Testimonials:

Ethiopia wildlife

I’ve been to seven countries on the African continent, and many other countries around the world, and I have to say that this trip ranks among the top as one of my best trips ever. I liked the length of time we spent at each of the locations, which gave us the best chance for wildlife viewing of the wolves and geladas (our viewings were so much better than I could have imagined). I’m partial to mammals, so this itinerary was perfect. I really enjoyed the company of the other guests too.

But I have to say, what made the difference was probably having Dale as a photo tour leader. Not only is he a fantastic photographer, but he also has so much knowledge on animal behavior. And I like that he also has a background in conservation. He is obviously passionate about animals and the environment, which is so important on trips like this where we are viewing an endangered animal like the Ethiopian wolf. I am also a very novice photographer, but he wasn’t pushy about instructing me. He was always ready and willing to provide feedback and tips, but he always made it my choice if I wanted to try something new in the moment or at a later time, so I wasn’t overwhelmed. He also was a very patient instructor and didn’t talk down to me when I didn’t get something at first. I do think my photos from this trip are much better than my usual ones because of him. I wouldn’t hesitate to book another trip with ORYX Photo Tours with Dale as the leader.

Ethiopia wildlife

I have been on international photo tours with a number of organizations of which Oryx is by far the best in terms of interesting destinations, itineraries, excellent guides, and great back-office organization.
Dale Morris was very helpful with photography advice and personally interested in my efforts. I came away with improved skills and better photos. He was also very good at keeping the tours hassle free from the guest’s perspective, though I’m sure there was a lot going on behind the scenes.
The office staff were excellent and solved issues that arose promptly.
Peter Flatt

Borneo 2022

Dale is a great guide who gives 110% effort in making sure everyone is having fun, getting great photos, and making sure everything is running well. Oryx needs to be very pleased to have him as one of your guides.

Our trip to Borneo was a wonderful experience. Dale was a fantastic guide, and ensured they we were able to maximize any opportunities we had to see the unique wildlife that Borneo has to offer. It was an extremely challenging photographic experience, but with Dale’s guidance we were able to photograph animals, particularly gibbons, in low light situations, even though they refused our requests for a pose, and then tried to hide amongst the branches. With Dale’s expert tuition my photographic skills improved, especially when the lighting was not the best, and the animals were their most active. I have some absolutely amazing shots of the Orangutans! For extra tuition, I would recommend sharing a beer with Dale at the end of a hot and humid day’s outing.

Borneo 2022

I would like to thank the ORYX team for all the work in putting together the Borneo trip. I have a little understanding of all the effort it takes in booking tours and arranging all the guests and making sure all their unique requirements are met. Covid-19 just made it so much more complicated. Thank you, it was a job well done and appreciated.

Also I would like to thank and acknowledge Dale Morris. He was a superb tour and photography lead, taking care of the little needs of individuals or of the group to ensure our trip ran smoothly – whether it was an issue with a room or any other minor thing he could help with.
Under Dale’s expert photography tutelage, our photography skills increased remarkably over the ten or so days, learning new techniques such as macro and flash photography, improving the way we utilized our cameras, and constantly reinforcing the need to check camera settings and think about our compositions. Dale worked tirelessly trying to get us into the right place/position at the right time so that we could capture those special images.We also enjoyed Dale’s engaging company and sharing our meals and downtime and will look forward to traveling with Dale sometime in the future.

Madagascar 2022

Our Madagascar tour was everything and more than I imagined it would be.  I appreciated all the help and information I received from both oryx and Dale prior to the trip.  All my questions ranging from travel arrangements to appropriate photo gear to bring were answered efficiently. The itinerary was well thought out, and the accommodations were nice.

The local guides and Dale were excellent. They were knowledgeable about the wildlife for which we were looking. I was amazed at how good the guides were at spotting these animals. The attention to detail on this tour was excellent.

I cannot commend our ORYX tour leaders more for their guidance in making this trip successful. They did their best to accommodate the needs of each of the six diverse individuals. Dale was a wealth of information. I learned a lot about the ecology and wildlife we were seeing from him. While some tour leaders spend time getting their own good shots, the members of our group always came first on this tour. Dale was constantly finding windows and angles from which each person could get good shots of our subjects. He also encouraged us to leave our narrow comfort zones and try new techniques. I personally learned how to use a flash in combination with a wide-angle lens to obtain very interestingly, different views of some of the lemurs. I had never used a flash previously, and Dale took the time to teach me how to use one. He also taught me how to take motion photos.  It was fun to try some new techniques that I would have never attempted without his encouragement. While he has great technical skills, Dale is personable and very fun. He made the tour so enjoyable that I can’t wait to go on another photo adventure with him.

Madagascar 2022 (private)

It was while on my first private ORYX photo tour with Dale Morris in Londolozi, South Africa, that the idea of a Madagascar photo trip germinated. It took three years, but I finally got to experience another trip of a life-time with Dale in that magical place, photographing all my targeted species in the impossibly finite time window I had given ORYX. 

Where to start?  I cannot thank ORYX enough for their patience in putting together this amazing tour. For those who are unaware, Madagascar is no easy place to plan predictable travel! The fact that all the moving parts – interior flights, hotels, safe food, competent drivers, comfortable vehicles, local guides, boat trips, park access, etc. – came together for a perfect experience is a testament to their expertise and competence. Once I told Dale what I wanted to do, the ORYX team got it done.

A special shout-out to Nonotinamalala – “Nono” – Dale’s right-hand man in Madagascar, who used his wizardry with Air Madagascar and countless other contacts to ensure smooth sailing – or hiking – or flying – or driving. It was fascinating to watch them work so well together to get the job done.Once I landed in Tana, Dale made sure I was comfortable and ready for the journey ahead. From our time in Kruger, I knew I would be in good hands. He is an amazingly talented photographer, but, just as important, is able to expertly share this knowledge of wildlife and photography with his guests while in the field, guaranteeing the best photos possible. 

While I have been on over 30 photo expeditions all over the world, I always know I will learn new techniques from Dale, and he sure did not disappoint on this trip. Handling the challenges of Madagascar, attending to the desires and needs of his clients, and ultimately delivering the goods while maintaining a sense of humor and professionalism is no small feat!

My passion for wildlife photography tends to be species driven – the ultimate headache for tour leaders, as we all know that in nature, nothing is promised. I have to say that, with a little luck and a lot of Dale’s expertise, I was able to come away with stunning images of EVERY ONE of the critters on my Madagascar bucket list.

OK, Dale, where to next?

Madagascar 2022

I’ve been meaning to send in a special review and ‘thank you’ for our two outstanding guides in Madagascar!  As you know I’m impressed enough with Dale to book a second trip with him to Borneo next year!

We want to put in a special ‘thank you for Dale Morris and Nono who made our recent trip to

Madagascar so special. We now know that Madagascar is not an easy trip and presents many challenges to the traveller. Bad, rough, incomplete roads, unreliable airlines and vehicles, and other events that cannot be anticipated. However, Dale and Nono worked with Oryx behind the scenes to make the trip as pleasant as possible. They elevated our trip to be outstanding despite the obstacles and we want them to know how much we appreciate the hard work they put in to make this trip so productive and to enable us to capture the best photographs.

Brazil 2022

I very much enjoyed my time on the 2022 Pantanal photo tour as I had when I was on the one in 2017. Both times Dale Morris was our guide and photo expert. As always, Dale was a gem, and he was clearly happy and enthusiastic to be leading a tour after many months of COVID lockdown. I must add that the tour was made particularly enjoyable and educational with the participation of Sergio Freitas, PhD (Dale’s local assistant) who served as an excellent and affable Brazilian language/logistics facilitator and fauna biology expert.

We had plenty of wildlife photo opportunities, and all the lodge accommodations were very good.

Our time on the Jacare – our boat hotel – was very pleasant.

Our ‘Jaguar tracking’ boat driver was highly skilled both on our sprints and in holding steady while maximizing our photographic opportunities. To sum up, my friend Alison and I very much enjoyed the 2022 Pantanal tour. It was well planned and conducted with successful innovations adapted to the weather.

I have not counted up the number of separate species that I photographed and videoed, but there were a lot. I did get lots of good shots and video clips of my favorites – giant otters, a loping giant anteater, jaguars, and even two pairs of long-legged seriemas in a loud, pre-dawn territorial battle.

Brazil 2022

Dale Morris was our ORYX photo tour leader on a recent tour to the Pantanal in Brazil. This was either my 5th or 6th trip with Dale, and I have 3 more with him in the works. It is hard to imagine there could be a better guide than Dale. He is extremely knowledgeable about wildlife, a miracle worker with his camera and advice, and can do some great animal impressions. You will be in excellent hands should you decide to travel with ORYX and Dale. I highly recommend him regardless of your level of photographic expertise.

Borneo 2019

I had the pleasure of attending the 2019 ORYX Borneo Photography Tour. It was a trip that far exceeded my expectations, with every day full day of activities and new experiences. The trip was well organized by ORYX Photo Tours and expertly run by our guide Dale Morris. You can not find a more experienced or enthusiastic guide than Dale. He makes every day unique and fun filled. The weather was hot and humid but this did not deter us. We saw a great variety of wildlife from tiny insects to pygmy elephants. The Orangutans were the highlight of the photo safari. We had multiple encounters up close and personal. We stayed at four unique lodges. Each lodge offered a different variety of wildlife. The rooms were very nice and the food was very good and plentiful. It was fun trying some of the local foods and the many different fruits. I have traveled extensively and this trip will go down as one of my ultimate favorites. Thank you, ORYX Photo Tours and Dale, for an experience I will never forget.