Desert trails of Namibia
With awe inspiring dunes, eerie deserted towns and the dramatic light of the desert, Namibia has long been a favourite destination for photographers. The landscape has been created over millions of years giving us great opportunities to capture graphical and colourful images.
Nature takes it slowly here and the primitive backdrop is spectacularly lit which adds drama to our images. Trees that don’t decay in the arid climate, abandoned houses being covered in sand, rusting machinery from long forgotten diamond mining operations, this is Namibia.
Red sand and blue skies combine to create scenes that are unmatched anywhere else in the world.
Join us on this recce trip as we go exploring into the heart of creative imagination.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Windhoek, overnight locally.
You will arrive in the capital city of Windhoek and be met at the airport by one of our drivers. We will all then transfer to our overnight accommodation for dinner and the pre trip briefing. Time to relax and unwind from your long flight.
Day 2: Transfer to Keetmanshoop – Forest rest camp.
After a good rest we’ll have breakfast and then head out to Keetmanshoop. Stopping along the way to take advantage of any photo opportunities. This drive will give us a the chance to acclimatise to the climate and the landscape in general. We aim to arrive in time for a quick wash up and then to get in position to shoot the amazing Quiver trees at sunset. Selecting and framing our shot for maximum impact we have a good chance of getting the first shots for our Namibia portfolio.
Day 3: Dawn shoot and move on to Luderitz.
Today we’ll do the reverse and get some lovely shots in the dawn light. There are also meerkat and cheetah around the camp so we’ll take any opportunity we can to capture these too. After a late breakfast it’s on to Luderitz, the charming coastal town. As usual, we’ll stop en route to grab any interesting shots on the way taking in the ancient landscape. Perhaps some of the wild desert horses will come near enough for some shots. After settling in to our comfortable hotel its time for a wander around the narrow streets of Luderitz to capture some interesting urban shots.
Day 4: Shoot at Elizabeth Bay.
An early start today and we’ll take a packed breakfast with us as we head out to the ‘Forbidden Diamond Area’ . We’ll shoot in and around the bay and have a relaxing lunch in town. In the late afternoon we’ll make the short journey to Kolmanskop, the isolated and abandoned town being slowly swallowed up by the desert. We’ll take our time here practising framing and composition to capture the allure of this ghost town. The diamond prospectors left long ago but their spirit remains. We’ll head back to Luderitz for dinner and cool beer.
Day 5: Morning shoot and travel to Sossusvlei.
After breakfast and another short shoot around Luderitz, our travels will take us on Sossusvlei. Here is where we get among the famed giant dunes, some over 1,000 feet tall, to capture our iconic shots of Namibia. We’ll aim for some sunset shots and to generally get orientated. The light and landscape here is legendary and we’ll be ready.
Day 6: Dawn shoot of the dunes.
It’s an early start and our aim is to be in position at first light. As the orange and blues hues burst over the horizon we’ll be there to capture their effect on the bizarre landscape. During the day, we’ll rest and enjoy lunch as well as go over our shots and review them.
Day 7: Another full day in the dunes.
A repeat of the previous day but this time we can practice with different compositions and angles. Our mission is to gain the ultimate landscape shot, a photograph that will be as timeless as the landscape itself! During the midday period we’ll take a short drive to the Sesrium canyon .
Day 8: Another early shoot if required and transfer to Wolwedeans.
After taking some more great shots we’ll press on into the Namib and head to the renowned Wolwedeans dune camp. Known to have some of the most beautiful views in Africa we will base ourselves here for 2 nights. The routine is the same, after scouting and perhaps getting some recce shots we’ll be ready for the dawn light. Ready to capture yet more inspirational images. There is an option here (at additional cost) to take a balloon safari across the landscape for those that want the thrill of drifting like a cloud while also getting some aerial shots.
Day 9: A full day in the red desert.
We will take another full day here. Shooting at dawn and dusk.
Day 10: After our final shoot in the dunes, transfer to Swakamond.
Our final dawn shoot in the desert and after a good breakfast we’ll hit the trail along the coast. Stopping off on the way in Walvis Bay, perhaps getting the chance to shoot pelicans, flamingos and other waders. After lunch here, we travel on to Swakamond and afternoon to explore this coastal town. A relaxing dinner and a review of some of our images.
Day 11: A morning shoot in the town and travel on to Spitzkoppe.
A relaxing morning shoot and then travel on to Spitzkoppe. This enormous monolith stands proud of the surrounding landscape and is an ancient site of the San people. Here we will get some afternoon shots of the landscape and generally explore the area.
Day 12: Early morning shoot and transfer to a bush camp.
After breakfast and an early shoot we’ll move on to a bush camp operated and run by a local bushmen community. Here we will complete our odyssey by shooting some of the local people who have lived in harmony with this harsh environment for multiple generations. Our hosts are used to be photographed and are eager to discuss the land the love with visitors. We will overnight here.
Day 13: Return to Windhoek for flights home.
After saying our goodbyes to our hosts its time to head back to Windhoek and on to the airport. We’ll make a few stops on the way and perhaps buy some craftwork from the local sellers.
What’s included
- All of the accommodation listed in the day to day itinerary.
- Services of the Creative Trail leader, local guides and drivers.
- Park entry fees, permits where applicable.
- All meals except for Windhoek.
- Ground transport from Windhoek and back to Windhoek.
- Pick up and drop off from Windhoek airport.
- Photography tuition and guidance from your leader.
Not included
- International flights to and from Windhoek in Namibia.
- Travel insurance.
- Visa costs and airport taxes.
- Tips and local payments to guides, porters and drivers.
- Meals, other than those listed and drinks, bar bills or snacks.
- Souvenirs, curios or other purchases such as laundry.
- Any optional tours or activities not included in the itinerary.
Next steps
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Header image courtesy Will Butler.