Galapagos Islands Small Boat Cruise
April 23 – May 2, 2028
Argentina, High Desert by Drone
At a Glance
Location
Argentina
Tuition
$18,995
Dates
October 26 – November 6, 2027
Fitness Level
Availability
Limited to 6 Guests
Collections
Argentina, High Desert by Drone Photography Workshop
Fly over spectacular high altitude deserts with your drone
October 26 – November 6, 2027
- Soar above Argentina's Puna, where color, scale and geology converge
- Discover otherworldly deserts, salt flats, and volcanoes from above
- Explore remote Puna landscapes with a small expedition group
The Puna region of northwestern Argentina is one of South America’s most extraordinary aerial landscapes. Situated at elevations often exceeding 3,500 meters (11,500 feet), this vast high-altitude plateau presents a visual tapestry of volcanic peaks, salt flats, mineral-rich lagoons, and surreal desert formations that appear almost otherworldly when viewed from above.
This is a very small group experience created to give drone photographers an opportunity to fly in one of the most remote and spectacular parts of the world. We’ll be using three Four Wheel Drive vehicles to support our expedition through these remote regions where few, if any, provisions are available. You’ll have opportunities to photograph from the ground as well, so we encourage you to come prepared with a land camera in addition to your drone. Chargers will be available to recharge your drone batteries between locations.
For drone photographers, the Puna offers an unparalleled opportunity to capture scale, texture, and color. Endless geometric salt pans contrast with deep-red mountains, while turquoise, emerald, and crimson lagoons create striking natural palettes rarely found elsewhere on Earth. Ancient volcanic cones cast dramatic shadows across the barren terrain, and winding tracks disappear into seemingly infinite horizons, emphasizing the region’s immense sense of isolation.
The aerial perspective reveals patterns that are often invisible from ground level: intricate mineral deposits, braided desert channels, polygonal salt formations, and the delicate transitions between wetlands and arid plains. During the golden hours of sunrise and sunset, the low-angle light accentuates the terrain’s sculptural qualities, transforming the landscape into a study of color, contrast, and texture.
Among the Puna’s most photogenic locations are the vast salt flats, the Cono de Arita, the colorful lagoons frequented by flamingos, and the remote volcanic fields that stretch toward the Andean skyline. The region’s exceptionally clear atmosphere, low humidity, and minimal light pollution further enhance photographic opportunities, providing remarkable visibility and crisp image quality.
From a drone, the Puna becomes a landscape of abstraction and scale. You’ll come with anticipation and leave with incredible memories and beautiful images from places most people never knew existed.
Your Pros
Itinerary
This itinerary is subject to change due to weather, local conditions, and other factors.
October 26, 2027: Arrive at Salta, Hotel Check-in, Group Meeting
Arrive in Salta Airport (SLA) Argentina before 2:00 PM. You’ll be provided transport to our hotel for check-in and group meeting. This will be a time to discuss our adventure ahead and talk about equipment. Dinner and a nice rest!
October 27, 2027: Drive to Cafayate, Wine Tasting, Explore Quebrada de las Conchas
This morning we’ll share a great breakfast, load up our expedition trucks and drive to Cafayate. When we arrive we’ll enjoy a lunch and a wine tasting at one of the premier wineries, renowned for it’s exceptional high-altitude wines and regional cuisine.
After checking in, we’ll head out on our afternoon shoot in Quebrada de las Conchas. This location is known for dramatic rock formations with vibrant colors. This will be a great time to fly your drone for the first time.
October 28, 2027: Morning Visit to Quebrada de las Conchas, Explore Canyons
We’ll leave early to reach Quebrada de las Conchas for early morning light. Then breakfast will be back at our hotel. This area is a natural reserve with dramatic colorful canyons and towering rock walls. We have scheduled time to make several visits to this vast area to provide you the opportunity to capture the deep red, orange, and purples of the rocks in multiple times of the day.
October 29, 2027: Travel to El Peñón, Visit Laguna Grande and Pumice Fields
This morning, we’ll start early on our five-hour drive to El Peñón. Following a scenic lunch and plenty of hydration, we’ll get to spend some time in the afternoon at the Laguna Grande. Here you can photograph the Andean flamingos and the surrounding high-altitude wetlands. We’ll continue on finally reaching the photogenic pumice fields. This place looks like Mars. We plan to stay until late light before making our way to our hotel for the night.
October 30, 2027: Visit Volcanoes, Explore Campo de Piedra Pómez
We leave early to reach the Antofagasta and Alumbrera volcanoes area. You will fly over the Campo de Piedra Pómez and throughout the surrounding volcanic landscapes.
The Camp de Piedra Pómez (Pumice Stone Field) is an otherworldly, stark field of beautiful formations created by an explosive ancient eruption. It took millions of years to create these formations from the hyper-arid Andean winds that blow through this valley. We have arranged plenty of time to explore this area by foot and by air with your drones. This will be one of the highlights of the itinerary!
October 31, 2027: Explore Pumise Fields, Visit Antofalla Village and Oho del Campo
We’ll rise early to reach the Pumise fields in great soft light. If all goes well, we’ll have time to fly over various volcanoes and their patterns of lava fields as seen from the air. We plan to continue our journey deeper into the Antofalla. Here we’ll visit a small village overlooking the salt flat. We’ll enjoy a lunch in the village. The afternoon will include a visit to the Oho del Campo. Here, you’ll be able to fly over the marshes in the desert where unique patterns of the dried white salt surround colorful pools. We plan to spend two nights here as well, giving us plenty of time to explore the unique desert and marshes.
November 1, 2027: Full Day Exploration of Antofalla, Lagoons and Flamingos
We plan to spend the entire day exploring the Antofalla. There are lava fields, colorful desert formations, lagoons, and flamingos. This will be a good day to concentrate on compositions from your drone looking straight down. We spend another night in the small village here in the Antofalla.
November 2, 2027: Sunrise at Laguna Verde, Drive to Tolar Grande
We will rise early to catch good light at the Laguna Verde, and its aqua-colored waters and flamingos surrounded by the high Andes.
After a good breakfast we’ll pack up and begin our drive to the Tolar Grande. There is plenty to see along the way so we might take many stops depending on the conditions. Once we arrive, we will have the opportunity to see one of the most stunning scenes of the region, the Cono de Arita, a perfectly shaped cone surrounded by a flat valley.
We will spen two nights here in the hopes of enjoying various types of light throughout the day and night.
November 3, 2027: Day and Night Landscapes at Cono de Arita
We have this entire day to photograph various locations and lighting around this stunning feature. We’ll spend the day creating compositions with our drones and from the ground during blue hour and at night under the starlight.
November 4, 2027: Sunrise at Cono de Arita, Drive through Salar de Pocitos
We’ll take advantage of one last sunrise at Cono de Arita before packing up and driving on to our next destination. We’ll pass through the Salar de Pocitos. This is a stunning salt flat with aqua blue water pools. Once we arrive to our stunning camp in the middle of this salt flats, you’ll have plenty of time to walk out from your room to photograph. This will be a great time to photograph the stars over the salt flats.
November 5, 2027: Breakfast at Salt Flats, Return Drive to Salta
Today will be our last day of our journey, so we plan to enjoy a great breakfast at our luxury accommodation in the middle of the salt flats before heading out. We will spend the day making our way back to Salta to the origin of our journey. Once we arrive, we’ll check in and enjoy a wonderful dinner, talking about all we’ve witnessed over the past 10 days.
November 6, 2027: Relaxing Day, Image Reviewing at Salta Hotel
Today, we’ll sleep in and wake to coffee and a full day of image importing and reviewing. We’ll stay in our beautiful hotel to relax and review all our images. You’ll learn about post-processing and spend time reviewing compositions. We’ll make sure you leave with some stunning images of the Puna Region of Argentina.
November 7, 2027: Departure Day
Flights home anytime!
Altitude
You will visit locations on this workshop at an altitude of 12,000 feet. We have designed this workshop to prepare you for reaching these high altitudes. We begin in Salta at a much lower altitude and slowly climb to the higher elevations. This slow approach, combined with plenty of hydration and no alcohol, works very well.
Please read this informative letter on High Altitude.
Logistics
This is an expedition into very remote country. Our team will total 11 people. We will be traveling in three four-wheel-drive trucks, each holding 4 passengers. We will be a team of 3 drivers, 1 cook, 6 guests, plus 2 photography leaders. We will be carrying water and fuel for our own use most of the way. Each lodge we stay at has limited space. We will be carrying a portable toilet and a portable battery to recharge batteries throughout the day. All the accommodations are clean and comfortable with the exception of a very swank camp for our second to last night, where we stay out on a salt flat. Because of the lack of space and time in our lodges throughout this journey, we have reserved a full day of image editing once we return to Salta.
Fitness
Moderate: You will reach altitudes up to 12,000 feet. There is some walking in arid desert environments.
Flights
Arrive at Martin Miguel De Guemes International Airport (SLA), Salta before 2:00 PM on October 26, 2027. Flights out can be made anytime on November 6, 2027. Air travel delays are common. Please arrive early, possibly even the day prior, so you don’t miss any of the workshop.
What to Bring
Please see our page How To Prepare For Your Workshop. We will send you a detailed information document 90 days before your workshop. This document will include specifics of where and when to meet, gear and clothing recommendations, and more.
What’s Included
- Double occupancy lodging. Single available for $2,500 supplement. (limit of 4 single rooms)
- All meals, soft drinks, and snacks during the workshop.
- All permits and park fees.
- All transportation during the workshop.
- Tips for crew, drivers, and local guides.
- English-speaking local guide throughout the workshop.
- Photographic guiding and instruction from 2 pros.
- Image reviews and post-processing instruction.
- Adventure, fun, inspiration, and a great time!
Not Included
- Single rooming available for $2,500 supplement.
- Travel to and from Salta, Salta.
- Unscheduled airport transfers.
- Passport and visa fees (if applicable).
- Any meals or accommodations before or after the workshop dates.
- Items of a personal nature.
- Alcoholic Beverages.
- Medical Evacuation Insurance (required).
- Travel Medical (required).
- Travel Medical and Trip Cancellation Insurance (optional, but recommended).
- Anything else specifically not listed as included.
Payment Terms
- Your non-refundable deposit of $6,995 will hold your space in this workshop.
- Further non-refundable payment of $6,000 is due by February 1, 2027.
- The non-refundable balance is due not later than June 1, 2027.
- In addition to our standard Terms and Conditions, for this workshop all payments are non-refundable, and this is why we recommend comprehensive travel insurance including trip cancelation. All other Muench Workshops Terms and Conditions apply.
- Need special payment arrangements? No problem, just ask us.
Frequently Asked Questions
You'll learn how to capture stunning aerial landscapes using your drone, focusing on scale, texture, and color. You'll also practice post-processing techniques to enhance your images and receive guidance on composition to make the most of the unique desert formations.
All payments for this workshop are non-refundable under any circumstances. We highly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance, including trip cancellation coverage.
A moderate fitness level is required, as you'll be walking in arid desert environments and reaching altitudes up to 12,000 feet. The itinerary is designed to help you acclimate gradually to the high altitudes.
Bring your drone and a land camera for ground photography. Chargers will be available to recharge your drone batteries between locations. Consider wide-angle lenses from 14–35mm for landscapes and a telephoto lens for capturing distant details.
The workshop has a maximum capacity of 6 participants, ensuring a small group experience with personalized attention from the instructors.
All necessary permits and park fees for drone flying are included in the workshop, so you won't need to worry about obtaining them yourself.
Medical evacuation insurance and travel medical insurance are required. Trip cancellation insurance is optional but highly recommended to protect your investment.
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