Tour Dates
8th - 10th December, 2023
Duration
2 Nights | 3 Days
Group Size
Min 3 pax | Max 7 pax
Tour Price
Rs. 27,500/-
(Dual Occupancy)
LAST DATE OF BOOKING: 8th November,2023
Capture enthralling landscapes and nightscapes at world’s highest elevation tea plantation. Kolukkumalai is situated in Tamil Nadu on the border of Idukki District, Kerala. The lush green tea gardens surrounded by scenic mountain landscape make the best locations for landscape and nightscape photography. Our second location Meesapulimala is the second highest peak of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu.
Special Note:
The visibility of Milkyway totally depends upon the weather conditions as the weather has really become unpredictable in recent years.
01
Winter Nightscapes
02.
Scenic Tea Plantations
03.
Sunrise and Sunset at world’s highest elevation tea plantation and the second highest peak of Tamil Nadu.
04.
Advance Landscape Photography techniques like Focus Stacking, Masking and natural color grading.
05.
Complete editing workflow
If you are fascinated by scenic landscapes and enchanting nightscapes, this tour is designed for you. This is a mid level photo tour, which covers Landscape and Nightscape photography and editing techniques. Even if you are a beginner you can join this tour as we have ‘Personal Pre Tour Support’ which clears all level of difficulties before we begin the tour. Individuals who are not photographers but avid nature-lover can also join our photography Tour to experience nature at its purest form.
Note: The jeep ride from suryanelli to Kolukkumalai and meesapulimala is very bumpy(off-road route). If you suffer from any back problems or spinal injuries, kindly consult your doctor before booking this tour.
Ashish Kamble is a professional photographer and educator working in photography industry since 2009 (13 years). He has trained more than 900 students (B.M.M & B.A.F.T.N.M.P) in his teaching career as a visiting faculty in colleges affiliated under Mumbai University and in his own Institution ‘LotusBeam School of Photography’. His teaching experience helps every tour participant to clear their doubts from basic to advance level. To add further support we have specially designed a Personal Pre Tour Support policy at no additional cost.
Our maximum group size is 7 participants for this tour, which allows us to give personal individual attention throughout the tour. Our mentor Ashish Kamble has explored Munnar at ground level and is familiar with the locals and locations which will help us to get the perfect shot. We try our level best to help our participants create distinct looking images by taking them to the perfect spots. We also cover post processing session which is an essential part of photography as it helps the participants to bring their visuals into reality. We make sure that you go back with a satisfying powerful portfolio.
Pre-Tour
If you are a complete beginner in Milkyway photography an online lecture will be conducted before the the tour begins to clear all doubts without any extra charges. If any additional basic or advance query about the gear or technique they will be cleared via phone call to make sure you are technically prepared for the tour.
Post-Tour
After the tour finishes if you have any further doubts related to post processing we provide 3 hours 1-1 personal online support to clear all your doubts on prior appointment basis to every individual participant. Once a part of Ashish Kamble Photography and Tours you get a life time support to clear your general doubts related to photography on prior appointment basis.
Day 1:
Dec 8th
Friday
- Drive from Kochi Airport to Kolukkumalai Peak. Early Morning pickup from Kochi Airport. We will depart from airport to our resort at 8:30 am.
- Breakfast will be provided en-route. We will reach the base suryanelli tentatively by 1:00 pm.
- From suryanelli, it takes 1 hour to reach the top by Jeep which will be an off-road journey.
- Check-in at resort, followed by participants introduction after lunch.
- Afternoon rest followed by evening snacks and tea.
- We will proceed for sunset and nightscape photography.
- Dinner with campfire.
- Brief lecture on editing workflow and review session.
Day 2:
Dec 9th
Saturday
- Wake up early for sunrise shoot.
- Return to our rooms followed by Breakfast and tea.
- Brief visit to tea factory.
- We leave for our second destination, Meesapulimala. Lunch will be provided en-route. From munnar, we will switch to Jeep ride to reach our hotel. The complete route is extremely scenic where we will take multiple stops to capture nature at its purest form.
- Reach hotel, followed by rest and sunset shoot nearby.
- Early dinner with campfire.
Day 3:
Dec 10th
Sunday
- Early morning sunrise shoot followed by a small scenic walk to capture nearby naturescape.
- Return to hotel, freshen up, followed by breakfast.
- We will begin our return journey to Kochi Airport with beautiful memories and powerful photos.
Min 3 pax and Max 7 pax
Rs. 27,500/-
(Dual Occupancy)
- All meals, starting from Day 1 Breakfast to Day 3 Breakfast
- All local transportation required during the tour
- Photography mentorship and on field assistance fees
- Additional beverages, snacks etc.
- Travel from your location to Kochi and vice versa
- Anything that is not mentioned in the Inclusion list
TOOLS/GEAR REQUIRED BY PARTICIPANTS:
- DSLR or Mirror less camera
- Sturdy Tripod
- Wired / Wireless Camera trigger (Optional)
- Head torch/ Torch (Optional)
THINGS TO CARRY:
Personal hygiene and care products, Medicine etc.
₹ 16,500/- needs to be paid to book your seat
₹ 11,000/- needs to be paid 15 days prior to the tour starting date
CANCELLATION POLICY:
75% refund of full fees if cancellation is made 45 days prior to the date of the tour.
50% refund of full fees if cancellation is made 30 days prior to the date of the tour.
25% refund of full fees if cancellation is made 20 days prior to the date of the tour.
NO refund if cancellation is made 15 days prior to the date of the tour.5
The tour pricing has been finalized after considering the quality standards which we maintain and the logistics involved. Thus, the pricing is final and not negotiable.
It is not a luxury tour, but we will be staying at the finest locations available at the top of the mountains.
If the group size is only 4 pax or smaller we travel by Innova/scorpio. If there are more than 4 pax we will travel by tempo traveler.
We offer Veg and Non-Veg food on our tour. We encourage you to try the local delicacies.
We will be staying in hotels on twin sharing basis which is surrounded by tea estate and beautiful mountain in the middle of wilderness. If you want single occupancy that can be arranged at additional cost of Rs.13,400/-.
This tour include small hikes to nearby areas to find better composition. We personally don’t recommend individuals to wander alone far from the camping site. But just incase if you liked some near by location you can do small hike at your own risk, we won’t be involved in any type of additional support in whatsoever circumstances.
Hotels will have western toilet with 24×7 hot water availability.
The jeep ride from suryanelli to Kolukkumalai and meesapulimala is very bumpy(off-road route). If you suffer from any back problems or spinal injuries, kindly consult your doctor before booking this tour.
Since we are traveling in winter, it will be very cold. We highly recommend you to carry warm clothes as it becomes very windy and cold at night. Hand gloves and ear muffs are also encouraged.
This tour covers many scenic spots, so if you are an avid nature-lover you will get to experience the nature at its purest form. So any one can join our tour!
We suggest you to follow basic exercise routine at least one month prior to the tour date as its a high altitude tour. If you are asthmatic we highly recommend you to consult your doctor before joining our tour.
Hindi, English and Marathi.
- Participant(s)/Guardians should understand the risks involved in any long journey activities before enrolling.
- In case of any injury, sickness, accident, death or any other casualty or loss or damage of valuables or luggage or any equipment; organisers, volunteers or experts or any other person involved wholly or partially, either individually or jointly with Ashish Kamble Photography and Tours shall not be responsible in any manner for the same and no claims of participants, parents, guardians, relatives or friends of participants will be entertained.
- Any expenses for all medical treatment and arrangements made by the organisers for the participants will be solely borne by the participant.
- During the Workshop, the decision of authorised representative of Ashish Kamble Photography and Tour shall be final and binding on all participants.
- Please be courteous to your mentor and other participants for smooth stress free Tour experience. Any discomfort please share with the organiser, we will try our level best to solve it in our capacity.
- The participant should make the payment only once he has gone through all terms and conditions and is willing to abide by them.
- Smoking and moderate consumption of alcohol during leisure time is allowed during the tour. We request you not to smoke when all participants are shooting on field or are in a common meeting room
- Possession of illegal drugs, weapons and other illegal substances is strictly prohibited during the tour. If found breaking this Rule, participant will be expelled from the Workshop/Tour and NO REFUND will be provided.