Mongolia – The Eagle Hunters

Sep 30 – Oct 10, 2020

On this exciting expedition, you will ride Mongolian horses along with descendants of Chinggis and Khubilai Khaan on their home turf. You will sleep in traditional Mongolian tents known as gers, made of a circular latticed wood structure covered with layers of thick felt.  They are heated by a burning wood stove and furnished with traditional painted furniture. You will also join in on the famed Golden Eagle festival in the far-western province of Bayan Olgii. The Golden Eagle Festival is one of the most anticipated cultural events of local Kazakhs. Every year, both the eagle and the hunter prepare for not only the hunting season but to compete in the annual festival. Winning the games is a prestigious and milestone event in the life of an eagle hunter.  Some of the participants come from as far as 250 kms (150 miles) away.

Theo Allofs will help you with your photography during the whole trip. He will advise you how to best capture all the action during this unique photo tour, using motion blur technique or fill flash for “pop and drag” effects. During the evenings there will be time to discuss and evaluate the images you have taken during the day.

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Chimpanzees & Gorillas

August 21 – 29, 2020

This trip offers some of the most incredible and touching wildlife experiences on the planet. Your safari begins in Uganda, one of the safest, friendliest, most secure and stable countries in Africa.  In 1908, Winston Churchill referred to Uganda as “ the Pearl of Africa”.  Situated at the heart of the African continent in the Nile Basin, with a long shoreline on Lake Victoria, the Ugandan landscape is lush and green. In 1858, British explorers John Speke and Richard Burton ventured through Uganda and discovered Lake Victoria as the source of the Nile River. You will explore the Nile by boat and experience the thunderous Murchison waterfalls in Murchison Falls National Park with excellent photography angles.

You will then track chimpanzees in the less crowded Budongo Forest. For three days you will look for these lively and entertaining apes while also searching for many other primate species such as blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, baboons and more. After three days with the chimps, you will then fly to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for an unforgettable experience of tracking mountain gorillas in the Rwenzori Mountains, known as “Mountains of the Moon”. This is a Great Ape lover’s safari. The mountain gorilla tracking is physically challenging, but the rewards are so tremendous that the rigors are quickly forgotten. There is nothing like being in the presence of a 200 kg (450 lb) silverback mountain gorilla and his lively family.

During the whole safari Theo Allofs will help you with any technical or artistic questions you may have. Part of the evenings will be reserved to discuss and evaluate the images you have taken during the day.

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Kenya – Wildlife & Culture

August 06-18, 2020

From the doum palms and riverine forests of Samburu, to the majestic beauty of snow-covered Mount Kilimanjaro and on to vast herds and grasslands of the Maasai Mara, Kenya is quintessential sub-saharan Africa at its best. Safari is a Swahili word meaning “long journey” and that is what you will be on from the moment you set foot on this magical and mysterious continent. This classic African safari offers an abundance of wildlife, action and loads of excitement. Your photo adventure will take you to Amboseli National Park, one of the best places in Africa to see large herds of elephants. Some of the world’s biggest tuskers live here in front of Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro. On a clear day you will be able to photograph elephant herds with the majestic old volcano as a backdrop.

Theo Allofs will also introduce you to Maasai and Samburu villages where you will immerse yourself in tribal culture and colors.

He will always be available to answer any questions regarding nature and photography. During the game drives he will give technical and artistic advice to help you achieving optimal photographic results. Part of the evening will be set aside to evaluate and discuss the images you have taken during the day.

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Orangutans in Sumatra and Borneo

May 18 – June 01, 2020

Orangutans: they are the stars of this unique adventure. Native to Indonesia and Malaysia, orangutans are found only in the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. Join Theo Allofs on an exclusive small group journey starting off in Sumatra where his group has been granted access for one full day by special permission to the Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine Facility managed by the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program (SOCP). You will meet Director, Dr. Ian Singleton who will share his expertise, knowledge, and experience with us about Sumatran orangutans. You will have a unique opportunity to observe orangutans (up-close) and photograph the human-like behavior of these charismatic and wonderful great apes. After this fun experience, you will visit Gunung Leuser National Park in northern Sumatra which is one of two remaining habitats for Sumatran orangutans. Your base will be Bukit Lawing, a small primitive jungle village that sits on the Bahorok River. From here you will cross the river to explore the rainforest looking for the orangutans.Gunung Leuser is an excellent wilderness park to photograph these amazing apes within their habitat.

From Sumatra you will continue to Borneo where you will spend 3 days exploring the jungle of Tanjung Puting National Park, the third largest tropical rainforest in Borneo. Tanjung Puting is home to gibbons, proboscis monkeys, macaques, clouded leopards, sun bears and the Bornean orangutan. You will observe and photograph proboscis monkeys and macaques while leisurely floating down the Sekonyer River with a houseboat that is excellently suited for wildlife photography. It is very comfortable and offers ample space and stability for tripods.

Theo Allofs is very familiar with the top photo locations and guarantees amazing images of orangutans, close-up and in trees. The relaxing evenings will be used to discuss the photos you have taken during the day.

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