From 2024 onwards, Andy Skillen and Danny Crous (Earth Ark Travel) are formally joining forces to provide an exciting new photographic service to all those keen to explore the Southern African region with a set of specifically crafted trips.

Both Andy and Danny have long histories of working – and living – in Southern Africa and are now combining their knowledge and experience to craft a very specific set of group-focused photographic adventures throughout the region. All of these trips are to give you, the visitor, the chance to get a real hands-on experience of working in “the field” with wildlife observation and therefore the building or bolstering of your wildlife portfolio the central principles.

The difference on the trips that are provided is that it’s all about content. Both Andy and Danny have had successful, long careers in wildlife photography, photojournalism and film (with Andy perhaps looking at the twilight years of his now!) and these remain the principle drivers for them, with much of the world’s major media on their respective CVs. Whilst they both continue to be stretched for time with such projects, by combining forces in the design and execution of these adventures they can bring up-to-the-minute influence to your itinerary. It’s all about getting you to where they would work…but perhaps, as much as is practicably possible, in a lot more comfort! Images are the major motivator and getting them in your viewfinder the chief goal.

Whether it is Andy or Danny leading your trip will be project dependent, as both spend a lot of time working elsewhere. However, from 2024 onwards for logistical reasons, it is likely that the vast majority of trips taking place in Southern Africa will be personally led by Danny.

Of course many of you have travelled on one of Andy’s trips before to the likes of Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe as well as further afield, and have either been guided by Andy himself or when not possible, Danny. This new partnership is therefore essentially an extension of an informal arrangement, and gives you a number of key advantages and allows a range of exciting, more distinct destinations to be offered (we are not volume providers, but a handful of carefully constructed trips!)

Financial coverage and the bonding of your trips and all pre-departure logistics will be handled by Andy Skillen Photography, giving you the peace of mind you need. Andy will also provide a tuition day (to all UK attendees) as a refresher as part of the package, pre-departure notes and a group zoom chat with Q&A.

Once on the ground and in country on these specific trips, either Danny or Andy will be there to greet you and guide you through your photo adventure from start to finish. Currently, this will apply to Botswana principally, but will be gradually extended to incorporate trips to Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe from 2024 onwards too with Danny taking over the vast majority of the photo-leading in those destinations in subsequent years.

All trips outside these four countries will continue to be exclusively run by Fauna Vista LLP of course as this exciting arrangement only applies to Southern Africa. Likewise, bespoke and tailor-made photographic adventures (without a photo-guide) will still be handled directly by Andy.

“We can but load the dice, remember that nature will always ultimately roll them!’ says Andy. ‘But by drawing on decades of commercially-driven field experience, we will be able to give you more than a fighting chance of securing the type of images that you will want to look at again and again’ he adds.

“What is more, one – or perhaps both on occasion, heaven forbid! – of us will always be here to help take your photography onto the next level. There are few photographers that I trust so wholeheartedly to provide the right experience and one that I would seek to supply in person, and Danny is absolutely top of that list. It’s going to be a great adventure!” he concludes.

For more information on our upcoming GROUP departures (not bespoke) to the region, contact Andy or check out the 2024 Group Trips pages on the website.