Daniel Bailey

MEET DANIEL BAILEY – ADVENTURER, WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER & ORYX INTERNATIONAL PHOTO TOUR LEADER

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Daniel’s bond with the natural world runs deep. From a young age, the call of the wild shaped his path, evolving into a lifelong passion for wildlife photography and exploration.

A seasoned and qualified FGASA guide, Daniel spent seven years working as a ranger and specialist photographic guide in South Africa’s world-renowned Sabi Sands and MalaMala Game Reserve. It was here, in the heart of big cat country, that his love for wildlife photography and storytelling came to full fruition. During this time, he also assisted film crews from the BBC, National Geographic, and Netflix, further honing his skills and gaining invaluable behind-the-scenes experience in wildlife cinematography.

With over a decade of experience behind the lens and in the field, Daniel has guided photographic safaris across Africa’s most iconic landscapes — from South Africa and Botswana to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. His sharp eye for animal behavior and instinct for positioning guests in the perfect position and light sets him apart as one of ORYX’s most skilled and sought-after leaders.

Daniel’s journey now continues on a global scale with ORYX Photo Tours, leading guests to wild and remote corners of the world in search of new wildlife subjects. From the icy Arctic realm of Svalbard to the rugged Himalayas of India, and the jungles of Madagascar — Daniel’s sense of adventure is matched only by his dedication to his craft and to the guests who travel with him time and time again. Many have become cherished friends, drawn back by his warmth, professionalism, and the unforgettable experiences he delivers.

Whether you're an aspiring photographer or a seasoned shooter, Daniel offers personalised guidance tailored to your needs — from mastering camera settings and composition to advanced post-processing and cinematic video editing.

Daniel Bailey is more than just a guide — he’s your gateway, companion, and trusted friend on the journey to capturing the world’s wildest places and creatures. With Daniel, every photo tour becomes a rich experience of discovery, storytelling, and unforgettable moments in nature. It’s not just about the images or full memory cards — it’s about the transformative journey, the connections made, and the memories created. With Daniel by your side, you’ll walk away with more than photographs — you’ll carry with you a lifetime of moments that matter.

Client Testimonials

Svalbard Classic

Going on this Svalbard photo tour was an amazing experience, one that left me close to tears at time at the sheer magnitude of what we saw in both the landscape and the wildlife. It was a supreme experience and found it surreal that as Africans with a rich and diverse natural environment around us, we had to travel almost 12 000km north to experience the best that nature has to offer. It was one of the few times I've truly felt a sense of awe and sheer isolation in nature.

Private Namibia

Thanks so much to ORYX Photo Tours. It was another fantastic photo safari!

I would very much recommend all three locations to other guests.

Private South Africa

I recently travelled with ORYX to the Mala Mala Private Game Reserve. I called on them at the 11th hour and they seamlessly booked and planned everything. The destination was amazing, boasting incredible sightings. I look forward to many more photo tours exploring and learning in the wild places of Africa!

Private Zambia

My recent private photo safari to the lower Zambezi National Park with ORYX Photo tours, was nothing less than incredible!

What an amazing destination. Game viewing extends from options to canoe and explore the river via boat, as well as the conventional land cruiser. I even got try my hand at fishing for a tiger fish!

Photographic opportunities were quite unique with the inlets from the Zambezi creating small oases in the bush for animals to drinks and feed at. The expanse of the river also provides beautiful photographic opportunities of hippos and crocodile not to mention incredible sunsets and early morning light! The winter thorn groves capture light in a way that makes for romantic bush scenes. Wildlife is abundant and pristine.

All that’s left to say is I am counting the days until I can return.

ORYX managed all my trip requirements and took the stress of travel out of my trip. I am already rebooked on another tour!

Madagascar

This was a great photo tour. The accommodations were excellent for the locality. Dale and Daniel were excellent tour leaders. I really appreciated Dale's personality and willingness to accommodate all members of the tour. He gave us excellent photo advice and was always looking to put each guest into a good spot to see and photograph the wildlife. I know that some guests had physical mobility issues which made even relatively easy hiking difficult. Dale did his best to accommodate these individuals. The drivers who transported us from place to place were excellent as the roads in Madagascar are amazingly poor. I would gladly do another trip with Dale.

Private South Africa

This was my last safari for this year with ORYX photo tours. I am on a journey of photographic discovery, of the natural world, as well as of my own artistic expression.

I have been so blessed to have the means to follow this passion but even more so, to have been able to travel with ORYX as a company and Daniel Bailey as my guide. Their collective direction and guidance have provided me with opportunities to freely experiment and test my skills. I have collected some incredible images and experiences, not least of all this latest safari.

Covering Londolozi and MalaMala in 8 days, I revisited some favourite characters in the leopard population. It has been so special to return and find a precious cute cub grown into a formidable male leopard.

This area of the world is where my soul breathes, under towering trees that have incalculable years under them, lining a living, moving Sand River which houses all manner of bushveld experiences that have become special memories for those who have visited her. My own new memories have a two-crocodile tangle over a hyena carcass, summer storms and rainbows of promise, delights of dung beetles rolling their wares away, new leopards I had not yet encountered, mating leopards and a little training in flash photography (need a lot more practice here…. Going to need to rebook :)) amongst many more sightings.

Perspective - is the most valuable skill I have been able to develop through this journey to date, in photography and in life. With the ORYX team supporting me, I could leap into adventures I may not have had the courage to take on alone.

Wishing all at ORYX a blessed festive season! I look forward to the adventures 2023 will bring

MalaMala South Africa

It was wonderfully refreshing to be back in the sands breathing in the summer bushveld aromas. The combination of the two properties is easily a favourite for me. We were very fortunate with the weather and then some incredible sightings. I absolutely loved the abundance of calm elephants. We were able to sit in their midst and listen to the sounds in the lush greenery, feeding and drinking, competing for marulas and going about family life.

We were treated to a gorgeous leopard cub with a very playful spirit and Piet and Dan got me there in perfect light and positioning for some epic images! I love being down in the south of MalaMala, so a few days with access from the magnificently tranquil space of the Tengile lodge is a real privilege. We explored the property quite extensively enjoying views of the Sabie river into Kruger and a beautiful big male leopard with some very interesting lineage and survival scars!

Incredible rhino sightings were an absolute treat down south too.

When I think back to this trip though, it seems to have been all about the dogs though … Piet is the dog whisperer I have decided. One can never get enough of wild dogs in my opinion! The dynamic this time was so interesting, a real luxury to experience the interactions and antics between and within packs.

Daniel as always, never missed a detail and took very good care to meet all our expectations. A black rhino lacking maybe but otherwise perfect :)

Thanks again to the ORYX team!

I am super excited for Svalbard! Can somebody please just slow the turning of the globe when I’m out there …. time goes so fast when you’re having fun right?

 