Namibia Photography
Holidays
This comprehensive 14-day tour of Namibia is a photographer's dream! The combination of spectacular scenery, wonderful light and incredible wildlife will ensure you return home with plenty of great images. Carefully planned, it includes many of Namibia's best photographic locations, as well as a wide range of activities.
Travelling in a small group, this exciting photography tour explores one of the world's most stunning countries. From the giant dunes of the Namib Desert and the quiver tree forests of the Kalahari to the surf-strafed Skeleton Coast and rust-red mountains of Damaraland, you'll experience the very best of Namibia. As well as landscapes and night skies, we'll hone our wildlife photography skills in Etosha National Park. Sea kayaking with seals and tracking down the Namib's 'Small Five' is also included, along with a dawn shoot at the captivating ghost town of Kolmanskop.
Highlights
• Two nights of sunset and astrophotography at the Quiver Tree Forest
• Photo passes included to capture dawn light at Kolmanskop
• Two full days at Sossusvlei, with sunrise shoots at Deadvlei
• Sea kayaking tour at Pelican Point, paddling with thousands of fur seals
• Living Desert tour in search of the Namib's 'Small Five'
• Breathtaking scenery and Bushman rock art at Spitzkoppe
• Full-day game drive through Etosha National Park
• Accompanied by professional photographer William Gray
• Small group size, ensuring plenty of one-to-one tuition
• Transport in a comfortable 10-seater minibus with driver/guide
• Accommodation in lodges, camps and guesthouses
• Run in partnership with local specialists Namibia Car Rental
Why this trip?
Having explored all corners of Namibia on numerous visits, I think this photography tour includes the best combination of locations and experiences in a 14-day itinerary. It's been carefully designed to allow enough time to really immerse yourself in the place, with plenty of two-night stays. As well as essential photographic moments, like witnessing sunrise at Deadvlei in the heart of the Namib Desert or watching dusk enflame the ochre-coloured massif of Spitzkoppe, we will seek out other subjects to focus our cameras on – whether it's the Milky Way arching over a grove of quiver trees, a herd of elephants drinking at a waterhole in Etosha or patterns of light and shade creeping through the desert-consumed houses of Kolmanskop.
Throughout the tour, you'll receive as much one-to-one tuition on landscape, astro and wildlife photography as you like. I'll offer tips and suggestions on how you can take your photography to the next level. We'll hold relaxed critiques of each other's images and learn how to continue the creative process in Lightroom.
We'll travel in comfort with our friendly driver at the wheel of a spacious minibus with room for luggage, camera bags and tripods. Accommodation includes a fantastic line-up of lodges, safari camps, farmsteads and guesthouses, with most meals included. We'll also have coffee, tea, cool drinks and snacks on board the minibus.
Our journey around Namibia will be full of incredible photo locations, but you will also be able to enjoy several exciting excursions – all included – that range from guided hikes and game drives to sea kayaking.
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Day 1: Arrive in Iceland ReykjavikAfter arriving at Keflavik airport, transfer to Reykjavik. At 6pm, the group will meet at our hotel for introductions and a tour briefing, followed by a welcome dinner. There will also be an opportunity for night-time photography at classic city sights, such as the Hallgrimskirkja cathedral and Sun Voyager Viking ship sculpture. Or, if there is ‘tourist-safe’ volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula, we will arrange a night photography shoot of the eruption. Overnight: Center Hotel Plaza, Reykjavik A stylish hotel, the 200 room Hotel Plaza is found in the heart of the old town, next to a wide selection of restaurants and shops.
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Day 2: Golden Circle and Hotel RangaEarly this morning, our local driver/guide will arrive in a 16-seater minibus to collect us from the hotel. Heading east, we’ll explore some of the lesser-known spots on the Golden Circle (such as Faxi and Bruarfoss) as well as more popular sites like Gullfoss. It’s the perfect introduction to photography in Iceland, allowing you to hone techniques for shooting waterfalls and volcanic landscapes. Lunch will be at one of the cafés in the area (own expense). We’ll arrive at Hotel Ranga, near Hella, after sunset. Once we’ve settled into the comfortable riverside lodge, there will be a talk on the northern lights and technique briefing from Will before dinner, so that we’re well prepared for photographing the aurora borealis if and when it appears during the week ahead. If conditions are good, we will aim to shoot the northern lights at every opportunity. After dinner at Ranga’s superb restaurant, we can also visit the hotel’s state-of-the-art observatory and learn about the night sky from the resident astronomy expert. Overnight: Hotel Ranga Around an hour's drive from Reykjavik, this cosy riverside lodge offers four-star comfort and fine dining in the volcanic heart of rural Iceland.
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Day 3: Thorsmork Super Jeep TourA fabulous chance to get a taste of the rugged scenery of Iceland’s interior, today’s 8-9hr, 4WD super jeep tour takes us deep into the Thorsmork valley. Exclusive to our group and tailored to suit photographers, with longer stops at each location, we will explore narrow canyons, ford shallow meltwater rivers and walk up to glaciers on the slopes of the infamous Eyjafjallajokull volcano. The photographic potential is superb. A light lunch is included in the tour at Volcano Huts and we’ll also schedule a dusk photography stop at Seljalandsfoss at the end of the tour so that you can tackle the classic shot of the sun setting behind the horsetail plume of the waterfall. After returning to Hotel Ranga, it’s around an hour’s drive to the coastal town of Vik. Overnight: Hotel Kria, Vik Hotel Kria is a 3-star property located in a prime location along the south coast.
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Day 4: Vik's black-sand beach and Vatnajokull National ParkHaving spent the night in Vik, we’re in prime position this morning for a sunrise shoot at the famous black-sand beach of Reynisfjara, where sea stacks form a striking focal point. After returning to our hotel for breakfast and collecting pack lunches (included), it’s a two-hour drive east along the stunning south coast with stops to photograph the vast, moss-covered Eldhraun lava field and the extraordinary Fjadrargljufur canyon. We’ll aim to reach Svinafellsjokull (one of the outlet glaciers flowing from the Vatnajokull icecap) by late afternoon – perfect for photographing the rich colours of the tundra and deep blues of the ice. Overnight: Hotel Skaftafell The Hotel Skaftafell makes an ideal stopping off point for excursions into the park, out onto the glacier and to the area's iconic waterfalls.
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Day 5: Jokulsarlon and Mulagljufur CanyonEarly wake-up and drive 40 minutes to Jokulsarlon for a sunrise shoot at Breidamerkursandur, the famed Diamond Beach where fragments of ice that have drifted out to sea from the glacial lagoon are washed onto a black-sand beach – often polished and sculpted into abstract shapes that catch the dawn sunlight beautifully. We’ll capture this natural spectacle with our cameras, using long exposures to accentuate movement in the waves. After breakfast at the Glacier Lagoon Café (own expense), we have several hours this morning to photograph the surreal landscapes at Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon (just across the road from Diamond Beach), plus details of icebergs and, if we’re lucky, seals and seabirds. In the afternoon, conditions and weather permitting, we’ll embark on a 3-4hr round-trip hike to the breathtaking and little-visited Mulagljufur Canyon. Returning to our hotel, we’ll have a Lightroom session before dinner and a chance to review images taken on the trip so far. Overnight: Hotel Skaftafell
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Day 6: Jokulsarlon and VestrahornAnother opportunity to photograph sunrise at Diamond Beach, making any tweaks to technique that we learned from our image review last night. We’ll then drive 60 minutes to Hofn, with a detour en route to Heinabergsjokull to photograph another glacial lake and search for wild reindeer. Continuing to Vestrahorn, we’ll scope out viewpoints and compositions, exploring the rich textures of black dunes crowned with golden grasses, and the wonderful reflections cast by the mountains on wet sand. With luck, sunset will reward us with ideal light. We’ll have a snack at the wonderful Viking Café at Vestrahorn (own expense) before venturing back outside at dark to try our luck with photographing the northern lights over the iconic dragon-back peaks. It could be a late drive back to our hotel, 30 minutes away – but well worth it if the aurora has put on a good display! Alternatively, depending on the aurora forecast, we will return to the hotel for dinner, then drive back to Vestrahorn for a late-night northern lights shoot. Overnight: Hotel Smyrlabjorg Set in a rural location west of Hofn and within easy reach of the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon, this friendly farm hotel offers a wide selection of well furnished, mostly modern rooms, with private bathrooms.
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Day 7: Return west along coast road towards VikBy staying at Hotel Smyrlabjorg we’re half-way between Jokulsarlon and Vestrahorn, so we can decide, depending on weather conditions and the group’s preference, which to visit for our early morning photography today. After returning to the hotel for check-out, we’ll collect pack lunches (included) before driving 2hrs 45mins west, stopping at sites missed on the eastbound leg of the tour due to time or weather – such as Hofskirkja turf church and Lomagnupur mountain. We will aim to reach Vik in good time before sunset to photograph the seascapes at Reynisfjara and Dyrholaey. Final ‘farewell’ dinner and a chance to share and review our favourite images from the trip. If the aurora forecast is good, it’s a short drive (15 minutes) to Gigjagja (the ‘Yoda Cave’) for an interesting take on northern lights and astrophotography. Overnight: Hotel Skogafoss Located in a picturesque area next to one of Iceland's best known waterfalls, Skógafoss,
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Day 8: Skogafoss and depart IcelandThis morning, we’ll enjoy a photoshoot at Skogafoss, exploring the traditional viewpoint, as well as from the observation deck above the falls. Time permitting, we will also walk the easy 1.6km trail from Skogar Museum to Kvernufoss, a far less visited waterfall hidden in a ravine nearby. After a memorable week photographing Iceland’s dramatic south coast, the tour concludes with a drive to Keflavik airport in time for afternoon flights. Depending on timings, there may be a chance for a detour to one or two interesting spots on the Reykjanes Peninsula.
Departures
22 June 2025
This is the meeting date in Windhoek where we will spend the first night. The tour finishes in Windhoek on 5 July. Additional departures to be added – please contact me for details.
Duration
13 nights, 14 days
Group size
Maximum of 6, plus photographer Will Gray, his wife Sally as host/assistant and our local driver /guide.
Cost
£4,990 per person, excluding flights to Windhoek, Namibia. This is the price for a single traveller, so no additional supplement. If you're travelling as a couple, sharing a double room, the tour cost is £4,490 per person for photographers and £3,990 if the partner is a non-photographer. Please note that flights are not included.
Included
• Fully escorted tour, with photography tuition by Will Gray
• Transport in a comfortable minibus with air-con and plenty of luggage space (driven by one of Namibia Car Rental's driver/guides)
• Accommodation on a single or twin-share basis in lodges, camps and guesthouses, all with en suite rooms
• Meals as outlined in itinerary
• Airport transfers in Windhoek
• Welcome sundowners on day 1
• Kalahari Desert sundowner drive
• Photography permits for Quiver Tree Forest and Kolmanskop
• Entry permits and National Park fees
• Duwisib Farm guided drive
• Swakopmund Living Desert tour
• Walvis Bay sea kayaking tour
• Full-day game drive through Etosha National Park in open safari vehicle
• Coffee, tea and snacks on the minibus
• Lightroom sessions during tour
• Emergency medical evacuation and passenger liability
Not included
• International flights
• Travel and photographic insurance
• Meals not specified in itinerary
• Voluntary tips for driver etc
Photography level and gear
This tour is suitable for complete beginners through to enthusiast photographers. Click here for a suggested list of what to bring.
Flights
You need to arrange your own flights to Windhoek International Airport, arriving before the evening of 22 June 2025 and departing no earlier than 18:00 on 5 July.
*By clicking the link above, you will be asked to complete a simple form to register your interest and reserve a place. I will then send you details of how to complete your booking and pay your deposit. If you have any questions you can also contact me directly at will.gray@me.com
