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How Namibia Became Part of My Life
My first trip to Namibia in 2018 was meant to be a photographic expedition. Instead, it sparked a fascination with the country that has kept drawing me back ever since.
Since then, I’ve returned repeatedly to explore more of Namibia’s landscapes, wildlife and remote regions. Every journey has involved months of research, careful planning and thousands of kilometres along remote tracks and back roads, discovering places beyond the obvious highlights.
A Different Path
I grew up in the Netherlands and studied biology, completing a Master’s degree specialising in animal behaviour. My fascination with wildlife eventually led me far beyond Europe, and for more than three decades I have travelled and worked throughout remote parts of Southeast Asia, living with indigenous communities, leading expeditions, and documenting wildlife and traditional cultures through photography.
Those years shaped the way I see travel. As a biologist, I learned that understanding comes from observation, patience and curiosity rather than rushing from one place to the next. That same philosophy shapes every journey I design and guide in Namibia.
Living and working across cultures also taught me that listening is often more important than talking — a lesson that continues to shape the way I travel and guide today.
Travelling with Curiosity
I’ve always enjoyed travelling independently. I like to research and plan carefully, but once on the road I leave room for curiosity. A track worth following, an unexpected conversation or a place that deserves more time can change the course of a day.
That’s the way I like to travel, and it’s the way I guide.
Photography Changed the Way I Travel
Photography has taught me patience. It encourages me to pay attention to light, behaviour and the small details that are easily overlooked. More than that, it has shown me that the best photographs are often the result of simply being present rather than searching for the next picture.
I enjoy capturing moments in time, not because every moment needs to become a photograph, but because the process itself encourages me to slow down, observe and appreciate what is happening around me. Whether you travel with a camera or simply enjoy being outdoors, that same mindset shapes the way I guide.
For me, photography is another way of observing the world.
Why I Started Guiding in Namibia
After many years working in tourism and leading expeditions focused on wildlife, the natural world and indigenous cultures throughout Asia, guiding in Namibia felt like a natural progression.
Namibia brings together many of the interests that have shaped my life: wildlife, remarkable landscapes, remote places and the opportunity to spend time with people whose knowledge of their environment has been built over generations. Guiding here allows me to share those interests through journeys that are personal, flexible and shaped around each traveller.
Toine IJsseldijk
Expedition leader, photographer and guide
Every traveller is different, and every journey should be too. Whether you’re visiting Namibia for the first time or returning to explore more deeply, I’ll help create a journey that matches your interests, your pace and your curiosity.
If my way of travelling feels like the right fit for you, I’d love to show you the Namibia that continues to draw me back.
What Keeps Drawing Me Back
- Following desert-adapted elephants through dry riverbeds
- Finding a quiet campsite far from the crowds
- Sharing coffee as the sun rises
- Watching the first light reach Spitzkoppe
- Exploring roads that rarely appear on itineraries
- Returning to Himba communities in remote Kaokoland