NAMIBIA 2009
September 2009
SUMMARY
Namibia is a land of stunning contrasts. From the largest sand dunes in the world (and they are ORANGE!) to people still living in the stone age, the land is incredibly unique and endlessless fascinating. We will have the opportunity to interact with and photograph the Himba people, and you will treasure the images you'll be able to take. The landscape photography is second to none, and we'll take advantage of sunrises and sunsets so we can capture the quintessential S curves that have made this place so famous among photographers. The contrast in color between the intense orange sand and the blue sky is amazing. You will also be able to have a close encounter with cheetahs and get pictures that usually take serious telephoto lenses. This trip will surpass your expectations, and the pictures you take will be among the best of your life.
Duration: 14 days
Dates: September 2009
Number of participants: 8
Tour cost: USD 5595 (deposit of USD 1000 required upon sign-up)
Price includes: Airport transfer, 14 seater Sprinter Bus, English speaking experienced guide, 14 nights accommodation and meals as indicated, activities, scenic flight from Sossusvlei to Swakopmund, Living Desert Tour in Swakopmund, refreshments during the day on board, 15 % VAT
Price does not include: international flights, meals not indicated, all beverages in restaurants or lodges, additional activities, items of personal nature.
DETAILED ITINERARY
DAY 1
Upon arrival at Hosea Kutako Internatinal Airport in Windhoek, we will be met by our local guide and transferred to our hotel where you can freshen up and relax. Our introductory dinner will be a culinary delight and you will have the chance to get to know the other people on the photo tour. Afterwards, Jim will go over the itinerary and will answer any questions you may have regarding photography. He will present a digital slide show and discuss composition and lighting to get you ready for the remarkable photographic opportunities that await you. Overnight at the Heinitzburg Hotel. Breakfast included.
TOUR DAY 2
Following breakfast, we drive into the heart of the Kalahari Desert. The landscape seems surreal and foreign, but it’s endlessly fascinating. Red dunes, camelthorn trees, eroded mountains and ancient mineral deposits will hold your attention. After our lunch stop, we visit a facility devoted to cheetah conservation and preservation. There is a concerted effort to expand the gene pool to create a healthy population of cheetahs. We will have an up close and personal encounter with the fastest land mammal in the world, and you will be able to get some great shots. Overnight at the Camelthorn Kalahari Lodge. Dinner and breakfast included.
Overnight at Camelthorn Kalahari Lodge including dinner and breakfast
TOUR DAY 3-4-5
Low angled sunlight is magical in the desert, and we take advantage of the beauty of long shadows, golden lighting and pronounced texture when we visit a Bushman village. This ancient culture (they migrated into this area between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago) is unique and fascinating, and you will be able to photograph something few Westerners ever see. Jim will help you get some classic head shots as well as environmental portraits, and he’ll discuss the challenges of photographing dark skinned people in sunlight versus shade. Jim will demonstrate the use of reflectors and talk about the importance of backgrounds when doing outdoor portraits.
Leaving the Bushman community, we drive to Sesriem and the Namib-Naukluft National Park where we will spend the next three days photographing some of the most stunning landscapes in the world. We spend an extra day here compared to other photo tours because Jim feels it's just too incredible to cover superficially. Famous among landscape and travel photographers, the shockingly orange dunes go on for miles. The only frustration you'll have is that you can’t be everywhere at once. This is a landscape photographer’s Nirvana, and Jim will discuss the best lenses to use to capture the majesty and drama of the classic S curves in early and late light. One of the highlights of the park is Deadvlei, a surreal landscape with dead trees, orange dunes, and a rich blue sky. This will be a highlight of your travels that you will never forget, and your pictures will be among the best you’ve ever taken of nature. Overnight at the Sossusvlei Lodge. Dinner and breakfast included.
TOUR DAY 6
We reluctantly leave Sossusvlei Lodge behind and take a short flight over the expansive desert to Swakopmund on the Skeleton Coast. After check-in and a brief rest, we will have the opportunity to photograph some of the remarkable desert wildlife (such as the puff adder, palmetto gecko and the namaqua chameleon) in a captive but natural looking environment. Jim will discuss the challenges of macro photography as well as the use of artificial light in capturing these amazing creatures.
After lunch, if the weather permits, we will do some bird photography in Walvis Bay. With dramatic orange dunes as a backdrop, the setting is unique to Namibia and in sunset lighting you will be able to get some outstanding images. Overnight at Hansa Hotel. Breakfast included.
TOUR DAY 7
After an early breakfast, we go overland along the desolate Skelton Coast (so called because of the many ship wrecks over the past 300 years) to visit the Cape Cross fur seal colony. Tens of thousands of seals inhabit the beach, and you will be able to get tight shots as well as pictures that show the masses of animals with the surf as a backdrop.
The afternoon affords us the opportunity to photograph the unique desert flora of this area. Jim will conduct a critique session this evening. There will be time beforehand to download your images and then share them with the group. Jim’s valuable feedback will give you a lot of insight into what makes great images. Overnight Cape Cross Lodge. Dinner and breakfast included.
TOUR DAY 8-9
We continue overland this morning and drive inland into the Twyfelfontein region. The rock formations in this extremely arid desert area are bizarre, intriguing, and photogenic. The landscape photography here is a stark contrast to the orange dunes of Sossusvlei, You will see skeletal remains of acacia trees that add interest to your compositions, and ancient petroglyphs carved into the patina of rock surfaces by ancient people can still be seen. We will have the opportunity to photograph Herrero women in this area with their brightly colored clothing, and we will search for the elephants who have adapted to the harsh desert climate. Overnight Twyfelfontein Lodge. Dinner and breakfast included.
TOUR DAY 10-11
This morning we drive to Kaokoland for one of the highlights of the trip. We visit the Himba, a stone age tribe of people that has maintained their primitive culture despite being exposed to the outside world. Photographing these willing subjects is one of the great travel experiences ever, and Jim will go over the things you should know to make the most of the encounter. The Himba have strong and compelling faces, and they use goat fat and ochre to color their skin and hair. Looking into the faces of these people is like going back in time thousands of years. Your portraits will be extraordinary for sure. Overnight at the Opuwo Country Hotel. Dinner and breakfast included.
TOUR DAY 12
After breakfast we drive through northern Damaraland to the Hobatere Concession. This is a private game reserve of 120 square miles, and it is the home of lions, elephants, cheetahs, eland, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, gemsbok, kudu, and steenbok. We have lunch at Hobatere Lodge, and there is a blind set up overlooking a waterhole so we can photograph animals as they drink. We will enjoy a night drive as well, and this gives us the chance to see and photograph rarely seen nocturnal animals like aardvarks, bat-eared foxes, and genets. Jim will discuss flash photography at night before we go out. In the equipment list Jim sends out before the trip, he will recommend what kind of equipment you should bring to enable you to illuminate the nocturnal animals even at a distance. Overnight Hobatere Lodge. Dinner and breakfast included.
TOUR DAY 13
As we head in the direction of Windhoek, we pass through the Otijwarongo area and visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund -- an internationally known center for cheetah research and conservation. CCF's activities include many innovative conservation and management strategies to reduce the conflict between people and cheetah, serving as a model for other conservation projects. We will be able to again photograph these magnificent cats and at the same time learn about the wonderful work being done by this organization. This evening Jim will conduct another critique session. Overnight at the Frans Indongo Lodge. Dinner and breakfast included.
TOUR DAY 14
After breakfast, we will have a unique opportunity to photograph one of the most fascinating of birds -- the vulture. A nearby farm is the location of the Rehabilitation of Endangered Species Trust, and they work with these fascinating scavengers insuring their survival. Our group will be able to do head shots from just a few feet away. There are several species of vulture in southern Africa, and each one seems bizarre but at the same time very compelling. Jim will explain how to use extension tubes to make your telephoto lens focus closer than it normally does. After this, we drive to Namibia's captial, Windhoek, stopping for lunch on the way. We should have enough time to visit a handicraft outlet where you can purchase some last minute souvenirs. The farewell dinner this evening will end a most amazing trip. Overnight at the Hansa Hotel. Breakfast included.
DAY 15
Following breakfast we'll say our goodbyes and then we depart for the Hosea Kutako International airport to start our journey home.
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