Indonesia - Sumba & Flores

Photography Tour.

Take gorgeous portraits on the Island of the Gods.

The Tour.

Join us on an extraordinary photographic journey through Indonesia, a land of diverse cultures, stunning landscapes, and unique wildlife. Our tour begins in the ancient city of Borobudur, home to Asia's largest Buddhist temple, where we'll capture the first rays of dawn illuminating its 72 bell-shaped stupas, each housing a serene Buddha statue. The temple complex, surrounded by tranquil rice paddies, jungle, and the ever-present Mount Merapi, offers endless compositional possibilities. From there, we travel to Yogyakarta, where we'll explore and photograph the sprawling Hindu temple complexes of Prambanan and Candi Sewu during the golden hour.

Next, we swap ancient history and culture for nature at its rawest, embarking on pre-dawn adventures to photograph two very different volcanoes. At Mount Bromo, we'll capture the dramatic sunrise over its caldera from Penanjakan viewpoint, before descending to the 'Sea of Sand' where local horsemen provide stunning photo opportunities against the volcanic landscape. At Kawa Ijen, we'll trek to photograph its extraordinary turquoise crater lake and the traditional sulphur miners who work in this otherworldly setting.

Crossing to Bali, known as the Land of the Gods, we begin our exploration in Lovina with its black sand beaches and morning dolphin-watching excursions. In the cultural heart of Ubud, we'll photograph the iconic terraced rice fields of Tegalalang, visit traditional craft workshops, and capture the dramatic Kecak fire dance performance. The journey continues to Kintamani, offering spectacular views of Mount Batur and Mount Agung, before heading to the mother temple of Besakih, nestled on the slopes of Bali's highest volcano.

We'll witness the island's spiritual connection to water at Tanah Lot, one of the world's most picturesque coastal temples, especially captivating during sunset when waves crash against its rocky base. Our journey includes stops at local markets, traditional villages, and the serene Lawak coffee plantations, providing intimate glimpses into daily Balinese life.

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 Coast line

    Pantai Mandorak

  • Traditional coastal Village, Sumba, Indonesia.

    Traditional coastal Village

    Kampung Ratenggaro

  • Boiling sea water for salt,Sumba, Indonesia.

    Salt Farming

    Ketewel Beach

  • Traditional hill top village, Sumba, Indonesia.

    Traditional hill top village

    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

  • Spider web style paddy fields, Lingko, Flores, Indonesia

    Spider web rice terraces

    Lingko

  • Local fisher women Jimbaran beach, Bali, Indonesia.

    Volcano's

    Flores

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

    Dragon's

    Komodo Island

Tour Details.

Established in 2012

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

Dates and Prices

2025

June 2 -14

SOLD OUT

2026

June 2 -14

August 11 - 23

US$6650

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. 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 Tambaloka Sumba

    PM: Check in Hotel

    Sunset: Sunset Cliff’s

    Sleep: Tambaloka luxury hotel

  • Ratenggaro beach at sunset, Sumba, Indonesia.

    Day 3

    Sunrise: Hotel

    AM: Ketewel salt farms

    PM: Weekuri Lagoon/ Pantai Mandorak

    Sunset: Ratenggaro village/beach

    Sleep: Tambaloka 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 Timor (Kupang)

    AM: Fly to Flores (Ende)

    PM: Drive to Moni

    Sunset: Murundao Waterfall

    Sleep: Moni boutique hotel

  • Sunrise shot of horse and cart in misty forest, Java, Indonesia.

    Day 7

    Sunrise: Kelimutu volcano

    AM: Blue Stone Beach

    PM: Drive to Bajawa

    Sunset: Local terraces

    Sleep: Boutique Manulalu 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 Java Bali 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 four wheel drive vehicle for driving around volcanos in Java.

    4 wheel drives

    On some parts of this tour, we encounter steep climbs requiring four-wheel drive transport, but even in these more challenging conditions, we always give you a window seat, with no more than three photographers per car to ensure you have ample space. There is also one train ride included in the price of this tour.

  • Typical swimming pool in Balinese hotel

    Typical Bali hotel pool

    Many hotels have cosy bungalows, most have tropical gardens and some are right on the beach. Some hotels have amazing views and many also have swimming pools. All in all, we are confident that the range and quality of accommodation throughout the tour will keep you pleasantly surprised.

TripAdvisor.

Angela_Travels - August 2024

Human touch and learning in awe-inspiring locations!

The experience of traveling with Nathan surpassed any expectations I had. Not only the tour runs smoothly but also, he has designed an expedition to cover the best of Java and Bali. From golden sand beaches to temples located in unusual and gorgeous locations, rice terraces, rice fields, waterfalls and the privilege to witness the sunrise in one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world. Besides, I learned immensely from portrait photography in markets and other settings. Furthermore, beyond the photography technical aspects and being a great teacher, Nathan’s guidance to connect with local people and to give back to the community is one of the highlights of this experience and something I valued a lot. We truly got to know more of Indonesia and its people thanks to his kind and human approach. Most appreciated it! Highly recommended!
Can’t wait to participate again in one of his Asia tours.

Choose from 17 tours in 9 countries!

Sign up for our newsletter

for regular photography tips and tour updates.