Join us on an unforgettable Namibia Photo Tour to photograph one of the most complete combinations of landscapes, wildlife, and night skies found anywhere in the world.
Over 15 days, we will photograph ancient quiver trees beneath the Milky Way, abandoned buildings filled with desert sand, the sculptural trees of Deadvlei, some of the most impressive dunes in the Namib Desert, the dramatic Skeleton coast, the granite formations of Spitzkoppe, desert elephants, leopards, and the incredible wildlife of Etosha National Park.
We will also enjoy exclusive photographic experiences at some of Namibia’s most special locations. These include night photography sessions in private reserves, a full day marine wildlife and Sandwich Harbour excursion, desert elephant tracking, and two leopard tracking activities at Okonjima Nature Reserve.
This is our most complete photography tour, combining astrophotography, landscape, travel, and wildlife photography in one carefully designed expedition across Namibia.
The dates have been selected around the new moon, providing exceptional conditions for photographing the Milky Way from Namibia’s remote desert locations.
Namibia is a dream destination for photographers. Few countries offer such an extraordinary variety of subjects within a single trip.
Its landscapes range from enormous red dunes and arid mountain ranges to granite inselbergs, Atlantic beaches, salt pans, savannah, and ancient forests. Its remote desert locations offer remarkably dark skies, while its protected areas are home to some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife.
Our Namibia Photo Tour has been carefully designed to capture the full photographic diversity of the country.
Astrophotography is one of the central components of this tour. We will photograph the Milky Way above ancient quiver trees, abandoned structures, giant acacia trees, desert dunes, and the spectacular granite formations of Spitzkoppe.
The landscape photography opportunities are equally impressive. We will photograph an abandoned diamond ghost town with a special sunset permit, the iconic Deadvlei during blue hour and sunrise before the crowds arrive, and the dramatic dunes of Sandwich Harbour, where the Namib Desert meets the Atlantic Ocean.
Wildlife is another major component of the tour. We will search for rare desert-adapted elephants in Brandberg, cross Etosha National Park in open safari vehicles, photograph wildlife at the best waterholes, and finish with two leopard tracking experiences at Okonjima Nature Reserve.
From our first night in Windhoek to our final sunrise leopard tracking experience, this itinerary has been designed to deliver one photography highlight after another for a truly unforgettable experience.
Download the official Namibia Photo Tour brochure to see the complete itinerary, accommodation details, included services, photography locations, equipment recommendations, and other important information:
Even though we have a planned itinerary and the weather conditions are generally very stable, we will maintain a flexible schedule throughout the trip.
Weather, wildlife activity, road conditions, and light can change quickly. Our photography guides and local team will evaluate the conditions each day and make adjustments when necessary.
Our priority is to be in the best possible locations at the best moments of light for photography.
Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed, and all activities will be conducted according to National Park rules and the instructions of our local guides.
Welcome to Namibia.
After arriving at Windhoek’s international airport, you will meet your Capture the Atlas photography guides and local team. We will transfer to River Crossing Lodge, located outside the city among the hills surrounding Windhoek.
This peaceful location will provide a comfortable introduction to Namibia’s open landscapes and expansive skies.
Once everyone has arrived, we will hold a group orientation and review the complete itinerary. We will also discuss photography equipment, packing organization, safety, transportation, and what to expect during the following two weeks.
Our instructors will help you review your camera gear and settings and prepare your equipment for the first astrophotography sessions.
In the evening, we will enjoy an included welcome dinner at the lodge. This will be a great opportunity to get to know the other participants and instructors before beginning our journey across Namibia.
After breakfast, we will leave Windhoek and begin our journey south toward the Quiver Tree Forest.
This will be our first scenic drive through Namibia’s vast interior. As we move away from the capital, the urban landscape gradually gives way to open desert, dry savannah, distant mountains, and enormous skies.
We will arrive at Quivertree Forest Rest Camp, our base for the following two nights.
The Quiver Tree Forest contains an extraordinary collection of ancient trees with thick trunks and distinctive branches that divide into candelabra-shaped silhouettes. Their unusual shapes make them some of the most recognizable and photogenic subjects in Namibia.
We will visit the main Quiver Tree Forest for sunset, using the final light to photograph the textures, shapes, and silhouettes of the trees.
Once darkness falls, we will begin our first dedicated Milky Way session.
The combination of dark skies and unusual foregrounds makes this one of the best astrophotography locations of the trip. We will help you find compositions and work with different techniques, including single exposures, panoramas, stacking, and tracked exposures.
After our first night photography session, we will have time to rest during the morning.
Later, we will explore the landscapes surrounding the Quiver Tree Forest and prepare for another sunset and night session.
Our main location will be Giant’s Playground, a remarkable landscape filled with enormous dolerite boulders. The contrast between the angular rocks, quiver trees, and open sky creates countless opportunities for landscape photography.
We will photograph the boulders during sunset and blue hour before beginning our second Milky Way session.
This night will allow us to explore different compositions and techniques from the previous evening. The rocks can be used as powerful foregrounds, leading lines, silhouettes, and natural frames for the night sky.
After breakfast, we will travel west toward the Atlantic coast and the town of Lüderitz.
Our main photography location will be Kolmanskop Ghost Town, one of Namibia’s most fascinating places.
Kolmanskop was once a prosperous diamond mining settlement. After the town was abandoned, the surrounding desert gradually entered the buildings. Today, dunes flow through doors and windows, filling bedrooms, corridors, kitchens, and former public buildings with sand.
We have arranged a special sunset photography permit, allowing us to remain inside the ghost town after the regular visiting hours.
This will give us the opportunity to photograph Kolmanskop with softer light, longer shadows, and fewer visitors. We will explore the interaction between architecture, decay, sand, texture, and light.
After the Kolmanskop session, we will continue to the abandoned railway station at Garub for night photography.
We will carefully illuminate the old structure and bring the abandoned station back to life beneath the Milky Way. This will be one of the most creative night photography sessions of the tour, combining architectural details, artificial lighting, and the night sky.
Today, we will leave Lüderitz and travel into the remote landscapes of the Tiras Mountains.
Our destination will be Kanaan Na’an ku sê Desert Retreat, one of the most exclusive and remote locations on the itinerary.
Kanaan is surrounded by red granite mountains, open desert plains, dunes, and enormous skies. Its isolation and absence of artificial lighting create exceptional conditions for night photography.
Our group will have exclusive use of the lodge, giving us a quiet and intimate experience far from the busier areas of Namibia.
In the afternoon, we will travel deeper into the private reserve for one of the main astrophotography highlights of the tour.
Our location contains giant dead acacia trees with twisted branches and sculptural forms. These trees create extraordinary foregrounds for sunset, blue hour, and Milky Way photography.
We will photograph the changing light across the reserve before enjoying a special dinner prepared for our group at the shooting location.
Once the sky becomes dark, we will continue photographing the Milky Way above the trees in an area with virtually no artificial light pollution.
This combination of sunset, dinner, and astrophotography in a private reserve will be one of the most memorable experiences of the Tour.
After breakfast, we will begin a beautiful drive through the desert toward Sesriem and Sossusvlei.
As we cross this region, we will begin to see the enormous dunes and open plains that define the Namib Desert. We may also encounter wildlife along the route, including ostriches, springboks, oryx, and desert adapted zebras.
Our accommodation will be Sossus Dune Lodge, the only lodge inside the gated entrance to the Namib Naukluft Park and strategically located for access to the Sossusvlei area.
After checking in and resting, you will have the option to photograph sunset from Elim Dune.
We will climb part of the dune for elevated views over the surrounding desert. The climb is optional, and excellent photography opportunities are also available from the lower sections.
At night, we may also hold an astrophotography session near the lodge. The surrounding desert offers remarkably dark skies and a clear view of the Southern Hemisphere Milky Way.
This will be one of the most important landscape photography days of the tour.
We will leave the lodge very early and enter the Sossusvlei area using a special sunrise photography permit.
This access will allow us to reach Deadvlei before the regular crowds arrive and photograph the location during the most atmospheric light of the day.
Deadvlei is an ancient clay pan surrounded by enormous red dunes. Its dark, sculptural trees have remained preserved by the extremely dry climate, creating one of the most surreal landscapes in the world.
During blue hour, the trees appear as dark silhouettes against the pale clay floor, orange dunes, and deep blue sky. As the sun rises, the light gradually reaches the dunes and creates a dramatic contrast between the dark dead trees and the illuminated dunes, creating images that look like paintings.
We will also photograph the surrounding dune field, including views toward Big Daddy, one of the area’s most impressive dunes in Namibia.
After the morning session, we will have breakfast in location surrounded by the dunes before returning to the lodge.
For sunset, we will return to the dune corridor between Dunes 39 and 45. For this session, we will use telephoto lenses to isolate the extraordinary patterns created by light and shadow. The curves, ridges, colors, and textures of the dunes create abstract compositions that change continuously as the sun descends.
On day 8, you will have the option to begin the day with a sunrise hot air balloon flight over the Namib Desert.
Seeing the first light of the morning from above the dunes is an unforgettable experience. The calm desert air and elevated perspective reveal the immense scale, patterns, and colors of the Namib landscape.
This activity is optional and is not included in the tour price. Capture the Atlas will coordinate the reservation for interested participant, which also includes a special breakfast in location.
After breakfast, we will travel west toward the Atlantic Ocean. The temperature and atmosphere will change noticeably as we approach the cooler Atlantic coastline.
In the afternoon, we will participate in a private Living Desert excursion in the coastal dunes near Swakopmund where our specialized local guides will search for small desert creatures that have evolved remarkable adaptations to survive here. Depending on conditions and sightings, we may photograph web footed geckos, shovel snouted lizards, Namaqua chameleons, sidewinder snakes, dancing spiders, insects, and other desert species.
After the excursion, we will have a dinner reservation at The Tug, one of the best restaurants in all Namibia.
Today, we will enjoy another of the main highlights of our Namibia Photo Tour.
Our group will have a private full-day experience combining marine wildlife, coastal photography, and an off-road journey through the enormous dunes of Sandwich Harbor.
We will begin with a catamaran excursion from Walvis Bay.
As we travel through the lagoon and toward Pelican Point, we will search for dolphins, Cape fur seals, pelicans, flamingos, and other marine wildlife.
After leaving the boat, we will meet our private four wheel drive team and continue toward Sandwich Harbour. Our guides will prepare an included three-course meal on the beach, featuring local products and served in an extraordinary coastal setting.
We will then travel through the Walvis Bay Lagoon to our final sunset destination. Sandwich Harbor is unlike any other location on Earth. Here, giant dunes descend toward the Atlantic Ocean, creating sweeping layers of sand, sea, mist, and light.
The off-road journey includes steep dune ascents and descents, panoramic viewpoints, and opportunities to photograph the coastline from multiple perspectives.
This will be one of the most exciting travel and landscape photography experiences of the tour.
After completing the excursion, we will have dinner in Walvis Bay before returning to Swakopmund.
After breakfast, we will leave the coast and travel inland toward Spitzkoppe, one of Namibia’s most iconic landscape and astrophotography destinations.
Spitzkoppe is a collection of enormous granite peaks, domes, arches, and boulders rising abruptly from the surrounding desert plains. The contrast between the smooth granite formations and open landscape makes this an exceptional location for photography at every time of day.
We will stay at Spitzkoppe Cabin Camp, surrounded by the granite formations and close to our main photography locations.
In the afternoon, we will explore different compositions among the rocks, arches, and boulders. We will photograph sunset and blue hour as the granite takes on warm orange and red tones.
After darkness falls, we will begin one of the main Milky Way photography sessions of the trip. The natural arches, granite peaks, and enormous boulders provide an extraordinary variety of foregrounds.
We will begin the day with sunrise photography at Spitzkoppe.
The morning light creates softer colors and a completely different atmosphere from the previous evening. Depending on the conditions, we will photograph reflections, granite peaks, trees, arches, or wide views across the desert.
After breakfast, we will travel toward Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain. In the afternoon, we will join a specialized excursion in search of desert-adapted elephants.
These elephants live in one of the driest environments inhabited by African elephants. They travel through seasonal riverbeds and across enormous territories in search of food and water.
Seeing these animals moving through an arid desert landscape is very different from a conventional safari experience. Our local guides will search for the elephants while following strict wildlife viewing practices. When we locate them, we will photograph their behavior and their relationship with the desert environment.
Today, we will travel north toward Etosha National Park, one of Africa’s most celebrated wildlife destinations.
The park is centered around the enormous Etosha salt pan and contains a diverse collection of habitats, including open grasslands, dry woodland, and natural and artificial waterholes.
We will enter the park through the southern area and travel toward Okaukuejo Resort. The area offers opportunities to photograph elephants, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, rhinos, lions, birds, and other wildlife.
Okaukuejo is particularly famous for its floodlit waterhole, which can be visited throughout the day and night.
Large animals regularly approach the waterhole to drink, and the evening can offer memorable encounters with elephants and black rhinos.
You will be able to visit the waterhole from the camp, with great wildlife photography opportunities beyond the game drives.
This will be our longest and most complete wildlife photography day.
After an early breakfast, we will transfer into open safari vehicles and begin a full-day journey across Etosha National Park from Okaukuejo to Namutoni.
The open vehicles offer excellent visibility and allow us to photograph wildlife from both sides.
Throughout the day, we will visit waterholes, open plains, woodland, and the edges of the Etosha Pan. The western and central areas are known for elephant herds, black rhinos, lions, zebras, and large concentrations of plains animals.
As we move east, the landscape becomes increasingly wooded. The Namutoni area is particularly good for giraffes and is also an excellent region for searching for lions and cheetahs.
Other possible subjects include wildebeest, springboks, kudus, oryx, jackals, hyenas, ostriches, secretary birds, raptors, and many other bird species..
After arriving at Namutoni Resort, we will drive to photograph more wildlife at sunset near a waterhole.
After breakfast, we will leave Etosha and travel south toward Okonjima Nature Reserve.
Okonjima is a private reserve known for its leopard research and monitoring programs. In the afternoon, we will participate in our first leopard tracking experience.
Experienced rangers will search for leopards using their knowledge of the animals’ territories, behavior, tracks, and movements.
The experience takes place inside a large private nature reserve, and the leopards remain wild and free-roaming. If we locate a leopard, we will have the opportunity to photograph one of Africa’s most elusive predators in its natural environment.
We will continue until sunset before returning to the lodge for our final group dinner.
On the final morning of the tour, we will participate in a second leopard tracking activity at sunrise.
Morning conditions offer different light and animal behavior from the previous evening, giving us another opportunity to locate and photograph the reserve’s wildlife.
After the activity, we will return to the lodge for breakfast and prepare for our journey back to Windhoek.
We will arrive in Windhoek in time for an evening flight. You may also choose to reserve an additional night in Windhoek and depart the following day.
After 15 days of photographing Namibia’s landscapes, wildlife, and night skies, our adventure will come to an end.
You will return home with an extraordinary collection of images, new photography techniques, and memories from one of the most visually diverse countries in the world.
Deposit: $5,000 USD
A $5,000 USD deposit is required to reserve your spot for this workshop. You can also pay in full at any time. The remaining balance is due 150 days before the start of the photo tour. If the remaining balance is not paid in full by the due date, you will lose your spot.
This trip is focused on astrophotography, landscape, and wildlife photography.
We will photograph the Southern Hemisphere Milky Way, desert landscapes, dunes, abandoned structures, granite formations, coastal scenery, elephants, leopards, marine animals, and the wildlife of Etosha National Park.
What you learn will depend on your current experience, equipment, interests, and goals.
We will work with each participant individually, helping you improve your technical skills, compositions, field workflow, and post-processing.
During the tour, you will have the opportunity to learn:
More experienced photographers will be able to work on:
Some of the post-processing techniques that you can learn with the included tutorials are:
Prince Berkoh will be the tour leader on this Namibia Photo Tour and will make sure that you capture the best possible images throughout the journey.
Prince is one of Capture the Atlas’s most experienced tour leaders. He has previously traveled and led photography tours in Namibia, giving him direct knowledge of the country, its landscapes, and the photographic challenges of working in desert environments.
He is a landscape and night photographer based in Spain. His passion for photography has taken him to some of the most spectacular locations in Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Asia.
Prince has extensive experience organizing international photography tours and ensuring that groups are at the right place at the right time. He loves teaching and has led numerous Capture the Atlas tours across the world. He has also given presentations and classes on night photography and advanced landscape techniques.
During this Namibia Photo Tour, Prince will help you photograph landscapes, wildlife, and the Milky Way. He will cover everything from camera settings and composition to advanced techniques such as bracketing, focus stacking, panoramas, tracked exposures, and blending.
David Aguilar will be the co-leader throughout this Namibia Photo Tour.
David is one of Capture the Atlas’s most experienced international tour leaders and will help you achieve the best possible results with your landscape, wildlife, and night images.
Travel and photography are David’s greatest passions. He has traveled extensively and led Capture the Atlas tours in Patagonia, Atacama, Bolivia, Iceland, the Lofoten Islands, Madeira, the Alps, the Dolomites, and many other destinations.
This experience has given him a deep understanding of how to manage complex itineraries, changing conditions, different photography levels, and the needs of participants during intensive international trips.
David is highly experienced in landscape and night photography. He will help you improve your camera technique, compositions, panoramas, focus stacking, bracketing, and advanced Milky Way photography.
He is also an experienced wildlife photographer and will help you prepare your camera for the fast-changing situations that we may encounter in Brandberg, Etosha, and Okonjima.
We will send you a complete equipment and packing guide before the tour.
Below is a general summary of the recommended items.
Optional equipment for advanced astrophotography includes:
This tour focuses on Milky Way nightscapes rather than deep sky imaging. However, you may bring a telephoto lens or smart telescope for independent deep sky photography if you have sufficient luggage space.
The weather in the desert in May is pretty stable. We will be entering Namibia’s winter, which means daytime temperatures won’t be as extreme as during the summer.
Still, Namibia contains different environments, and we will experience warm desert days, cooler nights, windy coastal conditions, and drier safari environments.
We will provide a detailed packing list after registration.
Cards are accepted at most of the hotels, lodges, restaurants, and established businesses.
However, we recommend carrying some local currency for tips, small purchases, drinks, and expenses in more remote areas.
The currency recommendations will be included in the pre-tour information.
Participants are responsible for traveling with a valid passport and obtaining any visa or entry authorization required for their nationality.
We’ll provide all the entry requirements and visa details in our pre-tour Welcome Brochure.
The standard accommodation on this Namibia Photo Tour is double occupancy, with two individual beds and a private bathroom.
Limited private rooms are available throughout the tour for an additional $1,540 USD.
Please indicate your interest in a private room when completing the booking form. Private rooms are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed until confirmed by our team.
The itinerary includes a carefully selected combination of top-rated hotels, safari lodges, desert retreats, and uniquely located camps.
Location is especially important during a photography tour. Our accommodations have been selected to reduce unnecessary driving and place us close to the best sunrise, sunset, wildlife, and night photography locations.
All the rooms have a private bathroom, except at Spitzkoppe Cabin Camp, where bathrooms are shared among 3-4 cabins. This will be only 1 night and is balanced by the extraordinary location. Staying inside the Spitzkoppe area allows us to photograph sunset, blue hour, the Milky Way, and sunrise without a long return journey.
Many accommodations offer laundry services. This will allow you to wash clothing during the trip and reduce the amount of luggage required for the trip.
Destination: Windhoek
Duration: 1 night
River Crossing Lodge is located outside the city among the hills surrounding Windhoek. Its peaceful setting and expansive views provide a comfortable introduction to Namibia.
Destination: Quiver Tree Forest
Duration: 2 nights
This rest camp gives us immediate access to the Quiver Tree Forest and Giant’s Playground, allowing us to remain close to our sunset and night photography locations.
The accommodation is simpler than some of the other lodges on the itinerary, but its exceptional location is essential for our astrophotography schedule.
Destination: Lüderitz
Duration: 1 night
The Lüderitz Nest Hotel is located directly on the Atlantic coastline and offers comfortable rooms, ocean views, and convenient access to Kolmanskop and Garub.
Destination: Tiras Mountains
Duration: 1 night
Kanaan Desert Retreat is located in a remote private reserve surrounded by mountains, desert plains, and dunes.
Our group will have exclusive use of the lodge. Its remote setting allows us to enjoy one of the most private and immersive nights of the entire tour.
Destination: Sesriem and Sossusvlei
Duration: 2 nights
Sossus Dune Lodge provides an excellent base for exploring Sossusvlei, Deadvlei, and the enormous dune corridor.
Its strategic location being the only lodge after the gated National Park will help us reach our photography locations early and maximize our access during the best light.
Destination: Swakopmund
Duration: 2 nights
The Artemis Hotel provides a comfortable base in Swakopmund during our Living Desert and Sandwich Harbour experiences.
Destination: Spitzkoppe
Duration: 1 night
Spitzkoppe Cabin Camp offers original cabins surrounded by enormous granite boulders and close to our photography locations.
Bathrooms are shared, with one bathroom area serving approximately three or four cabins. The bathrooms are regularly maintained and cleaned.
This is the only accommodation on the tour without a private bathroom in every room.
The reduced level of comfort is balanced by an extraordinary location. Staying inside the Spitzkoppe area allows us to photograph sunset, blue hour, the Milky Way, and sunrise without a long return journey.
Destination: Brandberg
Duration: 1 night
Brandberg White Lady Lodge is located near Namibia’s highest mountain and close to the areas where we will search for desert-adapted elephants.
Destination: Etosha South
Duration: 1 night
Okaukuejo Resort is located inside Etosha National Park and is famous for its floodlit wildlife waterhole.
Its location allows to observe and photograph wildlife beyond the scheduled game drives.
Destination: Etosha East
Duration: 1 night
Namutoni Resort will be our base after crossing Etosha National Park in open safari vehicles.
The eastern side of Etosha offers access to woodland, waterholes, giraffes, lions, and other wildlife.
Destination: Okonjima Nature Reserve
Duration: 1 night
Okonjima Plains Camp provides comfortable accommodation inside the private reserve.
It will be an excellent place to end the tour, combining high-quality lodging with two dedicated leopard tracking experiences.
All transportation and fuel are included during the Namibia Photo Tour. We will travel in a private and comfortable four wheel drive bus with enough space for the group.
Namibia is a vast country, and this itinerary covers a very large area. Some driving days will be long, and we will travel many miles on dirt and gravel roads to reach remote landscapes, wildlife areas, and night photography locations. These drives are necessary to experience the country’s best highlights, and the extraordinary locations along the route make them completely worthwhile.
Two professional local drivers and guides will accompany the group throughout the tour. Their knowledge of Namibia’s roads, parks, wildlife, and remote areas will help us travel safely and efficiently.
During specific activities, including Sandwich Harbour, the Kanaan astro session, the Living Desert experience, Etosha, the desert elephant excursion, and leopard tracking, we will use specialized excursion or safari vehicles.
The difficulty level of this Namibia Photo Tour is moderate.
Most photography locations are reached by vehicle and require only short walks.
However, you should be comfortable with:
The main required walk is at Deadvlei.
The route is approximately 1.2 miles round trip (about 2 kilometers) over soft sand. The terrain is not technical, but the sand increases the physical effort required.
The partial climb of Elim Dune is optional. You may climb only as far as you feel comfortable.
The photography locations at Spitzkoppe are easy to access and do not require technical hiking or scrambling. Big Daddy will be photographed from a distance and will not be climbed as part of the itinerary.
A reasonable level of fitness and stamina is recommended to enjoy the full experience.
You should book your inbound and outbound flights to Windhoek, Namibia. You should arrive in Windhoek on April 29th, 2027, but we recommend arriving there the day before to avoid travel delays or cancelations.
On May 13th, we will return to Windhoek in time for an evening departure. You may also reserve an additional night and fly home the following day.
We will send detailed flight recommendations in the pre-tour information.
Flights are not included in the tour price.
The current meal plan includes most meals during the tour:
The two dinners during our stay in Swakopmund are not included. These include dinner at The Tug and dinner in Walvis Bay following the Sandwich Harbour excursion.
Some lunches and snacks are not included. You will be able to purchase food during travel days or eat at restaurants when the itinerary allows. Breakfasts and dinners in Namibia are generally hearty, so most participants find that a few snacks or a light lunch during the day are sufficient.
The sunrise hot air balloon flight over the Namib Desert is optional and is not included in the tour price.
This activity requires an early morning trip to be in time to enjoy sunrise from the air, and it includes a delicious breakfast after landing in the Namib Desert.
Capture the Atlas will coordinate reservations for interested participants.
Visa and entry requirements depend on your nationality.
Any visa, entry authorization, or related processing expense is not included in the tour price.
Tips for the local drivers and guides are not included.
We will provide general tipping recommendations before the trip.
Our photography schedule revolves around sunrise, sunset, blue hour, wildlife activity, & the Milky Way. We may have early mornings, late nights, and schedule changes to give us the best opportunity to capture exceptional images.
The group is limited to only 12 participants with 2 CTA photography guides. This provides a maximum ratio of six participants per instructor, allowing for personal guidance in the field and during post processing sessions.
This is our most complete photography itinerary. Few tours combine serious astrophotography, world-class landscapes, marine wildlife, desert wildlife, traditional safari experiences, and predator tracking within a single journey.
The tour includes special access and private experiences that are not part of a standard Namibia itinerary, with special permits for sunset, sunrise, and astrophotography locations where you’ll be alone.
Night photography is not an occasional addition to this tour. It is one of the central reasons the itinerary has been designed this way. We will visit several of Namibia’s best astrophotography locations around the new moon with special access just for our group in many of them.
The tour will be led by two of Capture the Atlas’s most experienced international photography guides. Both instructors are highly experienced in landscape, night, wildlife, and post processing techniques.
Beyond the photography, our photography tours help build strong bonds that last forever. After our trip, you’ll feel like you have been with a group of friends rather than on a standard tour. We are thankful to have plenty of repeat clients who keep traveling and learning with us.
Photographers of every experience level are welcome.
Whether you are a beginner or you are already creating advanced tracked Milky Way panoramas, we will adapt our instruction to your goals.
Once you book the tour, we will ask about your photography experience, equipment, and what you would most like to learn.
You will also receive access to the Capture the Atlas Academy so you can prepare before traveling.
A moderate level of fitness and good stamina are recommended.
Most locations require only short walks. However, the itinerary includes early mornings, late night photography, long driving days, and walking over sand.
The longest required walk is approximately 1.2 miles round trip at Deadvlei.
No technical hiking or climbing is required.
There is no formal age limit.
The most important factors are general health, mobility, and the ability to manage an intensive photography schedule.
Participants with health concerns should consult their doctor before joining.
Yes.
Non-photographer companions are welcome and must reserve a full participant spot under the same price and conditions.
Namibia offers an extraordinary travel and wildlife experience even for someone who is not primarily interested in photography.
Companions should understand that the itinerary is organized around photography and may include long sunset and night sessions.
No.
All animals encountered during the tour are wild, and their location and behavior cannot be controlled.
Our experienced local guides will use their knowledge of the areas to provide the best possible opportunities.
The Okonjima research and tracking program can increase the likelihood of locating leopards, but a sighting can never be guaranteed.
No weather condition can be guaranteed.
The tour dates have been chosen around the new moon to provide dark skies, and the weather in Namibia in this season is normally very stable. However, clouds, wind, dust, or other conditions may affect individual sessions.
We will maintain a flexible schedule and adjust locations or timing whenever possible.
This is an intensive photography tour.
Some days may combine sunrise, daytime activities, sunset, and astrophotography.
We will include rest periods whenever the itinerary allows, particularly after late-night sessions.
Participants can always choose to skip an optional session if they need additional rest.
Yes.
A limited number of private rooms are available for an additional supplement.
Private rooms are available at all accommodations, but they are subject to availability.
At Spitzkoppe, participants will have private cabins, but bathrooms are shared between approximately three or four cabins.
Yes.
The shared bathroom facilities are regularly maintained and cleaned.
Spitzkoppe Cabin Camp has been selected because of its extraordinary location among the granite formations and its proximity to our sunset, night, and sunrise photography locations.
This is the only night of the tour without a private bathroom in every room.
Yes.
Many of the lodges and hotels provide laundry services.
We will identify the best opportunities for laundry in the participant preparation guide. This will allow you to travel with less clothing and reserve more luggage space for photography equipment.
We will collect dietary information before the tour and share it with our local partner and accommodations.
Most common dietary requirements can be accommodated with advance notice. However, some nights take place in remote desert locations where ingredients and alternatives may be limited.
No. The sunrise balloon flight over the Namib Desert is an optional activity.
Capture the Atlas will coordinate the booking for participants who would like to join.
No.
Health and travel insurance are not included in the tour price.
We strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance that includes medical treatment, evacuation, trip interruption, and cancellation coverage.
We’ve had the opportunity to work with and help countless photographers over the last years:
This tour is governed by specific cancellations & refund terms to meet the terms and conditions of our local provider.
Our standard Terms and Conditions also apply for this photo tour, with the exception of the CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS section.
Namibia is one of those rare places that stays with you long after the trip is over.
There is something incredibly powerful about standing beneath a sky filled with stars, surrounded by silence, ancient trees, giant dunes, and landscapes that feel almost untouched by time. Photographing the Milky Way over places like the Quiver Tree Forest, Kanaan, and Spitzkoppe is an experience that is difficult to describe until you are there.
But what makes this trip truly special is the variety. One day, you may be photographing the surreal trees of Deadvlei or the abandoned rooms of Kolmanskop. The next, you may be watching desert elephants move through a dry riverbed, photographing wildlife in Etosha, or tracking leopards at sunrise.
Namibia has a unique energy. It feels wild, remote, and deeply peaceful, but also full of life and unforgettable moments. This is much more than a photography tour. It is a once in a lifetime journey through one of the most extraordinary places on Earth.
I truly believe this is the most complete and memorable photography experience we have ever created, and we would love to have you on board!
Dan
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