Most meals included – (B,L,D) denotes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 1 (Travel Day) (D)
Arrive in Knoxville, TN for an orientation and welcome dinner with the group.

Day 2 (B,L,D)
“Hiker” Itinerary: Hiking distance : 2-5 miles
Our inn-based Great Smoky Mountains photography tour starts with a pre-dawn drive from Knoxville to the East side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Our hike today takes you to one of Smoky Mountain National Park’s most spectacular waterfalls and compliments it with amazing high-country views.

Along our hike we will pass through diverse old growth forests and ecosystems, with opportunities to see wildlife such as black bears, deer and elk. Our trail passes literally beneath Grotto Falls (the only waterfall in the Park that you can walk behind).

After the falls, we’ll continue to the top of Brushy Mountain, where we’ll soak up views of Mount Guyot, Charlies Bunion, Mount Chapman, Mount Sequoyah and a lot more.

Day 3 (B,L,D)
“Hiker” Itinerary: Hiking distance: 2-5 miles
Once again, we’ll be up early to catch the sunrise on the Great Smoky Mountain divide. Our morning session will be from Newfound Gap. It was here that Roosevelt dedicated the Park with a speech in 1940. Today’s hike takes us along the famous Appalachian Trail to Charlies Bunion, one of the Park’s most celebrated rock formations. Fantastic views of the endless rolling ridges of the Smokies abound on today’s hike.

We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch with the incredible views as our backdrop before hiking back to the trailhead. On our way to tonight’s lodging we’ll spend some time photographing Clingman’s Dome (the highest peak in the Park at 6,643 feet) and Oconoluftee Valley which is usually a fantastic place to Photograph Elk.

Day 4 (B,L,D)
“Hiker” Itinerary: Hiking mileage 2-5 miles
We’ll hit the trail early – our goal being the quiet, yet beautiful Cades Cove side of the park. We’ll spend the morning photographing the changing leaves and gorgeous Autumn colors of the Smoky Mountains in historic Cades Cove. After shooting we’ll have a picnic breakfast in the Cades Cove picnic area. This area has excellent opportunities for wildlife, so we’ll keep an eye out for some of the Park’s many types of wildlife (black bear, deer, elk, turkeys, and more).

Today’s official hike is a forested creek-side hike to a stunning waterfall that is arguably the Smokies’ most scenic hike. We’ll keep an eye out for otters as we make our way along the creek, eventually arriving at the most voluminous waterfall in the Park. We’ll relax for a picnic lunch on a beach in clear view of the torrent of water spilling over a sandstone cliff. We’ll spend ample time photographing this waterfall and eventually hike back to the trailhead.

A short shuttle ride to our hotel, a tasty Southern dinner and a cozy night’s sleep top off another rewarding day of Smoky Mountains exploration.

Day 5 (B,L,D)
“Hiker” Itinerary: Hiking mileage: 2-5 miles
Our photograph session this morning will be along a beautiful creek, surrounded by colorful, mist-clad mountains. We’ll spend the morning photographing waterfalls during our hike. Today’s hike is one of the most diverse and in many ways fulfilling as we dive into enjoying all the Smokies’ has to offer! Our hike takes us past stunning cascades, through forests bursting with an incredible array of plant and animal life, and along charming mountain creeks.

Tonight’s dinner – an outdoor evening picnic dinner prepared by your guide – is enjoyed in the stunning Cade’s Cove area after a refreshing shower and a bit of down time at our hotel. We’ll spend time photographing the Cade’s Cove area during dinner.

Day 6 (B,L)
The final day of our Appalachian Experience brings us to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Our final morning of photography in the Smokes will be from one of the most breathtaking vantage points in the park as we photograph the surrounding Smoky Mountains at dawn from an excellent vantage point.

After our hike we’ll settle in for a short, scenic shuttle back to Knoxville, giving us time to contemplate the natural beauty, invigorating hiking, phenomenal biodiversity, and fascinating history we’ve had the privilege to explore for the past 5 days.