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DEATH VALLEY

Mesquite Sand Dunes, Zabriskie Point, Rhyolite Ghost Town

UTAH

ARIZONA

GRAND TETON

YOSEMITE

BANFF

DEATH VALLEY

Death Valley National Park is all about extremes.

On our 4-day Death Valley Photo Tour and Landscape Adventure, we will capture sunrises and sunsets, create amazing Milky Way images and master fine-art photography using nature as a backdrop. We’ll be experiencing Twenty Mule Teams, Badwater Basin, Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Devils Golf Course, Zabriskie Point, Rhyolite Ghost Town and lastly, a throwback to yesteryear at Marta Becket’s Amargosa Opera House.

In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life survives in Death Valley.

Located near the border of California and Nevada, in the Great Basin, east of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Death Valley constitutes much of Death Valley National Park and is the principal feature of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve.

The largest National Park outside of Alaska, Death Valley is an almost unfathomable place. The park’s 3.3 million acres /1.34 million hectares encompass mountain-size dunes, below-sea-level salt flats, mysterious singing rocks, and colorful sandstone canyons. Extremes are the norm: Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in America, with summer temperatures peaking above 120 F°/49°C, and an average rainfall of 2 inches/5 cm per year. Also extreme are the park’s elevations: Badwater Basin, the park’s lowest spot, rests at 282 feet/86 meters below sea level while Telescope Peak soars to 11,049 feet/3,368 meters. So go high, or go very, very low; get hot, or chill out with amazing desert vistas. Death Valley delivers on every end of the scale.

This adventure is designed not only to guide you to the most photogenic locations, carefully planned for the best light but to aid you in mentally visualizing a scene before capturing the decisive moment. Our aim is to raise your awareness and spark your creativity so that you not only go home with images to be proud of but use your new found skills to improve and expand your photographic technique in general. Apart from the technical aspect of learning your camera settings and capabilities, you will learn how to turn an ordinary image into an extraordinary image by using your own creativity.

In addition, you will become knowledgeable on how to survey the landscape, utilize and approach your environment. Our time together will include individual and group discussions, inspiring ideas, and great fun. We cannot think of a better location to express your creativity than the stunning “out of this world” beauty of Death Valley!

Located near the border of California and Nevada, in the Great Basin, east of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Death Valley constitutes much of Death Valley National Park and is the principal feature of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve.

The largest National Park outside of Alaska, Death Valley is an almost unfathomable place. The park’s 3.3 million acres /1.34 million hectares encompass mountain-size dunes, below-sea-level salt flats, mysterious singing rocks, and colorful sandstone canyons. Extremes are the norm: Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in America, with summer temperatures peaking above 120 F°/49°C, and an average rainfall of 2 inches/5 cm per year. Also extreme are the park’s elevations: Badwater Basin, the park’s lowest spot, rests at 282 feet/86 meters below sea level while Telescope Peak soars to 11,049 feet/3,368 meters. So go high, or go very, very low; get hot, or chill out with amazing desert vistas. Death Valley delivers on every end of the scale.

This adventure is designed not only to guide you to the most photogenic locations, carefully planned for the best light but to aid you in mentally visualizing a scene before capturing the decisive moment. Our aim is to raise your awareness and spark your creativity so that you not only go home with images to be proud of but use your new found skills to improve and expand your photographic technique in general. Apart from the technical aspect of learning your camera settings and capabilities, you will learn how to turn an ordinary image into an extraordinary image by using your own creativity.

In addition, you will become knowledgeable on how to survey the landscape, utilize and approach your environment. Our time together will include individual and group discussions, inspiring ideas, and great fun. We cannot think of a better location to express your creativity than the stunning “out of this world” beauty of Death Valley!

Group Size

4-6 Guests

Experience | Difficulty

  • Beginner, amateur, enthusiast and semi-pro photographers
  • DSLR, mirrorless, compact or iPhone cameras
  • Busy schedule
  • Travel by car or minivan
  • Moderate elevation changes and lots of walking and hiking
  • (non-photographers also welcome)

Weather | Sun

September/October – Temps 91-99/59-73 F  33-41/15-23 C  Sunrise 6:50 | Sunset 6:00-7:00
All dates selected fall during a new moon, essential for the darkest skies (Rhyolite Ghost Town)

Includes

  • 4 Days
  • Landscape, nature, Astro and fine art photography
  • Professional photographer | guide
  • Photo walks, hikes & discussions
  • Small group size (4-6 guests)
  • Fine accommodations
  • Breakfasts
  • 2 Dinners
  • National Park entry fee
  • Local transportation

Travel Information

Arrival & Departure Airport: Las Vegas International Airport, Nevada (LAS) – Transfer time to hotel 20min
Our adventure begins at 4 PM on the first day and ends at mid-afternoon on the last day.
Travel Visa: A visa may be required depending on your nationality. Go to Visa Map to find out.

Accommodations

Las Vegas – Park MGM, Mandarin Oriental, Mandalay Bay or similar
Death Valley – The Inn at Death Valley or similar

Helpful Links

> 10 Trees Worth Traveling For – by Erika Suban

Death Valley Prices & Dates


AdventurePriceREGISTER
From: $4,295
Photographer Leader

Photographer Leader

Jerry Adamo

October 10-13, 2024

*All prices are per person and based on double occupancy. Please select single occupancy for a private room. For your convenience, we offer optional early arrival and late departure accommodations so you can extend your stay before or after the trip. We typically stay in upscale boutique hotels in the 4 and 5-star category. Not all destinations offer these types of properties. We look for unique hotels that offer cultural, historic, and/or authentic features. Depending on the size of the group, smaller boutique hotels may have limited room inventory. In some countries or in remote locations, we may be limited to lodges or branded chain hotels. In Cuba, we stay in upscale family-owned Casas (bread & breakfasts). On all of our tours, breakfast is almost always included, but not guaranteed. Meal categories listed include (B) for breakfast, (L) for lunch, and (D) for dinner.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

DEATH VALLEY 4 DAYS

Day 1 | Las Vegas

We meet in the afternoon in the lobby of our hotel, where we will discuss PWA’s “10 Guiding Principles to Great Photography” as well as our “THE ART OF SEEING” photographic technique. We will have informal discussions on what our guests are trying to achieve in photography, subject matters, styles, and techniques.

In the evening, we head out on the town for our Welcome Dinner at our favorite Las Vegas restaurant. (D)

Day 2 | Amargosa Opera House - Twenty Mule Teams - Badwater Basin

After an early breakfast, we depart Las Vegas for Death Valley (120-mile drive ~ 2.5 hours). Our first stop along the way will be Marta Becket’s Amargosa Opera House and Hotel for a private photo tour. Tripods are normally not allowed inside this magnificent blast from the past, but we have secured permission from the owner.

Marta Becket was a New York ballerina and Broadway dancer on tour with her one-woman show in 1967 when she peered into an abandoned social hall in Death Valley Junction, Calif., and visualized her future: a theater of her own. The floor was warped. Mud streaked the walls. Kangaroo Rats were running wild. Yet it was there, amid the alkali flats, whistling winds and triple-digit heat of the Mojave Desert, that Ms. Becket and her husband resettled and built the Amargosa Opera House, where she performed her ballets and pantomimes for the next 40 years.

Our next stop will be 20 Mule Team Canyon Road. Twenty Mule Teams is one of the best-known “historic symbols” of Death Valley. These “teams” were comprised of 18 mules and 2 horses, pulling huge wagons filled with borax, bringing it from mines located in Furnace Creek area to the trailhead which was at that time near Mojave. That was an exhausting trip that lasted for 10 days, during which the “teams” had to pass 165 miles along the primitive roads. Afterward, we take the scenic drive to our hotel to check in. We’ll have an early dinner at the hotel and then we’re off to shoot the sunset at Badwater Basin. At 262 feet below sea level, Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America. It is one of the iconic spots of the desert southwest. (B)

Day 3 | Sand Dunes - Devils Golf - Zabriskie Point - Rhyolite Ghost Town

We’re up very early for a sunrise shoot at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. A walk on these silky, rippled dunes will convince you that you’re someplace far from the familiar. Afterward, we return to our hotel for breakfast and a review of our latest images. By early afternoon we will be off  off to shoot the Devil’s Golf Course, then Artists Drive where we’ll practice panoramic shots. The Devil’s Golf Course itself is made up of large salt formations that jut out of the barren landscape for as far as the eye can see.

We’ll have an early dinner so we can make it to Zabriskie Point for a sunset/blue hour shoot. The point offers a stunning view of the multi-hued badlands. Lastly, we’ll enjoy a wonderful night sky and Milky Way shoot at Rhyolite Ghost Town, which features ruins of a 1905 gold-mining town. Finally, we will return to our hotel after a very rewarding day of photography. (B) (D)

Day 4 | Zabriskie Point - Las Vegas

On our last day, we are up early for a return to Zabriskie Point for a sunrise shoot. When we return to our hotel we’ll enjoy a Farewell Breakfast followed by a Q&A, hotel checkout and drive back to Las Vegas. We’ll be happy to drop you at a hotel or the airport.

We urge you to extend your stay in Las Vegas or elsewhere in Nevada and make good use of everything you will learn on our photo adventure. (B)

(B) Breakfast, (L) Lunch, (D) Dinner, (E) Excursion

May all who come as guests... leave as friends®

OPTIONS AND BENEFITS

Pricing

All prices are per person and based on double occupancy. Please select single occupancy for a private room. For your convenience, we offer optional early arrival and late departure accommodations so you can extend your stay before or after the trip. We typically stay in boutique hotels in the 4-star category. Not all destinations offer these types of properties. We look for unique hotels which offer cultural, historic and/or authentic features. Depending on the size of the group, smaller boutique hotels may have limited room inventory. In some countries or in remote locations, we may be limited to lodges or branded chain hotels. Breakfast is included only if included in our room rates.

Private Guided Adventures

We offer amazing private guided photo adventures, cultural tours and vacations for individuals, couples, families and groups. We can customize any of our published adventures, as well as others, to meet your individual needs, schedule, budget and interests. This may include the finest 5-star accommodations, business-class travel, and private guides and fixers who are able to make the impossible possible. If you are not interested in a photo-centric vacation, but you love our approach to private travel, we will be happy to design and deliver an amazing adventure focused on travel, culture and cuisine. Click here to request a quote. Feel free to call us at 1-888-834-0288 or contact us for more information.

Travel Insurance

We offer travel insurance through the internationally recognized Travelex Travel Insurance Company, as well as evacuation and medical transportation insurance through MedJet, one of the best in the industry.

The cost for travel insurance can be as low as 4% of the total trip cost, depending upon age and other factors. Knowing you have trip cancellation coverage can make a big difference should you have to cancel for some unforeseen reason. Travelex Insurance Services is a BBB Accredited business with an A+ rating. Click here to learn more about why you should consider travel insurance.

Rewards Program

Start earning points today and SAVE $200 - $900 off future trips!
Simply register for one of our amazing photo adventures and begin earning points today!

How The Program Works
For every adventure reservation you make with Photo Workshop Adventures, you earn valuable points which you can redeem on your next trip. This is a great way to save up to 8% off future trips. Our Rewards Program is designed with three tiers: Orange, Gold and VIP Members. Points may be applied towards balance payments on your next trip, or you may choose to accumulate points for a free trip in the future.

ORANGE REWARDS
All guests begin with our Orange Rewards Program (Level 1), which earns 4 points for every dollar you spend. You begin earning points immediately after your first trip. A $5,900 spend earns 23,600 points with a value of $236 USD.

GOLD REWARDS
With our Gold Rewards Program (Level 2), you earn 6 points for every dollar you spend. Orange Members who reach 120,000 accumulated lifetime* points (approx. 4-6 trips), automatically move up to Gold Rewards. A $5,900 spend earns 35,400 points with a value of $354 USD.

Additional Gold Benefits:

  • Earn up to double points during promotional events
  • Advance notifications for upcoming adventures and special offers

VIP REWARDS
With our VIP Rewards Program (Level 3), you earn 8 points for every dollar you spend. Gold Members who reach 350,000 accumulated lifetime* points (approx. 8-12 trips) move up to VIP Rewards. A $5,900 spend earns 47,200 points with a value of $472 USD, (8+/-% discount).

Additional VIP Benefits:

  • Earn up to double points during promotional events
  • Advance notifications for upcoming adventures and special offers
  • Ability to Gift or Transfer points to others
  • Receive complimentary airport transfers at the destination location*

Redeeming Your Points
Redeeming your points couldn’t be easier. You can always log in to your account to check your points balance. When you are ready to book your next trip, register and pay your deposit. When you go to pay your balance you will be given the option to apply your points and receive a discount.

THINK ORANGE Magazine

Subscribe to our Think Orange Magazine and eNews. THINK ORANGE is a wonderful mix of stories and tips related to travel, photography, adventure, culture, art, technology, cuisine, lifestyle, people and more. Our objective is to immerse you in a world you may only fantasize about. Raise your awareness and inspire your creativity. Perhaps even help make you a better photographer. We deliver similar experiential experiences that our guests enjoy on our photo adventures. Like all of our adventures, our blog is “photo-centric”, while also allowing you to experience all the nuances and cultural aspects of travel and adventure. Welcome to our world. We hope you enjoy. Our eNews is a great way to receive information about upcoming photo adventures, exciting new destinations, photography tips, special offers and more. Subscribe today!

Gift Cards

Give someone you know a Gift Card, good toward any of our Photo  Adventures, Photo Tours, Private Guided Tours, Online Courses, Prints or Merchandize. Our beautifully personalized eGift Cards and Certificates are delivered to you electronically. They are fully transferable and have a 2 year expiration date. They are available in any amount from $100 to $5000. It makes a great gift for anyone who loves photography, travel or adventure. Order now, or email for more information.

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