Best photography destinations in Africa
Best photography destinations in Africa
Dramatic desert sand dunes and historic wildlife viewing tracks in Africa
Vast desert dunes in southern Africa turn a deep, almost impossible orange at sunrise, drawing photographers specifically for that brief window of light each morning. East African plains add wildlife photography on a scale matched by few other places on earth.
The destinations on this list range from vast desert landscapes defined entirely by light and shadow to wildlife-dense plains where migration patterns create some of the most dramatic animal photography anywhere. Timing around both light and season matters enormously for either.
Booking a guide who understands photographer needs specifically, rather than a standard safari operator, tends to make a significant difference to the results. Packing neutral-coloured clothing also tends to help avoid disturbing wildlife during a shoot. Most operators run trips at dawn and dusk.
Lists by region
City in Egypt
Giza
Timeless Pyramids on Cairo’s Edge
Camel handlers lead riders to a desert viewpoint where the three main pyramids line up in one frame. The Great Pyramid was built for Khufu around 2560 BC and is about 139 metres tall. The Sphinx is carved from a single limestone outcrop near the causeway. Late afternoon light turns the limestone gold.
City in Morocco
Marrakech
A vibrant maze of colors and spices
The Almoravids founded this city in the 1060s and built red walls from local clay. Jemaa el-Fnaa square fills with smoke, food stalls and musicians at dusk. Rooftop cafes around the square give high views for long-exposure night shots. Majorelle Garden has cobalt blue walls and cacti in bright light.
City in Morocco
Chefchaouen
Blue Medina, Mountain Views, Calm Vibes
Founded in 1471, this mountain town is about twenty years older than Columbus's first voyage. Walls, stairs and doors are painted in many shades of blue. Early morning light is soft and the lanes are empty before tour groups arrive. The Rif Mountains rise right behind the old medina and frame rooftop shots.
National Park in Namibia
Sossusvlei
Towering red dunes meet white clay
This white clay pan is ringed by red dunes, some rising over 300 metres. Deadvlei nearby has dead camel thorn trees that are around 900 years old against white clay. Climb Dune 45 before sunrise to catch early light on the ridge. Dune colour deepens to deep orange in the hour after sunrise.
National Park in Namibia
Namib-Naukluft National Park
Endless Dunes and Desert Drama
Cool Atlantic fog drifts inland at dawn and beetles tilt their backs to drink the drops. This park covers nearly 50,000 square kilometres of dunes, gravel plains and mountains. Sesriem Canyon, cut by the Tsauchab River, is about 30 metres deep. Dark skies over the dunes suit Milky Way photos on clear nights.
Village in Egypt
Abu Simbel
Majestic Temples by the Nile
Four seated statues of Ramses II, each about 20 metres tall, face the sunrise. Twice a year the rising sun reaches the inner sanctuary, around 22 February and 22 October. In the 1960s the temples were cut into blocks. Workers lifted the blocks to higher ground above Lake Nasser.
National Park in Kenya
Amboseli National Park
Elephants Against Kilimanjaro's Backdrop
Fine dust rises around elephants as they walk to the swamps with Mount Kilimanjaro behind them. Kilimanjaro is across the border in Tanzania and is clearest at dawn. Its elephants, known for long tusks, have been studied since 1972. Low flat plains give clear lines of sight from open safari vehicles.
Nature Reserve in Kenya
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Witness the Great Migration
At the Mara River wildebeest and zebra jump down steep banks into water with crocodiles. Crossings peak from July to October during the annual migration. Lions, leopards and cheetahs live on the plains all year. Hot air balloons float over the plains at sunrise for wide aerial shots.
Beach in South Africa
Boulders Beach
Swim with wild African penguins
Giant granite boulders shelter small sandy coves on False Bay near Simon's Town. A colony of African penguins nests between the rocks and waddles across the sand. Two breeding pairs settled here in 1982 and the colony grew from there. Boardwalks keep people a short distance from nesting birds so a zoom lens helps.
Village in Morocco
Aït-Benhaddou
Ancient Moroccan Desert Fortress
This fortified clay village, called a ksar, grew along the old caravan route from the Sahara to Marrakech. UNESCO listed it in 1987. Photographers cross the shallow river to reach the tower houses that glow orange at sunset. Many films have used the village as a set.
National Park in Uganda
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla Encounters in Ancient Forest
June to September and December to February are the driest months for tracking gorillas. Permits allow one hour with a gorilla family after the trek. Dim forest light means photographers use fast lenses. The forest covers steep misty hills in southwest Uganda and has about half of the world's mountain gorillas.
Region in Ethiopia
Danakil Depression
Earth's Hottest, Most Alien Landscape
Tours run from about November to March because summer heat can pass 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Dallol has hot springs and salt towers in yellow, green and orange from sulphur. Afar workers cut salt slabs by hand on flats below sea level. Trips go with local guides because of the heat and rough tracks.
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