Strabo Tours to Peru

[Rory_5244]

Hi everybody. I am having visions of LF and Peru again. I was wondering if anyone on the forum has gone on a photography tour organised by Strabo tours, besides the tour of Ireland. http://www.phototc.com/

On another note, do you think these types of tours are the "way to go", or do you prefer doing everything yourself "Lonely Planet" style when visiting another country for the purpose of photography? Thanks everybody.

[Ted Harris]

Rory,

I generally prefer to go it alone or with a small group of friends. The only exception is when it is someplace very difficult to get to and even more difficult to manage on your own. For example, I am thinking of going to Churchill to shoot th Polar Bears this November .... I will go with guided tour .... likely the one that takes you out on a snow at on the ice for days at atime .... not something you could do alonewith ease.

OTOH I am reasonablu convinced that hwat I want to shoot is often different from what others want and thus a tour jsut doesn't work. Not the mentionthat I want to go at my own pace and be able to change my plans at will if something new strikes my fancy. You mentioned Peru and hat is a prfect example. I like Machu Pichu, for example, but photographically would much rather spend severla days shooting in Cuzco (and drinking black beer). There are also some difficult to get to areas around Lake Titacaca that I would spend time at and some neighborhoods in Lima that are way off the path for any tour ... well you get the idea.

Obviously I have spent time in Peru before and this is part of it. I will often travel someplace several times before the sites I really want to photograph come together in my mind and then I will goor want to go back specifically to photograph those sites. Hope I have enough time left to get to them all :).

[Rory_5244]

Did you walk the Inca Trail, Ted, or did you use the train to Machu Pichu? Any problems with the altitude?

[Ted Harris]

Rory, I've done both. No problem with the altitude but I did take some time to get in shape for it and haave had experience with altitude in the past. You have to give yourself some time .... specially as you get older. Train is preferable of course if you are going to lug gear. If you are going to do that plan on staying overnight in Cuzco the night before.