TRAVEL WITH STEVE ON PHOTO SHOOTS AROUND THE GLOBE

IT'S A GREAT BIG WORLD OUT THERE - SO WHY NOT COME AND EXPLORE IT WITH ME ?

I TAKE SMALL GROUPS OF *PHOTOGRAPHERS WITH ME ON BESPOKE PHOTOGRAPHIC "STOCK" SHOOTS AROUND THE GLOBE. COME EXPLORE AND PHOTOGRAPH GREAT DESTINATIONS, BEAUTIFUL SCENERY AND INCREDIBLE WILDLIFE. *Non-photographers who are passionate about travel or wildlife are also welcome.

Please note that I do not make any money from organizing these trips. Group travel brings individual costs down, so by travelling with a small group I can bring my travel costs down too.

* Trip Difficulty Rating: 1=Easy thro 5=Very Hard

PHOTOGRAPHIC TRIPS FOR 2010 & 2011 ..............

19th May to 1st June 2010.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARI TO BOTSWANA and ZIMBABWE

Bespoke 13 day Photographic Safari to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, and the Okavango Delta, Savuti and Chobe National Park in Botswana. Flying between locations in our private light aircraft. COST: £4845pp. For itinerary see images at the bottom of this page. *Difficulty Rating: 1. View images from 2009 safari HERE

This trip has just taken place and was a great success. New images from my 2010 group safari can be viewed HERE.

TESTIMONIALS - to read what other people have said about the trips, click here

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now put back to the summer of 2011 - 6 week Photographic Tour shooting 'Stock' images

SPAIN, ANDORRA, FRANCE, MONOCO, SWITZERLAND

24th August to 12th Sept 2010

TURKISH REPUBLIC OF NORTHERN CYPRUS

(Both my "European Grand Photo Tour' and my trip to Turkish Cyprus are 'private' Stock Photography trips)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

21st May to 8th June 2011

SOUTH AMERICAN WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITION

Sorry, NOW FULLY BOOKED - All places have now been allocated.

19 day Photographic trip to ECUADOR - visiting: The capital QUITO, THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, THE AMAZONIAN RAINFOREST and the MINDO NAMBILO CLOUD FOREST.

This amazing bespoke trip is aimed at photographers who want to experience some spectacular locations and photograph incredible wildlife.

THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS - Remote, spectacular and utterly unique, the Galápagos Islands are a ‘once in a lifetime’ destination for anyone interested in the natural world. The wonderfully diverse wildlife and dramatic volcanic landscapes will exceed expectations, exciting even the most hardened of travellers. The total lack of fear displayed by the birds, reptiles and sealife enables visitors to the Galápagos to see, study and photograph nature close up in a unique environment.

THE RAINFOREST - The Ecuadorian Amazon is a pristine wilderness that is home to indigenous Indians and an almost infinite number of wildlife species such as: amazing birds, bats, butterflies, fish, monkeys, sloth, fresh water dolphins, capybaras, giant otters and caiman (similar to an alligator), plus other harder to spot creatures like jaguar, ocelots and jaguarundi.

THE CLOUD FOREST - The Andes mountains run through the centre of Ecuador and include many volcanoes. The cloud forests, on their mid to lower slopes, shelter profuse wildlife that includes many rare and colourful species of birds and some spectacular exotic orchids.

SAN FRANCISCO DE QUITO - To give the vibrant capital city of Ecuador it's full name, is nestled in a long, narrow valley in the Andes Mountains, between the the Volcano Pichincha to the west and the Machángara River Canyon to the east, in a spectacular natural setting. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is an interesting mix of old Spanish colonial and modern architecture.

ITINERARY (summary only - full day to day Itinerary at bottom of this section)

On arrival in Ecuador, we spend a couple of days photographing the sights of the capital city of Quito. Our hotel, the Patio Andaluz, is located right in the colonial heart of the city, very close to all the main sights. We then fly to the GALAPAGOS ISLANDS to take an extensive eight day tour on the 12 berth yacht the MS Samba. We will cruise around several of the main islands in the Galapagos Archipelago. Our boat will have an experienced crew and a resident National Park Naturalist who will lead our shore excursions. We will make at least two shore landings a day to photograph at very close quarters the incredible wildlife. Islands visited will include: South Plaza, Santa Cruz, Espanola, Isabela, Ferdandina, Floriana, Santiago and Bartalome.

We then return to the mainland and overnight in Quito. The next morning we fly to the small town of Coca where we board motorized canoes to travel along a mighty river to the Napo Wildlife Lodge deep in the Amazonian Rainforest. Among the many highlights will be fantastic birdlife, colourful butterflies, capybaras, caiman, fresh-water dolphins and a visit to an area where thousands of Parrots, Parakeets and Macaw gather at a 'Mineral Lick'.

We then travel to the 'Sachatamia Rainforest Reserve' located high in the Mindo Nambilo Cloud Forest, almost right on the equator (at N. 0 degrees 1 min 35 sec). This area is famous for it's amazing birds, especially Hummingbirds, the beautiful bright red Cock-of-the-Rock, colourful Trogon's and the rare Umbrellabird. Ant-eaters, Armadillo, Deer, Frogs and Agoutis (a type of very large rodent), plus many types of colourful and exotic orchids are also found within the reserve. We have 3 nights high in the Cloud Forest at this luxury lodge before returning to Quito to fly home to the UK.

THE COST OF THIS AMAZING TRIP IS £4976 p/p SORRY, ALL PLACES HAVE NOW BEEN ALLOCATED

OTHER COSTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

You will need to arrange your own International Flights (UK to Quito approx. £760 return with KLM via Amsterdam) as these are NOT included in the price. (All internal flights to the Galapagos Islands & to the Rainforest ARE INCLUDED, and so are all the private surface transfers etc)

A Galapagos National Park entrance fee of $100.US pp (approx. £53pp) is payable in cash on arrival at the airport in the Galapagos Islands.

*The price is based on two people sharing a twin room throughout.

All meals are included for the 14 days we are in the Galapagos and at Napo Lodge and at Sachatamia Reserve. For our time in Quito only breakfast is included.

Quito Airport departure tax of $40pp is not included. This is only for the international flights. There is no departure tax to pay on the flights to the Galapagos or to the Rainforest. (some airport taxes may be included in the cost of your airline tickets)

Please be aware that in the unlikely event that the Ecuadorian government increases the fuel supplement on Galapagos boats or introduces any new taxes or surcharges this will need to be passed on to passengers. Any other unexpected costs resulting from travel surcharges, exchange rate changes etc would also need to be passed on.
All Passengers must have there own travel, personal and equipment insurance.

*Difficulty Rating: 2 to 3.

View images of The Galapagos Islands HERE

View images of Ecuador HERE

FULL ITINERARY - Day to Day

21st May 2011 We each fly from our nearest UK airport to meet up with the rest of our group in Amsterdam Airport for our KLM flight to Ecuador on the north west coast of South America.

22nd May On arrival in Quito, at Mariscal Sucre International Airport, we will have a private transfer to our hotel, the Hotel Patio Andaluz, which is located right in the heart of the old colonial centre of Quito and is very close to all the main sights. Quito is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has an interesting mix of old Spanish colonial and modern architecture. Free time to acclimatize to the altitude or to explore and photograph the sights in the area near the hotel. Quito is the worlds second highest capital city and is 9500ft above sea level, so flying in direct from Amsterdam we will experience an altitude change of nearly 2 miles, although altitude is not usually a problem for most people until they go well above 12,000ft.

23rd May This morning we have a leisurely half day private guided tour to all the major sights around the city. In the afternoon we can revisit some of the sights, that are within walking distance, to spend more time on photography and perhaps in the evening take some 'night shots' of the nearby squares, churches and the Presidential Palace, before we eat in a local restaurant. You may wish to sample the Ecuadorian national dish of roasted guinea pig or the exceptionally good Locro Soup (made from ‘Papa Chola’ the Ecuadorian potato).

24th May Early transfer to the airport for our flight to the Galapagos Islands. On arrival at the small Galapagos Airport on the tiny island of Baltra, we first of all pass through an inspection point to ensure no foreign plants, soil or animals are introduced to the islands, and then we pay our Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee ($100). We will be welcomed by crew members who will help with our luggage before the short drive to the quayside. We will then board small zodiac's which will transfer our group out to our vessel, the MS Samba. After settling into our cabins, a short safety briefing and a light lunch we set off to our first destination, the nearby islands of North & South Plaza. These two small islands have been geologically uplifted to form high cliffs with some spectacular views. After a 'dry' landing on South Plaza, we set off walking along the trails. Giant Prickly Pear Cactus, Candelabra Cactus and 'mats' of bright red sesevium flowers are everywhere. There are also large numbers of Land Iguanas, some of which can be well over a metre long. Swallowtailed Gulls, Shearwaters, Petrels, Red-billed Tropic Birds, Frigatebirds and Waved Albatross are also abundant here. It is sometimes possible to view from the cliffs, large groups of Hammerhead Sharks in the ocean below. Where the trail ends there is a colony of sea lions and also a few Galapagos fur seals. Back on board in time for dinner and then in the evening we sail towards our next destination.

25th May This morning we arrive at one of the few inhabited areas in the Galapagos Archipelago, on the island of Santa Cruz. The small town of Puerto Ayora has a population of around 10,000. First we visit the 'Charles Darwin Research Station' famous for it's Giant Tortoise breeding programmes. Here we can get very close to the giant tortoise, as we will be allowed access into one of the very large natural looking enclosures. Also here is 'Lonesome George' the last surviving member of his species of Pinta Tortoise. After lunch we will travel into the highlands to the Los Gemelos Pit Craters. The creaters are situated in a Scalesia Forest which contains lots of interesting bird life. They are the remains of volcanic magma chambers which collapsed and the vertical sides are now covered with vegetation. Vermillion flycatchers may be seen here, as well as the bright yellow woodpecker finch, Yellow Warblers and Short Eared Owls. Weather conditions permitting we will go for a walk through the giant lava tubes and visit an area with lots of giant tortoise. Upon returning to Puerto Ayora we have some free time to explore the small but interesting town (this is the only place where you can buy Galapagos souvenirs, batteries, sun hats, guide books etc). In the picturesque harbour groups of pelican often gather in the hope of stealing fish from the many fishermen and there boats. In the evening, after dinner, we will sale towards our next destination.

26th May Our first 'wet' landing is at Gardener Bay on the eastern side of the island of Espanola. Gardener Bay has a magnificent white sand beach (the longest in the Galapagos) with a colony of sea lions. It is also a major nesting site for marine turtles. We will spend a few hours here, with the opportunity to swim and snorkel with the sea lions, the many fish, and sometimes turtles and sharks too. A walk along the trail leading to the western tip of the island brings us to the only nesting site in the Galapagos of the rare Waved Albatross. These are huge birds that can have a wingspan of almost 2 metres. The birds nest between April and December and make up the majority of the world population of this species. Also in this area are 3 types of Darwins Finch and some very bold mockingbirds. We return to our boat for lunch and relocate to Punta Suarez just along the coast. This is one of the most outstanding wildlife areas in the archipelago with a huge diversity of species found along it's cliffs and beaches, including a large colony of nesting Blue-Footed Boobies and also some Nazca Boobies. In addition to the many types of nesting seabirds there are Hood Mockingbirds, Galapagos Doves, Egrets and Galapagos Hawks. Brightly coloured marine iguanas and a large species of Lava Lizard that is unique to this island, are also found here. There is a spectacular blowhole in the rocks that sends spray shooting up to 90ft into the air. In the evening we sail to our next destination.

27th May This morning we land at Punta Cormorant on the island of Floriana. We have a 'wet' landing on one of the two contrasting beaches here. We land on a volcanic beach of ovivine crystals which give it a strange green tinge. At the end of a short trail we will find a second beach of fine white sand formed by the erosion of coral. There are often large numbers of Ghost Crabs along here. This is also a major nesting site for the rare Pacific Green Turtle. Between the two beaches is a large salt lagoon frequented by Flamingos, Pintails, Black-necked Stilts, Whimbrels and other wading birds. After lunch we move to our second landing on Floreana at Post Office Bay. On the beach here is a collection of old barrels adorned with direction signs to places around the world. Early visiters to the islands left mail here in the hope it would be delivered by someone going in the right direction. If you wish you too can leave some 'mail' or pehaps take some to deliver back home. Later we take a zodiac ride to some nearby islets to see Galapagos Penguins. Also here are sea lions, rays, turtles, nazca and blue-footed boobies and other seabirds. In the evening we sail to our next destination.

28th May We start the day with a zodiac ride along the rocky shoreline of Punta Moreno on the south west flank of the island of Isabella. Here penguins and Great Blue Heron are often seen. Our zodiac will push through the often overhanging vegetation into a mangrove lagoon where Lava Heron, Great Grey and Striated Heron are all common. We move on along the coast before making a 'dry' landing on the rocks. Then we set off trekking across a harsh lava terrain dotted with freshwater lagoons, lava cactus and Scalasia. Flamingos and ducks frequent the lagoons. After lunch we make another zodiac ride further up the coast to Elizabeth Bay, landing on the Perry Isthmus. Penguins and the biggest specimens of marine iguanas are often seen on the small inlets (Mariela Islands) and the many offshore rocks here. Flightless Cormorants, which are unique to the Galapagos islands, are also found here. We then make a 'wet' landing on the beach where sea lions, nazca and blue-footed boobies are abundant. The far end of the bay is notable for three species of mangroves, and rays and turtles can be found in the waters around the mangrove roots. In the evening we sail to our next destination.

29th May Still sailing off the island of Isabella, we make our first landing of the day at Urbina Bay. This area experienced a massive volcanic upheaval in 1954 resulting in some very interesting terrain. We each have 3 options here: a short walk along the beach, a longer walk into the interior or the option to swim or snorkel in the bay. In the interior Giant Tortoise, Land Iguanas, Lava Lizards, some very large specimens of cactus and many types of birds can be found. Over lunch we sail to the island of Fernandina to land at Punta Espinosa. The further west you travel in the Galapagos Islands, the younger in geological terms and more volcanically active become the islands. As the westernmost island, Fernandina's volcano, La Cumbre, is the most active in the archipelago. It erupts every few years and as a consequence, much of the island is formed of new lava with very little vegetation. The flat lava offers a stark and surreal landscape, but Flightless Cormorants love to build there nests here. Sea lions, pelicans, egrets, night herons, turnstones, oystercatchers and brown noddy are found all around the coast. There is an extremely large colony of marine iguanas here and it is sometimes difficult to walk without the risk of treading on them. Sally Lightfoot crabs are found in abundance on Fernandina and most other places in the Galapagos. They can grow to be quite large and are difficult to miss with their vivid red colouring. In the evening we sail to our next destination keeping a lookout for schools of dolphin (Common & Bottle-nosed) that are common in this area. Just before sunset, we cross the equator off Cabo Berkley Point on the north west coast of Isabella with the massive Wolf Volcano in the distance. We can count down the co-ordinates on the GPS system and then toast our crossing with a few drinks.

30th May Puerto Egras (also known as James Bay) on the island of Santiago is our first landing site this morning. After a 'wet' landing on the black volcanic beach we hike inland to an area of 'salt craters' that present an excellent opportunity to see birds such as several types of Darwin's Finches, Galapagos Doves, egrets and hawks. On the walk back along the shoreline to the landing site we will find many marine species such as Sally-Lightfoot Crabs, Sea Lions, Marine Iguanas and Fur Seals. Night Herons are also common here. During lunch we sails to nearby Bartolome Island. Bartalome is a small island that has beautiful white sandy beaches, a penguin colony and the famous 'Pinnacle Rock'. We can hike to the summit of the islands volcano for one of the most spectacular views in all the Galapagos. From here we will have great views of 'Pinnacle Rock' as you look out across the rugged volcanic landscape of craters and lava on both Bartolome and nearby Santiago Island.

31st May This morning we take a zodiac ride along the north shore of Santa Cruz Island and into the Mangrove Swamps of Black Turtle Cove. This is a great place to see the rare Pacific Green Sea Turtle, White-tipped & Black-tipped Reef Sharks, Galapagos Sharks and large schools of Golden Cowrays, all easily seen in the clear shallow waters of the swamp. Lava Heron, Great Grey Herons, Yellow Warblers and many other species of birds are also common here. In the late morning we will sail across to nearby Baltra Island to transfer to the airport for the flight back to Quito on the mainland. On arrival we have a private transfer to our hotel, again the Hotel Patio Andaluz, where we stay for just one night. Free time in the evening to further explore the city and it's nightlife.

1st June Todays adventure starts early with a private transfer to the airport for a short 30min flight over the Andes Mountains (with great views of snow topped mountains & volcano's) to the small town of Coco. From here we take an exciting journey along the mighty Napo River in a large motorized 'canoe'. We stop at a small village on the riverbank before boarding large non-motorized canoes to quietly paddle the last few miles to the Napo Wildlife Lodges. We stay here for 3 nights. This award winning luxury ECO-lodge, is located in the pristine Western Amazon Basin (The Oriente) on the banks of the Anangucocha Lake in Yasuni National Park, close to the border with Peru. The Napo River is a major tributary of the Amazon. Among the many highlights will be fantastic bird life, including Crested and Harpy Eagles, Toucans, Macaws, and five types of Kingfishers. There are also colourful butterflies, frogs, insects, snakes, sloths, tapiers, capybaras, pink fresh-water dolphins, Caiman (a type of alligator), Giant River Otters, Spider Monkeys and Howler Monkeys. We will visit an area where thousands of parrots, parakeets and Macaws gather to use two nearby 'Mineral Licks'. Other animals such as Jaguars, Ocelots, Pygmy Ant-eaters, Amazonian Manatee and Jaguarundis are also here, but are much harder to spot. There are also recent reports of a Black Panther being seen in the area. The lodge has erected two viewing towers, one is 125ft high and located deep in the forest allowing you to experience life high up in and above the tree canopy. The second is 60ft tall and is almost within the lodge complex, overlooking the lake and surrounding forest.

2nd June A full day of private guided excursions by boat or on foot to view and photograph the exotic wildlife and scenery of the rainforest .

3rd June Another full day of private guided excursions into the rainforest.

4th June After breakfast we return to Quito. We then have a private transfer to the 'Sachatamia Cloudforest Reserve'. Located high in the Mindo Nambilo Cloud Forest, this luxury lodge and reserve is almost right on the equator (GPS: N. 0 degrees 1 min 35 sec). This area is famous for it's amazing birds, especially the many species of Hummingbirds. We should also see the beautiful bright red Cock-of-the-Rock, colourful Trogon's and possibly the rare Long Wattled Umbrellabird. Ant-eaters, Armadillo, Deer, Frogs, and Agoutis (a type of very large rodent) are also common. Many types of exotic orchids, flowers, fungi, and a plant with some of the largest leaves in the world can also be found here. The lodge is located at an altitude of just over 5500ft, on the side of an extinct volcano.

5th June Up early to photograph the early morning rituals of the bright red 'Cock-of-the-Rock' bird. The rest of the day is spent on private guided walks along the many trails in the area looking for wildlife to photograph.

6th June Another day of private guided walks along the many trails in the area looking for interesting wildlife to photograph. At about 4.30pm we leave the lodge on our return transfer by road to Quito. On arrival, at about 6.30pm we check into The Patio Andaluz Hotel again for our final night in Ecuador.

7th June Up at 6am for an early breakfast before our short private transfer to the airport to check-in for our 9.20am international flight back to the UK via Amsterdam.

8th June Early morning arrival (5am) at Amsterdam Airport. Here we each take our individual connecting flights to our nearest UK airport.

The itinerary could be subject to small changes, especially the Galapagos section, which is at the total discretion of our boats Captain and/or the National Park Naturalist, who could make changes due to weather, sea conditions, wildlife movements or volcanic activity etc.

WET / DRY LANDINGS: On dry landings your feet will remain dry as you can just step out of the zodiac onto rocks or a quayside. Wet landings are usually on the beach and here we have to step from the zodiac into the shallow surf and walk ashore. Just carry your shoes and put them on once ashore. It's all very well organized and no one should find it a problem. The Samba has two large zodiac landing craft and on all zodiac rides / landings, there will be a maximum of only 6 people per zodiac (+ driver). All safety gear is provided.

What WEATHER can we expect........?

GALAPAGOS: There are only 2 distinct seasons: The 'hot & wet' season which runs from December to Mid May and the cooler 'dry' season for the rest of the year. You would think it's best to avoid the wet season, right? Wrong! During the wet season it rains less than in the dry season of most other destinations (only around 22mm per month in May). Even then, the rains are short lived with sun soon returning. Daytime air temperatures are between 27-31C. The sea is also warmer for swimming at about 26C and much calmer. During August and September the sea can be pretty rough, sometimes making landings unsafe. The cold Humboldt Current flows through the islands between mid July and October bringing sea temperatures down to a chilly 17-18C, cold enough to need a wetsuit, although 'land' temperatures in August can easily exceed 40C.

THE BEST TIME TO VISIT BASED ON THE WEATHER IS FROM MID APRIL TO THE END OF MAY. The sea is still warm and calm, it's not scorching hot, rainfall is very low, the sky should be clear, everything is green and lush and the 'high season' tourist rush has not yet started.

THE RAINFOREST: The daytime air temperature is around 26-32C & 90% Humidity in May & early June. It can rain at any time of year, it is after all a "rainforest". Early June, when we arrive, is the beginning of the "not-so-wet season".

MINDO CLOUD FOREST: Daytime air temperatures of 25-29C & 84% Humidity in May & early June. Less chance of rain than in the rainforest, but we could still have a shower or two.

QUITO: Although Quito is right on the equator, due to the altitude, spring-like daytime air temperatures of between 16-20C can be expected.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OTHER POSSIBLE FUTURE PHOTOGRAPHIC TRIPS:

Polar Bears, seals and walrus, plus incredible Arctic scenery on a 16 day trip around the north coast of the Svalbard Islands (Spitzbergen) in the High Arctic, 1500 miles above the Arctic Circle - (by Private yacht charter). View images of the High Arctic HERE

25 day overland adventure in Rajasthan & Northern India - Agra, Taj Mahal, Delhi, Udaphur, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Western Desert, Jaisalmer, Ranakpur, Kumbhalgarth, Pushkar, Varanasi etc. View images of India HERE

22 day Winter trip to China - Harbin Ice Festival / Beijing / Great Wall (in the snow) at Jinshanling / Hong Kong / Cambodia - Angkor Wat / Bangkok / Myanmar (Burma) - Mandalay, Pagan, Yangon, Bago, Mt Popa.

Costa Rica - Wildlife of the Rainforest

Wildlife Spectacular - South Georgia & The Falkland Islands (and possibly Antarctica). View images of The Falklands HERE

Photograph and swim with Great White Sharks in "Shark Alley" in South Africa

Brazil and the Fernando de Noronha islands (The Galapagos of the Atlantic)

Burma / Vietnam / Laos / Cambodia / Thailand

Kenya / Tanzania / Zanzibar

Belize / Honduras / Nicaragua / Guatemala / El Salvador

Chile - The Atacama Desert and Patagonia. View images of the Atacama HERE - View images of Patagonia HERE

Cuba

Arctic Canada

Western Greenland & the High Arctic

Latvia / Lithuania / Estonia