2024 Travelers' Choice
About Backcountry Journeys
Why Choose Backcountry Journeys
If you're considering a photography tour, hear why Backcountry Journeys delivers the best experience in the industry.Frequently Asked Questions
If you're new to photography tours, or new to BCJ, you can find our common travel questions here.Fitness Levels
Our trips vary on physical intensity, and by reviewing our fitness levels, you can find out which trips may be more challenging, or aligned more closely with your comfort level.Meet The Crew
We've built an amazing team of experienced guides, and dedicated office staff that elevate your travel experience. Get to know their backgrounds, and hear their stories.Travel Desk
You can review our various payment, and travel policies here, along with resources regarding international travel.Gift Certificates
Give the gift of photo adventure! We offer gift certificates that can be applied to any of our upcoming tours.Loyalty Program
We reward our frequent photo adventurers with exclusive discounts on amazing photography tours.Contact Us
If you need to get in touch with our office staff, or have additional business inquiries, you can find our information here.Stay Up To Date On All Things
Backcountry Journeys
Backcountry Journeys
Our Photography Community
Our Webinars
Our regularly hosted webinars provide photography instruction from our own guides on a wide range of topics.Our Education Portal
Explore our library of articles that cover everything from common questions, to in-depth guides on how to achieve that perfect shot.Community Testimonials
We're proud to foster an amazing group of photo travelers, and here you can find their stories from their past adventures.Resources For Photographers
About Our Company
Resources For Photographers
About Our Company
Which BCJ Trip is Right For You?
Published August 18, 2023
So, you’ve decided to go on your first Backcountry Journeys photography trip! Or maybe you’re a seasoned veteran and are trying to figure out what trip to go on next. Whatever the case may be, this article is designed to provide some direction and lay out a road map of the trips we currently offer here at BCJ.
As a company, our purpose is to connect passionate people to exceptional experiences and we achieve this by providing world-class photography workshops, tours, & safaris to the absolute best locations on the planet. We also strive to offer a large variety of trips focusing on different regions of the planet, a variety of landscapes, trips during all different times of the year, and a plethora of diverse wildlife species. In fact, when it comes to photography-specific trips, we probably have more offerings than anyone else in the industry!
Because we offer so many incredible trips throughout the world, it can be quite difficult to actually decide which one you’re going to sign up for. I don’t know about you, but I personally have a seemingly infinite list of places I want to visit and photograph that grows longer almost daily.
In today’s article, we’re going to break down all the different trips we offer and hopefully provide some clarity and direction to make your decisions on where to travel with BCJ a bit easier.
Let’s break it down!
As a company, our purpose is to connect passionate people to exceptional experiences and we achieve this by providing world-class photography workshops, tours, & safaris to the absolute best locations on the planet. We also strive to offer a large variety of trips focusing on different regions of the planet, a variety of landscapes, trips during all different times of the year, and a plethora of diverse wildlife species. In fact, when it comes to photography-specific trips, we probably have more offerings than anyone else in the industry!
Because we offer so many incredible trips throughout the world, it can be quite difficult to actually decide which one you’re going to sign up for. I don’t know about you, but I personally have a seemingly infinite list of places I want to visit and photograph that grows longer almost daily.
In today’s article, we’re going to break down all the different trips we offer and hopefully provide some clarity and direction to make your decisions on where to travel with BCJ a bit easier.
Let’s break it down!
Types of Trips We Offer
We’ll start out this the basics and cover all the different types or styles of trips we offer.
Before getting into that it’s worth noting that every single trip we run is all-inclusive. This means that, apart from getting yourself to and from the starting and ending locations, we take care of everything. From lodging to meals to transportation and all the nitty gritty details in-between we’ll take care of everything while you get to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Although we won’t book your flights for you we’re always happy to assist with travel logistics to make sure you get to the right place at the right time.
It’s also worth noting that it is rare for any of our trips to have a truly singular focus or one thing we’re trying to photograph. And even if that is the case, a trip focusing on tigers or Jaguars for instance, there are always plenty of other excellent subjects to be found.
And one final thing I’d like to mention is that our trip calendar is an excellent resource to filter our tips by the style of photography, the time of year, and more! Definitely check this out if you’d like to narrow down your search!
Alright, that being said, on to the different types of trips we offer at Backcountry Journeys.
We’ll start out this the basics and cover all the different types or styles of trips we offer.
Before getting into that it’s worth noting that every single trip we run is all-inclusive. This means that, apart from getting yourself to and from the starting and ending locations, we take care of everything. From lodging to meals to transportation and all the nitty gritty details in-between we’ll take care of everything while you get to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Although we won’t book your flights for you we’re always happy to assist with travel logistics to make sure you get to the right place at the right time.
It’s also worth noting that it is rare for any of our trips to have a truly singular focus or one thing we’re trying to photograph. And even if that is the case, a trip focusing on tigers or Jaguars for instance, there are always plenty of other excellent subjects to be found.
And one final thing I’d like to mention is that our trip calendar is an excellent resource to filter our tips by the style of photography, the time of year, and more! Definitely check this out if you’d like to narrow down your search!
Alright, that being said, on to the different types of trips we offer at Backcountry Journeys.
Landscape-Oriented Trips:
Let’s start out with landscape-oriented trips. Although none of our trips are solely focused on just capturing landscapes many of them are centered around this style of photography. Perhaps there may be chances for some wildlife, macro, or other styles of photography but these trips have a large focus on landscape shots.
Some great examples of this are our trips in the American Southwest such as our Canyons of Utah: Zion & Bryce trip, our Death Valley: Land of Extremes trip, or our Canyons of Utah: Arches & Canyonlands trip. All of these trips heavily focus on the unique and stunning landscapes created in harsh desert climates. Some other great examples are some trips we offer in the Pacific Northwest such as our Coastal Oregon & California’s Redwoods trip, our Columbia River Gorge: Waterfalls, Wildflowers, & Seascapes trip, or our Olympic National Park trip. All of these trips primarily focus on capturing landscape images but there will be plenty of opportunity for other styles of photography as well.
If landscape photography is your passion, or if you’re just getting started and want to learn the ins and outs of how to capture a stunning landscape image then these trips are exactly what you’re looking for. We offer exceptional landscape-oriented trips all over the world!
Let’s start out with landscape-oriented trips. Although none of our trips are solely focused on just capturing landscapes many of them are centered around this style of photography. Perhaps there may be chances for some wildlife, macro, or other styles of photography but these trips have a large focus on landscape shots.
Some great examples of this are our trips in the American Southwest such as our Canyons of Utah: Zion & Bryce trip, our Death Valley: Land of Extremes trip, or our Canyons of Utah: Arches & Canyonlands trip. All of these trips heavily focus on the unique and stunning landscapes created in harsh desert climates. Some other great examples are some trips we offer in the Pacific Northwest such as our Coastal Oregon & California’s Redwoods trip, our Columbia River Gorge: Waterfalls, Wildflowers, & Seascapes trip, or our Olympic National Park trip. All of these trips primarily focus on capturing landscape images but there will be plenty of opportunity for other styles of photography as well.
If landscape photography is your passion, or if you’re just getting started and want to learn the ins and outs of how to capture a stunning landscape image then these trips are exactly what you’re looking for. We offer exceptional landscape-oriented trips all over the world!
Wildlife-Oriented Trips:
Perhaps your passion is for animals and wildlife photography. Our wildlife-focused trips will get you to just the right place at the right time to capture incredible wildlife images. Our guides, trip planners, and third-party resources have spent countless hours building the perfect trips. And, there will be plenty of opportunities for other styles of photography but the main focus on these trips is searching for and photographing wild animals in their natural habitats.
A few examples of popular wildlife trips are our three offerings in Costa Rica including our Wildlife of Costa Rica trip, our Resplendent Quetzals of Costa Rica trip, and our Costa Rica’s Tortuguero National Park trip. These trips each focus on a different region in the biodiverse hotspot of Costa Rica and they can all be combined into one ultimate wildlife exploration. Additionally, we offer some of the best photo safaris throughout the African continent. From our Big Cats of Africa trip to our Ultimate Botswana Wildlife Safari and our Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda trip you really can’t go wrong. And if you want to keep things closer to home (at least for our US customers) our Birds & Wildlife of the Florida Everglades trip is also incredible!
No matter where you decide to go, we offer many incredible trips in all different climates and regions of the world focusing on capturing beautiful wildlife images. Whether you’d like to see a polar bear in the Arctic, a bison roaming the great plains, or a hummingbird in a lush forest we have a trip for you!
Perhaps your passion is for animals and wildlife photography. Our wildlife-focused trips will get you to just the right place at the right time to capture incredible wildlife images. Our guides, trip planners, and third-party resources have spent countless hours building the perfect trips. And, there will be plenty of opportunities for other styles of photography but the main focus on these trips is searching for and photographing wild animals in their natural habitats.
A few examples of popular wildlife trips are our three offerings in Costa Rica including our Wildlife of Costa Rica trip, our Resplendent Quetzals of Costa Rica trip, and our Costa Rica’s Tortuguero National Park trip. These trips each focus on a different region in the biodiverse hotspot of Costa Rica and they can all be combined into one ultimate wildlife exploration. Additionally, we offer some of the best photo safaris throughout the African continent. From our Big Cats of Africa trip to our Ultimate Botswana Wildlife Safari and our Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda trip you really can’t go wrong. And if you want to keep things closer to home (at least for our US customers) our Birds & Wildlife of the Florida Everglades trip is also incredible!
No matter where you decide to go, we offer many incredible trips in all different climates and regions of the world focusing on capturing beautiful wildlife images. Whether you’d like to see a polar bear in the Arctic, a bison roaming the great plains, or a hummingbird in a lush forest we have a trip for you!
Hybrid Trips:
Perhaps you don’t focus on just one style of photography. Or maybe you want to improve your skills in both landscape and wildlife. Or it might be that you just want an all-around experience that covers all the basics. If any of these are the case, then our “hybrid” trips, or trips that don’t primarily focus on one style of photography, might be right for you.
Here are some great examples of trips like this: our Interior Alaska, Denali & Prince William Sound trip is an excellent opportunity to capture both the stunning landscapes and diverse wildlife of Alaska as you travel throughout the state. Our trips in the Great Smoky Mountains are also hybrid trips that not only introduce you to stunning mountain landscapes and waterfalls but also provide wildlife photo opportunities throughout. We also have many trips in the Rocky Mountain region visiting places like Glacier, Yellowstone, & Grand Teton national parks that have exceptional opportunities for both wildlife and landscape photography in the rugged Rocky Mountains. And finally, if you want an epic, cold-weather adventure our Svalbard: Ultimate Arctic Expedition will not only explore the remote and frigid landscapes of the arctic circle but you’ll likely see polar bears, birds, and other marine wildlife as well.
Our hybrid trips are really designed for all different types of photographers who want a wide range of styles and subjects to capture. That being said, no matter what your background, experience, knowledge, or skill level is, you’re more than welcome on any of our trips. We cater to everyone, even if you want to take pictures on your phone, and our professional guides can help you every step of the way!
Perhaps you don’t focus on just one style of photography. Or maybe you want to improve your skills in both landscape and wildlife. Or it might be that you just want an all-around experience that covers all the basics. If any of these are the case, then our “hybrid” trips, or trips that don’t primarily focus on one style of photography, might be right for you.
Here are some great examples of trips like this: our Interior Alaska, Denali & Prince William Sound trip is an excellent opportunity to capture both the stunning landscapes and diverse wildlife of Alaska as you travel throughout the state. Our trips in the Great Smoky Mountains are also hybrid trips that not only introduce you to stunning mountain landscapes and waterfalls but also provide wildlife photo opportunities throughout. We also have many trips in the Rocky Mountain region visiting places like Glacier, Yellowstone, & Grand Teton national parks that have exceptional opportunities for both wildlife and landscape photography in the rugged Rocky Mountains. And finally, if you want an epic, cold-weather adventure our Svalbard: Ultimate Arctic Expedition will not only explore the remote and frigid landscapes of the arctic circle but you’ll likely see polar bears, birds, and other marine wildlife as well.
Our hybrid trips are really designed for all different types of photographers who want a wide range of styles and subjects to capture. That being said, no matter what your background, experience, knowledge, or skill level is, you’re more than welcome on any of our trips. We cater to everyone, even if you want to take pictures on your phone, and our professional guides can help you every step of the way!
Specialty Trips:
We also offer specialty trips that deviate from the rest of our offerings and have some key differences. Let’s take a look at some of the “specialty" trips we offer:
Let’s start with our hiker trips. These are trips that we offer in some of our most popular destinations, in which photography is still the main focus (as in all of our trips), but you’ll be able to hike much more and get off the beaten path. These trips are smaller with fewer guests and often have multiple guides as you’ll be hiking on trials and spending time deeper in the backcountry. We offer hiker trips in the American Southwest, the Rockies, the great smoky mountains, and Yosemite. If you like to get a workout in, hike to stunning vistas and intimate locations, or simply get away from the crowds to more secluded areas then our hiker trips are for you. It’s worth noting that these trips usually hike anywhere from 2-7 miles a day so make sure you’re capable of hiking this much if you chose to sign up.
We also offer trips that specifically focus on astrophotography or capturing images of the night sky. From capturing the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis in the heart of Alaska to photographing the milky way galaxy or creating star trail images in the deserts of the American Southwest, we have a night sky trip that’s right for you! If you want to focus on long-exposure photography in the dead of night capturing images beyond what you can see with the naked eye, then definitely check out our night sky trips. There will be some opportunities to capture other styles of images during the day but usually, we’re resting to prepare for the night ahead.
And every now and then we’ll run trips that are even more specialized focusing on specific events or natural occurrences. Some great examples of this are our new Storm Chasing: Supercells & Tornadoes trip, our Southwest Monsoon: Grand Canyon Country trip, and even our Solar Eclipse: Bryce Canyon & Zion as well as our Solar Eclipse: Texas Wildflowers & Totality trips which are capitalizing on the rare solar eclipse crossing the United States in 2024. It's worth noting that trips like these are less common and we offer fewer departures as they are extremely focused.
We also offer specialty trips that deviate from the rest of our offerings and have some key differences. Let’s take a look at some of the “specialty" trips we offer:
Let’s start with our hiker trips. These are trips that we offer in some of our most popular destinations, in which photography is still the main focus (as in all of our trips), but you’ll be able to hike much more and get off the beaten path. These trips are smaller with fewer guests and often have multiple guides as you’ll be hiking on trials and spending time deeper in the backcountry. We offer hiker trips in the American Southwest, the Rockies, the great smoky mountains, and Yosemite. If you like to get a workout in, hike to stunning vistas and intimate locations, or simply get away from the crowds to more secluded areas then our hiker trips are for you. It’s worth noting that these trips usually hike anywhere from 2-7 miles a day so make sure you’re capable of hiking this much if you chose to sign up.
We also offer trips that specifically focus on astrophotography or capturing images of the night sky. From capturing the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis in the heart of Alaska to photographing the milky way galaxy or creating star trail images in the deserts of the American Southwest, we have a night sky trip that’s right for you! If you want to focus on long-exposure photography in the dead of night capturing images beyond what you can see with the naked eye, then definitely check out our night sky trips. There will be some opportunities to capture other styles of images during the day but usually, we’re resting to prepare for the night ahead.
And every now and then we’ll run trips that are even more specialized focusing on specific events or natural occurrences. Some great examples of this are our new Storm Chasing: Supercells & Tornadoes trip, our Southwest Monsoon: Grand Canyon Country trip, and even our Solar Eclipse: Bryce Canyon & Zion as well as our Solar Eclipse: Texas Wildflowers & Totality trips which are capitalizing on the rare solar eclipse crossing the United States in 2024. It's worth noting that trips like these are less common and we offer fewer departures as they are extremely focused.
Factors to Consider
So, now that we’ve covered all the different types of trips we offer at Backcountry Journeys, it’s worth thinking about what factors you should consider when choosing a trip. At the end of the day, we’re all unique individuals with unique photography styles, wants, and needs. It’s ultimately up to you to decide where you’ll go next but hopefully, these factors can help make that decision easier.
Availability:
One of the main factors that will likely influence your decision is trip availability. We’re constantly launching new trips to exciting locations throughout the world and offer multiple departures throughout the year for a vast majority of trips. But, that being said, our trips are popular and many of them sell out within days if not hours of launch. Because so many of our trips fill up quite fast it’s good to stay in the loop. Feel free to sign up to receive our emails so that you’ll know when new trips or departures are being added and can be one of the first to sign up!
Seasons:
Another important factor to take into consideration is the seasonality of a specific location. Perhaps a trip is in a different hemisphere than where you live, and the seasons are reversed. Perhaps the trip is in the far north or even the Arctic and will likely be quite cold or maybe the daylight hours will be significantly longer or shorter than where you live. Or maybe you’re looking at booking a trip to a location that we visit in different seasons. For instance, we visit Yellowstone National Park in the Spring, Winter, and Fall, and the park is drastically different at each time of year. It’s worth taking all of this into consideration when thinking about your next trip.
Price:
Of course, we offer a massive variety of trips, and with this comes a large variety in pricing. Some of our trips require more lodging options or more expensive lodging than others. Some trips charter private boats, planes, helicopters, or other specialized vehicles. Some trips require us to work with third-party guiding companies. And some trips just have much higher operating costs than others. The costs of these trips are reflected in their prices, and we believe that for offering all-inclusive, world-class, and extremely well-planned trips, our prices are very competitive and reasonable. It’s also not just the cost of the trip itself that must be taken into consideration. You’ll also have to think about traveling to and from a destination, whether or not you’ll need to rent or buy additional camera gear, or maybe it’s worthwhile to add some personal travel days before or after a trip you’re booking. These are all things to take into consideration when booking your next trip with BCJ.
Trip Length:
As I previously touched on, our trips vary quite a bit in the number of days they last. Some are as short as 4-5 days while others can last nearly two weeks. We structure our trips to maximize the time spent in each location and try to find a nice balance between price and photography opportunities. With this in mind, you’ll want to make sure that a specific trip works with your schedule and that you’re alright traveling or being away from home for the specified amount of time.
Travel logistics:
And, last but not least, let’s talk about travel logistics. Our trips are all-inclusive once you arrive at the starting destination but ultimately, traveling to and from one of our trips is up to you. As I mentioned before our extremely helpful and knowledgeable office staff is constantly available to help you figure out any travel details and to suggest flights and more, but ultimately you will need to book and pay for this yourself. Once our trips begin we take care of everything!
And that’s really all I have when it comes to important considerations on booking a photography trip with Backcountry Journeys. Ultimately it’s up to you to decide which trip you’re going to go on but I hope this article has been informative, helped to paint a clear picture of the different trips we offer, and has made the decision-making process a bit easier!
So, now that we’ve covered all the different types of trips we offer at Backcountry Journeys, it’s worth thinking about what factors you should consider when choosing a trip. At the end of the day, we’re all unique individuals with unique photography styles, wants, and needs. It’s ultimately up to you to decide where you’ll go next but hopefully, these factors can help make that decision easier.
Availability:
One of the main factors that will likely influence your decision is trip availability. We’re constantly launching new trips to exciting locations throughout the world and offer multiple departures throughout the year for a vast majority of trips. But, that being said, our trips are popular and many of them sell out within days if not hours of launch. Because so many of our trips fill up quite fast it’s good to stay in the loop. Feel free to sign up to receive our emails so that you’ll know when new trips or departures are being added and can be one of the first to sign up!
Seasons:
Another important factor to take into consideration is the seasonality of a specific location. Perhaps a trip is in a different hemisphere than where you live, and the seasons are reversed. Perhaps the trip is in the far north or even the Arctic and will likely be quite cold or maybe the daylight hours will be significantly longer or shorter than where you live. Or maybe you’re looking at booking a trip to a location that we visit in different seasons. For instance, we visit Yellowstone National Park in the Spring, Winter, and Fall, and the park is drastically different at each time of year. It’s worth taking all of this into consideration when thinking about your next trip.
Price:
Of course, we offer a massive variety of trips, and with this comes a large variety in pricing. Some of our trips require more lodging options or more expensive lodging than others. Some trips charter private boats, planes, helicopters, or other specialized vehicles. Some trips require us to work with third-party guiding companies. And some trips just have much higher operating costs than others. The costs of these trips are reflected in their prices, and we believe that for offering all-inclusive, world-class, and extremely well-planned trips, our prices are very competitive and reasonable. It’s also not just the cost of the trip itself that must be taken into consideration. You’ll also have to think about traveling to and from a destination, whether or not you’ll need to rent or buy additional camera gear, or maybe it’s worthwhile to add some personal travel days before or after a trip you’re booking. These are all things to take into consideration when booking your next trip with BCJ.
Trip Length:
As I previously touched on, our trips vary quite a bit in the number of days they last. Some are as short as 4-5 days while others can last nearly two weeks. We structure our trips to maximize the time spent in each location and try to find a nice balance between price and photography opportunities. With this in mind, you’ll want to make sure that a specific trip works with your schedule and that you’re alright traveling or being away from home for the specified amount of time.
Travel logistics:
And, last but not least, let’s talk about travel logistics. Our trips are all-inclusive once you arrive at the starting destination but ultimately, traveling to and from one of our trips is up to you. As I mentioned before our extremely helpful and knowledgeable office staff is constantly available to help you figure out any travel details and to suggest flights and more, but ultimately you will need to book and pay for this yourself. Once our trips begin we take care of everything!
And that’s really all I have when it comes to important considerations on booking a photography trip with Backcountry Journeys. Ultimately it’s up to you to decide which trip you’re going to go on but I hope this article has been informative, helped to paint a clear picture of the different trips we offer, and has made the decision-making process a bit easier!
You Really Can’t Go Wrong!
I’ll end by saying this: You really can’t go wrong! And when I say that I mean it. Every single trip we offer here at BCJ is extremely well-planned and well-coordinated, our guides are the best in the business and can help you every step of the way, and we strive to offer the absolute best nature photography experiences possible. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t stress too much about deciding where to go next because no matter where you end up we’ll make sure you have a truly exceptional experience and walk away with photos and memories to last a lifetime!
We hope to see you out there soon!
I’ll end by saying this: You really can’t go wrong! And when I say that I mean it. Every single trip we offer here at BCJ is extremely well-planned and well-coordinated, our guides are the best in the business and can help you every step of the way, and we strive to offer the absolute best nature photography experiences possible. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t stress too much about deciding where to go next because no matter where you end up we’ll make sure you have a truly exceptional experience and walk away with photos and memories to last a lifetime!
We hope to see you out there soon!
We offer world-class travel photography
experiences around the world.
Each tour is bundled with lodging, meals, and transportation between workshops included, allowing you to focus on photography instead of the stress of traveling.
experiences around the world.
Each tour is bundled with lodging, meals, and transportation between workshops included, allowing you to focus on photography instead of the stress of traveling.
Get Our Trip Catalog
From articles on the latest camera gear, to trip reports from our latest expeditions, our blog is meant for all interested in travel photography.Schedule a Trip Consultation
Meet with a photo experience coordinator, and experience a personal touch to your booking experience.Trip Calendar
Our regularly hosted webinars provide photography instruction from our own guides on a wide range of topics.Webinars
Explore our library of articles that cover everything from common questions, to in-depth guides on how to achieve that perfect shot.Education Portal
We're proud to foster an amazing group of photo travelers, and here you can find their stories from their past adventures.BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
TRIP CATALOG
Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLCs - Copyright 2024
BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Journeys Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLC - Copyright 2024
TRIP CATALOG
Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.