Chobe National Park in northern Botswana is home to over 100,000 elephants, more than any park in all of Africa. I couldn't begin to tell you how many elephants we saw on the Southern Africa Adventure with Nat Expo Tours last October. The evening boat tour on the Chobe River gave us some of our best viewing opportunities...
We have started to fill the October 2025 Africa Tour, please email me if you are interested.
We could still add a couple people to the Cuba tour next month, as well as Norway in March and Nepal in May. Visit our site for detailed itineraries and prices: https://natexpotours.com/
As always, thank you for following.
Colin
Hippos on the Chobe River
There is no misunderstanding when a hippo tells you to stay back!
Chobe River, Botswana, October 2024.
Are you interested in visiting Africa? We have spaces for the October 2025 Namibia/Botswana tour with Nat Expo Tours. Visit our website for more info on 2025 adventures, including Cuba in February, Norway in March, and Nepal in May.
Cheers!
Colin
Chobe River Sunset
Sunset on the Chobe River, Botswana.
This evening certainly was a highlight of the October 2024 Southern Africa Adventure with Nat Expo Tours! We went for an evening boat ride on the Chobe River and saw a plethora of wildlife including elephants, cape buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, and several bird species. As the sun began to sink toward the horizon and morph into an orange sphere, I asked our guide to position us so we would have an opportunity to photograph the animals against the quintessential African sunset.
Please message me if you are interested in joining one of our adventures this year - we still have a few spots open for Cuba in February, Norway in March, Nepal in May, and Africa in October. You can check out our page or visit our site for more info: https://natexpotours.com/
Thank you for following my journeys and all the best for 2025!
Colin
Scenes from the Onguma Ground Hide, Namibia
Plains zebras and impala as seen from the ground hide in Onguma Private Game Reserve, Namibia.
The famous ground hide offers unique opportunities to photograph African wildlife from a low perspective. Of my four visits to the hide, this day was perhaps the most memorable (see previous posts of the bull elephants).
Our October 2025 Southern Africa Adventure with Nat Expo Tours is about half filled at this point. Please message me if you are interested in joining us and visit our site for more info: https://natexpotours.com/
Cheers!
Colin
www.colintyler.com
Scenes from Etosha
Scenes from Etosha National Park, Namibia. The giraffes and rhinos were at a waterhole bordering the Okaukuejo Rest Camp, with the quintessential African sunset. We always spend a night at the Okaukuejo Lodge on our tours with the hopes of having an evening like this.
The greater kestrel and lions were taken the following day. You may recognize the "Lion Tree" from an image I took in 2022, framed by the Etosha Pan.
Dates for the 2025 Southern Africa Adventure Oct 19 - Nov 2 and once again include Namibia, Botswana, and Victoria Falls. Please give our page a follow - Nat Expo Tours, LLC - and visit our site for detailed itineraries: https://natexpotours.com/
We still have a few spaces open for Cuba in February and Arctic Norway in March - Tromsø, Lofoten Islands, and…🤞auroras!
As always, thank you for following my journeys. Please message me if you or someone you know might be interested in joining us in 2025!
Colin
Giraffes at the Okaukuejo waterhole
Giraffes at the Okaukuejo waterhole
Rhinos at the Okaukuejo waterhole
Greater kestrel
“The Lion Tree”
Southwestern Black Rhino
The southwestern black rhino - this photo was taken at the waterhole by the Okaukuejo Rest Camp in Namibia's Etosha National Park. Etosha is a stronghold for this critically endangered subspecies of rhinoceros. While the population is strong, the park does not release numbers as poaching remains a serious threat. We were fortunate to observe two rhinos interacting at the Okaukuejo waterhole on our first evening in Etosha.
The dates & itinerary for the 2025 Southern Africa Adventure with Nat Expo Tours are up on our site (Oct 19 - Nov 2): https://natexpotours.com/2025-namibia/
Please email me if you are interested in joining us - we have a few people on the roster already!
Colin
Salvin's Albatross, New Zealand
Salvin's albatross, Kaikoura, New Zealand. Taken on our recent excursion with Albatross Encounter Kaikoura.
I'm still editing through photos from both Africa & New Zealand and will have more to share in the coming days. We're also busy planning next year's adventures with Nat Expo Tours. Please give our page a follow on Facebook and Instagram and visit our site to see a list of 2025 destinations & itineraries, including Cuba in February, Arctic Norway in March, and Nepal in May: https://natexpotours.com/
As always, thank you for following my journeys!
Colin
www.colintyler.com
More from the Kaikoura Albatross Encounter Excursion
More images from our morning excursion with Albatross Encounter Kaikoura in New Zealand last week! The first is a giant northern petrel against the early morning sky. The second is a cape petrel, also called the pintado (painted) petrel. The third image is a wandering albatross, also known as the snowy or white-winged albatross.
We are working out the details for the November 2025 New Zealand tour. Please message me if you are interested or visit our site: https://natexpotours.com/. We also have spaces available for Cuba in February, Arctic Norway in March, Nepal in May, Croatia in September, and Southern Africa in October.
Cheers!
Colin
Giant Northern Petrel
Cape Petrel of Pintado (Painted) Petrel
Wandering Albatross, aka Snowy or White-Winged Albatross
Kaikoura Sunrise & Northern Royal Albatross
Northern royal albatross, taken last week with Albatross Encounter Kaikoura. The day began with a brilliant sunrise, which made for dramatic skies and backgrounds for our bird photography. We saw 5 different species of albatross and numerous other seabirds, many of them endemic to New Zealand.
We will be leading another New Zealand tour next November with Nat Expo Tours. Please email me if you are interested.
Cheers!
Colin
Sunrise in Kaikoura, New Zealand
Northern royal albatross
Beach Sunset, Nelson, New Zealand
Our New Zealand tour has now concluded and I have arrived in Maui, where I will be spending 5 days before returning home to Alaska. There will be more to share in the coming days from New Zealand and the Southern Africa tour, so please stay tuned for that.
Please email me if you are interested in joining any of our 2025 adventures with Nat Expo Tours, including Cuba, Norway, Nepal, Croatia, Africa, and New Zealand.
Cheers!
Colin
Elephants from the Onguma Ground Hide, Namibia
Bordering Etosha National Park in Namibia, the Onguma Private Game Reserve has a ground hide that offers an experience like no other. From the hide, your lens is level with the waterhole and gives you opportunities to safely view wildlife from a perspective that is unique and nearly impossible to duplicate without the use of a camera trap.
On my recent visit, we had three bull elephants visit the waterhole for nearly an hour, drinking and splashing, throwing mud across their backs to protect from the harsh Namibian sun. It certainly was one of my best days photographing elephants, and one of my most inspired moments of the 2024 Southern Africa Adventure with Nat Expo Tours.
Please message me if you are interested in joining us next year. Dates are Oct 19 - Nov 2, 2025, and we already have people on the roster. You can view the details on our site: https://natexpotours.com/
Cheers!
Colin
Giraffes in Bwabwata National Park, Namibia
The 2024 Southern Africa Adventure is drawing to a close. We added some new destinations to the itinerary this year and spent the past few days around Kasane, Botswana exploring Chobe National Park and today we visited Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
This photo was taken last week in the Zambezi Region of Namibia. Every year provides new experiences and opportunities to create unique images, even with familiar subjects and locations.
There will be much to share in the coming days, and tomorrow Mike and I are off to New Zealand to meet another group for a tour of that country.
We are working out the details for the 2025 Southern Africa tour and we already have people on board. Please email me if you are interested or visit our site: https://natexpotours.com/
As always, thank you for for following along!
Colin
Mating Moose
Before leaving for Africa I spent two full days guiding a couple photographers from Florida for Alaska Photo Treks who were hoping to observe moose rutting behavior. We had two very successful days, and it doesn't get much "ruttier" than this!
Please stay tuned for photos from Namibia in the coming days…
Cheers!
Colin
Chasing Autumn Scenes in Southcentral Alaska
These were taken while guiding a couple on a 3-day private custom photography tour. It was their first visit to Alaska, and the first tour I led under the new collaboration between Nat Expo Tours and well known, highly regarded photographer, Jeff Schultz (longtime official photographer of the Iditarod and founder of Alaska Stock Photo Agency). I had a wonderful time showing them some of the best fall scenes in this part of the state, despite the helicopter/glacier flight being grounded due to low visibility. Next time…
Jeff contacted me last summer to see if I would be interested in leading some of his tours. These will be custom tours for small groups and individuals. We are honored to have formed this partnership, and look forward to more opportunities!
As always, thank you for following.
Colin
Virgin Creek Falls, Girdwood
Turnagain Arm
Surfing the incoming tide in Turnagain Arm
Granite Creek
Pioneer Peak in fog
Knik River Valley
Fall Rainbow
Autumn is in full swing here in Southcentral Alaska, and I have been chasing colors and fall scenes over the past couple of weeks. I took this yesterday evening while guiding a tour for Alaska Photo Treks as the setting sun illuminated a wall of rain along Turnagain Arm.
Have a great weekend!
Colin
Early Season Auroras
Hello everyone,
I hope you've been able to catch some of the recent auroral activity! This season is starting out to be very active and should continue as we are in the Solar Maximum.
These were taken last Friday while guiding for Alaska Photo Treks. The show continued through the night, and all of our 17 guests were thrilled! Click here to visit their site if you're interested in booking a local tour.
In other news, at Nat Expo Tours we are excited to announce a new partnership right here in Alaska that will allow our business to expand to include my home state in addition to our international destinations! These will be custom, private tours for small groups. I led my first multi-day tour last week. More to come on that…
Happy skywatching!
Colin
Great Horned Owl in Black & White
I've had countless encounters with great horned owls over the past decade, and it never gets old. I so admire these wise, stealthy raptors, and was once a guest on the local NPR program "Hometown Alaska" where I discussed my interactions with owls and how I've captured some of my best images of them.
Taken yesterday in Eagle River Valley, AK.
Colin
World Photography Day 2024
Happy World Photography Day 2024!
It’s a beautiful day to chase the light here in Southcentral Alaska. As always, thank you for following!
Colin
August morning at the Eagle River Nature Center, Chugach State Park
The Trees Have Eyes
The trees have eyes...
I had countless encounters with great horned owls while residing at the Eagle River Nature Center. Several images from those encounters are in my book (and 2025 calendar), and I was once a guest on the local NPR radio program "Hometown Alaska" where I recounted capturing some of those photos and how I developed an eye for spotting owls despite their capability to camouflage themselves quite well.
A few nights ago I was playing my guitar when I noticed something in a birch tree behind my place that had a distinct and familiar shape. I continued to strum until I saw it move and knew immediately what it was. I grabbed my camera and got quite a few frames as this owl scanned the area and watched me with fixated curiosity.
Colin
Summer Photography Class at the Eagle River Nature Center
I taught a 2-day summer photography workshop this past weekend for the Alaska Society of Outdoor and Nature Photographers. ASONP is a great organization that I belong to (and serve on the board of directors): https://asonp.org/. I encourage local photographers to visit our site and consider joining this wonderful network of fellow Alaskan shutterbugs.
The inclement forecast was daunting, but the skies smiled upon us and the rain let up while we were on the trails. It turned out to be great light for wildflowers and closeups, and everyone had a great time - a big thank you to everyone who attended! Here are a few of my favorite images.
On a side note, my 2025 calendars have arrived and preorders will be mailed out soon...! "Seasons of the Nature Center" books and calendars are available here:
https://www.colintyler.com/online-store
Cheers!
Colin
Dwarf Fireweed
Cranberry leaves
Wood ferns
The group!