Banyan Tree Mayakoba Offers Photography Classes

Sep 27, 2013

Participants of the master class at Banyan Tree Mayakoba will photograph the area’s sites and wildlife. // © 2013 Banyan Tree Mayakoba F

Mayakoba has been garnering rave reviews as a five-star eco-resort destination in the Riviera Maya. A 40-minute drive from Cancun International Airport and 10 minutes from Playa del Carmen, the beachfront resort complex has more than 148 acres of protected mangrove forests along the coastline. The mangroves provide an essential habitat for more than 200 species of tropical flora and fauna. The eco-resort destination is anchored by three high-end resorts: Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Fairmont Mayakoba and Rosewood Mayakoba.

To bring awareness to its eco-conservation efforts, Banyan Tree Mayakoba has scheduled a series of wildlife photography weekends in partnership with three of the world’s most respected names in wildlife photojournalism: National Geographic Magazine contributing photographers Steve Winter, Tim Laman and Brian Skerry.

Guests will stay at Banyan Tree Mayakoba, a five-star luxury hotel built around Mayakoba’s four carefully conserved ecosystems: mangroves, dunes, low forests and coral reefs. Mayakoba has been recognized by United Nations World Tourism Organization and Rainforest Alliance as a world leader in sustainable tourism.

The “Wildlife Photo Master Class” weekends are intensive three-night programs that accept photographers of all levels, from the novice enthusiast to the advanced photographer. Participants venture out in pursuit of birds and native wildlife within the protected sanctuary of Mayakoba’s mangrove forests and waterways.

Master Class students will receive one-on-one instruction from Winter, Laman or Skerry, who have captured some of the world’s most celebrated wildlife images for magazines such as National Geographic and Time and Esquire. The workshops provide an opportunity for nature enthusiasts to sharpen their photography skills through comprehensive lectures and daily hands-on field excursions with the photographers.

The Wildlife Photo Master Class package includes:

Three nights in an exclusive Garden Pool Villa at Banyan Tree Mayakoba.
One-on-one instruction from professional photographers on composition, lighting, metering and equipment.
A welcome conference, photography workshops and a closing lecture, where students can showcase their work from the weekend.
Daily excursions through the waterways and mangrove jungles of Mayakoba.
Excursions to nearby reserves and heritage sites providing opportunities to photograph the iconic Mot-Mot bird and Mayan ruins.
Daily breakfast, a lunch and two dinners at Banyan Tree Mayakoba’s award-winning restaurants.

Confirmed dates are Dec. 6-9, 2013 and Jan. 24-27, 2014, with additional 2014 dates to be confirmed. Reservations are extremely limited. Packages start at $4,158 for three nights, plus taxes and fees. Rate is per villa and based on double occupancy. A minimum stay of three nights is required.