Indonesia - Sumba & Flores Photography Tour.

Join us for an photographic odyssey through these unspoilt islands.

The Tour.

Our Sumba and Flores photo expedition delivers extraordinary visual opportunities across two of Indonesia's most compelling islands. From dramatic coastlines and ancient villages to volcanic peaks and legendary wildlife, this journey offers diverse opportunities for cultural and landscape photography that capture the essence of eastern Indonesia's remarkable heritage.

We begin in Sumba, where time appears suspended within traditional communities. Remote villages showcase thatched-roof houses that transport photographers to simpler eras, while Weekuri Lagoon's aquamarine waters and golden sunset beaches provide breathtaking settings. These pristine locations offer compelling compositions that blend cultural authenticity with natural beauty.

Crossing to Flores reveals the colour-changing lakes of Kelimutu, traditional Ngada villages, and natural thermal springs. The volcanic peaks and terraced rice fields create dramatic backdrops, while local hospitality adds cultural depth to every encounter. Highland landscapes and ancient customs provide endless photographic narratives throughout our mountain exploration.

Our journey culminates in Komodo National Park, where we venture by boat to photograph legendary Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. Pink coral beaches and pristine marine environments complete this comprehensive journey through Indonesia's natural wonders, ancient cultures, and diverse photographic opportunities that define this extraordinary archipelago region.

Indonesia is truly a photographer's dream, offering endless opportunities to capture its diverse elements: from ancient temples to active volcanoes, from rich cultural traditions to unique flora and fauna, from dramatic landscapes to pristine beaches, and from traditional craftspeople to its world-renowned cuisine. Known as the emerald of the equator, it's easy to see why Indonesia ranks among the world's most alluring destinations.

The combination of stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and warm hospitality will leave an indelible impression on both your heart and photographic portfolio. The tour is suited to photographers of all skill levels, with an optional pre-tour technical and aesthetic workshop for those who may be new to travel photography or want to brush up on their camera skills.

Photo Highlights.

  • Sunrise over small pier at Sanur beach, Bali, Indonesia.

    Volcano sunrise

    Sanur Beach

  • Rugged Coast line, Sumba, Indonesia

    Rugged coastlines

    Pantai Mandorak

  • Traditional coastal Village, Sumba, Indonesia.

    Traditional villages

    Kampung Ratenggaro

  • Boiling sea water for salt, Sumba, Indonesia

    Salt farming

    Ketewel Beach

  • Traditional hill top village, Sumba, Indonesia

    Hill-top villages

    Praijing Village

  • Sunset at Walakiri Beach, Sumba, Indonesia

    Dancing trees

    Walakiri beach

  • Paddy Fields at sunrise, Waikacura Waterfall, Sumba, Indonesia

    Endless rice terraces

    Waikacura

  • Traditional Balinese fire dance performance with dancers in ceremonial costumes and a blazing fire, Bali, Indonesia.

    Portraits

    Authentic Connections

  • White horse in surf, Kodi, Sumba, Indonesia

    Horse racing

    Kodi region

  • Sunrise at Waikacura waterfall, Sumba Indonesia

    Sunrise

    Waikacura waterfall

  • Mount Inerie at Bajawa in Flores, Indonesia

    Volcanoes

    Flores

  • Close-up, Komodo dragon, Komodo island, Indonesia.

    Dragons

    Komodo island

Tour Details.

Established in 2024

Duration: 13 days, 12 nights, 11 days of shooting

Dates and Prices

2026

June 15 - 26

US$6250

Past participants will get a special discount.

Our fee includes hotels, breakfast, bottled water throughout the tour, as well as all transport including airport transfers. This tour also includes three internal flights. We base our fee on accommodation in a single room, (always A/C with private bathroom) though we offer discounts for couples sharing rooms, as well as for non-photographers. If you need help with insurance for this tour, please let us know and we can put you in touch with a broker that should be able to help you.

Our Itinerary.

  • Coast line beach, Sumba, Indonesia.

    Day 1

    Arrive Bali: Enjoy free transfer to the hotel in Sanur.

    PM: Optional technical and aesthetic travel photography workshop for those who need it

    Sunset: Meet Nathan and the group for dinner

    Sleep: Sanur luxury hotel

  • Rugged coast line at sunset, Sumba, Indonesia

    Day 2

    Sunrise: Sanur beach

    AM: Fly to Tambolaka (Sumba)

    PM: Check in to our hotel

    Sunset: Sunset cliffs

    Sleep: Tambolaka luxury hotel

  • Ratenggaro beach at sunset, Sumba, Indonesia.

    Day 3

    Sunrise: Free time at hotel

    AM: Ketewel salt farms

    PM: Weekuri Lagoon / Pantai Mandorak

    Sunset: Ratenggaro village / beach

    Sleep: Tambolaka luxury hotel

  • Slow shutter waterfall shot, Sumba, Indonesia.

    Day 4

    Sunrise: Waikacura waterfall

    AM: Praijing village

    PM: Drive to Waingapu

    Sunset: Walakiri beach (dancing trees)

    Sleep: Waingapu luxury hotel

  • Rolling Hills, Waingapu, Sumba, Indonesia

    Day 5

    Sunrise: Breakfast

    AM: Waimarang waterfall

    PM: Late lunch

    Sunset: Tanau Hills

    Sleep: Waingapu luxury hotel

  • Lake crater, Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia.

    Day 6

    Sunrise: Fly to Kupang (Timor)

    AM: Fly to Ende (Flores)

    PM: Drive to Moni

    Sunset: Murundao waterfall

    Sleep: Moni boutique hotel

  • Blue stone on beach in Flores, Indonesia

    Day 7

    Sunrise: Kelimutu volcano

    AM: Blue Stone beach

    PM: Drive to Bajawa

    Sunset: Local terraces

    Sleep: Boutique cottages

  • Megalithic Ngada village, Flores, Indonesia

    Day 8

    Sunrise: Gunung Inerie volcano

    AM: Bena and Luba, traditional villages

    PM: Drive to Ruteng

    Sunset: Ranamese Lake

    Sleep: Ruteng bungalows

  • Paddy field walk, Ruteng, Indonesia..

    Day 9

    Sunrise: Paddy field walk

    AM: Village visit

    PM: Lightroom session

    Sunset: Uliang Bua cave

    Sleep: Ruteng bungalows

  • Traditional Balinese Dancers, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

    Day 10

    Sunrise: Spider web paddies

    AM: Drive to Labuan Bajo

    PM: Harbour town

    Sunset: Beach boats

    Sleep: Labuan Bajo beach hotel

  • Dragon on Komdoa Island, Flores, Indonesia.

    Day 11

    Sunrise: Padar island

    AM: Komodo dragons

    PM: Pink beach

    Sunset: Beach boats

    Sleep: Labuan Bajo beach hotel

  • Boat at sunrise on Sanur beach, Bali, Indonesia.

    Day 12

    Sunrise: Breakfast

    AM: Flight to Bali

    PM: Depart Bali anytime or arrange with us to stay on at a beachside hotel

Make the dream a reality.

Tuition.

On any of our tours, stunning photography is the name of the game, and our objective is for you to leave with a collection of images that you'll be proud to show off. Indeed, many of our past participants have gone on to win awards and competitions with photographs taken on our tours.

Nathan’s teaching approach is very hands-on, as he believes in learning by doing. He will guide you through technical challenges, provide artistic inspiration, and lead by example in approaching locals for great portraits. You'll be amazed at the striking and authentic images you'll be able to capture.

We also offer Lightroom workshops during our tours, where we cover workflow management and picture processing. We'll show you the tools to take your travel photography to the next level and provide tips on saving your pictures for various outputs like social media, e-books, and printing.

If this is your first tour with us, you can also join Nathan’s pre-tour workshop, designed to equip you with essential skills for travel photography. Covering technical competence, creative observation, and ethical responsibility with a focus on people and culture, this workshop is perfect if you’re new to travel photography or need a refresher. The workshop runs on the first day of the tour from around 1-5pm. Enhance your photography skills and capture breathtaking moments to treasure forever. Apply via our tour request form and prepare to take your photography skills to the next level.

Hotels and Transport.

  • Typical hotel on Sumba Flores tour in Indonesia.

    Luxury hotels

    We have gone to great lengths to secure either luxury hotels, or the best choices in more challenging locations, to enhance your overall sense of being in Indonesia. There is often exceptional character to Indonesian hotels where they utilise their natural building materials and apply age-old skills and style.

  • Typical vehicle for driving around country roads in Sumba.

    Mini buses

    We will always give you at least two seats on this tour; one for you and one for your camera bag. Due to the remote locations we visit on this tour we often need to use narrow (but paved) roads. We find the latest mini buses to be the most comfortable. When we have a full tour of eight photographers we use two min-buses.

  • Sima hotel restaurant plate, Sumba, Indonesia

    Restaurant food

    Indonesian food is undoubtedly an additional joy when traveling to Sumba and Flores. We often eat in the hotel restaurants, where we know the quality of the food will meet our normal high standards. However, when we feel confident, there will be occasions when we encourage you to enjoy the atmosphere of local restaurants.

TripAdvisor.

Guy

Morin Heights, Canada - June 2025

No better photo tour operator in Asia”.

An outstanding tour of Indonesia. This was my sixth with NHP Tours.
As usual, we felt very well taken care of. Had excellent photo opportunities, and came home with an outstanding collection of images. NHP Tours is unmatched for photo tours in Asia.

Choose from 17 tours in 9 countries!

Sign up for our newsletter

for regular photography tips and tour updates.