Photography tuition

The Botswana wildlife photo safari focuses on making the most of our time in the field. Offering both photography lessons throughout all game drives and back at the camp. Guests will learn both traditional and creative photography techniques. We will discuss high and low-key photography, rim lighting, and panning with slow shutter speeds. Additionally, we’ll cover how to make the best use of the ever-changing light conditions to hand.

We tailor our tuition to meet the unique needs of each guest, welcoming photographers of all skill levels on this tour, along with passionate wildlife enthusiasts. Our collaboration with a reputable local operator in Botswana, with whom we’ve partnered for several years, ensures a top-notch experience. They provide highly rated, registered field guides from Botswana, along with a friendly and efficient support team and an outstanding chef.

This Botswana wildlife photo safari is designed primarily for photographers, whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned pro. However, we also invite non-photographers to join us on all our adventures. If you have a love for nature and want to immerse yourself in the beauty of Botswana, this tour is perfect for you.

The accommodation

Our Botswana wildlife photo safari is ideal for anyone eager to explore the breathtaking wildlife of Botswana at a relaxed pace. For more information, check out the accommodation tab. We invite both photographers and non-photographers to join us on this adventure.

On our Botswana wildlife photo safari, we limit the group size to a maximum of 6 participants. For groups of 4 or more, the tour is led by two experienced photography hosts. When there are 4 or more guests, we utilize two roomy game viewing vehicles that feature open sides and three rows of tiered seating in the back.

This setup ensures that each guest has their own row, allowing ample space for photography. The vehicle is equipped with a covered roof to shield you from the midday sun. It also includes a storage area for your main luggage, which is handy on days when we transit between camps.

Each vehicle on this Botswana wildlife photo safari is equipped with a spacious fridge in the main seating area, always stocked with bottled water and refreshing drinks, along with charging facilities for your devices. There are adjustable wooden mounts on either side (not visible in the image below). Suitable for guests who want to use beanbags or clamps to steady their camera lenses. The seating area behind the driver/guide accommodates a total of 8 people across three rows, but for this photographic safari, we limit it to just 3 guests per vehicle, allowing each photographer their whole own row.

Your photography guides will be seated at the front alongside a qualified local Botswana field guide. They will skillfully navigate the game tracks, river crossings, and waterways on our journey. Throughout your tour, your hosts will alternate between the two vehicles, allowing you to spend time with both of your photography guides.

During your tour, each of your hosts will alternate between the two vehicles. Allowing you to spend quality time with both of your photography guides. They bring a wealth of experience to the table, with our three guides boasting over 45 years of combined expertise in photo tour guiding. Your photography hosts will tailor their advice and instruction to meet the unique needs of each individual. In addition to providing comprehensive guidance during the safari, they will also present slide shows filled with tips and techniques to help you make the most of your time and seize the abundant photographic opportunities on our Botswana wildlife photo safari.

We take pride in fostering a casual, enjoyable atmosphere on our tours, while our guides remain dedicated to focusing on our guests and their photographic and travel aspirations. Our hosts are committed to delivering exceptional service with a friendly demeanour, ensuring that you have a wonderful experience throughout the tour. This dedication has helped us cultivate a warm ‘family’ of returning and loyal guests, and each year, our guides look forward to welcoming new members into this community. Be sure to check out our testimonials HERE.

Day 2: 

This morning, we’ll gather before breakfast for a delightful 2-3 hour private boat trip along the Chobe riverfront. Our main focus will be capturing stunning photographs of the diverse bird species that call this area home, including kingfishers, darters, cormorants, African fish eagles, egrets, and many more. We’ll make sure to return to the lodge in time for breakfast. Afterward, guests can enjoy some leisure time, whether that means taking a short 5-10 minute walk to the nearby town of Kasane or simply relaxing at the lodge. Lunch will be a laid-back affair, allowing guests to eat at their convenience. Our hosts will be on hand during lunch for anyone who would like feedback on their morning photography.

In the afternoon, we’ll reconvene as a group for another 3-hour private boat cruise. This time, we’ll likely spot various mammals, including buffalo, hippos, and antelope grazing along the riverbanks. The late afternoon is the perfect opportunity to observe and photograph elephants, as they gather to drink and feed near the water. We’ll also have more chances to capture the local birdlife and enjoy the breathtaking sunset. In the evening, we’ll come together for our final group dinner.  Overnight Chobe Safari Lodge. (Dinner bed & Breakfast Basis)

Days 3-5:

After enjoying an early breakfast, we will meet our two safari field guides, who will accompany us for the next 10 days. Our adventure begins as we set off towards our first camp in the Savuti region, which is part of Chobe National Park. The journey will take about 4-6 hours, and we’ll have a packed lunch along the way. Savuti is renowned for its wildlife, having been featured in numerous documentaries, including the NatGeo series ‘Savage Kingdom.’

This area is fantastic for wildlife enthusiasts, offering great chances to spot lions, leopards, elephants, and buffalo. If time allows, we’ll embark on an afternoon drive, returning just after sunset. We’ll also enjoy two full days of morning and afternoon game drives to explore this stunning region, where we hope to encounter the famous Savuti pride of lions. Additionally, Savuti is a prime spot for capturing stunning photographs of the impressive bull elephants that gather at the waterholes. After one of our morning game drives, we can opt for a short hike to see the ancient bushman paintings and visit the majestic baobab trees in the area. Overnight: 3-nights private mobile camp – Savute (All Inclusive) 

Days 6-8:

After our final morning drive in Savuti, we’ll pause for a coffee break in the bush before embarking on our journey to the next camp, where we’ll spend three nights in the stunning Khwai concession area. The drive will take approximately 4-5 hours through the wilderness, and we’ll savor a bush lunch along the way. While in the Khwai area, we’ll have the chance to enjoy both morning and afternoon game drives. This picturesque region offers fantastic opportunities to spot wild dogs, lions, leopards, hippos, elephants, and many other species. Overnight: 3-nights private mobile camp – Khwai Area (all Inclusive)

Days 9-11:

We’ll kick off our day with a final morning game drive in the stunning Khwai area before setting off on our adventure into the heart of the magnificent Moremi Game Reserve. The drive to our camp will take about 4-6 hours, and we’re likely to spot some wildlife along the way. We’ll make a few rest stops and enjoy a packed lunch during our journey. By mid-afternoon, we’ll arrive at our private camp within the reserve, where we can relax briefly before heading out for our first afternoon game drive in Moremi, returning just after sunset. We’ll have two full days filled with morning and afternoon game drives, allowing us to explore the beautiful landscapes of Moremi, including its various pans and the edges of the delta. Overnight: 3 nights private mobile camp – Moremi Game Reserve (all Inclusive)

Days 12:

This morning, we’ll embark on our final game drive, soaking in the last moments of wildlife before we reluctantly leave the reserve and head back to Maun. The journey will take about 4 to 5 hours, during which we’ll enjoy a light lunch along the way. We’ll arrive at the delightful Thamalakane River Lodge, located just a short 20-minute drive from Maun. Nestled along the banks of the Thamalakane River, this lovely lodge boasts stunning views and is home to a variety of water birds.

The accommodations consist of spacious stone chalets with thatched roofs, featuring cozy beds and en-suite bathrooms with showers and toilets. It’s here that we’ll bid farewell to our wonderful local field guides. After capturing the beautiful sunset from the lodge, we’ll gather in the evening for our final dinner together as a group (at your own expense).  Overnight: Thamalakane River Lodge. (Dinner bed & Breakfast Basis)

Days 13:

The next morning guests are free to have a leisurely breakfast before checking out of your rooms. An airport transfer is included for those who are flying out on this day from Maun (MUB) to connect with your onward flight.

Please Note: You will need to arrange your own international flights that will arrive into Kasane (BBK) for the start of the safari (Day 1) and flights that depart at the end of the safari (Day 13) from Maun (MUB). Air Botswana and South African Airlink both serve these destinations with daily flights to/from Johannesburg.

Chobe Safari Lodge is situated a 5-minute walk from the town of Kasane and directly on the border of Chobe National Park. The lovely lodge, which has just been refurbished in 2025 is located on the banks of the Chobe River and provides superb views. The lodge features a large restaurant, bar area, swimming pool, spa, gift shop and an activities centre. This medium-sized and very popular lodge offers a very good standard of accommodation. It consists of 68 spacious en-suite rooms. Featuring a balcony or terrace, air-conditioning, bath & shower facilities, writing desk and chairs, satellite television, safe and telephone. This lodge offers the perfect location on the river with just a 10-15-minute drive to Kasane Airport.

This delightful lodge is placed on the banks of the Thamalakane River, just 19kms from Maun. En-suite stone chalets are positioned in the shade of the riverine forest, overlooking the river. Chalets, public areas and the small swimming pool take advantage of the 180-degree view of the riverbanks lined with fluttering reeds visited by an ever-changing array of waterfowl, and birds and the occasional hippo. Babbler Chalet interiors are open plan and feature a partial stone wall in between the bedroom and bathroom area. The bathroom features a shower, hand-basin and toilet. Rooms are well ventilated and each has a veranda with lovely views of the Thamalakane River. Tea/coffee making facilities are included in each room.

Our accommodation for the mobile-tented portion of the Botswana wildlife photo safari will be in large 3.5 x 3m (11.5ft x 9.8ft) large ‘Meru style’ tents. Each tent comes complete with your own en-suite bathroom area. Containing a seated and covered long drop toilet, plus a shower that is filled up with hot water upon your request. The en- suite area of your tent is accessed from within the inside of the tent. It has a large privacy screen around it and separate to your sleeping area.

Single travellers that pay the single supplement will have their own tents. The tents have flaps on all sides to enable plenty of ventilation. You are provided with comfortable camping beds with proper mattresses and all bedding is provided. In addition, your tent features a small table and a lantern. In front of the tent you have a basin for washing your hands. It is filled with clean water every morning and evening.

dining in the bush

For game viewing during our Botswana wildlife photo safari we would recommend bringing a camera/lenses that can cater for a range of distances, A good starting point is to have a camera/lens that can accommodate focal lengths of between 100 – 400mm (or for prime lenses 300mm – 600mm). In general, you will be using longer lenses/focal length for the majority of the time and especially with the big cats. Generally, for birds you will need a longer reach of 500mm and above. This advice above is based on full frame cameras.

It is also a good idea to bring a wider-angle lens for those shots at the waterholes where large numbers of elephants may congregate (e.g. 18-55mm/24-70mm/24-120mm etc.)

Often on safari you will be photographing in the early morning and early evening and therefore sometimes in low light. So, for those more serious photographers we therefore recommend faster lenses, for example F4 or below. For those who wish to do any night/astro photography we suggest a wide-angle lens that is enables an aperture of anything from F1.8-F4.0. Please do feel free to discuss any of your photography

It can be quite dusty on safari. So, we recommend bringing a dust bag or light cover for cameras. Often an old small pillowcase is perfect for protecting your camera in the vehicle from the dust. A great solution when it is sitting on your lap/for times when not in your camera bag). A basic lens wipe/lens duster is also recommended.

Further assistance on cameras and lenses can be provided by contacting us direct.

Gratuities:

Gratuities are not included in the cost of your safari. What you provide as a gratuity is very much up to the individual traveler. However, below is a guideline of what is generally recommended to budget for. Your hosts will be responsible for the collection of gratuities and will ensure that these are fairly distributed. Below is a rough indication and an approximate suggested guide of what is recommended to provide, we would suggest providing in USD.

Main Safari Guide: Approx. Suggested $15-20 USD per guest per day (This will be split between the 2 x local Botswana guides who are operating your safari or 1 x guide for groups of 4 or less. Please budget for 11-days for the 12-night/13-day departures.

Mobile camping: support team (cooks/camp assistants) Approx. $15-20 USD per guest per day (this will be split between all of the camp staff – we usually have 5-6 support staff, including a private chef) for a maximum group size of 8 people/plus 2 hosts. Please budget for 11-days for the 12-night/13-day departures.