Pay full price now or €250 deposit with balance payable 8 weeks before workshop start date.
07 – 20 April 2024
Places still available
Max 5
13 nights/ 14 days
Medium
Marshyangdi Hotel, Tibet International + others
Arrivals lounge at Kathmandu Tribhuvan (KTM)
Join me for an unforgettable photography tour of Nepal and Upper Mustang in April 2024. The photo tour will start in Kathmandu before we move to Upper Mustang in northern Nepal. This little-visited area of Nepal has much to offer photographers. From the high mountain peaks of the Anna Purna range which skirt the eastern edge of the area; to villages where it seems time has remained still since the middle ages to street photography of the characterful local people.
Only opened to outside visitors since 1992, access to Upper Mustang is heavily controlled. During the first days of our Nepal photography tour, the permits required for our entry into the Upper Mustang region will be prepared for us.
Nepal offers many photographic opportunities from the cultures of both the Hindu and Buddhist religions, to the stunning mountain landscapes and the people that we’ll meet during our photography tour.
During April, the mornings can be cold in Mustang and the daytime can be a pleasant 20°c or so. The area is also at an altitude of around 4000m and we will be monitoring every person to ensure that altitude sickness doesn’t strike. We will make the very best of the morning and evening light. You will be taken to some of the very best photography locations for the first light and sunset. Our local guide will also be on hand to help with the street photography that we will encounter.
Our stay in Kathmandu is based in both three and four-star hotel accommodations where the hotels provide us with breakfast in the morning. In Upper Mustang though the accommodation is basic but comfortable with western-style facilities.
Transportation during the photography tour will be in the form of 4×4 jeeps when we are in Upper Mustang. The roads are mostly unmade and so the jeeps will help us easily navigate the terrain that we’ll be encountering. The road network is definitely a challenge but your comfort during the photography tour is my priority.
During the Nepal photography tour which encompasses Kathmandu and some of the surrounding towns we will either be on foot or transport will be provided by our ground agent.
Day 1
07 April 2024
Arrival day of our photography tour of Nepal and Upper Mustang. We meet you at the airport, check-in at our hotel and head off for some street photography in the surrounding area of Kathmandu.
Our ground agent will collect passports to prepare the permits required for us to enter the restricted area of Upper Mustang.
Day 2
08 April 2024
An early start is in store as we head out to Kathmandu Durbar Square. The streets around the area are bustling with life early in the morning from street vendors to worshipers so there is ample again for some street photography before heading back to our hotel for breakfast.
In the afternoon we head to Bhaktapur and then onto Pashupatinah.
Day 3
09 April 2024
Today we fly out to Pokhara where we’ll meet our driver and guide that will escort us up to Upper Mustang.
We stay overight in Marpha in a local hotel.
Day 4
10 April 2024
After a well-deserved rest from our long drive up to Mustang, we head after breakfast for a walk around Marpha. Our journey continues on north towards Kagbeni.
On our way we will discover the small village of Lupra hidden away at the foothills of the Annapura range.
After checking in at our hotel we’ll head back out to photograph the stunning mountain scenery that towers above us.
Day 5
11 April 2024
Waking up early we head up high to photograph the scenery of the Dhaulagiri range on the road to Muktinath.
Our hotel will serve us a well-deserved breakfast before we head north towards Chhusang where we spend the night.
But that’s not the end of the day as we’ll head out for the afternoon and evening light raking across the high Annapurna range.
Day 6
12 April 2024
An early start is required to get us up on the road that we visited the evening before. Watch the sunrise across Annapurna’s mountains and the Nilgiri Himal mountain range that is ever preset during our journey.
Having dispensed with breakfast we head north again to Ghiling. A small village nestled amongst the high mountains we’ll visit the local monastery before continuiing our drive to Ghami.
Day 7
13 April 2024
Sunrise will see us photographing the stunning Ghami Himal range that towers above Ghami.
From here we say goodbye to Ghami and head to the Dhakmar red cliffs.
Continuing on with our journey we will photograph the stunning landscapes on the road to the Ghar Gumba Buddhist Monastery.
With lunch filling our stomachs we then head onwards to Lo Manthang where we will spend the next 3 nights.
Day 8 to 10
14 – 16 April 2024
The next two days will see us discovering the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Lo. A small town that has its roots deep in Tibetan Buddhism. Visits to some of the monasteries are the order of the day and, if we can, we’ll try to setup a shoot with the monks and the huge traditional horns that they use during ceremonies.
After breakfast on day 10 we head back towards Jomsom. But before we arrive at our hotel we’ll head on up to the sacred temple at Muktinath to see the various ceremonies etc that take place here.
Day 11
17 April 2024
Checking out from our hotel in Jomsom we begin the journey back to Pokhara.
Day 12 to 14
18 – 20 April 2024
Our final days are spent around Kathmandu taking in such sights as Patan Durbar Square, the Monkey Temple and of course Boudhanath Square.
Day 14
20 April 2024
Departure day
Kathmandu Tribhuvan (KTM) airport is served by a multitude of international flight operators from budget airlines to the more commercial airlines such as Turkish Airlines; Qatar Airlines and Air India.
We will all meet at the arrivals lounge at Kathmandu Tribhuvan on 7 April 2024. Our driver will then take us to our first hotel where we will rest ready for the photo tour to start proper.
Once we know all attendee’s departure flight times we can coordinate drop-offs at Kathmandu Tribhuvan airport.
Yes, you will likely need to apply for a visa before going to Nepal. Only a handful of countries can access the country visa-free or with visa on arrival. It is recommended to apply for your visa online before departure so that the arrival process is quicker.
Altitude sickness occurs above 2500m or around 8200 feet. If your journey goes up too quickly then there is the risk of altitude sickness occurring which is why the itinerary takes us up at a gradual pace. Each day participant’s oxygen levels will be checked to ensure that no one has to be taken back down.
If you’re worried about the effects of high altitude sickness then you are strongly advised to consult your doctor before going.
Diamox is what many people are prescribed before ascending to altitudes above 2500m.
Walking boots are perfect for the countryside and lighter shoes will serve you well in Kathmandu.
A wide-angle lens (16-35), medium zoom (24-70) and a longer zoom (70-300) will be ideal to cover most compositional eventualities. Ideally though your longest focal length should be 400mm as well as an extender. The most used will be in the 24-70 range as a super wide-angle doesn’t always translate, so make sure this focal length is covered. It’s best not to weigh yourself down, so why not bring an airport-style bag for all your kit and a smaller day bag, which you can decant equipment into throughout the day.
Although not essential, it’s a great idea to bring a laptop computer with you so you can discuss imagery with me and others in the group. It really is a great learning experience, so it’s highly recommended to bring a laptop to learn and for personal entertainment.
I try to make a point of tutoring digital photography to all my clients, to help complete the learning process. It really helps to have a computer session when tiredness takes hold, or inclement weather persists.
What’s included in the tour?
Photo tuition from Julian Elliott
Double or single room. Single occupancy as you won’t be sharing
Breakfasts
Transport during the tour
What’s not included
Meals not mentioned
Insurance
Flights to Kathmandu
Tips for guides and drivers
Any excess baggage charges on internal flights
My tours fill up quickly but sometimes spots open up due to cancellations.
If the tour you are interested in is currently full and you would like to be added to the waiting list then please fill out this form
