ORYX Photo Tours Reviews 114

I traveled with Oryx (Dale Morris as trip leader) to the Omo Valley of Ethiopia. The trip was exciting, rewarding, educational, and fun! While traveling to this remote and challenging area could be difficult and taxing, Dale, Oryx, and the local team made it all smooth and simple. Having warm showers, clean beds (nice cots!), and hot, fresh-cooked meals in the outskirts of nowhere is quite an accomplishment, yet the made it seem easy.

Dale is a great person, with an incredible sense of humor - dry and British most of the time, but warm and caring as well. He's also quite a good photographer, always willing to help, provide some recommendations on technique or composition, or just hold an off-camera flash as a human light stand :) I'd happily travel with him again; in fact have two more trips planned.

Oryx Photo is simply the best! I have travelled to Omo Valley Ethiopia, Lake Turkana Kenya, remote Namibia on private guided tour, Botswana private guided tour as well as India. Trips have been mostly with Marius Coetzee, but recently with Penny Robartes and they never disappoint. Attention to detail and professionalism is absolutely excellent. It’s not always about the photography but the experiences, the people and tons of fun! The easiest way to travel .... they take care of it all - you just need yo pitch up!

My partner and I have traveled twice with Oryx, once to Madagascar and once to Pantanal. We were looking for wildlife photography trips with small groups, excellent guides and quality accommodations. Oryx provided that on both occasions. Dale was our guide on both trips. He's a fun travel companion and creative, helpful teacher. And he takes flippin' awesome photos of critters.

We now have a third trip booked with Oryx to Botswana.

We love travelling to faraway places with our cameras, and the Oryx team has been our most amazing partner. We have made 3 trips with them and are organising another 2. What can I say? They are professional photographers who enthusiastically transmit the pleasure of immersing oneself in a different time and space with a perfect organisation: the best experiences of a lifetime.

Thanks to Oryx for arranging excellent tours for us in difficult parts of the world to travel to on your own. We went to Madagascar and Borneo. We certainly got to see and experience things one could only hope for, if doing the trip on our own or with a larger group. And Dale knows how to get you into position to get the most out of your photography experience. He makes sure that the local travel and guides are taken care of, so all you have to do is have your camera ready; and he helps with that if you want it.
Looking forward to Ethiopia whenever the lights come back on!
Don

i had ORYX Photo safari booking for two years , both the time Dale Morris was Guiding and teaching us to take best shorts , he is very creative , lots of knowledge of wildlife behaviour and local knowledge , he also teach us in a way that is very interesting and that not only photography but also post editing , he educate us to shoot many different animals , flowers , insects , birds and many creative sun sets and sun rise topography shorts , very few guides put in 16 hrs a day with guests and don't care if we have to dirty our shirts and pants for a short

I had the pleasure of having Dale Morris as my guide and photography wizard on my expedition to the Omo Valley in 2018. The entire service was brilliant, from the initial emails and all my questions to landing in Ethiopia and the trip down south. It was a first-class experience from start to finish. What I appreciate and what I love most about my entire trip, was the care that Dale put into helping myself and others create the pictures we wanted. He along with a local guide, Henok, moved mountains for us every day. I walked away from that experience a WAY better photographer and I also left with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the people of the Omo Valley. I would take this trip again and go elsewhere with Oryx. You really can't get any better.

Dale Morris, Wildlife photographer and Super guide!
Dales enthusiasm has given my husband and myself the most exciting and in-depth experiences all over Southern Africa and Brazil. He cares most passionately for his wildlife subjects and for his customers - us! He arranges the best experiences we could possibly have and gently guides through technicalities and tireless teaching for better photography. We have been on numerous trips with him and look forward to a time when we can do it again. Margaret and Leigh Hall

My wife and I had a wonderful experience with Dale Morris in Madagascar. We had been to all 7 continents with guides non better than Dale ! He is a guide for ALL seasons, well rounded in almost all aspects of his trade. Will go with him again in a heart-beat without any reservations.

I have been on international photo tours with a number of organizations of which Oryx is by far the best in terms of interesting destinations, itineraries, excellent guides and great back office organization.
Dale Morris was very helpful with photography advice and personally interested in my efforts. I came away with improved skills and better photos. He was also very good at keeping the tours hassle free from the guests perspective, though I'm sure there was a lot going on behind the scenes.
The office staff were excellent and solved issues that arose promptly.
Peter Flatt
Perth, Western Australia

'My wife and I have travelled with Dale Morris from Oryx since 2012, on several personal and small group photographic safaris in India, Brazil, Borneo, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The fact that we keep going back and seeking out Dale as our guide indicates we think he adds real value to our experience. Apart from being a great photographer, Dale is an easy going, down to earth guide - but with a real passion for improving your photographic skills. Importantly, he is very happy to share his knowledge and is patient! He works extremely hard to provide unique opportunities for some great photography. We have captured some wonderful images with Dale. His attention to detail and real desire to make your trip an enjoyable experience sets him apart. Dale has a genuine passion for wildlife, the natural environment and a love of being in nature, which translates into an infectious, enthusiastic approach to everything he does.

Dale really cares for his clients on a personal level and is fun to travel with. After many shared travel experiences over the years we have come to know Dale as a genuine friend. We would highly recommend him to others seeking an unforgettable experience and some brilliant photographic opportunities.

Alan and Michelle Hinde
Sydney, Australia

I am so happy I found Oryx Photo tours. Over the years I've traveled with nearly a dozen different photo safari tour companies. Then I found Oryx. I've taken 2 tours with them (Borneo and Namibia) along with a private extension. The small group size is absolutely critical to me. From the moment you book the tour, they take care of every detail. I already have two trips planned for next year, Ethiopia and a private safari.
Dale has been my tour leader on both trips. He is incredibly knowledgeable, a wonderful photographer, great teacher and just plain fun to travel with. When I decided I really wanted a photo of the flamingos flying over the dunes in Namibia, he went way out of his way to make it happen. You don't forget those experiences!
I plan to do lots more traveling in the next few years and I'll do it with Oryx!!

I have had the pleasure of travelling with Oryx and Dale Morris on 2 very special trips -one to Madagascar and the other to the Pantanella - both destinations were terrific and Dale does a great job - he is a great photographer but also a really nice and helpful person.
I look forward to joining him in Ethiopia next November

I was lucky enough to be a part of an Oryx tour to Ethiopia early last year. Kirsten Frost was our fantastic tour leader and the rest of the small group was made up of wonderful like-minded photographers from all over the world. I truly cannot recommend Oryx enough, everything from booking to the last day of the tour was first class. Our group have all stayed in touch regularly throughout the past 18 months and some have even met up again. If I could do this trip again I would in a heartbeat. If you are thinking about booking a trip with Oryx then go for it! You will not regret it!

I have traveled with ORYX twice, Pantanal and India, both trips were amazing, well run and organized, Dale Morris was the guide for both trips, he works very hard to make sure you are getting the "shot"

Highly recommend ORYX

I’ve had the privilege of travelling with Oryx several times. The first was to the Omo Valley with Dale Morris. That trip was a leap of faith, signing up for it based on on-line reviews, a ‘good feeling’ - and little else.

What an amazing out-of-this-world trip it was. The arrangements were impeccable and Dale was a brilliant lead.

There’s been no looking back since then and I’ve been on magical journeys to the Masai Mara, Lake Turkana, Ranthambore/Varanasi and Peru - with Marius Coetzee, Penny Robartes and Dan Søby. It never ceases to amaze me how perfectly organised these trips are, from the travel arrangements, accommodation, the local ground team, the emphasis on safety, and of course the photography ‘tuition’ - I keep learning new things on every single trip. All the Oryx leads are so generous with their knowledge and time, and are absolute gems - a testament to Oryx’s corporate and hiring culture.

Oryx takes photography journeys to the next level. I have two more expeditions already planned with Oryx for the coming year and look forward to many more.

I have travelled with Oryx several times including Madagascar and Japan. Their photography trips are excellent. Dale Morris was one of the best photography guides I have been with. He ensured that all the group had an equal opportunity with subjects and he was one of the few guides that always put the group's before his own photography.
He was not only helpful if asked photography questions but was also a good teacher.

I had the most amazing experience with Oryx in Rwanda. Our small group was led by Dale Morris who is very talented, fun (ask him about banana beer if you happen to meet him) and taught me how to take pictures of gorillas (not easy!). Everything from the time the Oryx team meets you to the end of the trip was very well organised and gave me some of the best photographic memories ever! I am looking forward to my next trip with Oryx - hope it will be soon! Thanks so much to the whole Oryx team.

The Oryx photography safari experience is unparalleled. The team offers a truly bespoke approach to safari, working with their clients to plan and build the luxury vacation of their dreams. Their attention to detail is impeccable, everything was always planned out and thought of. Just as importantly though is their adaptability - things don't always go as planned out in the bush and they're ready to spring into action to make your experience seamless. They even will go the extra mile to meet any new need you may have. Want a certain kind of champagne to celebrate and the hotel has run out? Need bowties for a fun party? You happen to be hundreds of miles from the next major city? No problem!

The key to the Oryx experience though is the people - the trip leaders' knowledge, experience and personalities make the trips what they are. They make sure your trip is not only perfectly planned, but are there to make the trip fun and easy. They know all the camps, all the guides and most importantly know how to help you get that perfect photograph. That's what you came all this way for after all right?

Our Oryx safari was truly one of the most memorable experiences of our lives and it was a joy to share it with Marius and his team.

The Oryx experience exemplifies professionalism and enjoyment. Marius and his team are continuously proactive to think of all needs. From travel logistics to vacation comforts, no detail is missed and it makes all the difference. Our trip was truly memorable thanks to Oryx. The photographic perspective of the trip coupled with Marius’ personal connections to local guides enabled us to experience safari intimately and capture the moments beautifully, thanks to Marius’ professional guidance. We look forward to our next adventure with Oryx.