Testimonials
From Our Travelers' Hearts to You.
You are in good hands with Tristan!
Tristan does an amazing job at putting together a culturally rich experience. He also does a great job at adapting to his clients needs and interests. He responds well to feedback. He is both professional and personable. I feel as though I had the opportunity not only to photograph many different elements of Colombia, but that I truly experienced the country and its culture. Our adventure took us from birding in the mountains outside of Cali, to visiting remote indigenous tribes, to visiting active fishing villages, to learning about local and historical musicians and customs, to beautiful settings in the mountains and along the seashore.
I give Tristan the highest recommendation as a guide for Colombia.
Colombia Birding Tour
I visited Colombia with Tristan of Remote Expeditions and would highly recommend him. He put together a wonderful itinerary with great knowledge of the areas and attention to details to give us a wonderful sampling of the country. He is personally very gentle and fun by nature and you will return home feeling very happy and satisfied. Whatever your special interest is, I’m sure he can make an itinerary to exceed your goals.
The Magical Mystery Tour!
In March 2026, I ventured out of my comfort zone and booked an 11 day photography tour with Tristan, through Remote Expeditions.
It was amazing. Truly remote, we visited several indigenous communities in the Sierra Nevada, first to meet them and find out a little about their way of life and second lay to photograph them. Additionally there were several opportunities for photographing birds, landscape and City Scenes in Cartagena.
We were fortunate enough to to be a small group, of two , which I was more that happy to pay a premium for. This gave us an intimate experience with the people we met along the way, additionally the 1:1 attention to our personal interests in photography was incredible.
Tristan was a real treat! He has spent the last 10 years living in and exploring this region of Colombia. He has cultivated relationships with the indigenous peoples of the area, and loves to share his understanding of their culture with you.
He structured the tour perfectly. He was organized, knowledgeable (about the land, its people and photography), compassionate, passionate and eager to share his vast internal encyclopedic information with you. When he didn’t know, he would quickly get you the information.
The remote places you get to, by 4×4, hiking and boating are exceptional. You could never find these places on your own.
Knowing little about Colombia, I was initially a little hesitant to take this tour. Having just returned, I wouldn’t hesitate for a nanosecond.
What ever type of tour you take with Tristan, you won’t be disappointed. He delivered everything he he promised, and a few amazing surprises more.
A magical tour of undiscovered Colombia
I cannot believe how fortunate I am, to have discovered Remote Expeditions, with Tristan as a tour guide, and photographer extraordinaire, sharing his view of Colombia with us, through the lens.
Tristan is an incredible guide. Safe, organized, thoughtful and experienced. He truly chose the best that this mostly remote tour of Colombia has to offer. He has built strong relationships with people in remote villages and has sourced ways to shine a light on their cultural specialities. Dancing, singing, food all combined to allow for great photo opportunities.
In the land of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, you can feel the energy, experience the culture and bring home amazing photographs that capture the moments.
If Colombia is on your photographic bucket list, Tristan is your guide. I recommend him and his beautifully curated tour, without hesitation.
Our Second Unforgettable Trip with Tristan
Our second tailor-made trip with my husband and our friend Tristan, who always knows how to make the trip enjoyable with his simple approach and his own special touch that adds that little extra something!
Tristan is very calm, cheerful, and always understanding of our expectations!
Our first trip to Patagonia was exceptional, and now in September we’re going on a trip to Madeira, which will be completely different but also very enjoyable.
Thank you, Tristan.
Good things come in threes 😉
Magnifique voyage
Magnifique voyage , Tristan connait parfaitement la Colombie , il nous a fait vivre une expérience sur 1 mois . Nous n’avions jamais fait appel a un guide , il s’avère que c’est très reposant de ne rien devoir penser pendant son voyage , Tristan nous a partagé sa passion pour la photo. Un voyage unique avec une personne exceptionnelle.
Un séjour de 4 semaines en Colombie magique sur tous les plans
Un séjour de 4 semaines en Colombie qui a été magique sur tous les plans : organisation, déroulé, rencontres avec les locaux, découverte de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, la synergie du groupe, l’accompagnement personnalisé de Tristan ! D’un grand calme, d’une grande écoute et toujours adaptable, Tristan nous a fait oublier que derrière ce voyage il y avait une organisation au cordeau et une chaîne d’intervenants tous très efficaces et pros dans leurs domaines. Le choix des hébergements / restaurants ont toujours été tops aussi. Bref un séjour mémorable dans un pays fabuleux avec un guide au top qu’on n’oubliera pas ! Merci Tristan !
Voyage extra-ordinaire
Tristan brilliantly rose to the challenge of organizing our immersive trip among the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. For four weeks, we were able to count on him and on his flexible and flawless organization. His detailed knowledge and understanding of the places we visited and the people we met enriched our daily discoveries. He was always attentive, considerate, cheerful, and generous. More than a guide, it felt like traveling with a friend.
A genuine encounter, off the beaten track
Tristan is an exceptional guide who combines unquestionable expertise in organizing tailor-made expeditions, a great talent for photographing wildlife and sharing his passion, rare human qualities… and contagious joy! He opened up unexplored paths for us to meet the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada, as part of our diplomatic reconnaissance trip to initiate a cultural exchange between these peoples and Reunion Island. Our expedition had specific goals and constraints, which Tristan managed perfectly. He is therefore a must for anyone who wants a genuine encounter with South American nature and peoples, off the beaten track.
Voyage Patagonie Mars 2025
We spent three wonderful weeks in Patagonia with Tristan. An unforgettable trip for the three of us, in a warm and relaxed atmosphere that Tristan carefully crafted down to the finest details. He organized an itinerary perfectly tailored to our requests. Always smiling, incredibly kind, and very patient. He made us experience this exceptional journey with unique moments that went beyond our expectations. Tristan is an excellent guide. He plans his trips with great professionalism on all levels, yet manages to make you forget it by sharing the experience with you, marveling at the landscapes like a friend showing you around the country… A big thank you to you. Lots of love!
Excellent Travel & Photography Guide
Tristan created a wonderful cultural experience for us over a 10 day visit to Cuba. From a photography perspective, he had researched people and locations to insure the best model, in the most cuban environment in the best light. Although we were focused on photography, he rounded out the tour with opportunities to experience the history (visit to old sugar plantation), the land (visit to a farm with oxen and a hike to waterfall), and the food (experiencing local food and drink in beautiful settings). I would highly recommend Tristan as a guide. We are already planning our next trip with him.
Beautiful discovery of southern Colombia
Wonderful discovery of southern Colombia. Excellent organization, and Tristan is an outstanding guide who shares his love for the country.
Thank you, Tristan, for this new experience by your side
Thank you, Tristan, for this new experience by your side. Cuba is truly a world of its own that is worth discovering. Thank you for all the wonderful encounters, for your patience, and for the valuable advice 🙂
Traveling with you is always the best.
Hope to see you very soon.
Wonderful trip organized by the agency Remote Expeditions
Tristan is an exceptional guide, initially a great specialist in Colombia, and his expertise has expanded to all of South America. A skilled photographer and experienced trekker, his trips are captivating.
We had a fantastic journey in Colombia for the four of us. Great professionalism and kindness.
I highly recommend him.
Colorful photography tour in Cuba
We had a wonderful tour in Cuba with Tristan. He knows the island very well and can spot perfect photo opportunities. He is also a great and patient teacher, and spares no effort to make the traveler’s experience memorable.
A Multifaceted Adventure with Tristan
My wife and I were fortunate to have Tristan as our leader on our recent trip to Colombia. Tristan brings so much of his skills as a photographer, organizer, logistical expert, and more to enhance the participants’ experiences.
He relates to the locals in a warm, welcoming, and personal manner. He is multilingual and effortlessly switches between English, Spanish, French, and some of the indigenous languages. When locals meet him, the affection they feel for him is palpable. He can and does literally work magic with children.
It’s a joy to see their expressions when he magically extracts a coin from their ear. It makes for wonderful photos. He’s constantly in search of photo opportunities. He creates them spontaneously and we walked away with great photos so many times.
As the oldest one on the trip, Tristan was always ready to assist me with an inordinately heavy suitcase. Whether dealing with a technical camera issue or the best way to compose a shot, Tristan was there with great advice. He also provided very helpful photo editing sessions.
I would highly recommend him as a leader, no matter the destination.
A Compassionate Journey with Tristan
As the wife of a photographer, I’ve gone a half dozen photo tours. I try to make them my own and usually am successful in doing so. If I had to pinpoint anything that made the trip successful, it would be Tristan’s humanity shown so many times in the way he treated participants and native
Colombians. Visiting native tribes (not painted-face imposters) was a treat for me and my iPhone camera. Tristan planned well, explained things in detail and also found local experts who taught a great deal.
Uncovering Colombia’s Magic with Tristan
I’ve been slowly reviewing all my shots from the Viva Colombia tour. It makes me relive all the incredible experiences Tristan put together for us! His love and enthusiasm for Colombia and its people was obvious. He had a good bond with all his drivers and guides, and he shines when he’s around children with his magic tricks. His people skills were excellent.
Tristan was responsive and went out of his way to make everyone happy. He took feedback to heart. I wanted to highlight how diligent he was. I have never been on a tour where the leader had prepared such a thorough talk with slides and examples of some of the creative concepts he was trying to teach.
I am so happy I managed to pull it together last minute to get onto this tour. It was SO worth it! There are a few Luminous Journey tours that I have an interest in so I’m not out of your hair yet.
Unveiling Beauty Through the Lens with Tristan
The Luminous Journeys “VIVA Colombia” trip was fantastic for photographic opportunities in a country that is still largely unexplored by travel photographers. Tristan was an enthusiastic leader offering insights into his creative approach to photographing Colombia, including its indigenous peoples. His patient and sensitive approach dealing with locals allowed participants learn and appreciate Colombia’s many diverse customs. There was a good balance between street & culture photography, nature/tropical birds, and landscapes.
In addition, Tristan’s willingness to help participants with the technical and artistic aspects of photography was greatly appreciated. Plus he’s just great fun! The trip was well organized and the hotels and food were superb. Overall, Viva Colombia! provided diverse photographic opportunities that would have broad appeal to photography enthusiasts looking for untrammeled travel adventure in a fascinating South American country.Highly recommended!
A Photographer’s Dream Tour with Tristan
From the very first communication Tristan was responsive and helpful, receptive to tailor making a travel and photographic experience that was exactly what I was looking for. As a passionate photographer himself, I knew I was speaking with a like-minded soul who understands the specific needs and wants of a fellow photographer.
The tour itself was brilliant. As well as being a capable and professional tour organizer, Tristan is great company and an interesting travel companion.
The special relationship he has built up over the years with the Kogui people and local guides enabled a very special opportunity to visit and photograph them, both culturally and photographically interesting, and a rare, much appreciated opportunity.
Combine this with Tristan’s ability to speak several languages fluently including the local one, and you’re onto a winner!
What a wonderful Trip !
What a wonderful trip. Tristan is such a lovely person and well organised.
We had a wonderful trip around the Sierra Nevada in Colombia, up to Camarones and even Mompox. We visited so many places and met so many great people and communities.
It was FANTASTIC.
I highly recommand Remote Expeditions and Tristan for any trip you intend to plan
Authentic and well organized expedition in an indigenous tribe
Tristan guided me through the mountains of Sierra Nevada and facilitated all the details for meeting a kogi tribe.
It was a work trip as I was working on a very specific topic ( panela) and Tristan took care of all the details and was very
understanding.
The whole experience felt very authentic, and overall Tristan is so passionate
about what he does it’s hard not to have a blast during the trip.
Fantastic trip off the beaten path
Tristan is a very knowledgeable guide and photographer, and he is also very personable. Traveling with him was a very nice experience and we had lots of laughs too!
The trip was flawlessly organized and Tristan understood our needs very well, tailoring the itinerary to ensure we had the best experience possible. Thanks to him, we discovered Colombia off the beaten path.
Last but not least, I have done a number of photography trips and Tristan is probably the most dedicated teacher I have traveled with. He is really passionate about passing on his knowledge and passion about photography.
I will certainly book another trip with Remote Expeditions in the near future.