Namibia. An abstract, almost alien landscape shaped by the forces of nature and time into one of the most beautiful and photogenic places in the world. Home to the largest dunes in the world, glowing red in the rising sun, clay pans with the black skeletons of long dead trees, and some of the darkest skies on the planet for astro photography

Namibia is a landscape of space, one of the least populated countries on the planet with vast areas of remote wilderness. A place where awe at nature and the effects of time constantly surround you. These are landscapes that move our soul, the kind of scenes that landscape photographers dream of capturing

For this tour we’ve decided to focus purely on Namibia’s most awe inspiring desert landscapes, spending four days amongst the stunning dunes of Sossusvlei and four days traversing the Skeleton Coast, one of the remote areas in the country where the sand dunes meet the misty ocean in 4x4s. We’ll also spend one night in the Tiras Mountains of the Namib Rand and the tour includes a 90 minute helicopter flight above the dunes of Sossuvlei where you’ll get to capture the dunes from a unique and spectacular view point as the sun rises

As usual with my Namibia workshops, I’m delighted to be partnering with Hougaard Malan, one of South Africa’s finest photographers and experienced Namibia photography guides, along with leading Namibia travel and photography guide Jandre Germishuizen, for this really special trip. With more than a decade’s experience of photographing and leading tours here they’ll be guiding us as we visit Namibia’s most stunning landscapes.

The extreme Namibian heat starts fading during April and by late May and early June the climate is cooler with longer nights and ideal conditions for astro photography. This tour has been planned to put us at the ideal astro destinations during the waning moon phase, when we can shoot Namibia's famous night skies after sunset and still get to bed at a normal time. 

This tour is limited to 10 participants with 3 guides, and like all my workshops is designed to ensure that you can focus on photography while we take care of everything else. From the ideally located and comfortable accommodation, great food and of course a tour that’s structured to maximize your opportunities to get great images whilst improving your skills as a photographer. We use all our experience and knowledge to get you to some of Namibia’s most beautiful locations in the best light, and in the field we’re on hand to provide as much support, advice or guidance as you want.

PRICE    

$9900

(price is for shared occupancy. Single room supplement $500)  

GROUP SIZE

10

EXPERIENCE

Amateur, enthusiast and semi-pro photographers.  

PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY

Easy, although participants should be prepared to deal with heat

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

Ground transport for the entire duration of the tour

All tourism taxes and park entry fees

All meals

All non-alcoholic beverages and beer.

Maximum Guide to client ratio of 1:3

All accommodation/lodging costs.

90-min Helicopter Flight at Sossusvlei

Four nights camping on the Skeleton Coast with all meals and exclusive access to one of the most remote areas of Namibia

Continuous assistance with your photography and image processing by the guides

The services of a highly experienced local guide and drivers

Highly experienced tour leaders with great knowledge and experience of landscape photography

NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

Airfare to and from Namibia

Lunches, snacks and drinks

Credit Card surcharges

Travel Insurance

ITINERARY BREAKDOWN

Arrival in Swakopmund | 1 Night

Upon arrival in Walvis Bay, you will be received at the airport by a driver with a name sign and transferred to our accommodation in Swakopmund, an attractive costal town on the edge of the Skeleton Coast

On the second morning, we’ll have breakfast and then hit the road into the desert

Skeleton Coast | 4 Nights

On the 2nd morning, our Skeleton Coast operator will pick us up at a time determined by the tides. Over the next four nights we will head into the absolute wilderness of the Namib Desert. Few people ever go here and almost no photographers have ever gone into this photographic paradise and this section of coastline holds a vast treasure chest of virgin photographic subjects
To retain the exclusivity of this adventure more details will be shared upon sign up for the workshop when we will answer any questions you might have. However, during our journey across this incredible landscape;

• We’ll camp next to a shipwreck on the first night for seascape and astro photography

• We'll take you along massive coastal dunes for an incredible view and adrenaline-pumping dune driving

• We’ll see desert locations rarely visited by anyone, and certainly not by any other photography groups

Namib Rand | 1 Night

We should be back in civilization by 17h on the 6h day of the tour and you can trust us that your jaw will be hanging on the ground after 4 days in the desert. The desert camping experience is very exhausting and you will have sand in places you didn't know you had a place, so resting and cleaning up at the comfortable lodge will be incredibly welcome.

This is also an incredibly beautiful part of Namibia, with sweeping grassland and the rocky Tiras mountains, we’ll go out shooting this wonderful landscape as the sun gets lower in the sky, but as most people will probably be really tired after the previous 4 days, an evening if drinks and relaxing will also be available.

Sossusvlei | 4 Nights

After breakfast we’ll drive to our beautiful lodge in Sossusvlei. Here we’ll be in one of the world's most photogenic landscapes and there are endless shooting options. We spread everything over our four days to ensure that you get the best possible photographic return on investment. During our time there we will shoot at least one sunrise and one sunset in Deadvlei as well as the iconic towering dune spines. We’ll spend some time scouting for Oryx to add scale to this immense landscape and also we’ll do a sunrise helicopter flight above the desert, an absolutely unforgettable experience where you’ll be able to capture the abstract forms of the dunes from above. I have now been to Sossusvlei multiple times and it is one of the most diversely photogenic landscapes in the world. Despite an incredibly rich photographic yield, I always leave feeling like my list of shots I need to take has grown there. Most tours spend 3 nights here, but we’ve recently taken the decision to increase it to four. It’s the kind of place that you feel you could spend weeks there. 

Swakopmund | 1 Night

We’ll do a final sunrise shoot at Sossusvlei and make our way north back to the Swakopmund, which will take us around 6 hours. On arrival in Walvis Bay we'll check into our guesthouse on the lagoon and those who want to shoot the flamingoes, can simply go for a walk along the promenade. 
The next morning you we’ll get everyone back to Windhoek in time for their flights out.

End of Tour

If you would prefer to spend another night in Windhoek or Swakopmund to remove the stress of catching your flight, we would be more than happy to arrange it for you

WHAT WE DO (AND WHAT WE WANT YOU TO GET FROM THIS WORKSHOP)

Our aim is to take you to beautiful locations and give you every opportunity to get great images while improving your technique over the course of the workshop.  We direct out time to being outdoors and we limit the number of participants on our workshop to just ten which gives us plenty of time with everyone in the field, meaning either myself, Hougaard or Jandre will be close at hand to give you any advice or help you need, from composition to whether to use a filter. From the beginning of your time with us we can identify your photographic level and what you’d like to focus on, and then tailor the sessions accordingly.  

We carefully select the dates of our workshops to try and make sure we are in each location at the best time of year.  In Namibia, May and June means cooler temperatures and a respite from the searing desert heat, as well as earlier sunsets which means we have the opportunity to shoot Namibia’s incredible dark skies without having to stay awake till the middle of the night.

2025 will be Hougaard’s 13th year running photo tours to Namibia and the recipe is constantly being fine-tuned to ensure that guests have the best possible experience. Every single restaurant, lodge and shoot is meticulously planned on the back of nearly a decade of experience.

Finally, we want to share with you our passion for nature and landscape photography in this incredible place. Travelling in such small groups means we can quickly build a great learning environment where people feel comfortable together and at ease with asking questions and making the absolute most of the trip. We aim to make your experience here in the beautiful landscapes of Iceland a memorable one and a trip from which, as well as getting some great images from amazing locations, you’ll also go home having had a true adventure with great company in a very special place.

 Is Namibia Safe? 
Our guides have travelled Namibia extensively and never encountered any problems. The only thing to be wary of is small amounts of cash that might go missing from your room if you leave it lying around. 

Do I need a VISA to enter Namibia?
Most of the major countries in the world do not require a visa to enter Namibia, please see the chart at the bottom of this page to determine if you need a visa.

Will I have cellphone reception?
You will have good cellphone reception at Swakopmund, Sossusvlei and Namib-Rand for calling/texting.  During our time in the Skeleton Coast we will have no cell coverage whatsoever.

Will I have Internet access?
There will be WIFI of various speeds and standards at the different hotels, but again, not while we are on the Skeleton Coast. Before and during the trip we will keep you diligently informed of what to expect. If you’d like a sim card for the local cellphone network, we will help you organise that.

What about medicines, diseases and vaccinations?
We will not be visiting any Malaria risk areas, but we advise you consult with your doctor for a professional opinion. We recommend that you take the basic medical supplies like painkillers, antihistamine, insect repellant, disinfectant cream and plasters. Sun tan lotion and lip balm are crucial in the hot and dry environment.

Will there be fresh water available?
The tap water is drinkable at all destinations, but it is safer to drink bottled water as this might avoid a disagreement between your stomach and the local water supply. There will be bottled water available everywhere.

Will I be able to purchase snacks?
We will stop at grocers and cafés on a regular basis so everyone can stock up on drinks and snacks.

What food can I expect?
Namibia’s cuisine is primarily of British influence with a slight German element.
All our destinations serve a hot English breakfast and it usually accompanied by breads, cold meats, fruits, yoghurt and cereal. Most places have an a la carte lunch menu offering sandwiches, salads, burgers etc. Dinners will mostly be three courses, consisting of a salad or soup starter, a meat main course served with a starch and vegetables, followed by a sweet dessert.

What about allergies or dietary preferences?
Most of the lodges are prepared to handle basic allergies and dietary preferences like vegetarian meals. If you have a very rare allergy, please inform us so that we can make the necessary preparations.

Are there any luggage restrictions?
Not really, but please pack considerately. One large suitcase or bag, a large camera bag and tripod is the norm. Most lodges offer laundry services, so you don’t need to pack a fresh set of clothes for every day.

Do I need to bring spending money along?
Although most of your expenses are included, you will need some cash to buy snacks, drinks and souvenirs. You can use Namibian dollars or South African Rands and it is very unlikely that you’ll need more than 10 Euro per day.
Tipping
It is customary in Namibia to tip porters and guides at lodges. You can budget about USD100 for these tips

Do I need a laptop?
A laptop isn’t an absolute must. If you want to edit your images while you’re on the go and receive advice from Andy and Hougaard about post processing techniques, then you’re welcome to bring one with you. However, bear in mind that for the four days that we’re crossing the Skeleton Coast electricity is at a premium and we won’t have enough to charge laptops. Because of this, processing isn’t an official part of this workshop, but later in the tour when we’re in Sossusviel there will be a chance to work on your images.

 A dSLR or mirrorless camera

The criteria for the kind of work we’ll be doing is a camera that can be operated completely manually to ensure we get the best exposure with interchangeable lenses allowing us to cover a range of focal lengths

Lenses

You need to cover a focal range of 16-400mm, or 10-300mm with APSC . If you are a keen bird photographer, then it will be worth dragging your 500/600mm along for this trip as well. An astro lens like a 20mm f/1.4 is great to have for all the nighttime scenery.
What you do NOT need is a macro or fisheye lens. 

Filters

Graduated filters aren’t a necessity, but if you own a set, you can bring it along.
A circular polarizer, especially for your 70-200mm/100-400mm will help a lot. Make sure you have one in your bag that fits your wide angle and telephoto lenses.

Cleaning

Namibia is a very dusty and sandy place, so expect to clean all your lenses daily. Bring enough cleaning liquid and cloths. The best tool for getting sand off camera gear is a paintbrush.

Tripod

It is obvious that you need a tripod for a landscape photography workshop, but this is an area that a lot of people neglect. If you do not own a high quality tripod, please enquire about renting one from us. This also saves you the effort of having to fly with a tripod. 

Backpack
We will be doing a lot of walking with camera gear, so it is critical that you have a comfortable backpack that can take your camera gear, a bottle of water and a warm layer of clothing. 

ANDY MUMFORD is a Lisbon based professional landscape and travel photographer. Andy grew up in the UK loving nature and travel and took up landscape photography over fifteen years ago. Since then he has travelled extensively photographing all over the world and his photography and articles have featured in publications and books worldwide. He is a passionate photographer teacher and has been leading both group and one-to-one workshops for over five years.

He is a Fuji X Photographer and a brand ambassador for Fujifilm in Portugal, although he also has extensive experience with Nikon and Canon cameras.

Hougaard Malan is an award winning South African photographer who has been guiding and organising photo tours to Nambia for a decade. He has taken people from every corner of the planet to every corner of Namibia. His own photos of Namibia have won him awards like the 2016 International Landscape Photograph of the Year and his clients have also won numerous awards with the photos captured on his tours. All the images on this page were captured by Hougaard.

Hougaard believes the essence of a landscape photograph is allowing the viewer to experience that place without ever being there. When the light, clouds and land combine to produce scenes so beautiful that they etch a profound place in viewers’ memories, and witnessing such moments unfold over earth’s most beautiful landscapes is, for me, one of the highlights of living.

Hougaard’s work has been published in countless media all over the world, from books and magazines to calendars and coffee table books by the likes of National Geographic. Licensing and commission clients include global and local corporates like Samsung, Toyota, SAB Inbev, FNB, Standard Bank and Europcar.

www.hougaardmalan.com

 REGISTRATION

To register for the workshop we require a $2500 deposit.  Please complete the form below to sign up or for more information, and please read the Terms & Conditions by clicking on the link below.