This is an extension of the photo tour The wild Kalahari – !Khamab, South Africa. Read more here…
SOME HIGHLIGHTS
- Boat trip to photograph whales in Walker Bay
- Boat trip in the South Atlantic to photograph albatrosses, petrels, and other seabirds
- We visit the South African penguin at a lesser-known and less-visited site
- Several endemic bird species such as the Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, and Cape Rockjumper
- We take the cable car up Table Mountain
- Visit to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope
- Lots of exciting bird species such as sunbirds, African oystercatchers, weavers, and blue crane
- Our tour leader has extensive experience photographing the locations and species we will be visiting
SEABIRD TOUR
One of the absolute highlights of this photo tour is a specialized boat excursion into the Atlantic, far south of Cape Town, to photograph seabirds. We will encounter species such as Shy Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, Shearwaters, Petrels, and Storm Petrels, as well as the Cape Gannet and the endemic, critically endangered White-tailed Cormorant. This seabird tour offers challenging but highly rewarding photography – fast movements, changing light, and close encounters with species that are otherwise almost impossible to see from land.
NATURE IN AND AROUND CAPE TOWN
Cape Town is almost entirely surrounded by national parks and nature reserves, with the magnificent Table Mountain as the obvious centerpiece. Right in the city lies the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, an oasis in the urban environment, rich in fascinating birds and plants. South of the city, within Table Mountain National Park, we find Cape Point, Africa’s southwesternmost point, which we will of course visit. This area is also excellent for spotting and photographing the rare Bontebok. The city also hosts several excellent birding areas, where we may encounter three different species of kingfisher.
WHALES, PENGUINS, AND ENDEMIC BIRDS
The stunningly beautiful and picturesque coastal town of Hermanus is known as one of the best places in the world to see whales. Every year, southern right whales migrate north from Antarctica to the southern African coast. In Walker Bay, just off Hermanus, large numbers of southern right whales gather annually from July to November to calve and mate, and it is almost guaranteed that you can see these giants from the town center. From Hermanus and Gansbaai, several boats depart for whale-watching tours, and we will go out on one of these trips to get close to the whales.
The area around Hermanus also offers a wealth of other photographic opportunities. We will spend time at one of the few mainland colonies of the African penguin. Boulders Beach is the most famous and most visited site, but also the most challenging to photograph. We will instead photograph at a lesser-known location, where in the early morning and evening we can capture the penguins as they return from the sea in beautiful light. At this location, we have much more freedom to move around compared to Boulders Beach.
In the Hermanus area, we will also find other exciting bird species, focusing on endemic species such as the Cape sugarbird, orange-breasted sunbird, and Cape rockjumper at several accessible sites. Another special bird that can often be found here is the paradise flycatcher. The sites we visit offer much more than birds; we will explore fynbos vegetation with proteas and other fascinating plants.
PHOTOGRAPHIC LEARNING
During the trip, our photographic leader will continuously provide guidance and instruction tailored to your prior knowledge and skill level. Field guidance is fully customized to your needs. In addition to this, we will hold theoretical sessions where we discuss different photographic techniques that we will be using during the trip.
On our journey through the Western Cape, we will work in many different environments and photograph a wide variety of subjects. This means we will cover multiple techniques, ranging from fast-action wildlife photography to macro and floral photography.
We will also explore techniques for creating a sense of motion in your images, for example by using panning. As mentioned, the instruction is adapted to both the group’s and the individual’s skill level, while also taking advantage of the photographic opportunities that arise during the trip.
BOAT TRIPS OUT AT SEA
We understand that boat trips out at sea are not for everyone, as some may be sensitive to seasickness, etc. The boat trips are weather-dependent and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. The boats used for these trips are very stable; the whale-watching boat is larger than the one used for the seabird trip.
Since these trips are often fully booked well in advance, it is important that we secure our places early. Therefore, you need to confirm at the time of booking whether you want to join these trips. Both trips are included in the trip price, but if you choose not to participate in one or both, the price will be reduced by the cost of the trip(s). This must be communicated at the time of booking; no refunds can be given for opting out on-site. To guarantee a spot on these excursions, confirmation must be provided at the time of booking.
If one or both trips are cancelled due to bad weather, the actual cost of the trips will be refunded after the end of the trip.
Itinerary
Day 1 (Lunch – Dinner)
Arrival in Cape Town in the morning, around 10:00. We then drive to Hermanus, about an hour west of Cape Town. Depending on the weather and how long it takes at the airport, we may make a first stop at Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. We will stop for lunch along the way. There will also be opportunities for photography during the drive, with stops chosen depending on weather and wind conditions. We have many excellent options, including penguins, endemic birds, landscapes, and plants.
Day 2-3 (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
During these two days, we will be in the area around the beautiful town of Hermanus. We will go on a whale-watching safari, which is weather-dependent. We will also visit various reserves to see and photograph some of the endemic bird species in the area, and we will visit a colony of African penguins. The town itself is also worth exploring—perhaps enjoying a cup of coffee while overlooking Walker Bay and watching for whales. In the afternoon of day 3, we will travel to Cape Town and Simon’s Town. Depending on our arrival time in Cape Town, we will choose an appropriate photography activity.
Day 4-5 (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
During these two days, a seabird boat tour is planned, weather permitting. Early on the morning will we will go out to sea to see and photograph species such as albatrosses, petrels, and other seabirds. If the tour is canceled due to weather on the first day, the following day will serve as a backup. In addition to the seabird tour, we will visit Table Mountain National Park and Cape Point, explore Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, take the cable car up Table Mountain, and possibly visit a few other interesting locations if time allows.
Day 6 (Breakfast)
Today is the last day of our trip. What we do in the morning will depend on what we have managed to see and do during the previous days, as well as on the flight schedules (flight times are not yet confirmed at the time of writing). We will conclude the trip at Cape Town Airport well in time for our flights.
Photographic leader
Henrik Karlsson, born in 1968, is a photographer, writer and conservation biologist.
Henrik is a trained biologist and used to work with water and conservation issues.
He is an ambassador for OM SYSTEM and has been appointed as a National Geographic Explorer and is a member of the Swedish Nature Photographers Association (Naturfotograferna/N) as well as PhotoNatura. In 2003 he was awarded Naturfotografernas/N and Kodak’s scholarship. Henrik has also won awards in several European photo competitions.
Henrik has a wide selection when it comes to subjects to take images of and tell stories about. He will be more than happy to photograph everything from insects to the orchids in the forest or the great wild animals around the world. He has the whole world as his photographic field but is more and more drawn to Africas beauty and wildness.
Previously, Henrik worked as a guide in several Swedish Nature Reserves and National Parks. He is a frequent lecturer and an appreciated guide on photo courses and workshops. He also leads photo tours all over the world.
In 2011 Henrik self-published the book ”Mångfaldens ö – bilder och tankar från Ölands natur”, and the book ”Vilda Norden” was published in 2017. 2020 he published the book Ölands orkidéer and in 2021 Orkidéer på Gotland.
