, a powerful reminder of how long this land has been cultivated and revered.
We explore the northern part of the island and visit Chinkana, meaning “labyrinth” in Aymara. This sacred site was deeply venerated by the Incas and is tied to their origin story. According to legend, it was here that the god Viracocha brought forth Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo, the founders of the Inca civilization. The setting feels timeless, layered with history, myth, and silence.
We then return to the boat to visit Isla de la Luna, a quieter and far less visited island. Doña Esperanza welcomes us to her home, opening the door to a place that has remained intimate and deeply rooted in tradition. Home to only about twenty Aymara families, Isla de la Luna once held great importance in Inca history. It was here that the Virgins of the Sun lived, priestesses who devoted their lives to spiritual service. We visit the remarkably preserved ruins that testify to this sacred past.
In the afternoon, we cross back to Isla del Sol and arrive in Yumani. Our lodge, Ecolodge La Estancia, sits high above the village. To reach it, we climb the Inca Stairway, a series of 500 stone steps rising approximately 170 meters from the port. The ascent takes about 45 minutes and is rewarded with sweeping views over the lake and surrounding mountains.
For comfort, mules can be arranged to carry your luggage, allowing you to walk freely and take in the landscape. Mules are available with advance notice at an additional cost each way. Set apart from the main village, the lodge offers quiet, space, and a sense of being fully immersed in the Andean world.
Overnight: Ecolodge La Estancia
Included: Boat transfer, entrance fees, English-speaking guide, lunch (no drinks), dinner (no drinks), room & breakfast
Optional Extras: mule for luggage transfer: 250 Bs (~$36 USD) per person, one way
Day 5 – Isla del Sol to La Paz | Life on the Lake
Day 6 – La Paz to Tahua | Into the White Heart of Bolivia
Day 7 – Tahua to Santa Ana de Chipaya | The Remote Heart of the Altiplano
Day 8 – Santa Ana de Chipaya | Life on the Edge of the Altiplano
Day 9 – Chipaya to Tomarapi | Volcanoes and the High Andean Frontier
Day 10 – Tomarapi to La Paz | Wildlife and Living Culture
Day 11 – Departure | La Paz to El Alto Airport

Meet Matt & ALOU Brandon
Matt, brings decades of experience leading cultural and photography tours around the world, with a deep commitment to storytelling that honors people and place. His work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler and Condé Nast, and with brands such as KLM, Honda, and Bombardier. In Bolivia, Matt’s focus is on helping photographers slow down, see with intention, and create images that reflect both beauty and dignity. His approach blends strong visual craft with cultural respect, guiding participants toward photographs that carry meaning, not just impact.
Alou brings the heart of the journey into everyday human connection. Through food, conversation, and shared experience, she helps travelers move beyond observation into relationship. Her years of living and guiding in diverse cultures have shaped her gift for creating trust and openness across language and tradition. In Bolivia, Alou’s presence invites deeper engagement with local life, turning meals, markets, and simple moments into some of the most memorable parts of the experience. Her warmth and intuition make the journey feel personal and grounded.
On this immersive journey across the Bolivian Altiplano, you’ll gain skills and insights to elevate your photography and storytelling.
Here’s what you can expect:
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Master storytelling through your images, capturing daily life, vibrant markets, and the spiritual traditions of the Altiplano, creating photographs that resonate deeply.
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Explore composition techniques that transform the intricate textures, colorful textiles, and dynamic scenes of Bolivia into compelling, impactful images.
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Develop environmental portrait skills, using natural light to highlight the character, attire, and lives of the people you meet, while honoring their culture and dignity.
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Refine post-processing techniques to bring out color, texture, and atmosphere, enhancing the depth and emotion of your photographs.
This journey is more than photography—it’s a chance to connect with the people and places of Bolivia, creating images that tell stories with depth, authenticity, and heart.
The Accommodations
This journey intentionally moves across a wide spectrum of lodging, reflecting the places we are visiting. Some nights we stay in refined, modern hotels, and other nights in simple, community run ecolodges. That contrast is part of the experience.
In La Paz, we base ourselves at the MET Hotel, a contemporary five star property with strong design, comfort, and service. It is our place to reset, rest well, and enjoy a higher level of polish after time in the field. In Copacabana and on Lake Titicaca, our hotels are charming and comfortable, blending colonial character with beautiful natural settings.
As we move deeper into the Altiplano, accommodations become more rustic and purposeful. Places like Tayka de Sal, Chipaya, and Tomarapi are not about luxury. They are about immersion. These are community projects where your stay directly supports local families, preservation of culture, and sustainable development. Rooms are simple, clean, and warm, with private bathrooms, but expectations should be practical rather than indulgent.
Think of the accommodations as part of the story we are telling with our cameras. From high altitude salt hotels built from local materials, to traditional huts in one of the oldest living cultures in South America, each stay places us closer to the land and the people. It is a rhythm between comfort and authenticity, refinement and rawness, that mirrors the heart of this expedition.
Please Note: The tour price is based on double occupancy. A single room supplement is available for those who would prefer their own room whenever possible.
Because this journey includes several small, community-run lodges in very remote areas, single rooms cannot be guaranteed at every location, particularly in the Chipaya community and at the Tayka Hotel in Tahua, where accommodations are limited by design. In larger cities and standard hotels, single rooms are generally available and will be provided when possible.
By purchasing the single supplement, you are securing priority for private accommodation throughout the trip wherever logistics allow. We will make every effort to honor this preference while staying true to the intimate, locally rooted nature of the experience.
Why Our Guests Keep Coming Back
“I’ve been on four photography trips with Matt, including Varanasi, Kolkata, and twice to Indonesia, and each has been outstanding. Matt has a great eye, is generous with his guidance, and helps me capture shots I’d otherwise miss. My photography has improved enormously under his mentorship, and I’m looking forward to many more trips together.”
“Matt Brandon really has a way of bringing together great people and tailoring a tour that offers great experiences and pushes you out of your comfort zone while still feeling comfortable.”
“Exotic destinations can be intriguing to visit, but capturing the ‘feeling of place’ in photographs is what I’m always striving for. On Matt’s tours I know we’ll be meeting the locals and getting a real sense of the meaning behind places and events we’ve travelled so far to see.”
“I am coming back with a bunch of images that I do not believe I would have been capable to take had I not been on the workshop. I genuinely appreciated Matt’s hands-on approach, the tips and tricks that he provided spontaneously and his availability at all times. In fact that Matt almost did not shoot himself, he preferred to focus on the efforts and improvement of the skills of his students. This proved invaluable.”
“Having been on two tours with Matt, including India’s lush Kashmir valley and rugged, high-altitude peaks of its Tibetan border as well as the hidden, remote corners of Indonesia, I can attest that these adventures are more than just photography trips—they are deep immersions into the heart of the world.
This isn’t just about seeing incredible landscapes; it’s about gaining the access and the technical skill to truly capture them. On both of my trips with Matt, I returned home with not only stunning photos but also a new perspective on the world’s most unique cultures.”
“I always appreciate Matt & Alou’s perspective on the impact of their travels along with the care I’ve experienced in trying to capture what exists honestly. Thanks for another awesome trip.”
For $6,000
What’s covered and what’s not.
Inclusions:
- Assistance 24/7 during your stay
- Private transport (vehicle with driver, fuel, road tax, parking, drivers’ accommodation and meals if necessary)
- Guides/fixers, entrances fees and activities mentioned in the itinerary of each day
- All breakfasts (not guaranteed if leaving early the hotel)
- Lunches and dinners indicated in the itinerary of each day
- The nights in the mentioned hotels or equivalent (providing availability)
Exclusions:
- International flights (return).
- Cancellation / repatriation / comprehensive insurance: see “insurance” section below.*
- Lunches and dinners not mentioned (count 8US$ per person for a local lunch and 12US$ for a lunch in an “international”
restaurant and about 20US$ per person for a dinner).
Drinks. - Tips (restaurants, guides and driver).
- Bank charges.
- Personal expenses.
*We strongly recommend securing Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Travel Insurance. We have seen many guests without this coverage face unexpected cancellations, resulting in significant financial loss. Without it, you risk losing the full cost of your trip. Additionally, Trip Interruption insurance is a valuable option to consider, as it can reimburse you for any portion of the tour missed due to illness or injury while traveling. Protecting your investment with these insurance options can provide peace of mind during your adventure.
Join Our Bolivia Photo Adventure
Discover Bolivia as few ever will on this intimately crafted photo expedition with Matt and Alou Brandon. From the endless white of the Salar de Uyuni to remote villages and volcanic highlands, every moment is thoughtfully designed to place you in the heart of the country’s most striking landscapes and living traditions. Capture rare scenes, connect with local culture, and refine your photographic storytelling under expert guidance.
Spaces are limited—join this unparalleled journey and create images and experiences you won’t find anywhere else.
This morning we spend time with Doña Esperanza, whose daily life reflects the rhythm and self-sufficiency of the island. Her days are full: setting fishing nets, tending her potato and bean fields, caring for her home, weaving, and moving steadily from one end of the island to the other. Isla de la Luna is small, but her energy seems endless.
