Into the Heart of Peru
with Carl Austin Hyatt
October 13 – 20, 2027
Course Description
There are places in the world where the past is never truly past, where ancient stones hold their silence, the mountains seem to breathe, and the sacred remains woven into the fabric of everyday life. Places where the veil between the ancient and the present seems thin. The Sacred Valley of Peru is such a place. Join photographer Carl Hyatt, who has spent years exploring and photographing this extraordinary landscape and its people, on a seven-day photographic journey into the heart of the ancient Inca world. From the temples and terraces of Ollantaytambo and Pisac to the remarkable landscapes of Moray and Chinchero, you discover a land shaped by ancient wisdom and a profound connection to the natural world. Along the way, you encounter indigenous weavers, bustling markets, and shamans who continue to practice ancient traditions, finding opportunities to create images that speak not only of what you see, but of what you feel.
Beginning and ending in Cusco, this journey reaches beyond the celebrated ruins to explore the deeper spirit of Peru. You visit Qorikancha, the spiritual center of the Inca Empire, the pre-Inca ruins of Pikillacta, the magnificent ceremonial site of Tipon, and the communities and sacred places that give this region its enduring soul. With Carl’s guidance, you learn to look beyond the obvious, discovering the interplay of light and shadow, the quiet dignity of a portrait, and the subtle connections between people, place, and belief. Here, photography becomes more than the act of seeing; it becomes a way of feeling, listening, and discovering what lies beneath the surface.
In October 2027, join Carl and Puma Adventures for a photographic journey into a world where the visible and invisible seem intertwined. A thin space where the most meaningful images may be those that reveal not simply what is there, but what has always been there, waiting to be seen. A place where the ancient and the living remain inseparable, and where every encounter offers the possibility of seeing something extraordinary.
Carl first traveled to Peru in 1998, and he thought it would be a “one-off” trip. His last trip was his 40th! He initially went to Peru not to photograph, but to meet and learn from the shamans of a small tribe who are referred to as the ‘Last of the Incas’. They are the keepers of one of humanity’s precious threads of ancient primal wisdom. What started as a subtle tug at the heart for Carl has become a lifelong passion for their ancient teachings, the magic of their dramatic landscapes, and the generous hearts of these beautiful people. His passion eventually led to decades of photographing all that he had so unexpectedly fallen in love with. It is Carl’s privilege to share with you the magic and majesty of Peru.
View complete itinerary (subject to change).
Additional Information
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
This program is open to all photographers at all levels who are passionate about travel and improving their image-making.
What You Should Know:
Participants should be technically self-sufficient, as this is not a program to learn how to use your gear or editing software. This a photographic tour, not a photography workshop and there isn’t structured classroom time. There are individual image review sessions with Carl, as well as help with photographic ideas and techniques on location.
Special Notes:
Participants make their own air travel arrangements to Cusco, Peru, to arrive in time for the opening dinner on Wednesday, October 13, at 6:00 pm. To avoid jet lag and acclimate to the high elevation, it is advised to arrive a day or two in advance to rest before the trip begins.
It is required that you purchase trip cancellation/travel insurance for this international trip. We cannot vary from our published cancellation and refund policy regardless of your situation. We recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy including cancel for any reason coverage.
Participants are also responsible for ensuring that their passports and other travel documents meet Peru's entry requirements.
Once the trip is confirmed, additional information and travel details will be provided. Enrollment is limited to 12 participants.
Activity Level:
To get the most from this international experience, participants should be in good physical (mobility, stamina) and mental health. Cusco sits at approximately 11,150 feet above sea level, while many Sacred Valley destinations are lower. The journey begins in the Sacred Valley to allow time for gradual acclimatization. Nevertheless, altitude symptoms can affect anyone, regardless of age or fitness level. Participants should be in suitable physical condition for walking on uneven terrain, visiting archaeological terraces, and participating in activities at elevation. You must be able to carry your own photographic and personal gear at all times. You are responsible for being open and honest about your physical fitness, and we reserve the right to remove you from the workshop if we find your fitness to be less than that which you have described.
Package Price INFO:
$5,495 includes double accommodations for seven nights (ideal for couples and friends traveling together; a single supplement is available for an additional $950); breakfast every day, five group lunches, and two group dinners. Ground transportation in Peru; and all entrance fees and special ceremonies. Airfare to Peru and return, as well as required travel insurance, meals, and activities not mentioned in the itinerary, gratuities, and passport/visa fees are not included.
Policies:
View Payment, Refund, Cancellation, and Transfer Policies for this International Program.
about
Carl Austin Hyatt is a fine art black-and-white photographer living on the coast of New England. For fifty years he has been crafting exceptionally beautiful prints with the traditional tools of large format photography, exposing film and printing silver and platinum prints in his darkroom. His inspiration flows from a deep reverence for what the ancients called the Anima Mundi – the Soul of The World. This is an intuitive but palpable sense that the world is aware, conscious and ensouled. He has extensive bodies of work concentrating on the coast of New England, portraiture, figurative work and the indigenous cultures of the rugged Peruvian Andes.
In addition to his photographic work for the last 25 years, Carl has immersed himself in the indigenous shamanic traditions of the high Peruvian Andes. He regularly organizes pilgrimages to Peru. For the last 20 years he has been an international workshop leader facilitating corporate retreats and ceremonial shamanic gatherings.
He has had two essays published with accompanying photographs focusing on the challenges a Westerner often encounters while struggling to adopt the animist cosmological perspectives of people living in the high Peruvian Andes: “Journey to the Last of the Incas”, published by Anathema Publishing, and “Listening to Stone Beings” published by the Guggenheim Museum and e-Flux Architecture.
Carl’s photographs are collected in numerous public and private institutions including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Smithsonian Museum, the Currier Museum, the Addison Gallery of American Art (at Phillips Andover Academy) and the Ogunquit Museum of American Art. He is a MacDowell Colony Fellow and a member of the National Parks Arts Foundation Advisory Board.
Website: carlaustinhyatt.com
Instagram: @carl_austin_hyatt
