Tour Highlights
- Learn from professional Photographer's Collective leader Jay Collier
- Led by award-winning specialist guide Luke Paterson
- Any brand camera gear welcome
- 3 Private photographic wildlife cruises
- Birds & wildlife up close
- Private Arnhem Land tour & art centre
- Private Aboriginal rock art sites
- Optional helicopter photoshoots
- Landscape photography
- Category
Start
Darwin
End
Darwin
- Birdwatching focus
- moderate
- Wildlife focus
- moderate
- Photography focus
- high
- Culture focus
- moderate
- Walks rating
- moderate
- Number of boat cruises
- Public0Private3
- Sleeping options
- ensuite
Tour Summary
29 August – 2 September and 4 – 8 September 2021, Darwin – Kakadu – Arnhem Land, Northern Territory
Join us on an exclusive photographic expedition through the heart of Crocodile Dundee country. *Additional dates released*
* 5 days exceptional wildlife & landscape photography immersion in Kakadu and Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
* Exclusive itinerary to capture incredible images while learning under expert guidance/tuition from professional photographer Jay Collier from the Photographers Collective.
* Led by award-winning specialist wildlife/naturalist guide Luke Paterson of NT Bird Specialists (20 years experience in Northern Australia and Kakadu).
*Any brand of camera equipment suitable.
• Warm up with a private dawn birding photography cruise on a two-level houseboat at Corroboree Billabong.
• Stay at an exclusive aboriginal-owned safari camp accommodation in Kakadu’s northern reaches, home to Bunitj traditional owners. The camp allows us to have epic daily encounters with birds, wildlife, private rock art sites and 360 degree panoramic landscapes of the Arnhem Land escarpments and surrounding floodplain region.
• A private day trip into Arnhem Land provides stunning and authentic insights into ancient living aboriginal cultures at the community art centre, private access rock art sites and timeless expanses of wilderness to photograph in the golden light.
• An aboriginal-owned cultural cruise along the freshwater reaches of the East Alligator River reveals traditional knowledge and stories from local kunwinjku-speaking aboriginal guides, Saltwater Crocodiles on mass and 1.8-billion-year old sandstone river country.
• Take the opportunity to capture this epic world heritage site from above during an optional chartered aerial photography helicopter session over drying floodplains and coastline (spaces limited). 60 mins. 2 guests per flight.
• Rest your body and expand your mind during regular photographic tutorials with Jay Collier to refine your skills and try new techniques before the next shoot.
• Top off this incredible photographic journey during privately chartered 3-hour bird and wildlife photography cruise led by specialist guide Luke Paterson on the infamous wetland of Yellow Water Billabong in the heart of Kakadu.
Notes:
• Covid-Safe accredited award-winning tour operators
• 18-seater spacious 4WD bus
• Tour departs and concludes in Darwin, Northern Territory Australia.
• All meals, touring and accommodation included during tour (see inclusions/exclusions below).
• Optional aerial photo shoot spaces limited.
• Limited single rooms available. Solo guests can pair up to remove single supplement charges.
• Comprehensive travel insurance is compulsory. Moderate general fitness is required. Walks over uneven surfaces with some rocky steps to lookouts and high temperatures.
• Read our 5 star reviews
*Please be respectful and always ask before photographing people.
*Equipment-hire may be available closer to the date. Stay tuned.
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Regions Visited
- Darwin
- Mary River
- Arnhem Land
- Kakadu National Park
Tour Route
Tour Gallery
Day by Day Itinerary
Contact Us For Full itineraryTour Overview
During five full days of field workshops and tutorials, you can learn and trial creative photography techniques in remote World Heritage landscapes. Intimate knowledge and super-sharp eyes from your local guide, Luke Paterson, will ensure you’re positioned well to make the most of your time with Photographers Collective leader, Jay Collier.
Sunrise, sunset, landscape, wildlife and of course bird photography techniques will be covered. We tailor our sessions to suit all photography experience levels from beginners to advanced. This is the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded photographers and ask those tricky questions that can save you hours of research, trial and error, but best of all, take some incredible photos on your own camera set up on this remote Australian wildlife journey.
You’ll be immersed in endless wild photography opportunities aboard 3 exclusive private cruises, including on the famous Yellow Water Billabong and visit ancient Aboriginal cultural sites adorned with rock art, occupation sites and living cultural histories (dating back 65,000 years in the region).
Wildlife highlights include specialty north Australian bird species (Rainbow Pitta, Little and Azure Kingfisher, Sandstone Shrikethrush, black-necked Stork, Comb-crested Jacana), Saltwater Crocodiles, Frill-necked Lizard, Little Red and Black Flying Fox, Wilkins Rock Wallaby.
Sign up today and join NT Bird Specialists, the Top End’s best birding and wildlife team, for a Wild Kakadu Nature & Landscape Photographic Expedition you’ll never forget.
Day 1
Pre tour – Arrive Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia by night before departure.
Day 1: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- Pre-dawn departure from Darwin to embark on a Corroboree Billabong photography cruise on the Mary River system (two-storey 20 person boat). Warm up with your first of 3 private photography cruises.
- Venture north to north east Kakadu to check into an safari camp on private aboriginal lands for two nights. Lap up private-access rock art sites, billabongs and Arnhem Land Escarpment photo shoots.
- Overnight at the aboriginal-owned Hawk Dreaming Wilderness Lodge (3 course dinner with breakfast)
Day 2
Day 2: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- Sunrise shoot around the safari camp with escarpment and billabong views.
- Immerse yourself in ancient and modern cultural landscapes today during a privately guided photography tour to Arnhem Land, accessing exclusive rock art and ancient landscape photo shoot locations.
- Visit Injalak Arts aboriginal art centre for an authentic indigenous cultural art experience. *Please do not photograph the art and show respect by always asking people before taking any photos.
- Overnight at the aboriginal-owned Hawk Dreaming Wilderness Lodge (3 course dinner with breakfast)
Day 3
Day 3: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- Rise early for a sunrise shoot around billabong and camp before exploring the East Alligator region’s rock art sites, monsoon forest and Cahills Crossing crocodile spectacular (pending tides).
- Travel to Jabiru for photography tutorials by Jay Collier.
- Spend the late afternoon capturing glowing sandstone escarpment and an abundance of crocodiles along the upstream freshwater reaches of the East Alligator river aboard our 1.45-hour private cultural photography cruise (20-seater boat).
- Overnight at the aboriginal-owned Anbinik Kakadu Resort.
Day 4
Day 4: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- Today brings a private Yellow Water dawn bird photography cruise (3-hours private hire, 50-seater boat). We’ll be focusing on bird, crocodile and wetland photography, plus sunrise and water reflections.
- Optional 60-minute aerial photography shoot over in a chartered helicopter over Kakadu’s stone country and drying floodplains (maximum 2 guests, doors off) *tour leaders/guide will join.
- Overnight at the aboriginal-owned Anbinik Kakadu Resort.
Day 5
Day 5: (Breakfast, Lunch)
- We wind down our photographic expedition with a morning bird photography shoot in the South Alligator region before our return journey to Darwin.
- Enjoy a final photoshoot at the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens before dropping you at your hotel and bidding farewell.
Read our 5 star reviews
** Solo guests can be paired in shared twin rooms to remove single supplement charges.
*** We recommend guests fly out after 10pm or the following day.
Register today and please book early.
Tour Inclusions & Exclusions
This expedition includes:
• Photography tuition by professional Photographers Collective leader Jay Collier
• Multi award-winning tour operators and specialist guiding team with Luke Paterson, of NT Bird Specialists (28 years experience in northern Australia)
• Excellence in guiding skill and local natural history knowledge
• Exclusive itineraries
• All transport, tours and cruises stated in itinerary
• All meals on tour (please notify us of allergies at time of booking)
• En suite accommodation (safari tents or cabins)
• Cool water, tea and coffee (other beverages excluded)
• Hotel pick up and drop off
• Transport in spacious air-conditioned commercial 4WD Bus with modified 4WD trailer
• Field guides to share
• National Park permits and entry fees
• Emergency communications and first-aid kit
• Assurance of touring with an award-winning Australian Accredited Tourism Business and Licensed Commercial Tour Operator
• Genuine ecotourism, low impact tours that support the environment and local communities
• Excellent interpretation and customer services
• Travel to stunning remote natural landscapes, largely unpopulated by people
• Immerse in your surroundings while cruising rivers and wetlands
• Making the most out of daylight hours, optimising time spent in the field
• Experiencing ancient and modern aboriginal cultures, occupation and rock art sites
• Exploring World Heritage National Parks
• Birds! Birds! Birds! Birds!
• Read our 5 star reviews
The per person rate excludes:
• Flights to/from Darwin and excess baggage
• Airport transfers
• Visas
• Pre and post tour meals and accommodation *enquire for optional extra
• Comprehensive travel insurance
• Scenic flights *enquire for optional extra
• Beverages, laundry, personal shopping, phone calls, gratuities and other items not stated in itinerary are excluded.
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