"EXTRAORDINARY ETHIOPIA"

Every time I travel with Oryx Photo Tours to a new destination I am truly amazed. My most recent trip to Ethiopia was beyond anything I could have imagined. The knowledge, experience and attention to detail that Oryx brings in planning trips to Ethiopia (and anywhere else they do business) truly goes above and beyond.

The trip started in northern Ethiopia to photograph the gelada monkeys. Oryx had me up at the crack of dawn and out to see the geladas as they woke up and climbed out into the sun. We had the monkeys all to ourselves in the golden light for at least two hours when they are most active. Just as the monkeys were ready for nap time we got ready to leave and all the other tourists showed up. Nothing to do but watch the monkeys sleep.

The same routine kept repeating itself again and again throughout the trip. In both Lalibela and the Omo Valley, we were the first to visit in the golden hour and just as it became to hot and bright for photography, we left for different activities. That is when the other tourists who clearly were also there to take photos based on the equipment they were carrying appeared on the scene. We were always alone with the very best opportunities for photos.

I must mention the level of local guides and the respect that Oryx has in Ethiopia. I have seen this happen everywhere I have travelled with Oryx. Clearly Oryx has a great partnership with the people they do business with in Ethiopia. Every time we went to a new location, there were warm greetings, recognition and hugs all around. People were very happy to see that Oryx was doing business in their area. The level of local guides that Oryx has in Ethiopia is unsurpassed.

I can't wait to travel again with Oryx. I love exploring new destinations with them and always learn something new to improve my photography. The next two trips are already in the planning stages. The Oryx office personnel are amazing. They have incredible attention to detail when it comes to planning trips. They take the stress out of planning as i know I can count on them for great customer service including follow up.

Anyone would be very well served to contact Oryx for all of your travel needs even if you are not a photographer. They can plan any type of trip for you.

"Botswana private family safari"

Our private family safari to Botswana's Okavango Delta was magical. Vanessa did an amazing job putting together the itinerary that met our expectations and coordinating the logistics between 4 households. When Air Botswana cancelled their flight from JNB to Maun at the last minute (one we had booked, not Oryx), Vanessa and her travel agent jumped in and saved the day by arranging alternate flights. Whew!

Vanessa booked us into 3 Wilderness lodges for a total of 9 nights, and they were outstanding. The whole trip went like clockwork from airport transfer, Wilderness internal flights, to lodge logistics. Staff and service were great. Food was outstanding and attention to food allergies was remarkable. The guides were the best I've had of 5 safaris.

Thank you Vanessa for providing our family with great memories to share and laugh together for the years to come!

"Trip of a lifetime with Oryx Photo Tours to Southern Africa"

I went with 2 friends to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia on a 2+ week trip that we scheduled on very short notice just over a month in advance with Oryx Photo Tours. I have travelled a lot, making it to my 7th continent last November where I met Marius, the CEO of Oryx Photo Tours. When I reached out in July about a potential African Safari in August, he and his colleague Vanessa put together an incredible trip for us. This was absolutely the best trip i’ve ever been on. Everything was perfect, the schedule, the transportation, their communication before and during the trip, EVERYTHING. Their suggestions were absolutely incredible and tailored incredibly well to our interests and budget. I even got to see a pride of 15 lions Massacre 11 cape buffalo in under an hour! It was the most incredible moment of raw nature as I have ever seen. Our trip was varied and there was never a dull moment or a feeling of repetition. All of our guides were incredibly knowledgable and I learned so much! I would HIGHLY recommend working with Oryx photo tours and I cannot wait for my next trip with them!

"I travelled with Oryx to the Pantanal…"

I travelled with Oryx to the Pantanal in Brazil. Dale was an amazing guide. He got me working my camera like a pro in a matter of days. His wildlife guiding is even more spectacular. He is very knowledgeable about wildlife globally. My favorite part about him is that he is a real storyteller in the way explains a nature scene. His sharp wit and talented use of language are immensely entertaining. He comes up with amusing accounts of what he sees in nature. It was a trip filled with lots of laughter in the beautiful Pantanal. Oryx is a top notch travel company. Highly recommend them.

"Oryx Photo Tours’ clients are the sole…"

Oryx Photo Tours’ clients are the sole focus! Even iPhone users like us are welcomed. We are SO glad we chose Oryx for our first trip to Africa, which came at the recommendation of friends who are repeat clients. From our recent experience, we too will be repeat clients when we return to Africa.
Oryx stands out to us because Oryx has the unique talent to make their clients feel like THE sole focus. We felt so well taken care of with every detail of our itinerary thoughtfully planned and executed. With a guide meeting us at every airport destination, our travel was totally stress free.
Oryx’s Marius Coetzee and the very gracious, Vanessa Van De Meer listened to our needs for our honeymoon, and recommended the most luxurious, elite, highest of the high end accommodations: Ellerman House in Cape Town, (sitting up in the hills of an exclusive neighborhood with breathtaking sunsets over the bay included a serendipitous encounter with the owner one morning, the very eloquent, Paul Harris); La Residence in Franschoek, (stunningly beautiful decor, artwork and NOT stuffy team of fun personalities, we never wanted to leave this jewel of a property); Singita Boulders, Sabi Sand, (felt like the Ritz in the bush, a party everyday on safari and at the lodge with a team of the best people) to Duba Plains, Botswana, (beautiful Okavanga Delta, amazing, breathtaking, classical safari adventure with wild animals all around and a heartwarming team that felt like family).
We felt like our guides were hand selected specifically for us because they could not have been a more perfect fit. They were amazing personalities with superior experience, knowledge, and all with a sense of humor, which made us feel so welcomed and relaxed. We had loads of fun, laughter, learning and above all ADVENTURE with the oh so very smart, articulate, and all around good guy who feels like your best friend, Kevin Powers in Cape Town/Franschhoek. Kevin could write a book. He should write a book; The seasoned, captivating ranger of Singita Boulders, Marc “Frenchie” E and his long time colleague, Shangaan tracker, Musa with his remarkable accuracy for finding wildlife like a needle in a haystack have an endearing chemistry between them. The passion for what they do is palpable and SO FUN!; and Sam the Man in Duba Plains, with his calming and engaging way brought us closer to wildlife than we ever could have imagined. It took our breath away).
We always felt protected and safe, wherever we were. Above all, it was especially impressive that both Marius and Vanessa checked in on us through our guides during our visit. Thank you for taking such good care of us and for an awesome honeymoon!
Until our next adventure, Cheers! Stacey and Gary Lyons

"Madagascar 2024"

Madagascar 2024
To say that Dale Morris is tour guide extraordinaire would be an understatement. The seventeen days spent with him in Madagascar has left the entire group in an awe filled bubble. The tour itself was planned to near perfection, the admin going on behind the scenes is truly impressive as the sheer number of strings that had to be pulled to weave the holiday is unimaginable. There were no hiccups, no glitches throughout the many flights, pick up cars and travel days. Dale handled all these intertwining pieces with a mastery that goes beyond describing, often fluttering around in the background, smoothing feathers and ironing our wrinkles with his tour partner, Nono, while still giving the group his full attention and not alerting us to the colossal effort that must have been going into our proverbial smooth sailing. The planning and organisation that went into the trip aside, the time spent learning from Dale is priceless, with the new tips, new tricks and now perspectives I can honestly say that the entire group finished the trip with skills and knowledge we didn’t even know we needed but which we will most certainly utilise. Dale’s ability to pick out the necessary lessons for each specific individual, give them his undivided attention and still ensure that the rest of the group gains something from every location is superb. He taught us with patience and intent, leaving us feeling successful and accomplished after each session. The photographic spots that Dale has worked out over 21 trips should also be mentioned and applauded, as this could have been no mean fete. They were obviously chosen with care and thought for experiences along with their photographic potential. These experiences and sites that Dale chose with care over the past decade has ensured that the entire group of six has returned to reality with life altering memories and experiences that words struggle to encapsulate. Dale’s passion for natural conservation and the natural world always shone through and was a pleasure to watch and be a part of. His knowledge about the natural world and the animals it houses was inspiring and gave context to the moments we had, enriching the experience even further, which is difficult to imagine. We could not recommend Dale as a guide and photographer more, you will not regret going on any trip with him and we look forward to learning more from him on future trips as his ability to translate his innate creativity onto a learning plane should be utilised and appreciated by one and all.

"Oryx photo tours always does it right. "

Every aspect of the photo tour was well planned. The camps were first class and Marius is amazing to work with.

"Photo safari satisfaction "

Having completed six fantastic private photo safaris with Oryx Photo Tours…can’t say enough about Oryx and our photo leader, Marius Coetzee. Most recently in East Africa, we got every shot we had hoped to capture. It was more than just being at the right locations but the incredible work to dynamically position the vehicle for the best angles, in the moment photo coaching and daily photo editing sessions to help create the best outcome and further develop our skills. As well, Oryx and Marius focus on every detail of the trip and experience and insure we capture every unique opportunity. We have two more trip booked for 2025!

"Photographing the Ethiopian Wolf with Dale Morris and OryxHaving returned from my third private…"

Having returned from my third private Oryx tour led by Dale Morris, where my passion and goal of photographing the world’s rarest predators was once again fulfilled, I’ve had some time to reflect on the whole experience. This time the target was the Ethiopian Wolf, an amazing and highly endangered canid – the world’s rarest, living at 13500 feet in the remote Ethiopian Bale National Park.

To achieve this, Oryx and Dale assembled an impressive team including Gitnet, out local guide and Dale’s right-hand man in Ethiopia; Balai, our driver and knowledgeable birder; and the chief tracker of 26 years for the EWCP (Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Project) whose name sadly eludes me. Quite a dream team! The EWCP has single-handedly seen the Ethiopian Wolf’s population grow from 300 to 500 individuals. Always looking for generous donors – hint, hint. Observing and photographing these amazing wolves as they went about the day hunting for rodents was truly magical. Side trips to photograph the equally endangered endemic Bale Monkey, as well as the infuriatingly-timid Giant Mole Rat, proved just as rewarding. Getting that rat's photo (I have other names for him) did take some patience.

Similar to my trips in South Africa and Madagascar, I always present Dale with the unenviable task of getting me on the animals in the impossible finite time window I have to give Oryx. He always comes through, and in places like Ethiopia - no easy place for predictable travel. Covid and Civil War made us some of the first western travelers to return to Ethiopia, and we were treated first class, whether in Addis, on the internal flights, or at the Bale Mountain Lodge. Safe food, competent drivers, comfortable vehicles and lodging all came together for a perfect experience.

As I have noted before, I have been on over 30 photo expeditions all over the world, yet I always know I will learn new techniques from Dale, and he sure did not disappoint on this trip. This was the first time in the field with my R5, and Dale was able to help me with the new tech (to me), while maintaining a sense of humor and professionalism. And at 13500 feet, I have to admit I appreciated his help securing and transporting my gear whenever necessary.

Dale Morris and Oryx make a fine team and I strongly recommend them to anyone with my similar passion for travelling the world to photograph its amazing wildlife.

OK Dale, where to next?

Dave Romea, Lambertville, NJ

"Outstanding service by ORYX"

We had to change our travel plans at short notice due to some security problems in Uganda. The ORYX Team set up a complete new trip to Tanzania within two weeks. And it worked out perfectly. All transportation to and from the local airports and the many flights worked perfectly. The camps were outstanding and left nothing to be desired. The cooperation with ORYX was always uncomplicated and fast. It was our third trip with ORYX and not the last! We can only recommend it.