While geomagnetic activity certainly has been elevated in recent days, I missed the big display on Tuesday evening as I was still in a tropical locale. However, on our second night in Namibia last month, while staying at a lodge in the desert near Namib-Naukluft National Park and having not yet adjusted to the 10-hour time change, I was awake very early and decided to go outside to photograph the Milky Way. After looking at my first image, I immediately recognized the faint green glow of aurora, something I never thought I'd capture in Southern Africa. This time it was the Southern Lights, or Aurora Australis. I managed to catch a few bright meteors in the frame as well!
Interested in exploring Southern Africa? We are taking reservations for the October 2026 tour. Email me or visit our site for more info: https://natexpotours.com/2026-namibia/
Cheers!
Colin
Matriarchal
I'm finally back stateside and catching up on some editing after journeying to Southern Africa to lead our 4th tour of Namibia (and now Botswana) with Nat Expo Tours. On our last day in Etosha National Park, we visited a waterhole near the east gate that had been frequented by herd of elephants. Our timing was perfect as we observed the herd, one by one, falling into a single file line behind their matriarch as they left the water. This was my favorite moment, showing the reverence they hold for their queen, along with the wisdom and confidence she displayed as she led them to find sustenance and safety in a harsh and very dry landscape.
We have two back to back Southern Africa Adventure tours booked next year - a private group of 10 people in November and our usual timeframe (Oct 16-30, 2026). We have begun taking reservations for the October tour. Please contact me if you are interested in joining us. Full itinerary here: https://natexpotours.com/2026-namibia/
As always, thank you for following,
Colin
PS - I spent another week abroad after Africa, in a familiar location. More on that later...
Another Southern Africa Adventure in the Books!
We just wrapped up our fourth annual tour of Namibia, Botswana, and Victoria Falls! We had a great group of people who experienced the wonders and wildlife of Southern Africa and created memories to last a lifetime. I will have more to share in the coming days and weeks, but for now here is one my favorite elephant images from Chobe National Park, Botswana.
As always, thank you for following and please let me know if you are interested in joining us in Africa next October, or any of our upcoming 2026 tours, including Cuba, Norway, Nepal, and Iceland.
Colin
Recent Guiding Moments
A few highlights from recent guiding ventures in Alaska. I am now on my way to Southern Africa where we will be leading our 4th consecutive tour of Namibia with Nat Expo Tours, LLC, which now includes a few days in northern Botswana. Stay tuned for photos of the Namib Desert and the array of Africa wildlife!
We are currently taking reservations for next year's Southern Africa Adventure (Oct 16-30, 2026), Experiencing Cuba (Feb 18-27, 2026), Arctic Norway Aurora Adventure (March 15-25, 2026), Exploring Nepal (May 13-26, 2026) and Exploring Iceland (June 17-27, 2026). Please message me if you are interested in joining any of our guided adventures to some of the world's most renowned photographic destinations! You can view all of our itineraries here: https://natexpotours.com/
Cheers!
Colin
Aurora borealis & Big Dipper, Palmer
Brown bear in the rain, Lake Clark National Park
Young bull moose, Chugach State Park
Happy Autumn!
Today marks the first day of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, though it has looked and felt like fall for a few weeks in Southcentral Alaska. I’ve been busy guiding and just had two very successful days of moose photo safaris with Alaska Photo Treks. This is one of the biggest bulls I’ve ever seen, with antlers that span around 70” across…
Bears in the Rain
The September rains have been persistent, but that doesn't put a damper on guiding wildlife photography tours. Last week I made my first trip to Lake Clark National Park with two clients. It rained the entire day, yet we still had a great time and since the weather is out of one's control, all you can do is make do with the light you have, and rough weather often makes for dramatic images.
Colin
Final Aurora Tour of the Season
And just like that, the 2024/2025 aurora tour season has drawn to a close!
This marks the end of my 4th season guiding aurora tours for Alaska Photo Treks. We had to drive a bit to find clear skies and luckily, the clouds parted as we continued northward. As the sky was still glowing twilight at midnight, the lights came out and put on a brilliant display against the 'gloaming' - an Old English poetic term for twilight that I just learned...
The guests were thrilled, and I was happy to end the season with a successful outing!
Colin
Rise of the Phoenix
There could be many interpretations here, based on one's life experience and much more, but I see the figure of a bird in upward flight. This was a very active corona formation during the recent geomagnetic storm, taken while leading a tour for Alaska Photo Treks. It was a brilliant display, and I will have more to share in the coming days.
Have a great weekend and thank you for following!
Colin
Namibian Independence Day 2015
Today marks 35 years of independence for Namibia. A gem of Southern Africa, it is one of the youngest nations on the entire continent and one of the best functioning democracies.
I look forward to returning to Namibia this October to lead our 4th tour of that country. We've added a few days in Botswana and a day trip to Victoria Falls as well, and we are filling up fast!
If you or anyone you know is interested in joining the 2025 Southern Africa Adventure (Oct 19 - Nov 2) with Nat Expo Tours, please email me - we have a few spots left. More info and a detailed itinerary (plus testimonials from previous guests) here: https://natexpotours.com/2025-namibia/
Sending good wishes to Namibia on this anniversary!
Colin
Himba village
Oryx, Namib-Naukluft National Park
Zebras, Onguma Private Game Reserve
Sossusvlei dry ancient lakebed, Namib-Naukluft National Park
A Deeper Look at Havana
Havana, Feb 21, 2025 - our first full day with the group. After visiting the plazas, the Malecón (seawall), and other famous sites around the city, our guide took us to some less visited areas, including a boxing gym run by former Cuban heavyweight champion Radamé Castillo. While he trains the next generation of Cuban boxers, across from the ring families whose casas crumbled years prior are living in makeshift "homes" consisting of sections cordoned off with sheets, tarps, and whatever is available for some semblance of privacy. What was supposed to be a temporary situation now looks to be indefinite...
This was my 6th visit to Cuba since 2018. In that time, I have seen the amount of commerce steadily decline, along with the vibrant street scenes and nightlife. Nevertheless, time has shown that the Cuban people are resilient and resourceful. While I am certain they will navigate the current economic hardships brought about by diplomatic challenges and intensified by the pandemic, I can't help but empathize with them and feel satisfaction knowing that our visits offer some support to our guides, drivers, hosts, street vendors, and others.
To visit Cuba with Nat Expo Tours is very much a cultural experience. We explore the cities and the countryside, museums, national parks, and more. Our guests inevitably experience a full range of emotions and leave with a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to connect with some of our closest neighbors. Dates for the February 2026 tour are posted on on our website: https://natexpotours.com/2023-cuba/
Please message me if you are interested in experiencing Cuba with us!
Colin
www.colintyler.com
Cuba 2025, Havana
We just wrapped up our 2025 Cuba Tour with Nat Expo Tours. Our group was wonderful - everyone had a great time and was equally moved by the interactions we had with the Cuban people. We spent the first two days in Havana, walking around the city with our guide, Yasel, and exploring places that were new even to me.
Aside from the quintessential locales and photographing the classic cars, we visited areas off the beaten "tourist" path and witnessed some of the realities of life in Cuba. This time I trained my camera on these aspects, the often overlooked and downtrodden, and will share those images next.
We've got the dates up for next year's Cuba tours, with two sets of dates available. More info and a detailed itinerary here: https://natexpotours.com/2023-cuba/
Please contact me if you are interested in joining us, and thank you for following,
Colin
Elephants of Chobe
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
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
