Las Vegas, Nelson Ghost Town, and Hoover Dam in The Early Spring!

Every photographer’s bucket list HAS to include Las Vegas – the world renowned resort city famous for its vibrant gambling, shopping, dining, entertainment and nightlife, and is known as the Entertainment Center of the world. Established in 1905 as a Mormon settlement, it is now Nevada’s largest city, attracting millions of visitors annually to its iconic strip and downtown areas for shows, casinos, music festivals, and unique attractions, and it is a photographer’s paradise with unique visuals around every street corner by day and by night.

Washington Photo Safari is pleased to announce that we are offering a 2-day, 3-night safari here led by a prominent Las Vegas professional photographer Gary Nastase, who will lead the group through a whirlwind of photogenic delights on this itinerary, which includes not only the Strip itself, but also the fascinating sights of nearby Nelson Ghost Town and the impressive visuals of Hoover Dam. We are also able to offer very favorable hotel rates at the nearby South Point Hotel for around $120/night.

Itinerary:

Monday, March 30, 2026:
Late afternoon: arrival in the late afternoon at the South Point Hotel at 9777 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, which is a short drive from the airport and the Strip.

7:30 pm-8:30 pm: Orientation meeting at the South Point Hotel and review of the itinerary with photographer Gary Nastase.

Tuesday, March 31:

10:00 am: Pickup at the South Point Hotel by van transportation for a 45 minute trip to Nelson Ghost Town

10:45 am – 1:00 pm: Nelson Ghost Town – a historic, privately owned site in El Dorado Canyon, famous for its Old West relics, rusting vehicles, and the Techatticup Mine. It offers tours, great photo ops and movie backdrops – a real Photographer’s Paradise – as well as a glimpse into Nevada’s lawless mining past. There are many opportunities to photograph abandoned mining equipment, rustic buildings like the general store, the replica train station caboose, vintage cars, trucks and gas stations dating back to the 1940s, when the town died.

1:00 pm: Lunch in nearby Boulder City

2:30 to 4:30 pm: Travel by van to Hoover Dam. Built in 1935, it was the tallest dam in the world when it was completed. Its base is as thick as the length of two football fields and its 726 foot tall concrete arch gravity wall are some of the photo opportunities at Hoover Dam, which holds back the waters in Lake Mead, the largest man made lake in the United States. There are great photo opportunities from the vantage points of the Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge and the Visitor Center observation deck, and close up opportunities of Art Deco sculptures on the intake towers and the Colorado River below as you walk across the entire dam walkway.

5:00 pm: Return to South Point Hotel

Wednesday, April 1:

10:00 am – 12:45pm: Explore more opportunities in and around the South Point Hotel and nearby hotels. Time permitting, possible Excursion to the Harry Reid International Airport for photography of plane takeoffs and landings. Lunch at or near hotel.

1:00 pm: Pickup at South Point Hotel, drive to Las Vegas Welcome sign.

2:30 pm: Drive to The Strip, beginning at the famous Las Vegas welcome sign for an afternoon and evening of delightful architectural and nightlife photography. Gary will lead the group through interiors of some of the most iconic hotels and casinos in the afternoon and then after dinner at the famous In and Out Burger Restaurant, the group will move along the strip for excellent night time and slow shutter speed photo opportunities in such places as:

• Paris Hotel for photos of main entrance and Eiffel Tower
• Bellagio hotel for daytime fountain shows and hotel interior
• Cosmopolitan hotel to see Chandelier Bar and then onto the canals at the Venetian
• The LINQ Ferris Wheel and Wynn Hotel interior

5:30 pm: Dinner at the famous In and Out Burger Restaurant

6:45 pm: Drive to Fremont Street for a walk up and down Fremont to photograph exteriors of iconic casino hotels: Binion’s, 4 Queens, Pioneer Club, Golden Nugget and El Cortez, and cool neon signs! Afterward, we’ll drive to the Bellagio Hotel to photograph fountains from both sides as well as at night scenes with passing traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard, using tripods and slow shutter speeds for light trails.

8:00 pm: Return to South Point Hotel

Thursday April 2: Departure from Las Vegas

Compliments of Gary Nastase, here are some samples of the images you will get on this safari:

Las Vegas, Ghost Town and Hoover Dam | Flickr

The safari fee includes all local van transportation and entry fees and for the photographers, photographic instruction. The fee does not include hotel costs, meals, or air transportation to Las Vegas.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the South Point Hotel for 3 nights beginning March 30, with double room rates at just $120-$140 per night. Be sure to mention you are with the Washington Photo Safari Group.