OC Travel Buddies & Local Events!

April 18th - April 25th, 2025

Our friends at PhotoFly Travel Club ( http://www.photoflytravel.com/ ) have invited us to another amazing adventure in Chile & Patagonia! This will be the SIXTH time and considering the program and world-class accommodations, it is easy to understand why.

The sublime landscapes of Patagonia will leave you in awe, the majesty of nature here may inspire you in untold ways. Exploring these astonishing wilds will be enhanced further thanks to our award-winning luxury accommodations only a few minutes drive from Torres del Paine National Park. Known for towering mountains, vast forests, gigantic glacial lakes, and spectacular scenery in every direction, every trip is a remarkable experience full of discovery. Activities, hikes, and walks are available for every skill level, and nearly perfect photo opportunities around every corner. Before arriving here, we'll show you around the capitol city of Santiago to rest and relax before heading south - enjoy some of the finest Chilean wines in a colorful, energetic city.

Email joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!

Sign up at: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/chile-group-tour-santiago-patagonia/

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• 7 Night/8 Day (2 Nights Santiago, 5 Nights Patagonia)

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Santiago

• Centrally located and welcoming Santiago accommodations
• Breakfast included
• Privately guided city tour exploring the highlights, such as Cerro San Cristobal, Cerro Santa Lucia, Plaza de Armas, La Moneda (Presidential Offices), and more!

*Free time in Santiago to explore the city & photograph the sites

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Patagonia

• Patagonia Camp (https://patagoniacamp.com/en/) is one of the first luxury camps in South America. It is an original and distinctive glamping concept where every detail has been carefully thought of so that our guests may thoroughly enjoy the magnificent and wild nature of mythical Patagonia, combining comfort, convenience, and the warm hospitality that Chileans are known for.
• All-inclusive meals & adventures while at Patagonia Camp and open bar.
• One of a kind luxury yurt style accommodations. Patagonia Camp was recognized by Conde Nast in the Top 20 Reader's Choice Award for all of South America!
• Each day we will have the opportunity to embark on amazing walks and hikes around this wonderland landscape of sharp edged mountains and glacier lakes. See below for a few of the adventures that we’ll be able to choose from each day - all are optional, included, and cater to different fitness levels including beginners!. To see the full list of hikes, learn more about the Torres del Paine National Park we'll be exploring, and to see more pictures of the unbelievable luxury yurts, email us at joinus@photoflytravel.com to request an itinerary.

Base of the Towers Trek: A rewarding & deservedly famous trek to the base of the iconic mountain towers of Torres Del Paine. Panoramic views of lakes and valleys greet us along the way until we navigate the ancient lenga tree forest.

Los Cuernos Trek: This trek is perfect to experience the beauty of the park’s two iconic mountains: Las Torres and Los Cuernos del Paine. The hike starts alongside beautiful rivers and lakes with ever-present native flora and fauna.

Mirador Condor Hike: The hike to the Cóndor viewpoint is another privileged trek in terms of views. The trail begins at Lake Pehoé which will fascinate our eyes and cameras with its distinctive turquoise color. You will climb for about an hour through the Sierra del Toro; along the way you can appreciate some of the local vegetation such as nothofagus trees, the area’s micro-wildlife and the beautiful soaring condors.

Optional horseback riding & boat trips will be available at additional price (minimum # sign-ups needed)

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Included:

• Privately guided small group tour
• All taxes & entrance fees
• All transfers and ground transportation
• Roommate pairing to save money
• Domestic round-trip airfare from Santiago –> Punta Arenas

Not included:

• International airfare

Specific arrival/departure times will be sent to all guests and we’ll assist in booking the proper flights.

• Email us to see daily itinerary at joinus@photoflytravel.com

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Join Us!

*For our solo travelers, we will pair you up with someone of the same sex unless single occupancy is requested.

Price: $4,395
Single Supplement: $735

Deposit: $600.00

For those looking to enhance their stay even further, there are yurts available with outdoor jacuzzi! Imagine - enjoying the warm soothing waters in the cool air while looking up into the endless night sky as the stars dazzle above. Please contact us for availability!

Go here to sign up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/chile-group-tour-santiago-patagonia/

Our friends at PhotoFly Travel Club ( https://www.photoflytravel.com/) an exotic adventure to one of the world's natural wonderlands!

May 22nd - May 28th, 2025

Go here to sign up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/galapagos-small-group-tours/

Email us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!

The Galapagos is an “up-market” destination but fortunately we’ve been able to create something special at an amazing value! Take a look at the details below and you will see that our small group trip is arguably the best deal out there!

• 7 days
• 3 nights/4 days on Santa Cruz
• 3 nights/4 days on private motor yacht
• 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
• Round-trip domestic flight to/from Galapagos
• All snorkel gear

Part 1: Santa Cruz Island & Nearby Gems

Santa Cruz is the most important island in the Galapagos archipelago with the only substantial port town of Puerto Ayora. From white sand beaches teeming with endemic marine iguana, lush highlands where the giant tortoises still roam, turtle coves, thriving reefs, ancient calderas, and sea birds

• Highlands & Tortoise Reserve: Walk into the forest overgrown with lichens, ferns, and tortoises; the pond at El Chato is surrounded by forest teeming with birdlife
• Charles Darwin Research Station: Founded in 1959, it has a Natural History Interpretation Centre and carries out educational projects in support of the Galapagos National Park Service.

Day Boat Excursions

For our two days staying on Santa Cruz, we’ll head off island on exciting day trips via boat and in search of biological wonders!

• Santa Fe Island - White Sands, Cacti, & Giant Iguanas: White sand beaches surrounded by sea lion colonies lined with endemic cactus forests is just one appeal to this natural wonderland.
• South Plaza Islet - Land of Red & Yellow: An impressive cactus forest where colorful yellow and red land iguanas live will be our introduction to this small landmass.
• North Seymour Island: Formed by a series of underwater volcanic eruptions, this island is the home to large nesting colonies of blue-footed boobies, great frigate birds, and swallow-tailed gulls.

Part II: Private Luxury Yacht Island Hopping

Our next experience is very special. We’ll board our very own private cruising yacht and embark on a journey throughout the eastern Galapagos Islands. Aboard the Coral I or Coral II, we’ll live in the perfect combination of classic beauty and exquisite style. Built in Holland, the ship surpasses all the standards you would expect from a high-class yacht, providing a slightly larger than average cruising vessel while maintaining the friendly atmosphere of a small expedition yacht.

Every cabin features handsome wood decoration, along with air-conditioning, a private bathroom, safe deposit box, telephone, and more. Additionally, the boat has plenty of room to relax with three sundecks (some shaded), a jacuzzi, comfortable dining room, and lounge.

• Dragon Hill: Bright, pink flamingos thrive as we walk by a brackish lagoon to the trail which leads across typical dry zone vegetation. Dragon Hill is an important nesting ground for endemic land iguanas, not to mention incredible views & photograph opportunities of the anchored boats and neighboring islands at the top.
• Bartolome Island: Enroute to the summit, impressive views of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone Pinnacle Rock make for incredible & iconic panoramic photographs. Next, we’ll make our way down to the beach for snorkeling and a chance to see the famous Galapagos penguins, sea turtles, and white-tipped reef sharks among a great variety of colorful fish.
• Rabida Island: Dark-red sand covers the unique beaches of Rabida, home to thriving sea lions colonies. This island is considered the epicenter of the Galapagos due to the diversity of its volcanic geology.
• Santiago Island & Espumilla Beach: This is an amazing location due to the remains of an eroded shoreline, home to seabirds, fur seals, and playful Galapagos sea lions. The white, sandy Espumilla Beach nearby is in James Bay where mangroves and a small palo santo forest lead to salty-water lagoons home to wading birds like pink flamingos.
• Black Turtle Cove: Back on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island and accessible only by sea, four species of mangrove crowd and form an internal lagoon and turtle sanctuary where sea turtles visit the calm waters.

Don’t forget to email us for the day by day itinerary of these Galapagos small group tour (joinus@photoflytravel.com)

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Join Us!

For our solo travelers, we pair you up with someone of the same sex unless single occupancy is requested.

Price: $4,795
Single Supplement: $1,595

Deposit: $600.00

Go here to sign up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/galapagos-small-group-tours/

May 23 - June 1, 2025

Travel friends at PhotoFly Travel Club ( http://www.photoflytravel.com/ ) are bringing back their adventure to Japan!

See details below and email joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!

Sign-up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/japan-group-tours/

Our Japan group tours are chock full of diverse activities including unique cultural experiences, fantastic landscapes, and all the beautiful temples and architecture which make Japan so iconic.

• 9 nights/10 days
• Breakfast daily
• 1 Lunch, 3 Dinners (Welcome & Farewell Dinner)

Tokyo: 2 Nights

The never-ending hustle and bustle of the city creates an energy that is quite contagious.

Highlights:

• Privately guided tour through parts of Tokyo

– Akihabara: otherworldly place filled with bizarre Japanime, neon signs, and streets & alleys lined with vendors.
- Asakusa Kanon Temple (Sensoji Temple): See and photography Tokyo’s oldest and most famous Buddhist Temple.
– Meiji Shrine: Named for a dynastic ruler from the Meiji period in Japanese history, thus making the shrine one of Tokyo’s most famous landmarks.

Takayama: 2 Nights

The Japanese Alps & Takayama

Central Honshū is home to the Northern Japanese Alps and Japan’s heartland. Boasting some of Japan’s most magnificent peaks and dramatic scenery, the Northern Alps are truly spectacular!

Highlights:

• Shin-Hotaka no Yu Hot Springs: Open air hot spring is in a beautiful setting
• Hirayu Great Falls: This magnificent waterfall is over 200 ft tall and 20 ft across.
• Kamikochi Valley: Inside Chubu-Sangaku National Park, this highland area is home to an amazing walk through lightly forested areas with ponds, macaque monkeys, and curving river with the mountains as a back-drop.

Takayama lies in the heart of the Hida Mountains. Established in the 16th century as a castle town of the Kanamori family, it’s now famous throughout Japan for its old town area of narrow streets containing many well-preserved inns, tea houses, shops and merchants houses.

Highlights:

• Privately guided tour
• Takayama Morning Market: On the bank of the Miyagawa River, the market is fun to observe stands selling local farm produce, flowers and crafts.
• Takayama’s Old Town : Visit and photograph Takayama Jinya, the old government house.
• Optional Hida Folk Village Tour: This open air museum exhibits over 30 traditional houses from the Hida region, the mountainous district of Gifu Prefecture around Takayama.

Hiroshima & Charming Miyajima Island: 1 Night

Despite its tragic past, Hiroshima is now a bustling and vibrant city which has risen phoenix-like from the ashes.

Hiroshima:

*Privately guided tour
– Memorial Peace Park, Museum, & A-Bomb Dome: Experience the poignant reminder that caused Hiroshima’s fame.

Miyajima Island is small sacred island located in the Inland Sea. It has been a holy place of Shintoism since the earliest times.

– Vermilion Torii Gate & Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima: After a ferry ride to this sacred island we’ll visit the world famous vermilion torii gate at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Miyajima is one of Japan’s three most scenic places.

Kyoto: 4 nights

Home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, over 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines, this ancient city showcases the heart and soul of traditional Japan.

Highlights:

• Privately guided tour

– Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavillion): Covered with 18 carat gold leaf, this incredible building was originally built by the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1397.
- Okochi Mountain Villa: Form residence of a film star, this famous villa consists of several beautiful gardens and buildings, including living quarters, tea houses, and a meditation hall.
– Monkey Park Iwatayama: We’ll meander up a small hill to reach the park with a nice overlook filled with macaques.
– Gion District & Optional Geisha Cultural Exchange: Walk through the sleepy district where geisha come from all over the country to train. For those interested (not included) we’ll get to have an incredible experience in a local house with a geisha for a cultural exchange and private photo shoot.
– Fushimi Inari Shrine: Filled with thousands of vermilion gates, this hillside complex and temple is enormous and beautiful

• All transfers, rail tickets, public transit, entry fees, taxies and activities as listed in the itinerary included
• International airfare is not included - flying into Narita International Airport in Tokyo (NRT) and departing from Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka.

Email us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!

Join Us!

Solo travelers will be paired with same sex unless single occupancy is requested.

Price: $3,995
Single Supplement: $915

Deposit: $600

Sign-up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/japan-group-tours/

Our friends at Photofly Travel Club ( https://www.photoflytravel.com/ ) have planned an extraordinary to Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg (Benelux).

June 5 - June 16, 2025

Go here to sign up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/belgium-luxembourg-netherlands-group-tour/

• 11 Nights/12 Days
• Luxembourg (2 N) | Belgium (5 N) | Netherlands (4 N)
• Charming boutique hotels
• Breakfast daily
• 2 Dinners
• Privately guided adventures

Luxembourg (2 Nights)

• City Walking Tour
• Pont Adolphe: Capture stunning views and photos over the Petrusse Ravine
• Place d'Armes: Lively public square located in the heart of the city’s old town
• Mullerthal Trail Hike: Often referred to as "Little Switzerland" of Luxembourg, this guided scenic hike winds through lush forests, dramatic rock formations, and picturesque valleys
• Vianden Castle & Chairlift: This stunning, hilltop fortress dates back to the Romanesque and Gothic periods

Belgium (5 Nights)

Experience Dinant!

• Discover Dinant: Privately guided walking tour
• Collegiate Church of Notre Dame:
• Dinant Citadel: Discover the historic fortress perched high above the town with stunning panoramic views
• Cruise the river Meuse: A scenic and relaxing way to experience the beauty of the Meuse River and its stunning surroundings

Experience Brussels!

• City Walking Tour
• Grand Place: The central square of Brussels, renowned for its stunning architecture and historical significance, featuring ornate guild halls and the impressive Town Hall
• Atomium: Designed to resemble an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times symbolizing scientific progress and innovation, this iconic structure is a delight to photograph
• Manneken Pis: This famous bronze statue depicts a small boy urinating into a fountain, and has become a beloved symbol of the city’s irreverent sense of humor.
• Chocolate Museum & Private Chocolate Making Class: Dive into the gourmet world of cocoa and chocolate.

Experience Ghent!

• Day Trip to Ghent: Guided tour throughout the highlights of this storied city with a rich history, stunning architecture, and lively cultural scene.
• St. Bavo’s Cathedral
• Gravensteen Castle: The "Castle of the Counts," as its known, stands as a remarkable testament to Ghent's medieval past
• Ghent Canal Cruise: Enjoy a serene and picturesque way to explore the city's stunning medieval architecture

Experience Bruges!

• City Walking Tour
• Market Square & The Belfry
• Burg Square: This charming square features the striking Gothic-style Town Hall, built in the 14th century, and the Basilica of the Holy Blood, which houses a revered relic that draws visitors from near and far.
• Church of Our Lady: Explore this architectural gem that showcases a stunning blend of Gothic and Romanesque styles.
• Cruise the canals of Bruge: Encounter the city's enchanting waterways, with its medieval bridges and fairy-tale architecture framing every turn.
• Menin Gate Memorial: Witness this solemn tribute to the thousands of soldiers who went missing in action during World War I
• WWI Battlefields: Embark on a sobering journey through the scarred landscape where some of the fiercest fighting of the Great War took place.

Netherlands (4 Nights)

Experience Rotterdam!

• Cube Houses: See and photograph this iconic architecture, a striking example of urban ingenuity.
• Experience Rotterdam: Free time to explore the city’s bold architectural innovation, bustling food stalls, & vibrant art scene-
• Museum Quarter Art Depot: See and photograph this groundbreaking facility from the outside and housing an impressive collection of over 150,000 works
• Optional: Iconic Dutch windmills & the country's oldest city: Take a waterbus to capture the iconic windmills of Kinderdijk against the backdrop of canals and green fields.

Experience The Hague!

• The Hague City Highlights: Guided driving tour of the city's most notable locations
• Peace Palace: An architectural masterpiece and symbol of international justice
• Scheveningen Beach: Explore The Hague’s lively seaside escape
• The Madurodam, a country in miniature: Discover this unique park showcasing the Netherlands' most iconic landmarks

Experience Amsterdam!
Optional fast-pass entry to...

• Van Gogh Museum OR Rijksmuseum
• Guided walking tour
• Dam Square & Royal Palace
• The Floating Flower Market
• Ann Frank House

Join Us!

For our solo travelers I will pair you up with someone of the same sex unless single occupancy is requested.
Price: $4,395
Single Supplement: $895

Deposit: $600
Go here to sign up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/belgium-luxembourg-netherlands-group-tour/