The Lightstalker’s Worldwide Discovery Experience
 

Featuring classic bucket list locations, and a maximum of 3 photography guests.

Worldwide Discovery tours are all about adventure, discovery and a less rehearsed photography travel experience.

A mixture of  travel, landscape and local culture photography. All include creative support, location briefings, accommodation and of course transport to locations.

Plus there’s an option to create a hardcopy Photojournal of your travels.

NAMIBIA WORLDWIDE DISCOVERY PHOTO ADVENTURE JUNE 2024 Sold Out

August 23, 2018 1:25 pm Published by

Namibia Overland Worldwide Discovery Adventure Destination summary This incredible Namibian Worldwide Discovery Photo Tour is an overland  journey exploring every aspect of the destination with a maximum 3 of photographer guests on each trip. The  Namib desert is the world’s oldest and plays host to some of the planet’s highest and most dramatic sand dunes. Further north Etosha National Park, is a vast salt pan and the surrounding plain is home to a vast array of wildlife that’s adapted to Namibia’s dry desert conditions. We’ll expect to see Elephant, Rhino, Springbok, Zebra, Lion and more. This Namibia Photo Tour will leave a lasting impression on your memory and one that is  well suited to photo safari exploration. Spitzkoppe in south Damaraland  is range of high granite peaks that light up at dawn and dusk, Swakopmund with its German colonial past sits where the desert meets the sea and Skeleton coast. The World Heritage Namib Sand Sea features two of the trip highlights in  Sossusvlei and Deadvlei and these will give you more creative  photo opportunities than you can handle. The option of  flying above them in a small helicopter at dawn creating aerial compositions will literally take your breathe away. To the south The Namib Rand is an incredibly scenic area and Dark Sky Reserve that will offer you a sense of wonder and peace as you gaze across endless plains and soft dunes dotted with Oryx and Springbok.  To the east the Naukluft mountains rise up, its jagged peaks silhouetted below the starry night sky. Ludertiz and the sand consumed diamond mining town of Kolmanskop are a mixture of decay, the bizarre and flaky pastel painted doorways and rooms. Over the years the town has been consumed with the encroaching desert sand which  creates some unique, abstract compositions. After our morning session we can enjoy a cooked breakfast on site and take in the history in its museum. Making our way back to Windhoek our final night night on the road of this Namibia photo tour takes place at the Quiver Tree forest  where the soft dusk light makes these interesting trees come alive with bold colour and texture. This is a photographic journey that’s bursting with amazing locations and experiences. Namibia Photo Tour – On Location Namibia ( formally South West Africa ) was a German colony from 1884 until 1915 when it was “passed on” to South Africa. It fought for its independence for over 20 years, finally achieving it 1990. This mix of history, culture and amazing geography creates a fascinating experience. Etosha National Park First stop is Etosha National Park and Namibia’s premier wildlife Park. It is without doubt one of the best places in Africa to view and photograph Rhino, Elephant, Giraffe, Lion and Zebra. We can observe and photograph them as they congregate around water holes during the dry winter season. Springbok, Wildebeest and Namibia’s iconic Oryx  also roam the park and the Kalahari and Namib deserts. Spitzkoppe, Damaraland Spitzkoppe is  a group of granite peaks in the Namib desert formed over 100 million years ago. The high domes reach into the cobalt blue sky in winter but its at dusk and dawn that we’ll capture these majestic mountains when the warm sunrise and sunset brings them to life. Camping out under the clear skies we’ll also photograph the night sky.. the Milky way seems within touching distance as the air is so clear. From Spitzkoppe we’ll travel to the town of Swapkopmund on edge of the Namib desert at the southern end of the Skeleton coast. Here we’ll re-stock, get a few shots of the Germanic architecture and catch a sunset from the beach at the legendary Tiger bar. In the morning we’ll have a short session in nearby Walvis bay photographing the local flock of Flamingos. World Heritage Sand Sea Desert – Sossusvlei  The drive to Sossusvlei takes us across the Namib Naukluft National Park which extends all the way south to the South African border. Our base here for 2 nights is Sesreim, as close as we can get to the giant dunes and salt / clay pans. Dunes 45 sits  close to our base and we’ll scale its heights to photograph a sunset over the surrounding desert. Deadvlei is one of the star attractions for photographers from all over the world. Its dramatic  dead camel thorn trees are a stark contrast against the morning shadows and warm hues of the dunes. We’ll tackle this location in post sunrise light so we can make use the shadows rising up the sand walls. The giant red dunes around Sossusvlei are said to be the highest in the world. We’ll walk up one of the smaller dunes making a circuit to capture the surrounding landscape from above. After a bush breakfast at the foot of Sossusvlei dune we’ll head back to our base. Later that afternoon we’ll explore nearby Sesreim canyon. At dawn the following morning there will be the option of a fantastic 1 hour helicopter ariel session over Sossusvlei. With the doors off, our pilot is briefed on the best flight path to take in arial shots of the red dunes, Deadvlei, fairy circles and any wildlife that may be wandering the desert. Namib Rand Reserve From Sossusvlei, we head south on gravel roads to the privately owned Namib Rand Reserve. With just a handful of visitors this is one of the unexpected highlights to Namibia. A mixture of open plains, surrounding mountains, wildlife and some of the darkest skies your ever likely to see. From our remote and *private camp we’ll capture the area at dusk and dawn, make a drive through the dunes and breathe in the awesome beauty of this special place. The night sky will again offer the chance to create some magical Milky Way imagery. Luderitz and Kolmanskop Luderitz, a small port town Luderitz again has a weird mix of Germanic colonial architecture and isolation. Nearby is the slightly weird and wonderful deserted mining town of Kolmanskop.  Now long since deserted the sand has slowly taken its toll on the derelict ruins, creating interest and fantastic photography. Ever changing patterns of sand against pastel shades of colour and worn textures are great to experiment with. Windows, doors and shafts of light all combine to create hours of rich photography. The Quiver Tree Forest  Stopping on the western edges of the Kalahari desert the iconic forest will provide our final location. The Quiver tree is seen all over Namibia, but here near the town of Keetmanshoop, they’re  concentrated and surrounded with rocky terrain and various critters. A colourful subject at dawn and dusk. From here we make our way  back to the capital Windhoek and the end of our Namibian photo adventure. We’ll enjoy a final dinner at either Joe’s Beer House ( outdoor BBQ restaurant) or the Stellanbosch winery restaurant. Trip Information Starts  June @ 4pm – 6pm 2024.  Meet up at the Vondelhof guest house  or Olive Grove in Windhoek and enjoy a dinner together .  Ends June @ around  6pm in Windhoek. Drop off our vehicle and refresh before a final dinner together. You may wish to leave at any point on the final day after returning to Windhoek. This Namibia Photo Journey is an overland photo adventure that travels a circle anti clockwise from the capital Windhoek by 4 wheel drive vehicle. It’s   fully equipped with comfortable safari roof tents ( twin share ) for a few nights of remote on – location camping mixed with comfortable lodge stays. The vehicle is equipped with fridge, water and all the supplies we need to travel overland, breaking up the trip with lodge stays. We will be covering around 3000km over 12 days  mostly on gravel roads, some days will have minimal distances and some longer days up to 500km. You will see the landscape first hand as we make our way to each location, stopping when we like, where we like. Accommodation* is a mixture of guest houses, lodges and comfortable roof top safari tents (with thick mattresses and all bedding provided) this allows us to be closer to our locations offering more flexibility and opportunities. Accommodation  Lodges are single occupancy and vehicle safari tents are twin share , so please bear this in mind before booking. All bedding required for camp is provided. Standard trip fee – 5 nights guest house /  lodge rooms ( single occupancy ) 7 nights safari camp on location Windhoek 1 night – single occupancy room Etosha – 2 nights twin share safari  roof tent (  chalet upgrade – subject to availability ) Spitzkoppe – 1 night twin share safari roof tent Swakopmund  1 night – single occupancy lodge  Sossusvlei 2 nights – inside park gates  – safari roof tent Namib Rand 1 night – twin share safari roof tent Luderitz  2 nights – single occupancy guest house  Quiver Tree Forest 1 night – twin share roof tent /or room upgrade if available. Windhoek 1 night  – single occupancy lodge It’s a photography journey  full of stunning locations with the added experience of camping out under the African night sky by camp fire, sharing a bottle of wine and discussing the days events. Please read the testimonial by a previous client for a participant perspective. Meals  These will be either buffet style meals or at local pubs and restaurants. When at camp, our meals will be freshly prepared  at our camp kitchen / open fire  ( approx 4 camp meals ) by myself ( or volunteer if you have any cooking skills ) with a little help from my guests. As with all adventures teamwork plays a vital part in making this a successful experience.  As mentioned, this  photo journey covers a large part of Namibia by road in a 4×4 vehicle. You’ll have the opportunity to see the landscape and terrain change through the journey. Through the  Kalahari, salt pans, giant sand  dunes, seascapes along the skeleton coast  and mountain ranges that all combine to make this an incredible adventure.  Remote camping with limited facilities at some camps is also part of the itinerary, this enables us to access some of the best locations in Namibia under on our own terms and schedule. Basic toilets and shower facilities are available at all the camps and towels are provided as are sleeping bags.  Sossusvlei – our camp is inside the main gate for accessing the park which means we can reach Deadvlei before many of the other travellers and tourists. Please ensure that this trip meets your requirements, comfort levels and abilities before booking, if you would like to discuss any of the logistical factors involved please just get in touch. At the moment  there is a maximum of only 3 participants with an emphasis on creating a intimate group dynamic while on location. This makes shooting at locations more manageable which helps you get the shots you want. At camp  it’s all hands on deck and guests are asked to participate in meal preparations and maintaining the camp while we are in remote areas. Toilets, showers and clean running water is available at every camp. When you arrive in Namibia’s capital Windhoek you’ll make the 40 minute drive from the airport by shuttle / taxi to our guesthouse where I will meet you. This is the day before we depart. What to expect It’s winter in June in the southern hemisphere but the days are settled and sunny, temperatures range from mid to high 20s to 5 or 6 degrees during the night (centigrade). So it can feel pretty warm during the day and cooler at night the further south we go. It very rarely rains. Namibia has good infrastructure / wifi at lodges but not much outside of towns. This is Africa but Namibia’s parks and reserves are well organised as long as you stick to the rules. Wildlife is plentiful but patience is still needed to wait and spot each animal if and when they decide to make an appearance. Its random but always an exciting event when they appear. Fitness – mostly short walks with the exception of two dune accents but nothing too strenuous. Recommended Equipment  Only bring what you need and will use. DSLR or Mirrorless camera with wide angle 16-35 / 50 or 24 -70 / 70 -200mm / a 150 – 600mm long telephoto or similar, I use this lens as much as any other to get up close for wildlife. Nikon, Sony, Sigma or Canon are all good options contact me for advice Good solid tripod / I use a minimum of 4 camera batteries ( maybe more for Mirrorless kits) Plenty card storage (example 240 – 320gb if you’re not backing up )  / A quality head torch Phone charger battery pack,  Small Bean bag for resting a long lens. Quality camera back pack with good zips seals to prevent dust / sand entering which does happen while in transit. Lens cleaning kit / sensor cleaning kit (not essential). Luggage Space in the vehicle is limited. Please limit your luggage to 2 pieces only. One luggage bag and one camera bag. I travel with and recommend a soft shell 90 litre ( or smaller )   Osprey rolling duffel bag. These are ideal for adventure travel . Suitcases are bulky and impractical for  storage in the rear of the vehicle canopy so please keep this in mind. There will be an opportunity to wash some clothes during our trip.

DEATH VALLEY AND YOSEMITE WORLDWIDE DISCOVERY USA MARCH 2025

February 5, 2024 3:07 pm Published by

Lightstalker’s Worldwide Discovery – Yosemite and Death Valley Destination summary You’re invited to register your interest as one of just 3 guests touring and photographing two of the USA’s most iconic National Parks. In Death Valley and Yosemite you’ll travel with myself on this intimate photo journey of discovery, searching out the best light at dusk and dawn to capture some iconic locations. Death Valley lies in the northern Mojave Desert and in summer it’s the Hottest place on Earth. In March it’s a lot more manageable but can still feel pretty warm around mid afternoon. Expansive salt flats, twisting dunes, mountain ranges and canyons all offer the possibility of some vivid and minimal compositions, especially at dusk and dawn. The Winter months are high season here but we’ll be visiting as it makes the slide into the hotter, quieter months, but there will still be plenty folk around. World Heritage listed Yosemite National Park lies in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.  In late March it will slowly be coming out of its wintery slumber, snow flurries may still occur and waterfalls will be starting to flow. Made famous by Ansel Adams, Yosemite in March means visitor numbers will be much lower  and between wintery showers  and some dynamic weather should produce some incredible light and results. More Info This 11 day trip will commence in Las Vegas, Nevada and if you arrive the day before we can  head north to the Valley of Fire State Park for a warm-up dusk session. On the 14th we’ll then be drive west to the desert for a couple of hours and Death Valley, where we’ll be based for 4 nights. Subjects will include valleys, dune systems, salt flats and maybe some star gazing and astro photography.  Some classic  locations, include Mesquite Flats, Bad Water Basin, Ubehebe Crater, Artists palette, Telescope Peak and the spring wild flowers that will be in bloom at some elevations. After some sun and fantastic sessions around the valley we make a quick run back to Las Vegas and the airport and fly west out over the Sierra Nevada to San Francisco, California. Here we’ll re organise our kit for colder conditions and spend a night.  We then pick up a 4×4 vehicle and snow chains and drive out to  Unesco World Heritage site, Yosemite National Park, one of America’s greatest. Home of El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite valley, Bridalveil and Yosemite falls,  all locations made famous by the great Ansel Adams and John Muir. Its still in its winter conditions in the Sierra Nevada but at lower altitude in the Yosemite valley its one of the best times to capture the falls views and compositions made famous by Ansel Adams. From Yosemite  we head back down through the Sierra Nevada  on the 24th to San Francisco where our trip will conclude. The Details  Starts / depart Las Vegas 14th March 09:30 – ends San Francisco 24th March 13:30 Meet up Las Vegas at the Desert Rose Resort* near the strip on the 13th before heading out to the Valley Of Fire for a warm up dusk session. The following day we drive west out to Death Valley in California where we’ll base ourselves are close as possible to then main locations of interest. It’s starting to warm up at this time of year with day time temps around 14-29C (70-85F) From Death valley we return to Las Vegas ( 2hrs) and fly to San Francisco where we’ll spend one night. From here we pick up a 4×4 vehicle , snow chain equipped and travel out to Yosemite (3.5hrs). The climate will be very different from what we experienced in Death Valley, with winter conditions still prevalent at this altitude. Average temperatures from 0-15C (30-54F) 14th – 18th Death valley 4 nights – single occupancy hotel room. 18th – 19th San Francisco 1 night single occupancy 19th – 24th Yosemite NP 5 nights Yosemite View Hotel – twin share ** *All subject to availability – **single  supplement may be available If you’re interested in joining this trip please contact Glen Directly

THE SOUTH WEST – USA WORLDWIDE DISCOVERY PHOTO ADVENTURE – NOVEMBER 2025

November 19, 2020 3:19 pm Published by

The South West USA Destination summary You’ll discover and photograph some of the most iconic locations in both Utah and Arizona in the dramatic South West of the US. This Lightstalker’s Discovery tour  starts and ends in the bright lights of Las Vegas, Nevada. From here, you’ll head east out to Arizona and the magnificent Grand Canyon, where you’ll  explore its southern rim and photograph its awesome light and monumental scale. After 2 nights it’s onto Monument Valley in the Navajo Nation also located in Arizona. We’ll take  the scenic route through valley floor to capture the classic vistas and views that have become so famous and familiar both through Hollywood and Native American culture. Dusk and dawn sessions are absolutely epic. Canyonlands and Arches – Staying in the nearby town of Moab, our base for 3 nights, we’ll explore both the Windows  and the Devils Garden areas of Arches National Park.  The following day nearby Canyonlands National Park has some incredible overlooks, vistas, river views and  carved canyons. We’ll be making good use of both dawn and dusk light and we’ll also visit nearby Dead Horse State Park and the Green River. Capital Reef National Park sandstone domes, pillars and crazy rock formations in Utah’s south-central desert will be our goal for an afternoon, evening and morning session. Bryce Canyon – we’ll be hiking both in and around the rim of the weird and wonderful orange and crimson hoodoos, making sure we’re at the best spots when it comes to crunch time to capture a blast of colour during dusk and dawn. Shortly after dawn we’ll also take a short hike down into part of the canyon to explore some compositions from  a different perspective. Zion National Park after a short road trip and some crazy landscapes along the way we reach our final destination and one of the USA’s most spectacular parks. Zion’s National Park’s rivers, emerald pools, lush valleys and steep red cliffs  offer an amazing array of possibilities.  A park of epic proportions and beauty featuring a mixture of self drives and hikes that will enable us to lose ourselves for 3 nights and 2 full days among its landforms, canyons and Virgin rivers. From Zion its a relatively short dive back to Las Vegas of around 3.5 hrs. A Lightstalker’s Discovery Tour of the South West offers an incredible combination of dramatic landscape photography and experiences. We’ll be soaking up as much of the local flavour and culture as we can in between our locations. Get in touch to book a spot now ! South West USA – Extra information Getting there: Harry Reid International airport in Las Vegas  receives International flights from Europe and North America. Start time:  we depart on the TBC  from the Desert Rose Resort in Las Vegas’s south side ( near the Airport) at 09:00 End time Las Vegas around 13:00 November dates TBC Vehicle: Large all wheel drive  SUV Accommodation* 2 nights at the Bright Angel Lodge  Grand Canyon ( inside the park) / 1 night the View Hotel , Monument Valley / 3 nights Expedition Lodge – Moab (Canyonlands  and Arches NP) / 1 night Capital Reef Resort, Capital Reef / 1 night Rubys Inn, Bryce Canyon / 3 nights  Zion Lodge,  Zion National Park. * all listed subject to availaibilty * 4 nights accommodation is based on twin share  ( Monument valley and Zion )  a single supplement may be available if you prefer single occupancy. Essential equipment:  camera, lenses 16mm – 200mm focal lengths and a good quality tripod. Non essential but recommended: Polariser, neutral density graduated and straight neutral density filters would be useful.  A Laptop with Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop or other image editing software. Good quality waterproof camera bag. This trip is all about the experience of the journey and the amazing landscapes we travel through and explore. The group is kept small, 2-3 participants, to create the best possible experience for my guests. Register your interest for this trip via the contact form or email me directly. What to expect – Lightstalkers Photo Discovery Tour The Discovery format is the ultimate travel photo adventure. I was inspired to introduce  a trip that created more of a fluid visual journal of the south west’s  iconic landscapes as well as some cultural Americana that are encountered along the way. This is a Raw experience   that will allow us to explore all aspects of the locations and places we encounter.  Staying as flexible as possible , working with the elements and keeping our eyes wide open we’ll  be able to enjoy  a great  experience as we travel through the landscapes and towns. With a rich variety of subjects we can create a photo journal of our experiences in this timeless and dramatic part of the American continent. Participants will be invited to create a photo journal (MYALBUM) of their work post trip and share it with with their travel  companions. Weather There is little rain at this time of year around 2 – 4 days per month  ( the odd snow flurry at higher elevations ) but some colder temperatures can be encountered, especially in the morning. An average range of  0C (30F) at the coldest around  Bryce to 20C (68F) at the warmest around the Grand Canyon. So warm clothes for dusk and dawn are essential. Locations and fitness. Not all locations will be by the roadside, some locations are easy to reach, some require a little effort, walking sometimes on slippy surfaces and over uneven terrain . All ages above 18 years are welcome but a reasonable level of fitness and mobility is required, regardless of age in order to fully participate and appreciate a Lightstalker’s Journey.  If you have any doubts of your suitability for a specific trip please contact Glen directly.