Namibia - Desert-adapted Elephants of Namibia Photo Tour 2023 -Draft
We are proud to present a safari tailor-made to visit Namibia’s most spectacular wilderness areas in search of their iconic gentle giants; the Elephant. Namibia is a country of startling contrasts that straddles two great deserts: the Namib (after which it is named) is the oldest desert on the planet, and its sea of red sand lies along the Atlantic coastline, while in the eastern interior lies the Kalahari, a vast and sparsely vegetated savanna that sprawls across the border into neighbouring Botswana and South Africa. Desert-adapted Rhino and Elephant live in lonely hillsides and sandy riverbeds of Damaraland and the Kaokoveld, and seals in their many thousands colonise lonely beachheads along the Skeleton Coast. Astonishing contrasts are everywhere for the visitor to savour, enjoy and photograph! Join us for what promises to be a spectacular photographic journey to the African nation of Namibia!
Why this Photo Tour is for You
Destination Allure
Our Namibia photo tour takes you to 2 iconic areas; Hoanib Skeleton Coast & Etosha National Park with the main aim to track and photograph Namibia's iconic desert-adapted Elephant
Month of Travel
Our Namibia photo tour takes place between June to October which falls under Namibia's Dry Season. June to September are also part of Namibia's winter months, so expect sun skies, no rain and wildlife congregating around limited water sources.
Subjects of Interest
Our main subject of interest for this tour are to track and photograph the famed desert-adapted Elephant. Hoanib Skeleton Coast is within the true Namib Desert and is home to a rich diversity of wildlife including Giraffe, Lion, Brown hyena, Gemsbok (Oryx), Springbok, and more. Etosha National Park are home to some of the same species as well as Cheetah, Leopard, Rhino, Plains zebra, Kudu, Eland and more.
Small Group Departures
Limited to 4 individuals, this Elephants of Namibia photography tour can be completely tailored to your interests on a daily basis. Explore the magnificence of Namibia's deserts in an intimate & personalised tour!
Guided experience
Local knowledge of the region and its wildlife is key to crafting the ultimate photography tour experience. Combined with the photographic expertise of your ORYX Photo Tour Leader, and you are in for an adventure that will further fuel your excitement for photography and the destination.
153 Days
Guests +1 ORYX Leaders
Classic Culture
- Destination:
Namibia
- Departure:
- Person Sharing:
USD 0
- Single Supplement:
USD 0
- Photographic Highlights:
- Guide:
Penny Robartes
- Tour Price(Per Person):
USD0
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Day 1: Arrival in Windhoek
Today is an arrival day in Namibia, with your routing taking you to Hosea Kutako International Airport, located just outside the Namibian capital. After landing and customs and baggage formalities, you will be transferred into Windhoek by a representative of ORYX Photo Tours. Tonight you will meet your ORYX Senior Photo Tour leader during dinner whereby your tour ahead will be discussed.
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Day 2: Windhoek flight to Hoanib Skeleton Coast
After breakfast and at a time to be advised, you will be collected for your flight to Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp. Our camp is scenically located in a broad valley at the confluence of two tributaries of the Hoanib River in the northern part of the private Palmwag Concession. Its location thus straddles the Palmwag area and the iconic Skeleton Coast National Park, in one of the most remote areas of the Kaokoveld. This afternoon will be the commencement of our first game drive in Namibia.
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Days 3 to 5:Hoanib Skeleton Coast
We have three full days to explore this wonderful area, and will be able to access both inland and coastal habitats. Here the landscape is dominated by the form of the Hoanib River, a swathe of sand that meanders through rocky gorges and past arid sandy plains. The highlight of our safari here will be to seek out, track, and photograph the Desert Elephant. Desert-dwelling Elephant survive in one of the harshest drylands where water and vegetation is scarce. These Elephant have adapted to their hot environment through various means and behaviors. One such physical adaption is that they appear to have bigger feet due to their extended footpads. As they can walk for hundreds of kilometers at a time in search for food and water, the added surface area allows these giants to walk on soft and sandy surfaces without sinking.
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Day 6: Hoanib Skeleton Coast flight to Ongava, Etosha
This morning we will say our farewells to the amazing Skeleton Coast and head north–east to the most famous of all of Namibia’s National Parks, fabulous Etosha! We will be staying at the Ongava Game Reserve situated on the southern boundary of the park. This prolific 30 000ha (74130 acre) private concession is a haven for large concentrations of wildlife: notably Elephant, Lion, Cheetah, Black and White Rhino, Springbok, Gemsbok, Blue Wildebeest, Burchell’s Zebra, Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, Waterbuck, Red Hartebeest, Giraffe, Eland and the largest population of the endemic Black-faced Impala outside of Etosha.
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Day 7 to 9: Ongava Game Reserve
We will spend the next three days exploring the legendary Etosha National Park in search of their Elephant. Etosha remains the highest density wildlife area within Namibia; its worldwide fame justly acknowledged. The salt pan (the largest in the world) is speculated to be a remnant of an ancient glacial lake, and is today maintained by scouring winds across its surface and sporadic ephemeral flooding. Springs along the edge of the pan attract and quench the thirst of a dense and varied conglomeration of wildlife, mixing savanna and desert species like Impala and Springbuck. We have the options of full day game drives into Etosha, exploring the southern roads of Etosha Pan from Okakeujo through to Halali. These waterholes and springs attract a multitude of wildlife from grazers to predators. Our highlight will be seeking out and photographing the “white” African Elephant. Many of the Elephant in Etosha appear to be white in colour due to their bathing and dusting off in the white clay soil.
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Day 10: Ongava to Windhoek and Depart
After a final morning of exploring the wonderful Etosha and at a time to be advised we will depart Ongava on scheduled light aircraft back to Windhoek. Upon arrival you will check in for your international flight. Here your photographic journey with ORYX Photo Tours and Penny sadly comes to an end.
Thanks so much to ORYX Photo Tours. It was another fantastic photo safari!
I would very much recommend all three locations to other guests.
I recently completed a trip to Namibia with ORYX Photo Tours. This is my 6th photography tour with ORYX and I have at least 2 more planned. The beauty of this tour was the diversity of locations. We were in the desert with sand dunes, 900 year old camel thorn trees and desert wildlife; by the sea with seals and pelicans inches from us on the boat, climbing granite escarpments to a rock arch; and then a classic wildlife photo safari in the bush. This photo safari offered the most diversity of any trip I have taken.
Dale Morris, our photo tour leader, who seems to know everything about everything, couldn’t have been more helpful with all things animal, mineral, etc. He expanded my photographic horizons in terms of composition, camera setting, lighting, etc. I wish I could take all of the credit for the great images my friends have marveled at, but he is a huge part of them.
As usual, accommodations and food are excellent. The local guides were very helpful. I did a fabulous hot air balloon trip at sunrise and other members of the trip did a great helicopter tour.
The photo tours by ORYX are seamless from the time you land at your destination to the time they return you to the airport for your trip home. They are an excellent value for the dollar and provides experiences the ordinary traveler would not have. I can’t say enough good things about ORYX Photo Tours and their staff.
Margaret and I have had another ORYX photo tour! Every aspect of a couple of weeks in Namibia was perfect. There was never a flat spot and you ensured we did everything that was possible. The choice of lodges was just right for our purposes. You interacted with the local guides to enhance the total experience. Our photography is improving. From being just mug amateurs a couple of years ago using auto for everything, we are now into focal lengths, back lighting, slow shutter panning and much more. Still a long way to go, but we are enjoying it immensely. Again, thanks for a fabulous experience, and we eagerly await our next photography tour to Brazil next year.
Just a quick note of thanks Marius for tailoring and running yet another top photo safari for us through some of the best parts of Namibia to see some things we really wanted to see and photograph.
As usual with ORYX Photo Tours everything worked well (thanks Kirsty) with great lodges and excellent guides on the ground. Michelle and I as well as our friends Leigh and Marg all came away with great images, thanks to your ability to get us in the right place at the right time to maximize photographic opportunities and to take advantage of the best light and conditions.
Your photographic tips and encouragement keep us constantly inspired to do better. We would heartily recommend ORYX Photo Tours for any aspiring photographers looking to improve their skills as well as to maximize opportunities for capturing some great wildlife photographic images for their portfolio.
We all dream of experiences in the bush that will stay with us during the times we need to remember something to lift our spirits. Capturing a moment the best you can, that’s what photography is about isn’t it. And in the bush when you are in awe of the beauty around you, capturing that image is so rewarding. It brings hours of smiles and sharing and for years to come that safari and taking that photograph will stay with you, remind you of the smells, sights and feeling you had when taking that photograph.
We have been fortunate enough to experience a photo safari with Marius Coetzee co-founder of ORYX Photo Tours in hauntingly beautiful Namibia this year. This bespoke trip created by ORYX, with Marius’s great hosting and photographic teaching made all my dreams come true. Having been on many safaris I can honestly say this was the best. Marius and his love for photography inspired us and seeing the beautiful landscape captured through your lens…..words can’t describe it.
Marius, ORYX Photo Tours and the soulful people of Namibia thank you for 14 days that will stay with me forever.
I must sincerely thank you and compliment you on an absolutely outstanding private photo safari to Namibia’s Skeleton Coast and Serra Cafema to photograph, in particular, the Himba people.
Again, I was blown away at not only the content we covered, but the adventure, suspense and utter professionalism that dominated the trip. You have again gone the extra mile for comfort, happiness and of course passion for photography and adventure. I loved the mix of wildlife and cultural photography not to mention the personal time we spent in the villages with the Himba people. You certainly have a wonderful report with them and I witnessed the immense joy they had in interacting with you.
After hearing that “Krocodil” had given birth to a little boy after our initial visit and meeting “Marius II” in the village the next evening, special to say the least. A humbling time too and time to reflect on life with gratitude.
To cap it my surprise trip to the middle of the dune banks for moonset, sunrise and a great breakfast just topped it. After enticing me to jump into the “Laughing Dune” on the Skelton Coast and getting a feel for the enormity of these dunes this was really not only special but showed me the magnitude of them. Driving in the dunes I felt secure and safe and the guides too were both professional, knowledgeable and part of the family.
I truly loved every moment and have come back with so many memorable images, I’m struggling to find favourites….love them all.
Thank you Marius and all at ORYX Photo Tours for organising.
