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Namibia - A Photographic Tour
Tour Code: NAM05A 19-day tour of the varied landscapes, wildlife and pristine night skies of Namibia in the company of an expert photographer.
£10,995 (Inc flights)
£9,995
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Namibia combines great African wildlife with some of the planet’s most stunning desert scenery. In Etosha National Park, the holiday will concentrate on photographing mammal behaviour of species such as elephant, zebra, giraffe and lion around the most productive waterholes. In the Namib Desert we will photograph the iconic dunes and skeletal trees of Sossusvlei and Deadvlei in the tranquil hours of dawn and dusk. We will look for opportunities to capture images of oryx and other desert wildlife in their evocative natural settings. We then proceed to the charming town of Luderitz in the south of Namibia, where we will photograph the evocative ruins of a deserted diamond mining town. The final stage of the tour will stay at the Quiver Tree Forest in southern Namibia. Here, in some of the world’s darkest and clearest skies, we will achieve outstanding images of the night sky, including the rich core of the Milky Way, the Magellanic Clouds and star trails, with quiver trees and dolerite boulders providing beautiful foregrounds at Quiver Tree Forest. The holiday is scheduled around moon phases to optimise conditions for astrophotography. It includes specialist advice and lectures on astrophotography, as well as desert landscape and mammal photography.
- Photograph classic African wildlife, including elephants, lions and giraffes, in Namibia's premier national park - Etosha
- Make dawn and dusk images of the world's highest sand dunes in the Namib Desert
- Photograph Namibia's iconic Quiver Trees in a variety of lights
- Make images of the stunning southern hemisphere's night sky, including the galactic centre of the Milky Way, Large and Small Magellanic Clouds
- Urban exploration at the deserted mining town of Kolmanskop, where civilisation is being reclaimed by wilderness
- Led by a wildlife and landscape photographer
Grading
Grade A - Easy day walks.
Namibia is the third least densely populated country in the world. Its expansive spaces encompass the world’s largest sand-dunes, world-class wildlife, abandoned mining towns, extraordinary desert flora and fauna, along with some of the darkest skies on the planet. This tour focuses on abundant big game, stunning desert landscapes and iconic astrophotography; areas that rank amongst the best for anywhere in Africa.
The tour starts in Etosha, the “Big White Place”, where we are sure to encounter elephant, zebra, giraffe and lion around the most productive waterholes. There will be numerous opportunities to photograph the behaviour of these species. We will also seek less familiar mammals, such as brown hyena, and the amazing bird life of this National Park, including ostrich and secretary bird. After dark we will gather at a waterhole adjacent to our comfortable rest camp where we expect viewings of the increasingly rare black rhinoceros; a species seldom encountered elsewhere in Africa.
Our journey takes us down part of the Skeleton Coast, where we will photograph fur seals and shipwrecks, into the heart of the Namib Desert, home to chameleons, geckos, rolling spiders, scorpions, lizards and snakes. We then spend three days at Sossusvlei, making images of the huge dunes and pans in early morning and evening light. An undoubted highlight of our time here will be sunrise at Deadvlei, with its preserved skeletons of trees that died centuries ago, now one of the most sought-after destinations in the world for landscape photographers.
In the far south of Namibia we visit the charming coastal town of Luderitz, where we will focus our photographic attention on the remarkable, deserted mining town of Kolmanskop. Gently decaying as the houses are absorbed into the desert, this is another place that is instantly recognisable but has to be experienced to truly appreciate the iconic images.
Our final destination is the Quiver Tree Forest and Giant’s Playground, a sparse landscape of huge dolerite boulders and iconic quiver trees. We will photograph these in early morning and late afternoon, when they briefly glow in golden light. However, it is after dark that the true potential of this remarkable area is revealed as we appreciate the stunning Southern Hemisphere night sky in all its glory. Far removed from any light pollution, we have three evenings to photograph the Milky Way’s galactic core, Large and Small Magellanic clouds, southern constellations and star trails with the silhouettes of quiver trees and dolerite boulders breaking into the foreground.
Led by a photographer and naturalist, full guidance on techniques for wildlife photography, landscape photography and astrophotography will be provided throughout. This tour will give you fantastic experiences, develop your photography to the next level and enhance your understanding of the natural world.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
Comfortable chalets and lodges with private facilities.
- Food:
All meals included
Dates & Prices
2025
Tour Leader: Charl Schoombee
Charl has been providing professional guidance for many years, specialising in captivating photographic safaris. With a keen interest in birding, he also possesses a wealth of knowledge and readily assists clients with camera-related queries, ensuring they capture the perfect picture. Charl’s calm demeanor and expertise in locating animals and birds make each excursion a memorable experience. His genuine love for his work extends to working with children, creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. With Charl as your guide, you can trust in his friendly and confident approach, knowing that your photography and safari adventure are in expert hands.
2026
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[description] => Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists
The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Mammal Watching Holidays
Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.
Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours
Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.
Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:
- India’s Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves
- A cruise to Spitsbergen in search of Polar Bears
- A chance to see the ‘Big Five’ and much more in South Africa’s Kruger National Park
- Search for Blue, Fin and Sperm Whales in the Azores
- Close-up views of Brown Bear and Wolverine in Finland
- Enjoy the mammals of Kenya’s Masai Mara, while staying in luxury camps
- Search for elusive nocturnal mammals, such as Aardvark, Black-footed Cat and Aardwolf, in the Kalahari Desert
Bargain mammal selection
We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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Wildlife Photography Workshops with Expert Tuition
Our dedicated wildlife photography workshops are aimed at wildlife photographers of varying levels of experience and ability, including beginners with ambitions to learn and improve, keen amateurs looking to hone their skills, and accomplished photographers seeking exceptional photographic opportunities.
Naturetrek Wildlife Photography Holidays
We work with outstanding photographers who share our goals of spending quality, informed time watching – and capturing – once-in-a-lifetime moments. Joining one of our wildlife photography tours will not only improve your technique and sharpen your reflexes, but will also optimise your chances of capturing memorable, high-quality images of some of the world’s most sought-after species. Group sizes on these holidays are strictly limited, not only to allow you plenty of room in which to work, but, just as importantly, to enable you to benefit from the dedicated time of our expert leaders. Our leaders aim to challenge your approach to photography, giving you the chance to pursue new avenues of creativity. They are also expert naturalists, enabling them to provide insight that will help you see your subjects in a new light, and improve your ability to predict and capture interesting behaviour.
Our tours offer:
- Expert advice on how to get the most out of your equipment
- Expert advice on composition and photographic technique
- Photo editing tuition fills time that is unproductive for shooting
- Extended time in hotspots to allow a focus on target species such as Jaguars, Tigers, bears, puffins and otters
- Picturesque landscapes, visited at optimal times
- Limited group size
- Like-minded travelling companions
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
Safari Holidays – Experience Earth’s Greatest Continent for Wildlife
Why choose Africa for wildlife safaris?
When people think of visiting Africa, safari holidays are regularly at the top of the list. Riding in an open-top jeep along dusty tracks and looking out across sun-baked savannahs teeming with big game is arguably one of life’s best experiences.
For the nature enthusiast, Naturetrek’s African safari holidays offer unparalleled opportunities. Africa is the world’s greatest continent for wildlife, being home to many of the planet’s most iconic mammals and birds.
Many of these animals are relatively easy to observe and exist in scarcely believable abundance, guaranteeing that our African safari tours are always full of amazing sightings.
From the Okavango Delta in Botswana and Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park to Namibia’s Etosha National Park and the superb Kruger National Park in South Africa, our African wildlife safaris will take you to all the continent’s most unmissable destinations.
Classic African safari holidays
We offer classic safari-style packages to Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and Namibia.
On these African safari tours you will stay in or very near the prime game-rich areas such as national parks and reserves, heading out daily for wildlife watching in vehicles. There will usually be additional chances to join night drives and look for nocturnal species.
On the majority of our African wildlife safaris, even those in our bargain range, we are able to use superb accommodation, including in remote locations. Tented, fully serviced camps with private facilities are the norm.
Expert naturalist guides
All of our African safari tours are led by expert naturalist guides. Most of our tours are led by superb local guides (the quality of guiding in many parts of Africa is second to none), while some of our longer tours are joined by a UK leader.
What wildlife might I see?
Africa is the best place in the world for seeing large concentrations of big game such as African Bush Elephant, Lion, Cape Buffalo, Giraffe and Blue Wildebeest. On Naturetrek’s African safari tours we visit some of the world’s most famous national parks and reserves, such as the Serengeti, Kruger and Okavango Delta, as well as some less well known regions, in search of a full range of the continent’s most spectacular mammals, from Hippos, Wild Dogs and White Rhinos to Leopards, bushbabies and African Wildcats.
The birdlife is equally staggering, with an enormous variety of charismatic species found across the continent, from bee-eaters and hornbills to finches, weavers and a stunning diversity of birds of prey. Naturetrek’s African wildlife safaris offer a chance to search for a superb variety of species and avian spectacles, such as flamingo-lined lakes in the Rift Valley, bizarre Shoebills in Uganda’s swamps, and giant Ostriches strutting across endless savannahs.
See our list of the best African Safari Holidays
Our specialist recommends...
"We offer a superb choice of expert-led African safari holidays ranging from 9-day bargain tours in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park to a 17-day birdwatching and mammal-viewing safari through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. For those who have previously enjoyed a traditional safari, I would recommend our ‘South Africa’s Rare Mammals’ tour, which targets some of the continent’s most rarely seen creatures, such as Aardwolf, Black-footed Cat, Cape Porcupine, African Wildcat, Brown Hyaena and the iconic Aardvark
Paul Stanbury – Operations Manager
Eclipse and Astronomy Holidays
We have launched a programme of astronomically themed holidays that will open up the universe to you. By day we will admire the wildlife and landscapes of the natural world, but by night our attention will be drawn to the celestial realms. Whilst some tours are arranged around a particular event such an eclipse, others will take you to regions of the world where the truly dark skies can be enjoyed. A lot of careful planning and experience goes into operating these tours: to optimise the viewing we draw upon historical weather data and consider factors such as altitude and the phase of the moon.
Over the past two years our Namibian Night and Day tour has provided a wonderful blend of stargazing, tremendous scenery, and wildlife. This tour will run again in 2023 and 2024.
We have teamed up with the DarkSky Alqueva and SPEA, Portugal’s society for the study of birds, to bring you a tour of Portugal’s Alentejo region focusing on nature, culture and astronomy at the dark sky reserve.
After wonderfully successful tour to Chile in 2019 for the total solar eclipse, we have arranged a tour to Mexico’s Pacific coast to witness a total eclipse in April 2024. This will include amazing opportunities to see enjoy the history, culture and wildlife of this vibrant country.
On each of our ‘Eclipse and Astronomy Holidays’ we will aim to offer the following:
- Private vehicles
- Comfortable hotels
- Accompanying astronomy expert for all or part of the tour
- Live Planetarium demonstrations
Our specialist recommends...
"Looking to the skies can reward us with some of the most captivating views in nature. The richness of the Milky Way set against a jet-black sky, the rippling curtains of the Northern Lights over the Arctic or the astonishing spectacle of a total solar eclipse are sights that live long in the memory."
David Phillips - Operations Manager
All Eclipse and Astronomy Tours
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For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
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Tour Reports
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
