Welcome To The Desert
Namibia | Wildlife Of The Desert
Limited to only 6 guests and 2 professional wildlife photographer guides. This safari workshop consists of 10 days photography across 3 different camps, shooting from helicopters, traditional safari vehicles and on foot. Spending this much time on location gives you the opportunity to perfect your photographs, whilst allowing us plenty of time to spend with you for an enhanced learning experience. Regardless of your experience level, our aim is to help you take more compelling and engaging photographs, whilst understanding more about your camera.
Namibia is without a doubt the most visually stunning and extraordinary African country. It is impossible to drive or fly through its remote scenery without mouth ajar. Travelling through vibrant red dunes and desolate desert landscapes is enough to excite the creative mind of all photographers. And it is here, within this landscape, that we aim to photograph some of Africa's most iconic wildlife. This includes black rhino, elephant, giraffe and perhaps the occasional lion. If we are very fortunate, cheetah or even caracal may be spotted too. Whilst in other locations, there is a justified temptation to shoot tight portraiture, Namibia is a destination where shooting smaller in the frame is the most productive method, capturing wildlife in the incredible environment.
With years of travelling to different areas across Namibia, from the countries most iconic national parks to the remotest regions, we have carefully handpicked three locations. After extensive research and spending time at different camps, we recognise these as some of the very best locations for wildlife photography.
We tend not to share all of our tour details online and therefore full information about this safari is available via PDF on request. If you have any questions or would like to register your interest please email info@tomway.co.uk or call 07876 333787.
Workshop Highlights
Limited To Six Guests
A small group size is incredibly important. It not only gives you more space in the vehicle (each guest has access to their own row of seats), but it also gives us plenty of time to spend with you for a more personalised and enhanced learning experience.
10 Days Across 3 Exceptional Locations
With years of travelling to different areas across Namibia, we have carefully handpicked three locations which we recognise as some of the very best locations for wildlife photography in the country.
In Camp Workshops
To maximise our time in camp, we will be available on a daily basis to give informative image reviews and detailed guidance on how to process an array of different photographs.
Two Professional Photographer Guides
With access to two incredibly experienced photographic guides, you will always have help and advice on each and everyone of your game drives/helicopter flights.
Two Helicopter Flights
We have included two helicopter rides per person to focus on photographing oryx in the dunes. Flying across the desert at either first or last light is the ultimate way to explore the dunes.
Private Internal Flights
Namibia is vast and sparsely populated. Therefore we have chosen to charter our own flights between camps. This will maximise your photography time but also allow you to see this stunning country from the air.
Itinerary
Day 1: We set off on our international overnight flights bound for Windhoek, Namibia.
Day 2: We are met on arrival at Windhoek International Airport before taking a transfer by car to out local hotel for an overnight stay and rest after the long journey.
Day 3: After breakfast we transfer to the airport for our private charter flight, to our first destination in the Hoanib River Valley system. Our flight path will take us over some breath taking scenery and as we come in to land, we will have an aerial view of the landscape we will be working in. Our focus here will be the specially adapted wildlife, including desert elephant and giraffe. There is potential to see the desert lions as well. Over the last few years, both cheetah and caracal have been seen close to camp, so there is a chance of seeing Africa's fastest and most illusive cats respectively. The light will become harsh quite quickly here so after we have made use of the best conditions, we will stop for a bush breakfast and make our way back to camp to rest and have lunch. This middle part of the day is a great opportunity to download and review your images so far. Richard and Tom will be on hand to run image review sessions and processing workshops. Once the light becomes softer, we will head out of camp for our evening drive before returning for dinner.
Day 4 - 6: Morning and afternoon drives in the river valley.
Day 7: We will have time for a short morning drive photographing species close to camp, before our flight to Damarlaland. Once we land here, we will meet our local guides who will drive us to our next camp. Arriving for lunch, there will be time to settle in before we give a short briefing on initial camera set-ups, shooting techniques and generally what to expect from the coming days. We then head out for a late afternoon game drive to explore the local area and wildlife, before returning for dinner and drinks by the camp fire.
Day 8 - 9: Our mornings here will begin very early. Leaving the camp before sunrise, we will head out in search of the desert black rhino. Due to the distances involved, it is possible we will be out for the whole morning, returning to camp for lunch during the heat of the day. After lunch and a short rest, we will depart again to make the best use of the evening light in the desert, searching once again for rhino. We will be back to camp in time for dinner.
Day 10: We will have a short morning drive, looking for local wildlife, before flying to our last destination, located in the desert dunes of Sossusvlei. It is a short drive to camp for the final 3 nights. You will have time to orientate yourself around camp before we meet for lunch, where we will discuss the plan for the coming days. Later that afternoon we will leave camp for our first photography session. Our main focus here is Namibia's famous oryx within the stunning red sand dunes. Each morning and afternoon two of the group, accompanied by either Tom or Richard, will take to the skies via helicopter to photograph oryx from the air. During this time the rest of the group will look for oryx in the dunes from a jeep or on foot. After photographing in the first light, we will return to camp for both breakfast and lunch to review your images and rest during the heat of the day. We will leave camp again around 4:30pm for either an afternoon helicopter or afternoon game drive, before meeting back at camp for dinner.
Day 11 - 12: The following days alternate the group between game drives and helicopter flights, each morning and afternoon. By the end of our time here, you will have completed one sunrise and one sunset flight.
Day 13: The last two group members will take to the skies for their second helicopter flight, whilst the rest of the group have time for a morning drive. From here we return to camp for breakfast and then depart on our last internal private flight back to Windhoek, to connect with our international night flights.
Day 14: Arrival home.
Guidance, Tuition & Expertise
This photography workshop is designed to maximise both your learning in the field and at camp, so you come away from your safari with the very best photographs and knowledge possible. Our approach is quality over quantity and this style is certainly something we would both like to instil during our time with you. Rather than a simple tick-list approach, we will proactively be on the lookout for the best photographic encounters of Africa's most iconic mammals within the biblical desert landscape. This is the same approach we have successfully applied to our own photography over the years. As such we recognise it as the best way to build a beautiful portfolio of images.
We will be making as much use of our time at camp as possible, as we believe the learning experience does not just stop at pressing the shutter release on a game drive. Once back in camp, we will be available for a number of different individual and group reviews, covering a variety of areas from how to process your photographs to demonstrating the benefits of using wider lens to showcase these animals in the harsh desert landscape.
Meet Your Guides
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Tom Way
Tom Way is recognised for his both powerful and engaging portraiture of Africa's large mammals. Favouring a fine art black and white style of photography, his images are widely exhibited in galleries and exhibitions to then decorate the walls of peoples homes. His work has been awarded in the worlds leading photographic competitions including Wildlife Photographer Of The Year and GDT European Wildlife Photographer Of The Year.
Over the last decade, Tom has spent a vast amount of time in the African bush and therefore has a wealth of knowledge and photographic experience to guide and share with you throughout your safari. During this time, copious amounts of research and thought has been put into planning safaris to Africa. From what time of year is best, to which areas will give the optimum photographic opportunities. Together with the team on the ground, Tom can make sure you are in the perfect position to capture the best possible images of these animals in their natural environment.
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Richard Peters
Richard is a Nikon Ambassador alumni as well as a Swarovski Optik, Datacolor and Dingbats partner. He has a style that is well known for capturing dramatic light, alongside having a friendly and down to earth manner. His work has been internationally acclaimed, including as a category winner in Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and is one of the only British photographers to be named European Wildlife Photographer of the year. Richard has been a judge for many competitions, including the European WPY and the British Wildlife Photography Awards plus, been a keynote speaker to many industry events, from close to home in the UK, to as far afield as Australia.
Namibia | Wildlife Of The Desert
2026 Workshop Price: £19,995
Price Includes
1 Night in Windhoek
10 Nights in camp
All Transfers
Private Vehicle(s)
Private Charter Flight
2 x Helicopter Flights
Extra weight allowance on internal flights
All meals in camp
Local branded drinks (soft and alcoholic) in camp
Laundry in camp
Price Excludes
International Flights
Visa
Food and drink in Windhoek
Personal Travel Insurance
Tips/gratuities for camp staff + drivers
2026
1st - 13th September 2026 - FULLY BOOKED
13th - 25th September 2026 - FULLY BOOKED
2027
Coming Soon: Please email info@tomway.co.uk to register your interest.
2029
Coming Soon: Please email info@tomway.co.uk to register your interest.
2026 - 2027
To be the first to know about our 2029 dates, subscribe to the quarterly newsletter and register your interest by emailing info@tomway.co.uk. Subscribers receive notification of new dates before we officially begin to advertise. Due to the high demand for these photographic safaris, with trips selling out years in advance, we do maintain a waitlist in case of cancellations. If the safari you are interested in is already fully booked, please email info@tomway.co.uk to be added to the reserve list.
Private Safari Option
If the timing of the group trip does not suit your diary or you would simply prefer to experience the safari on a 1-1 or private group basis, then a bespoke tour maybe for you. Tom's private safari options allow you to tailor the trip to perhaps travelling at a different time of year or extending the safari and adding in extra locations along the way. You are able to register your interest for a private safari via email info@tomway.co.uk.