THE PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY
Go beyond the view
Socotra's dragon's blood trees, desert roses, white beaches and rugged terrain offer distinctive landscape subjects. The desert rose, Adenium socotranum, is a drought-adapted succulent. Explore contrasts between the plants, rock formations and coast.
About the route
Socotra Island A place that feels like another planet White beaches | Dragon's blood trees | Dagub Cave Starry skies | Desert roses | Rare wildlife and plants Socotra, a remote Yemeni island, is known for distinctive natural scenery and rich biodiversity. One of the Earth's most isolated landscapes, it is home to nearly 700 distinctive species, many found only here. White beaches, desert roses, dragon's blood trees and rare wildlife create an almost extraterrestrial world. Key photography locations 01 / Desert roses Desert roses bloom quietly across Socotra's wilderness. Not true roses, they take their name from the beautiful flowers they produce in arid conditions. Adenium socotranum belongs to the dogbane family and is a drought-adapted succulent native to Socotra. 02 / Dragon's blood trees The dragon's blood tree is one of Socotra's distinctive plants. Its deep-red resin is known as 'dragon's blood'. At night, the trees take on a mysterious quality against the stars, seeming to bridge earth and sky and unite the mysteries of nature and the universe. 03 / White beaches Photograph Socotra's white beaches and coastal scenery. Specific locations and timings await confirmation by the operator. More sample photographs
The journey in pictures
Photographers linked to this route: Owen Ou →
Itinerary images · Select a photo to enlarge
PHOTOGRAPHY LEADERS
A different way of seeing
Owen Ou
Graduated from the Photography Department of South China Normal University in 2009. Specializes in landscapes, property environments and commercial portraiture. He has worked with the Shenzhen procuratorate, land bureau, Shenzhen Library, cultural centers, China Merchants Bank, Standard Chartered, Agricultural Bank of China, China Telecom, China Mobile, Guosen Securities, Topway Video, and BMW and Porsche owners' clubs. Photography journeys He regularly leads organizations and photography schools on trips to the Balkans, Iceland, Germany, Greenland, Cuba, South Korea, Canada, Kenya, Laos, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Morocco, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Japan, Chiang Mai, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, Semporna and New Zealand. Chinese destinations include Anhui, Beijing, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Henan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Inner Mongolia, Shanghai, Sichuan, Suzhou, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Yunnan and Zhejiang. Selected awards Outstanding Work award at the 2009 Pingyao International Photography Festival; silver in the art category of the 2014 Guangdong provincial exhibition; gold in the monochrome category of the 2014 Al-Thani International Photography Competition; Zeyida Photography Club's 2022 Outstanding Instructor award and a 2023 instructor appointment issued in 2022; Fujifilm's 2022–23 Club Gardener Award, received in 2023.
THE DAYS AHEAD
A rhythm shaped by light
DAY 01Mar 31 · Asia/AdenDay 1: Wednesday, March 31 — Guangzhou–Jeddah
DAY 02Apr 1 · Asia/AdenDay 2: Thursday, April 1 — Jeddah–Socotra–Arher White Sand Dunes. Accommodation: Hotel
Fly to Socotra in the morning, arriving at the island's airport in the afternoon. Meet the local team and visit the Arher white dunes for aerial photographs of white sand and translucent sea. Return to the capital, Hadiboh, and check in at the hotel.
DAY 03Apr 2 · Asia/AdenDay 3: Friday, April 2 — Hadiboh–Kalysan Canyon–Bottle Tree Valley. Accommodation: Camping
After breakfast, drive to Kalysan Canyon, arriving before midday. Marble-white rocks surround green pools, made especially vivid by the midday light. Both distant views and aerial compositions are rewarding. After lunch, visit the bottle-tree valley, the area with the highest concentration of desert roses. Photograph their unusual trunks and abundant blossoms. Camp in the valley and photograph desert roses beneath the stars.
DAY 04Apr 3 · Asia/AdenDay 4: Saturday, April 3 — Bottle Tree Valley–Homhil National Park–Hadiboh. Accommodation: Hotel
Rise early to photograph desert roses in morning light. After breakfast and a short rest at camp, drive to Homhil National Park. The park is home to hundreds of rare plant species found nowhere else, and offers scenes of desert roses growing alongside dragon's blood trees. You may also encounter the rare Egyptian vulture. The park's natural infinity pool opens onto expansive views. Return to Hadiboh in the evening and check in at the hotel.
DAY 05Apr 4 · Asia/AdenDay 5: Sunday, April 4 — Hadiboh–Wadi Difarhu Canyon–Diksam Nature Reserve. Accommodation: Camping
After breakfast and a short rest, drive to Wadi Difa Canyon. Its dramatic scenery also provides excellent distant views of the dragon's blood forest. Photograph dragon's blood trees on the hills and canyon landscapes en route before reaching Dixam Nature Reserve. Tonight, camp in the dragon's blood forest. Vast starry skies, gnarled branches and the warm glow from tents provide excellent photographic elements.
DAY 06Apr 5 · Asia/AdenDay 6: Monday, April 5 — Diksam Nature Reserve–Firmihin Forest. Accommodation: Camping
Spend the entire day photographing the dragon's blood forest. Rise early for its misty atmosphere, as a soft veil of fog reveals a different beauty from the night before. After lunch, walk through Firmihin Forest within the reserve, known for its 'plain dragon's blood trees' and desert roses. Observe the gnarled branches and blood-red resin closely. At dusk, photograph sunset, afterglow and silhouettes; aerial views of the forest at sunset are spectacular.
DAY 07Apr 6 · Asia/AdenDay 7: Tuesday, April 6 — Firmihin Forest–Dagub Cave–Omaq White Sand Dunes–Hadiboh. Accommodation: Hotel
Photograph the dragon's blood forest in morning light, then return to camp for breakfast. Drive to Dagub Cave to photograph its natural stalactites. Rest after lunch, then photograph the extensive Omaq white dunes in the afternoon. Return to Hadiboh for urban cultural photography. Stay at a hotel tonight and recover from several nights of camping.
DAY 08Apr 7 · Asia/AdenDay 8: Wednesday, April 7 — Hadiboh–Dolphin Bay–Detwah Lagoon–Hadiboh. Accommodation: Hotel
Rise early for Shuab Beach and take a speedboat to photograph dolphins swimming and leaping in clear water. There may be opportunities to see hundreds at once. Morning seabirds and fishermen heading out from Shuab Beach provide further subjects. After breakfast, visit Detwah Lagoon for classic aerial compositions of blue water and desert roses. Walk along the shore and photograph the lagoon. After lunch, visit the nearby fishing village to photograph welcoming children, whose natural smiles and enthusiasm for interacting with visitors make engaging subjects. Warm afternoon sunlight intensifies the water's color, creating an excellent time for photographs with sea and fishing boats as a backdrop.
DAY 09Apr 8 · Asia/AdenDay 9: Thursday, April 8 — Socotra–Jeddah
Sleep in, then enjoy free time after breakfast. Transfer to the airport according to the flight schedule and say goodbye to Socotra.
DAY 10Apr 9 · Asia/AdenDay 10: Friday, April 9 — Jeddah–Various destinations
Return to China and conclude the photography trip.
Trip staff
- Photography leader · Owen Ou
- IncludedFull-trip personal assistance from a Chinese-speaking tour leader;
- ExcludedPotential tips for trip service staff and portrait subjects;
Transport
- IncludedOff-road vehicles throughout, with 3 participants per vehicle;
- ExcludedAll flights from your departure city to Jeddah and between Jeddah and Socotra, round trip;
Travel details and reference schedules
Reference flights for the instructor: Outbound: March 31: Guangzhou–Jeddah SV883/22:30/03:25+1 day April 01: Jeddah–Socotra IY525/11:00/14:00 Return: April 08: Socotra–Jeddah IY526/14:45/19:10 April 09: Jeddah–Guangzhou SV882/01:05/15:25 Before booking transport, please confirm the departure and travel arrangements through this website.
Photography
- IncludedPhotography instruction and services throughout;
- ExcludedPotential tips for trip service staff and portrait subjects;
Photography details
About the route Socotra Island A place that feels like another planet White beaches | Dragon's blood trees | Dagub Cave Starry skies | Desert roses | Rare wildlife and plants Socotra, a remote Yemeni island, is known for distinctive natural scenery and rich biodiversity. One of the Earth's most isolated landscapes, it is home to nearly 700 distinctive species, many found only here. White beaches, desert roses, dragon's blood trees and rare wildlife create an almost extraterrestrial world. Key photography locations 01 / Desert roses Desert roses bloom quietly across Socotra's wilderness. Not true roses, they take their name from the beautiful flowers they produce in arid conditions. Adenium socotranum belongs to the dogbane family and is a drought-adapted succulent native to Socotra. 02 / Dragon's blood trees The dragon's blood tree is one of Socotra's distinctive plants. Its deep-red resin is known as 'dragon's blood'. At night, the trees take on a mysterious quality against the stars, seeming to bridge earth and sky and unite the mysteries of nature and the universe. 03 / White beaches Photograph Socotra's white beaches and coastal scenery. Specific locations and timings await confirmation by the operator. More sample photographs
Accommodation
- 9 nights
- IncludedAccommodation at the hotel described as Socotra's best, with 3 nights of camping;
- ExcludedSingle-room supplements requested voluntarily by guests;
Meals
- IncludedThe best available dining arrangements on Socotra throughout;
- IncludedBottled drinking water for each person daily.
Visa
- IncludedVisas for the entire journey;
A CLEAR PICTURE
Know what is included
Deposit in the operator’s published information
per personThis amount reflects the payment terms in the operator’s published information. When booking through this platform, follow the payment schedule shown at checkout.
Public prices may change. Checkout quotes expire at a stated time; your confirmed order records its price and payment deadlines.
Included
1. Accommodation at the hotel described as Socotra's best, with 3 nights of camping;
2. Off-road vehicles throughout, with 3 participants per vehicle;
3. The best available dining arrangements on Socotra throughout;
4. Visas for the entire journey;
5. Photography instruction and services throughout;
6. Full-trip personal assistance from a Chinese-speaking tour leader;
7. Initial admission fees for all attractions;
8. Travel accident insurance;
9. Bottled drinking water for each person daily.
Not included
1. All flights from your departure city to Jeddah and between Jeddah and Socotra, round trip;
2. Potential tips for trip service staff and portrait subjects;
3. Single-room supplements requested voluntarily by guests;
4. Personal expenses, including laundry, telephone, fax, pay television, late-night meals, drinks, postage, luggage handling and evening activities;
5. In force majeure circumstances such as natural disasters, war or strikes, or exceptional events including flight delays or cancellations and consular visa delays, the organizing team reserves the right to cancel or modify the itinerary. Additional costs, including visas, accommodation, meals, transport and national airfare adjustments, may be charged at cost. We will nevertheless try within our ability to minimize participants' losses;
6. Other unspecified additional service charges and personal expenses;
7. Other additional costs not listed under inclusions.
Single-room supplements, additional local expenses and the final total must be confirmed in writing.
BEFORE YOU GO
What to know before you go
Availability and booking
Let us know if you’re interested in this trip. Availability is not updated in real time, so please contact us to check whether the trip is confirmed, how many places are available, and the final total and booking terms.
Trip information
[Transport] 1. Flights arranged by the organizing team use economy-class group tickets. Before tickets are issued, check the airline's rules for changes and refunds. 2. Flight, road and boat journey times may vary with conditions on the day. 3. The airlines and flight times listed are for guidance only. Flight changes may require minor adjustments to the itinerary. Please follow the final trip details sent before departure. [Accommodation] The total is based on two people sharing a room. We'll try to match solo travelers with a roommate of the same gender. If you prefer not to share, or no roommate is available, you must pay a single supplement for your own room. [Group meals] We aim to serve meals suited to Chinese tastes. We make sure everyone has enough to eat. [Photography] 1. Photography sessions follow the itinerary, but conditions on the day may affect how long we spend at each location. 2. Read the itinerary carefully and choose a trip that suits your health and circumstances. Skipping part of the itinerary for health or other personal reasons, or choosing not to use the arranged accommodation or transport, counts as voluntary withdrawal from those arrangements. You are responsible for your own safety while not taking part in the itinerary. 3. Stay with the group during photography sessions unless you have permission to leave. This does not apply during free time. The organizing team is not responsible for accidents that occur while you are away from the group. 4. Typhoons, blizzards or other events beyond our control may require changes to the itinerary. [Fuel surcharges] The organizing team reserves the right to adjust the amount payable if fluctuations in global oil markets lead to a substantial rise in fuel surcharges. If the team can absorb the increase, the amount payable will remain unchanged. [Before departure] 1. We'll send your final trip details no later than the day before departure. If arrangements are confirmed sooner, we'll let you know as soon as possible. 2. If the online itinerary differs from the final trip details sent before departure, the final trip details take precedence. [Optional activities at your own expense] Under the Tourism Law provisions prohibiting travel agencies from arranging optional paid activities, please contact the provider directly for details, charges and bookings if you wish to take part. If you need language assistance from a guide or tour leader, any help is provided in a personal capacity, whether paid or unpaid. It is not provided on behalf of the organizing team or the local tour operator. The organizing team is not involved in the payments, transactions or service standards for activities during free time. You are responsible for the outcome of those arrangements. The photographs above were taken by the photography instructors.
Itinerary notes
Photography locations, accommodations and transportation are subject to final confirmation before departure. Weather and local conditions may affect the itinerary.
Itinerary dates use Asia/Aden. Flight, transfer and other times follow the time zone stated for each location. Please confirm any time without a stated time zone before departure.