When: March 16 - 22, 2027

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I hereby announce the second photo tour to Socotra. With only one weekly flight from Jeddah it is such a unique and remote destination. An island at the Horn of Africa that belongs to Yemen but is mostly under control by the Saudi Arabia. Therefore it is a bubble of safety for those few tourists that decided to venture it. It's literally a landscape photography heaven. This is mainly since almost all the animals, plants and trees are endemic to the island and it has never had large volumes of visitors. Also, we will travel there in prime blossom season which means the iconic bottle trees will be blooming. And next to that, we will travel there when we have perfect conditions for astro photography. Socotra has one of the darkest nights due to hardly any light pollution and the low humidity. The waters around the island are pristine blue and are full of dolphins. Drones are allowed and local people are very welcoming, they live in harmony and are always happy to see visitors. This destination has all the ingredients for possibly the best travel and photography experience of your life.

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Side note: despite the situation in the Middle East my March 2026 edition has been conducted without any issues with a group of 8. 

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What is included?

- Daily landscape and nightscape shootings when the sky is clear/weather is suitable. Most photo locations are in the direct surroundings of the campspot and don't require any driving.

- Some photography tips and general guidelines will be given at the campsite.

- If desired, personal feedback will be given at the campsite. Also, a short editing session to show my workflow. 

- Return flight from Jeddah to Socotra (this is impossible to book yourself). The return flight has a short technical (refuel) stop in Mukallah, passengers stay on board.

- Yemeni visa (worth 185 USD)

- Accommodation (private tent)

- Transportation throughout the entire trip in Socotra in a large SUV (maximum 3 participants per car)

- Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner. Freshly prepared by our team of 10+ people

- One boat trip to a deserted beach and dolphin watching

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What is not included?

- Your flight ticket from your home to Jeddah and your accommodation in Jeddah prior to the trip

- Travel insurance (very important)

- Cancellation insurance (optional)

- Alcoholic beverages (not available in Yemen)

- Food or snacks in between meals

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What to bring with you:

- Hiking clothes for hot weather

- Proper hiking shoes/boots

- Your camera and (solar) charger, powerbanks, charged camera batteries

- Lenses like zoom-, prime-, wide-angle- and telelens as they are all very suitable

- Filterset for your lens (optional)

- Tripod, remote control, star tracker (optional)

- Your drone if you have one (not necessary but offers extra photo opportunities)

- Your toiletries including some basic medicines in case of illness

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Group size: Maximum 9 participants​

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Difficulty: Easy, but some moderate optional hikes involved. Temperatures can get quite hot

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Price tag: €3995 per person (7 nights)