Private Expeditions & Workshops
Where will you go?
The best of summit. Catered to you.
Designed for those who wish to have the full Summit experience but in the close company of family or friends, our private workshops offer an amazing opportunity to dream and design the perfect trip, catered just for you. Our private workshops offer a variety of experiences ranging from personalized versions of our regular trips, to fully customized itineraries accompanied by members of our elite photography faculty. Do you want to explore the Scottish Highlands under the guidance of a National Geographic photographer? How about taking an African safari led by a fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers? Or, perhaps an unforgettable family escape to trek amongst the Himalaya in Nepal? The Summit network is vast, and with it comes an incredible opportunity to see almost anywhere in the world under our guidance, and through your viewfinder. Let Summit create your trip of a lifetime.
Why choose a private experience?
Experience the best of Summit in the company of your family or friends
Enjoy maximum flexibility by designing a custom trip catered to your specific interests and travel style
Receive unmatched personalized instruction and guidance from some of the world’s leading photographers
Take your dream trip without the fuss. Let Summit take care of research, planning, and logistics so you can focus on the photography and fun
How it works.
- You will start by contacting our team with either a specific idea in mind, or to brainstorm possibilities based on your interests and budget. We can also explore whether you would like to be accompanied by one of our expert faculty, or would simply like Summit to handle the planning and logistics of a complex photography trip. In addition to traveling with local guides, all private workshops will be accompanied by one of our experienced Summit staff to ensure you receive the best possible experience.
- Once deciding on a location, we will work with you, our faculty, and local guide network to design the perfect itinerary for your workshop. This process can be as simple as personalizing one of our standard international workshops to your group, or dreaming big to plan the ultimate custom trip! At this point we will also present a finalized cost for the workshop.
- After solidifying your itinerary, we will present a few date ranges for the workshop based on the combined availability of you, our Summit Staff, local guides, and the expert faculty if you choose this option.
- Once dates are confirmed, we will finalize hotels and transportation before departing on the adventure of a lifetime!
Anywhere in the world.
For a private workshop with Summit, the world is at your fingertips. Our network of photographers and guides covers the globe so while we specialize in certain locations (see below), we have the flexibility and expertise to plan a custom trip nearly anywhere. Just ask! You can choose from one of our preexisting workshop itineraries (see the workshops tab at the top of this webpage), or work with us to design something custom. Not sure where you want to go? Not a problem, we are also here to brainstorm trips based on your individual interests and travel styles.
Frequently asked questions
No! While we specialize in certain locations, our vast photographer and guide network can plan a workshop for you in many locations across the globe. Want to search for snow leopards in Ladakh? Photograph pyramids in Egypt? Just ask! If you are interested in a location that we do not specialize in, we will collaborate with one of our many local or regional travel providers to craft the perfect trip.
Summit Workshops is the longest running photography workshop company in the United States, and is recognized for its outstanding programming and personal service. Whether you want to have an educational experience or simply take a memorable trip, a private workshop will allow you to take advantage of the full Summit experience anywhere in the world and catered to your personal preferences. We aim for superlative experiences and by combining our world class faculty, staff, and travel resources we pride ourselves in offering the best possible combination of photography and travel.
It depends on the availability of our staff, local guides, and hotels. Some trips can be run on very short notice while others may take more planning and time to prepare. Please ask about short notice trips, but plan on most being at least a few months from initial communication to wheels up.
If you are interested in having one of Summit’s expert faculty join your private workshop, please ask in your initial inquiry. We will then check with them about availability and propose date options to you. Please note that why we will try to accommodate all requests, our faculty have busy schedules and are often on assignment for various publications for much of the year. See our ‘expert instructors’ page in the ‘About Us’ section for possible faculty options.
Our minimum number for private workshops is 2 people. Please note however that small group sizes will be more expensive per person than larger ones.
The cost of your private workshop will be determined by the size of your group, the time of year we travel, hotel preferences, and whether or not your trip will be accompanied by an expert faculty.
Once we settle on a location and theme, a $300 planning fee is due before finalizing the itinerary. The deposit for your trip is due once we confirm dates, and the final payment is due 60 days prior to your trip’s departure date. Please see our FAQ page for Summit’s terms and cancelation policies.