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PhotoPillers in Patagonia...

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Around the New Moon...

From April 11th to April 21st 2023, Marco Grassi and Jessica Lancia (PhotoPills Masters), and Rafael Pons (the Bard, PhotoPills team) will be hiking up and down across the Argentinean Patagonia to photograph the autumn colors (you’ll be in the Southern Hemisphere!), the Milky Way and the golden light along with the hidden gems of one of the most dramatic landscapes on the planet.

We’ll sleep under the stars, by the mountains, right at the shooting spots.

An adventurer’s dream!

Of course...

We’ll be taking photos all day long... and all night long!

But...

Can you imagine it?

To photograph the beautiful autumn colors, the Southern Hemisphere’s Milky Way and the golden light with majestic mountain peaks, giant glaciers and icebergs, sinuous rivers, roaring waterfalls, frozen lakes and dead trees.

We’re dreaming about it!

To achieve it, we’ll use the planning power of PhotoPills and the expert knowledge of Marco Grassi and Jessica Lancia to always be at the right place at the right time.

Top secret: we have quite a few legendary photos planned already ;)

The Deal (only 1 spot left)

Since you subscribed to the Priority Access list...

We're offering you a $500 discount on the regular price!

All you have to do is to book 1 of the 12 spots available before Sunday October 9th.

Read carefully all the details of this unique adventure.

And when you’re ready, click here to book your spot.

Please, book as soon as possible. The seats are sold on a first come, first served basis.

The Adventure

12 PhotoPillers | 3 PhotoPills Masters | Patagonia | Endless legendary photos

Warning! This is not a honeymoon... It’s a hiking and camping adventure. A good level of fitness is required.

We’re recruiting 12 brave PhotoPillers (PhotoPills and photography nerds) to join us on an 11-day expedition to photograph the fall colors, the Milky Way and the golden light along with the wonderful and remote corners of Argentine Patagonia.

It’s a non-stop adventure to chase legendary photos and you are a key asset!

We have planned tons of photos, and we’ll travel many kilometers and hike a few more to capture them...

But we also want to maximize our flexibility in terms of itinerary and schedule in order to take advantage of all the opportunities that the changing weather will surely put in our way.

If we see something interesting happening in the sky, we’ll pick the best location possible, stop and take advantage of the occasion.

When we are hungry, we’ll stop and eat. When we are tired, we’ll stop and rest...

You’ll be a true photographer!

You are about to embark on a PhotoPills’ style journey. And it’s not going to be a honeymoon precisely... :P

Although there’ll be “porters” available to carry our things up the hill, this adventure is going to require a lot of physical effort...

It’s an ideal adventure for people that love being outdoors, hiking and camping.

It's going to be so much fun!

Are you in?

Day 1. Tuesday, April 11th - Welcome to Patagonia!

It’s Tuesday morning...

And you land in an early flight at the International Airport Comandante Armando Tola in El Calafate, Argentina.

Although, I recommend you arrive the day before to have 1 day to decompress.

10:00 am

After picking you up at the airport (or from a hotel nearby the airport) we’ll drive directly to El Chaltén, a small mountain village in the region of Santa Cruz, located on the riverside of Río de las Vueltas, near the base of Cerro Torre (3,128m) and Cerro Fitz Roy (3,405m) spires, two of our main subjects in this expedition.

1:50 pm

After having lunch in a restaurant at El Chaltén, the Moon (68% phase) will be setting over the most eastern mountain range giving us the option to photograph it from El Mirador de las Águilas (optional photo).

It’s daytime, so expect the Moon to be kind of bluish.

3:00 pm

Checking-in at the Hotel Chaltén Suites and siesta (nap time)!

4:00 pm

We’ll meet our local mountain guide and he’ll make sure that everyone is carrying whatever is needed to survive in the mountains.

If you forgot to bring something, “no problemo”, you can always rent the gear you need in town. And also take the opportunity to get some snacks too :P

4:45 pm

Marco, Jessican and Rafael will show photos of the Sunset spot and the plans with PhotoPills. They’ll also go over some compositional tips, the gear you need and the shooting techniques you need.

6:30 pm

After the briefing session and a 15min drive we’ll arrive at Río de las Vueltas, also called Río Gatica.

It belongs to the basin of the Santa Cruz River and its name comes from the deep meanders that form along the course of the river.

The Sunset spot is not far away from the car park. Today we won’t hike.

From the river, the view of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre is just stunning. The fall colors fill the scene.

It’s time to scout the area and fine tune our compositions. Including the meanders of the river in the foreground is always a good idea.

The spot is perfect to use both a wide angle lens and a telephoto lens.

Open PhotoPills and check this out:

Golden hour begins at 6:34 pm, Sunset is at 7:18 pm, golden hour ends at 7:38 pm, and blue hour ends at 7:50 pm.

As the Sun sets behind the mountain range, the scene is just beautiful.

8:00 pm

After the blue hour, when light begins to fade away, we’ll start our journey back to El Chaltén, where a delicious dinner awaits.

10:00 pm

Bed time.

Tomorrow we’ll wake up very early to photograph Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre under the Moonlight.

Photographic pills:

• Setting Moon from El Mirador de las Águilas.
• Fitz Roy and Cerro torre from Río de las Vueltas at sunset.

Day 2. Wednesday, April 12th - Giants under Moonlight

5:30 am

Wake up and get ready to photograph two giants under the Moonlight.

Our shooting spot is located at Río de las Vueltas. The Moon (61%) will be pretty high in the sky, lighting Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre from the side.

Sometimes, when the Moon is up, the peaks catch a beautiful red color. Plan & Pray!

7:30 am

As the first rays of the Sun invade the scene, everything changes. As the Sun rises, from right behind our backs, it will paint the peaks of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre in golden light.

Blue hour begins at 7:56 am, golden hour begins at 8:08 am, Sunrise is at 8:28 am and golden hour ends at 9:12 am.

9:45 am

Back at the hotel for a relaxing breakfast.

1:30 pm

Our hiking adventure begins. It’ll take us 3h 30min to get to our camping and Sunset location high in the mountains (including the stops to take photos). The views up there are incredible.

It’s a beautiful hike. Take what you need with you (camera gear) and leave the rest to the porters. It’s better to save energy.

As we hike up, we’ll see the Moon (57%) setting behind the mountains.

5:00 pm

We made it!

But wait! I know that you all want to immediately go shooting, but first, we need to set up the tents for the night.

Each one of us has his own tent. It’s easy to set up. But of course, Marco, Jessica and Rafael are there to help you too.

5:30 pm

There are plenty of highlights here.

The Fitz Roy might catch a beautiful Sunset light from the back-side highlighting its silhouette. The meanders of the river are the perfect elements to fill the foreground. It creates a sense of place and scale. You can also use the trees in the area to frame the shot.

Oh! And don’t forget the yellows, oranges and reds of fall. They are everywhere.

And if you’ve brought your drone, well, this spot is a fantastic location to catch some aerial stills and video. Drones are allowed here!

Golden hour begins at 6:32 pm, Sunset is at 7:16pm, golden hour ends at 7:36 pm, and blue hour ends at 7:48 pm.

8:00 pm

Dinner at the camp.

The camping meals will be easy to prepare food, snacks and coffee, lots of coffee (and tea)!

9:00 pm

The Milky Way action begins!

At 9:40 pm the thin part of the Milky Way will be completely vertical and next to the Fitz Roy. It’s also a great moment to take a Star Trails image and to capture a few long exposures at night.

11:00 pm

The Moon (53%) will rise at 11:30 pm. It’s when we expect the top of Fitz Roy to catch a bit of Moonlight. It will be painted in red :)

12:00 am

It’s been a long day. You’re now resting in your tent. Maybe dreaming about next morning’s Sunrise... or maybe not.

Photographic pills:

• Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre from Río de las Vueltas at Sunrise.
• Fitz Roy, fall colors, meanders and trees at Sunset.
• Thin Milky Way with Fitz Roy (no Moon).
• Thin Milky Way with Fitz Roy (with Moon).
• Star Trails with Fitz Roy under Moonlight.
• Fitz Roy under Moonlight.

Day 3. Thursday, April 13th - Going up!

2:00 am

If you can’t sleep, take your camera and tripod and step out your tent. The thin Milky Way approaches the Fitz Roy in a beautiful pretty vertical diagonal.

Also, the Moon (51%) is out, right behind our back, lighting up the foreground for us.

7:00 am

Wake up! It’s going to be a busy morning :)

Before the Sunlight begins to dye the sky blue, we have the opportunity to photograph the Fitz Roy, the meanders and the landscape under the Moonlight (from the side).

Later, as the Sun rises, lighting the scene, the fall colors will burst in front of us. It’s time to photograph the blue hour and the golden hour along with the mountains, the trees and the river.

Blue hour begins at 7:57 am, golden hour begins at 8:09 am, Sunrise is at 8:29 am and golden hour ends at 9:13 am.

9:30 am

Back at the camp. Free time to rest, explore and scout more shots for the night.

1:00 pm

After a delicious lunch at the camp, we’ll hike up for 1h. Our goal is to find a higher vantage point to photograph both the Sunset and the Sunrise from a different point of view of Fitz Roy.

And we found it! The spot is great for a panorama of the dramatic landscape that lays in front of us.

4:00 pm

The Moon (45%) is setting in the west. It’s a great opportunity to use your longer lens.

6:30 pm

When the golden hour arrives, we’ll be at the perfect spot. The Sun is setting on the right hand side of Fitz Roy. Time to press the shutter!

Golden hour begins at 6:30 pm, Sunset is at 7:14 pm, golden hour ends at 7:34 pm, and blue hour ends at 7:46 pm.

9:00 pm

After a 40min hike, we go faster (downhill!) to get to the campsite. Dinner time!

10:00 pm

Bed time... really?

Look at the Fitz Roy, there is no Moon. Do you fancy doing some Star Trails?

Photographic pills:

• The Fitz Roy and the vertical thin Milky Way under moonlight.
• The Fitz Roy, fall colors, meanders and trees at Sunrise.
• The Moon setting in the west in daylight.
• The Fitz Roy, fall colors, meanders and trees at Sunset from higher point.
• Star Trails with the Fitz Roy (no Moon).

Day 4. Friday, April 14th - The Secret

I’ve been giving you lots of details of this amazing expedition to Patagonia.

Maybe far too many...

But on April 14th we’ll do something very special...

What will that be?

Well, you'll have to be there, with us, to figure it out :P

Day 5. Saturday, April 15th - The Waterfall

5:30 am

Wake up!

Another great sunrise awaits in Río de las Vueltas. But before the astronomical twilight ends (6:47 am), while it’s still night time, the Moon (30%) will light the tips of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre from the side.

And, as always, depending on the weather, we’ll adapt our photography possibilities.

7:30 am

The blue hour is about to begin. Light is changing in the scene. And we’ll be in a different spot, in Río de las Vueltas, waiting for the morning light.

As the Sun rises, we see its rays painting Fitz Roy from the tip to the bottom. Happy to be alive!

Blue hour begins at 8:00 am, golden hour begins at 8:12 am, Sunrise is at 8:32 am and golden hour ends at 9:17 am.

9:45 am

Back at the hotel and copious breakfast.

10:45 am

Briefing session where Marco, Jessica and Rafael will explain the next location, showing photos, detailing the PhotoPills plans and going over the gear and shooting techniques you’ll need.

1:30 pm

After a good lunch in town (we need to take advantage of the nice restaurants when we have a chance!), we start hiking up towards our next basecamp: Laguna Capri Campsite.

Laguna Capri, also known as Laguna Pato, is a little lake that enjoys spectacular views of Fitz Roy and the peaks around it.

We’ll set up the tents and rest a bit.

4:00 pm

Let’s go scouting. We have a few shots planned for Sunset and for the thin Milky Way, but we need to fine tune our compositions.

There are lots of highlights here, the lake, Fitz Roy, the fall colors, the trees, the river (Río de la Cascada) and a beautiful waterfall (15min hike).

6:00 pm

Everybody is ready for action. At the right shooting spot. At the right time. The Sun is going down. Light is coming.

Water goes down the waterfall as we shoot long exposures to show its movement. The Fitz Roy stands like a giant at the back, staring at us.

Golden hour begins at 6:36 pm, Sunset is at 7:10 pm, golden hour ends at 7:30 pm, and blue hour ends at 7:43 pm.

8:00 pm

Dinner at the camp and to bed. Tomorrow there is another Sunrise.

But for the brave ones... here you have a plan B.

11:00 pm

The Milky Way is completely vertical. Its tail perfectly aligns with Fitz Roy. And the Core, the Galactic Center, is in the opposite direction. So we’ll look for a cool tree and we’ll photograph it with the brightest part of our galaxy (no Moon).

Also, it’s a good idea to shoot Star Trails with Fitz Roy :)

Photographic pills:

• The Fitz Roy and the Cerro Torre from the Río de las Vueltas at Sunrise.
• The Laguna Capri, the Río de la Cascada and the waterfall at Sunset.
• Thin Milky Way with the Fitz Roy (no Moon).
• The Milky Way Core with a tree (no Moon).
• Star Trails with Fitz Roy (no Moon).

Day 6. Sunday, April 16th - The Dead Trees

3:30 am

This is an optional shot. But if you wish to photograph the reflection of the Fitz Roy in Laguna Capri under Moonlight, this is your chance.

Moonrise is at 3:47 am.

7:30 am

It’s a 20 min hike to get to the other side of the river. The day before we found a cool tree that makes the perfect foreground to match with the Fitz Roy at Sunrise.

Light direction is favorable at Sunrise. The rays of the Sun lit the top of Fitz Roy while the bottom is still in the shadows.

There are many options here, the trees, the river, the waterfall... Time to have fun!

And who knows, we might be lucky and have a few cool clouds around the mountain peaks too.

Blue hour begins at 8:02 am, golden hour begins at 8:14 am, Sunrise is at 8:34 am and golden hour ends at 9:19 am.

10:40 am

After a nice breakfast with lots of coffee (or tea), we pack up everything and hike 1h to our next camp site: Poincenot Campsite.

Poincenot Campsite is much closer to Fitz Roy. You can feel in your skin that the peaks are getting taller and taller at each step you give.

12:00 pm

Time to set up the camp, rest a bit while lunch is being cooked.

1:30 pm

And after lunch, free time. Marco, Jessica and Rafael will go scout the area and fine tune the plans for Sunset. If you wish to practice with PhotoPills, you’re more than welcome to join them!

5:00 pm

The area is not only packed with beautiful trees dressed in fall colors, but packed with dead trees too.

Both alive and dead, these trees give you a sense of place, they are shouting at you “hey, you’re in Patagonia, welcome!”.

Both are great compositional elements. They can be used as the main subject, or as a foreground element to play with the background mountain.

When the golden hour arrives, we’ll be at our planned shooting spot.

Golden hour begins at 6:24 pm, Sunset is at 7:08 pm, golden hour ends at 7:28 pm, and blue hour ends at 7:41 pm.

8:30 pm

Dinner and bed.

11:00 pm

Optional shooting!

There is no Moon.

If you wish to take advantage of the moment the Milky Way is completely vertical, you have a few options:

Photograph the thin part of the Milky way aligned with the Fitz Roy.
Photograph the Core of the Milky Way with an interesting subject (tree) and the landscape.

Another option is to photograph Star Trails with the Fitz Roy.

Photographic pills:

• Reflection of the Fitz Roy at Laguna Capri under the Moonlight.
• Fall colors, trees, river and waterfall with the Fitz Roy at Sunrise.
• Live and dead trees with the Fitz Roy at Sunset.
• Thin Milky Way with the Fitz Roy (no Moon).
• Milky Way Core with a tree (no Moon).
• Star Trails with the Fitz Roy (no Moon).

Day 7. Monday, April 17th - Laguna de los Tres

5:00 am

The Moon (10%) is rising. The Fitz Roy is starting to get a fiery red color under the Moonlight as we hike up towards Laguna de los Tres.

Laguna de los Tres is a lagoon of different shades of blue located right at the foot of the mystical Mount Fitz Roy. Up there, you’re so close to the mountain peak that you can almost touch it with you hand.

As we’re going up you’ll understand why this is the most spectacular, emblematic and unforgettable trek in the area.

6:30 am

Everything is set up. The Fitz Roy stands straight up in front of us and under the majestic Milky Way Arch.

The Core falls to the right hand side of Fitz Roy, pretty high in the sky. We’ll have to shoot a multi row panorama to fit it in the frame.

The Moon (9.3%) is out too. And its light is helping us a lot to capture the forms and shapes in the foreground and in the peaks around us.

The Galactic Center Milky Way visibility ends at 6:49 am.

7:30 am

The Sunrise is amazing here. You can get the golden light on the peaks, reflections on the lagoon and even photograph the lagoon and Mount Fitz Roy from a higher point of view for a different composition.

Blue hour begins at 8:03 am, golden hour begins at 8:16 am, Sunrise is at 8:36 am and golden hour ends at 9:21 am.

9:30 am

Time to hike back to the camp where a delicious breakfast awaits.

After breakfast, we’ll enjoy a bit of free time. Take the opportunity to rest and recover your energy. But, of course, if the day is cloudy and moody... well, the conditions will be great to keep shooting :)

4:00 pm

After lunch and a good siesta we’ll go back to the river, to explore the area and find cool compositions for Sunset.

There are lots of elements to play with: trees, colors, the river, the mountain peaks...

6:00 pm

The Sun is slowly setting behind the Fitz Roy and we’ll be there, photographing the moment.

Golden hour begins at 6:22 pm, Sunset is at 7:06 pm, golden hour ends at 7:27 pm, and blue hour ends at 7:39 pm.

8:30 pm

Dinner and bed.

9:00 pm

There is no Moon. And if you wish to go to bed later, there are a few possible shots you can take.

Around 9:30 pm the Milky Way will be completely vertical. It’s a great moment to photograph both the thin part of the Milky Way and its Core with an interesting subject.

Later, around 11:00 pm, the Core will be a bit higher in the sky, giving you another opportunity to photograph it.

And of course, it’s also a good idea to practice your Star Trails photography.

Photographic pills:

• Thin Milky Way with the Fitz Roy under Moonlight from Laguna de los Tres.
• Sunrise at Laguna de los Tres.
• Sunset with the Fitz Roy from the river.
• Thin Milky Way with the Fitz Roy (no Moon).
• Milky Way core with a tree (no Moon).
• Star Trails with the Fitz Roy (no Moon).

Day 8. Tuesday, April 18th - The Hidden Lagoon

6:00 am

Once again the Moon (4%) is rising. It’s a super thin Moon. Aren’t you curious about how powerful the Moonlight will look on Fitz Roy?

Well, you’ll have to get up to figure it out. Moonrise is at 6:28 am.

The Milky Way (and its Core) is arching above the Fitz Roy under moonlight and we’re all getting excited.

Hurry up! Very soon the Milky Way will start to fade away as we enter into the astronomical twilight.

Galactic Center visibility ends at 7:00 am.

7:30 am

This is our last Sunrise in this area. Today we’ll camp in another spot. So take out your Sunrise plans you’ve saved with PhotoPills and go to capture them.

Our ingredients will be the fall colors, the golden light, the trees, the peaks.

Blue hour begins at 8:03 am, golden hour begins at 8:16 am, Sunrise is at 8:36 am and golden hour ends at 9:21 am.

9:20 am

Time to hike back to the camp, have breakfast and pack up everything. We’re moving!

2:00 pm

After a beautiful 3h 30min hike across valleys and forests, we arrive at De Agostini Campsite by Laguna Torre.

Laguna Torre is located among glaciers and mountains. Here, the stunning Cerro Torre dominates the scenery. Wind usually is strong here, moving the ice from the glaciers around the lagoon.

3:30 pm

Scouting time!

We have work to do. There are lots of possible shooting spots here. We’ll check a few and decide the composition we like the most.

6:00 pm

When the Sun is still up, shooting the Cerro Torre from the river is a great option. And when you’re ready, we’ll go to the lagoon to photograph the water, the ice and the mountain peaks at Sunset.

Sounds like we have a plan!

Golden hour begins at 6:19 pm, Sunset is at 7:04 pm, golden hour ends at 7:25 pm, and blue hour ends at 7:37 pm.

8:30 pm

Dinner and bed.

9:00 pm

There are a few optional shootings if you wish to stay awake.

Around 9:30 pm the Milky Way will be completely vertical. So you can photograph both the thin part of the Milky Way and its Core with an interesting subject.

Around 10:00 pm, the Core will be higher in the sky, giving you another opportunity to photograph it.

And as always, photographing Star Trails is always a plan.

Photographic pills:

• Milky Way arching over the Fitz Roy under Moonlight.
• Sunrise from the river.
• Sunset with the Cerro Torre from the river and Laguna Cerro.
• Thin Milky Way with the Cerro Torre (no Moon).
• Milky Way core with a tree (no Moon).
• Star Trails with the Cerro Torre (no Moon).

Day 9. Thursday, April 19th - The Guiding Line

6:00 am

Wake up! The Milky Way will soon be in place. It’s arching above the Cerro Torre.

The Core (no Moon) is high in the sky. It’s a challenge, I know, but we’ll give it a try. The moment deserves it!

Galactic Center visibility ends at 6:52 am.

7:30 am

The Sunrise by the lagoon is stunning. Here we’ve got the water, the ice, the glacier and the Cerro Torre as the main elements. All combined with the morning golden light. And maybe, if we’re lucky enough, there’ll be a few nice clouds in the sky too. Plan & Pray!

The spot is great for both a wide angle lens and a telephoto lens. Close up shots are great to create abstract images of the peaks, the trees and the fall colors.

Blue hour begins at 8:06 am, golden hour begins at 8:19 am, Sunrise is at 8:39 am and golden hour ends at 9:24 am.

9:30 am

After a 10min hike we’ll be back at the camp. Ready for breakfast!

10:30 am

Today we’ll explore the area around Laguna Torre. There are a few shooting spots we want to show you. And we’ll be looking for a cool guiding line. Wait and see...

12:00 pm

We arrive at a great spot for midday photography. The view of Cerro Torre, the lagoon and the ice is stunning.

It’s also a fantastic spot for having lunch. Because I bet you’re hungry, aren’t you?

4:30 pm

After lunch, we hike back 1h 30min towards the campsite, towards our Sunset spot. The goal is to find a spot from where to photograph the river as a guiding line towards the lagoon and Cerro Torre.

And we know exactly where the spot is. Follow us!

Golden hour begins at 6:18 pm, Sunset is at 7:02 pm, golden hour ends at 7:23 pm, and blue hour ends at 7:35 pm.

8:30 pm

Dinner and bed.

9:00 pm

Again, there are a few optional shootings if you wish to stay awake.

Around 10:00 pm the Milky Way will be completely vertical. So you can photograph the thin part of the Milky Way with the Cerro Torre and the Core with an interesting subject (tree).

Around 11:00 pm, the Core will be higher in the sky, giving you another opportunity to photograph it.

Photographic pills:

• Milky Way arching over the Cerro Torre (no Moon).
• Sunrise from Laguna Cerro.
• Midday shots around the lagoon.
• Sunset guiding line shot with the lagoon and the Cerro Torre.
• Thin Milky Way with the Cerro Torre (no Moon).
• Milky Way core with a tree (no Moon).
• Star Trails with the Cerro Torre (no Moon).

Day 10. Thursday, April 20th - The Last Milky Way

6:00 am

Wake up! This is going to be our last Milky Way shot!

Around 6:30 am the Milky Way (and its Core) will be arching above the Cerro Torre. And you don’t want to miss it.

Galactic Center visibility ends at 6:54 am.

7:30 am

After the Milky Way shot, we’ll hike 10 minutes to the river, to our Sunrise shooting spot.

From this spot we’ll be able to photograph Cerro Torre (no lagoon) and the landscape as the Sun is rising. It’s a different composition. A very nice one!

Blue hour begins at 8:08 am, golden hour begins at 8:20 am, Sunrise is at 8:40 am and golden hour ends at 9:26 am.

9:30 am

Breakfast and time to pack up the tents. We’re going back to El Chaltén. The hike is 3h 30min.

1:30 pm

Restoring lunch at a local restaurant in El Chaltén. It feels so good to skip the camping food for a day.

3:00 pm

We’ll jump onto a private transport to El Calafate. It’s a 3-hour drive. So we’ll have a bit of time to relax and recover from the hiking week.

8:00 pm

After checking in at our hotel and enjoying a long long shower, we’ll have our farewell dinner at a restaurant we love. It’s the perfect place to taste the local cuisine.

Photographic pills:

• Milky Way arching over the Cerro Torre (no Moon).
• Sunrise from the river at Laguna Cerro.
• Photo opportunities along our hike.

Day 11. Friday, April 21st - The Farewell

7:00 am

Early breakfast...

The expedition is not over yet. There is one last photo to take. We’re heading towards the Perito Moreno, an ice field that represents the world's third largest reserve of fresh water.

With a 250 km2 ice formation, 30 km (19 mi) in length, the Perito Moreno is one of 48 glaciers fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field located in the Andes system shared with Chile.

What’s so special about Perito Moreno is that from time to time it cuts off Brazo Rico, a part of Lago Argentino. The glacier tong advances across the lake to meet the opposite shoreline.

8:50 am

The gate of the park opens at 8:00 am. We’ll get our tickets and drive to the shooting spot.

Unfortunately we’ll arrive to catch only the last half of the golden hour. But the show in front of us makes it worth it.

The gigantic glacier plunges into the lake. It is as if the mountain were drinking water from the lake with its kilometric tongue of ice.

11:00 am

Check out and off to the airport.

Time to say goodbye.

See you soon friends!

Life goes on...

Book now and save $500 (only 1 spot left)

To book your spot to join the expedition to Patagonia at a reduced price of $5,500 (the official price is $6,000), a $1,000 deposit is required by Sunday October 9th.

Payment in full is required by Sunday December 18th.

Please, finalize your booking as soon as possible. The seats are sold on a first come, first served basis.

BOOK NOW

What’s included in the price

• An 11-day expedition photographing Patagonia with the fall colors, the golden light, the Moon and the Milky Way.
• 11 days of learning, fun and adventure with Marco Grassi, Jessica Lancia, Rafael Pons and the funniest geek community – the PhotoPillers.
• Full immersion in the PhotoPills method (Imagine.Plan.Shoot.!).
• 3 nights of lodging, sharing a double room with another PhotoPiller (Optional $450 Single Room supplement upon availability).
• 7 nights of camping (one double tent per person included).
• All activities on the Secret day.
• NP Entry Fees and special accesses.
• Breakfast everyday.
• Lunch and dinner when camping.
• Ground transportation during the expedition.
• All transfers.

What’s not included

• Flights/transport to El Calafate, Argentina.
• Medical and travel insurance coverage (strongly recommended).
• Lunch & dinner while not camping.
• Sleeping bag and mattress (bring your own or rent them in el Chalten)
• Porters to help you with weight, if needed.
• Snacks, alcohol and beverages.
• Visa.
• Anything not mentioned in the “included” list.

Do you want an example of how huge this will be?

This is a glimpse to what happened in the PhotoPills Expedition to Iceland. We had so many adventures and so much fun... We can’t wait for Patagonia!

But you don’t have to take our word for granted. Here’s what some PhotoPillers say about the PhotoPills adventures:

“I went to Iceland expecting to have the opportunity to photograph the marvelous landscape and master nightscapes. What I encountered was so much more – 14 kindred souls from across the globe who share a passion for photography. Together we expanded our creative boundaries, learned from one another and had an insane amount of fun in the process. I am confident that everyone came away from the experience a better photographer.”

“From the very moment the guys from PhotoPills announced the expedition to Iceland... I didn’t think it twice! I was using PhotoPills but not at its full capacity, so I had no better chance to learn from the creators of this amazing app. The experience was even more amazing than anything I could have imagined. In Iceland, I discovered a bunch of folks as crazy about photography as I am. I had a blast!

Photography is a continuous learning process, you always find something new that motivates you to improve. And this adventure made me improve more than I could imagine.”

"The PhotoPills guys know how to create a fantastic experience. They bring an infectiously fun energy and are always willing to drop some handy photography knowledge on you that you will take with you. You take their trip and you'll for sure have a good time, get some amazing pics and leave a better photographer."

“During my experience in Iceland I lived wonderful moments and had surprises that were beyond the expected. It completely exceeded my initial expectations! Sharing knowledge, experiences and ways of working and living photography with such a great group has been one of the most enriching life experiences I have ever had.

Who he said that learning and knowledge sharing can not be wonderfully fun?”

“I can't say enough about what a fantastic time I had during the PhotoPills Iceland photo tour! The guys from PhotoPills and Donal Boyd were so knowledgeable, accommodating, and especially lots of fun. Never a dull moment – nonstop action and shooting of amazing landscapes for 10 days. I came away with enough images and memories to last a lifetime!”

FAQs

What’s the temperature in Patagonia in April?

Weather in fall can be cold (-5ºC to 15ºC, 23ºF to 59ºF), rainy and cloudy. So bring the proper waterproof gear (including jacket, pants, boots), Gore-Tex is recommended.

How many nights will we be spending camping?

We’ll be camping for 7 nights. This will allow us to sleep very close to the mountains and get the best possible shots.

Do I need to bring my own camping gear?

We’ll provide you with a 2 person tent (so you have more space) and you can choose to rent a sleeping bag and a mattress in the village if you wish (we’ll help you manage it). However, we highly recommend bringing your own sleeping bag.

Do I have to carry all my gear when camping?

You can either choose to carry all your gear (extra clothes, toiletries, camera gear, camping gear…) or you can hire a porter who can carry up to 20 kg per day for approx 200 USD. If you wish, you can also split the kilos and cost with another PhotoPiller.

Can I leave some of the gear I don’t need while camping in the village?

Yes, you can leave some of your stuff (such as laptop, extra clothes, backup camera body…) in the village, in a safe storage room and pick them up later on.

What clothes should I bring?

We recommend you to have warm base layers, fleeces and down jacket as well as the appropriate water resistant clothes and shoes during the whole trip, but especially during the camping part.

Also, we’ll provide each participant with a detailed kit list before the beginning of the trip.

Do the campsites have showers?

No, there are no showers or other facilities except for compost toilets. We recommend you to bring dry shampoo and dry shower gel as well as wet wipes.

Do I need to carry enough water for the camping days?

No, all you need is a water bottle as we’ll be refilling our bottles at streams and lakes. Each campsite is located next to the water so you’ll be able to refill any time you want. However, we strongly suggest you have a filtered water bottle or tablets to purify the water in your bottle.

What camera gear do you suggest?

When hiking, we always recommend to carry only one camera body, a wide angle (such as 14-24mm) and a mid range telephoto (such as 70-200mm). If you wish to bring more camera gear (lenses, backup camera body…) on this trip, you can always leave everything in the storage when we are out camping and pick them up when we’re back and stay in hotels.

Is travel insurance included in the price of the expedition?

No. Participants are suggested to purchase national or international medical and travel insurance coverage.

Also, we recommend you to choose a travel insurance that:

• Covers trip cancellation costs.
• Covers Covid-19 health, travel and cancellation costs.

What is the cancellation policy?

We hope you don’t need to cancel your spot, but if a situation arises where you don’t have a choice, our cancellation policy is the following.

If you cancel and the expedition is otherwise filled, we'll refund you the full booking fee you have paid, minus a $300 administrative fee.

If you cancel and the expedition doesn’t fill, then you’ll be refunded according to the following schedule, based on the full fee of the expedition:

• 61 days or more before the expedition: 100% refund, minus the deposit payment and the non-refundable costs that are withheld by our travel partners.
• 60 days or less before the expedition: No refunds will be given.

Refunds will be paid using the same original method of payment.

Credits: All photographs by Marco Grassi