This tour is in collaboration with PhotoPills.
21-28 February 2023
Join us on this unique journey to Socotra, a place like no other in the world, as we venture to photograph Dragon’s Blood trees, untouched beaches, sand dunes and more. The island, a jewel of biodiversity in the Arabian Sea, is one of the most isolated landforms on Earth of continental origin. It is home to 825 plant species of which 308 (37%) are endemic. These species are found nowhere else on Earth.
*Price will be announced to priority list subscribers first*
SOCOTRA PHOTO TOUR ITINERARY
We will meet up at Abu Dhabi international airport (AUH), then catch our flight to Socotra Island. On arrival, our local partner will welcome us at the airport. There will be six Toyota Land Cruiser 4×4 to drive us around throughout all our trip. Everyone will have a window seat so that you can always enjoy the drive and shoot a photo or two while moving from one location to the other.
Socotra is a place like no other on Earth and we will try to cover as many locations as possible. Some of the places we visit/things we see include:
- The famous dragon’s blood trees
- Bottle trees
- High sand dunes
- Untouched beaches
- Snorkling in Dihamri marine protected area
- …and more…
At night, we will rest in tents. Depending on where we are we might camp right on the beach, or very close to the Dragon’s blood trees. At camps, our chef will make sure to prepare delicious food for all of us. Everything is fresh and caught on the same day. This includes seafood, tasty mixed salads, lamb stew, grilled tuna, fried chicken, local bread, vegetables. In addition, we always have delicious fruit as a snack as well as biscuits and fresh water.
During this Socotra photo tour we will be very active shooting all day long. Especially at sunrise, sunset and during the night if conditions allow us. This 7-days itinerary workshop will give us plenty of time to visit different locations and bring back home amazing shots, all meticulously planned using the PhotoPills app!
You can read everything you need to know about what the tour’s price includes and excludes below. If you wish to register and/or have some more questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Socotra is part of Yemen. Is it safe to travel there?
Although Socotra is an island of the Republic of Yemen, it is disconnected from what is happening on the mainland and safe to travel to.
There are currently two weekly flight routes travelling to Socotra and back: one direct flight Abu Dhabi – Socotra and one flight from Cairo to Socotra, with a stop in Sana’a (Yemen mainland). With this tour we will take the direct flight, meaning we will not set foot on Yemen mainland at all.
INCLUDED
Professional photo guide + co-guide + local guide
All entry fees and special accesses
7 Nights camping
Tents, mattresses, pillows
Transportation
Breakfast, lunch, dinner everyday
All transfers included
Yemeni visa
Abu Dhabi – Socotra round trip flight arrangements (see excluded)
EXCLUDED
Flights to Abu Dhabi and back
Abu Dhabi – Socotra round trip flight costs (we will book it for you, but price is extra)
Travel & Trip Cancellation Insurance
Snacks, alcohol (only soft drinks and water available. You can bring alcohol to the island at your own expenses, if you wish)
Bed linen to use in the tent (recommended for hygiene reasons)
Anything not mentioned in the “included” list
MEET THE TEAM
Marco Grassi (Photographer)
Born and raised in Italy, Marco Grassi is a self-taught and award-winning photographer focused on landscape photography. At the young age of 23 Marco has completed his round-the-world trip and today, several countries later, he defines himself as a true travel addict. Marco’s work has been published and rewarded extensively worldwide in a large variety of media outlets, such as the National Geographic and GEO Magazine. Among some of his clients we can find “Nisi Filters” and “Hilleberg – The Tentmaker” .
His workshops have been designed with the central idea of putting you in the right place at the perfect time and give you plenty of amazing photo opportunities whilst creating a life-changing experience. He will assist you and advise you with valuable photography tips during the whole trip and show you the best photo locations of each destination.
Rafael Pons (PhotoPills co-funder)
Surprisingly enough, PhotoPills co-founder Rafael Pons claims not to be a photographer. However, he travels the world teaching how to use PhotoPills to help photographers imagine, plan and shoot legendary photos.
With more than 700,000 downloads worldwide, the PhotoPills app has become the Swiss Army Knife for photographers. It includes everything you need: from sources of inspiration (PhotoPills Awards) and learning (photo guides and videos) to multiple tools to help you plan your photo ideas (planner, augmented reality, exposure, depth of field …). Visit PhotoPills website here.
Jessica Lancia (Head of operations & Co-guide)
Jessica has completed a round-the-world trip at the age of 22 and it’s during this trip that she has quickly grown her love for nature and, most of all, mountain landscapes. After returning from this journey, together with Marco she started working on the idea of guiding photography workshops and they now lead together in many different locations such as Patagonia, Dolomites, Norway and Faroe Islands.
Jessica is the logistical mastermind who develops the visual and written content of marcograssiphotography.com and takes care of all organization aspects of the trips with an accurate attention for all the details.
Jessica will assist you during this photo tour and she’ll make sure to help you with anything you might need and with any questions/doubts you might have before and during the trip.
A PLACE LIKE NO OTHER
Untouched beaches, high sand dunes rising from the sea, ancient Dragon’s blood trees, abundance of unique flora and fauna. Socotra is the place where you can find all of the above and more. During this Socotra photo tour, we will have plenty of time to explore multiple locations and make the best out of every possible condition. We have each shot planned out to the smallest details.
SUMMARY
Location: Socotra, Yemen
Tour Length: 8 Days, February 21-28th 2023
Meet up: Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH)
Accommodation: Campsites
Physical Difficulty: Medium
Number of Participants: Max. 10
FAQs
How many nights we'll be spending out camping?
We’ll be camping for the whole trip, 7 nights in total.
Do I need to bring my own camping gear?
No, our local partner will provide camping gear (tent, mattress, pillow, bed sheets, blanket). However, we do recommend to bring your own bed linen for hygiene reasons. If you prefer, you can also decide to bring your own camping gear.
Do I have to set up the tent by myself?
No, the team will do that for you. They will set up all the tents and pack them when we change location.
Where do I leave my luggage?
All the luggages will stay in the cars, unless you wish to have yours near the tent.
Camping: What clothes should I bring?
Temperatures are really warm. We recommend you to bring light and breathable layers. However, a fleece could come handy if it gets cold in the mountains, as well as waterproof clothes in case it rains. Also, we’ll provide each participant with a detailed kit list before the beginning of the trip.
Do these campsites have showers?
It depends on where we are. When there is the chance to take a shower, it will be using portable pressured solar showers or with a simple bucket filled from a tank on the beach. We recommend brining wet wipes and dry shampoo + dry bath wash.
Is Socotra safe?
Socotra is disconnected from what is happening on the mainland and safe to travel to. Socotra is an island of the Republic of Yemen and there are currently two weekly flight routes travelling to Socotra and back: one direct flight Abu Dhabi – Socotra and one flight from Cairo to Socotra, with a stop in Sana’a (Yemen mainland). With this tour we will take the direct flight, meaning we will not set foot on Yemen mainland at all.
CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY
PhotoPills will collect all the payments for the Socotra Photo Tour. By booking this tour you agree to the PhotoPills Terms&Conditions.