3 premier Destinations
September 2024
Botswana is one of the most sought-after premier wildlife photographic destinations in Africa. This safari has been meticulously planned to cover three of the best wildlife locations; the Okavango Delta, Savuti, and the Chobe River, giving you the most diverse environments and the best variety of wildlife photographic opportunities in Botswana. We have selected each location for its uniqueness; you will have the opportunity for night photography, driving off-roads without restrictions, photographing out of but near the vehicle for incredible perspectives, and at eyelevel with the wildlife on the banks of and it Chobe River.
While on land, we will use private, custom open vehicles; you will have your own row to spread out all your gear to have it ready at a moment’s notice and an unobstructed view from both sides of the vehicle. You will NOT have to shoot over or around another photographer, who would be sitting next to you on most other safaris offered. On the Chobe River, we will use custom photo boats with innovate customer features, such as seats with a custom designed mount for your big lens that rotates a full 360 degrees.
THE LOCATIONS
The Okavango Delta is one of the most spectacular natural wildlife phenomena on the planet, supporting an ecosystem that sustains one of the highest concentrations of large game animals in Africa. Remarkably, it is a matchless wetland paradise in the arid Kalahari Desert. Our luxury accommodations are waterfront with some of the best opportunities to see a pack of wild dogs, lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants, buffalos, and more. We can drive off-road, enabling us to follow predators and improve our vehicle positioning for photography. Since we are just outside the Moremi National Park with no gate restrictions, we can extend our game drives well into the evening when the big cats are on the move for an excellent chance of dramatic night wildlife photography.
Savute achieved international fame from documentaries, such as Eternal Enemies by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, with unbelievable lion and hyena interactions, and the numerous documentaries filmed in the area by the BBC. This semi-arid area harbors one of the densest dry-season concentrations of elephants in Africa. Due to drought conditions in the past few years, the canal is dry, but water is pumped into a few select areas, drawing all the animals across this dusty environment. Imagine all the drama that is certain to unfold as all the animals cross the expansive savannahs to gather at the same water hole. The dust and light will make spectacular photographs, images that get to one’s soul.
The Chobe River is one of the most incredible wildlife experiences offered on the continent, where animals congregate along the river to drink and to feed on the lush greenery. The custom photo boats we will use have a shallow draught, enabling us to access shallow water to make near-silent, drifting approaches to our subjects, getting eye-level perspectives that are much more difficult to achieve on land. Don’t be surprised when you are face to face with battling hippos and elephants swimming! Elephants will not only come to drink from the river, but will also swim across it; if we are lucky, they will stop in the middle to play, which is an unbelievable sight. This is also a birder’s paradise with a wide variety of species, including African fish eagles, colorful Malachite Kingfisher, the largest heron in the world – the goliath, skinners, kingfishers, and colorful bee-eaters. With our custom photo boats, these birds are more approachable on the Chobe River than anywhere else in Africa.
Itinerary
September 16, 2024 (1 night)
Arrive in Maun Botswana. Our ground operator will meet you and transfer you to Thamalakane River Lodge.
Check in time is 14:00.
Accommodations: Thamalakane River Lodge
September 17 -19, 2024 (3 nights)
After an early breakfast we fly to Khwai. The Okavango Delta rarely needs an introduction, as it is one of the most sought after wildlife destinations in the world. It is a unique environment of floodplains and woodlands filled with diverse exotic wildlife. We will be here during the dry season when the animals move south from the huge Mopani Woodland area, in search of water.
Nestled in a riverine tree line, our small traditional luxury safari camp offers spectacular river views and excellent food – enveloped in a layer of warm hospitality. Inspired by the authentic spirit of a safari the eco-luxury canvas tents provide the romantic ambience of a true explorer and the comforts of a modern-day citizen of the world. Its exceptional location makes it a regular host to elephants, buffalos, lions, leopards, cheetahs and wild dogs. As we are staying outside the reserve we will also be able to drive off roads and do night game drives.
Accommodations: Machaba Camp (B, L, D Beverages)
September 20 -22, 2024 (3 nights)
After our morning game drive we will fly into Savuti, an arid dusty environment with skeletal trees that make for some striking photographic opportunities in the dry season. The area is renowned for its sightings of lions and hyenas as well as well as supporting a large population of bull elephants. Cheetah can often be seen on the plains around the marshes and the many rocky outcrops mean that leopard is common. If we are lucky we should see the wild dogs.
We will be staying at the 5-star Savute Elephant camp with 12 luxurious rooms raised on wooden platforms, each with an outdoor lounge shade by a traditional thatch roof.
Accommodations: Savuti Elephant Lodge (B, L, D, Beverages)
September 23, 2024 (1 night)
After our early morning game drive and breakfast, we will fly to Kasane, where we will be met by our ground team and transported to our photographic lodge with a view of the Chobe. We will be spending one night here so that we can have access to one afternoon and one morning photo boat excursion through the channel.
Accommodations: Photography Lodge (B, L, D, Beverages)
September 24 -26, 2024 (3 nights)
After our early morning game drive and breakfast, we will transfer to our exclusive luxury houseboat, on the Chobe River. Our houseboat is spread over three levels with multiple decks. The lounge and dining area, located on the middle deck, can be opened on three side, with stunning panoramic views. The upper level hosts a viewing deck equipped with table, chairs and sun loungers, perfect for relaxing as we drift between our private mooring points. The lower deck features five en-suite cabins decorated with solid African rosewood furnishing.
We will spend the next four days cruising along the Chobe River in search of every incredible photographic opportunity. During the mornings and afternoons, we will go out on our own private, custom built photo boat with fully rotating chairs and fitted with state of the art camera mounts. We will have highly specialized guides with an encyclopedic knowledge of the river and its inhabitants, who will seek out any specific photographic subjects we request. These boats are available at any time during our four days on the boat and are moored alongside, should any photographic opportunity present itself as we cruise along the river. Staying on the river also gives us extended hours on the water before sunrise and after sunset.
Accommodations: Luxury House Boat (B, L, D, Beverages)
September 27, 2024
We will have one last morning boat drive along the shores of the river. After breakfast we will be transferred to shore and the international airport in Kasane. Flights can be booked after 14:00/2:00PM (B)
Why this safari is for you?
This photographic safari caters to only 7 photographers, which offers you more personalized photographic instruction and the flexibility of a private safari. Meticulously designed, this is one of the only itineraries in Botswana offering three amazing locations, which will give you an incredible diverse portfolio of images from only one safari. In the open vehicles, you will have an entire row to yourself, so you do not have the obstruction and frustration of trying to shoot over the person sitting next to you. On the Chobe River, you will be in state of the art photo boats with seats that have a custom designed mount for your big lens that rotates a full 360 degrees; again, you can shoot without any obstructions.
During our safari, we will see a variety of exotic wildlife; however, some special subjects may require watching their behavior and waiting for those special moments. This is when patience pays off, rewarding you with extraordinary photographs. You will be with like-minded people, interested in quality, award-winning photographs. We will spend a great deal of time and effort in the field and quality time with the wildlife—unless it is quiet and the light is too harsh—and we will return to our camp/lodge for the midday break. We will be back at our camp/lodge for a nice dinner and drinks around the fire every night.
This is an outdoor photography safari, so being fit and in good health will allow you to enjoy the trip more comfortably. Clients must be physically able to carry their gear to the safari vehicles and boats and be able to climb into and out of the safari vehicles and boats. Each guest should be physically capable of sitting in all rows/seats in the vehicle.
Since this itinerary is built to spend most of our time in the field, this is not a formal workshop with any planned lectures, slide shows, or formal instruction, but Piper is there to assist you throughout the entire Safari. She is generous with her time and instruction and available for questions on all photographic topics, including business questions on marketing, branding, and creating a niche. When there is an afternoon break, she will be happy to review your images, portfolios, or give an impromptu slide show or talk. This is largely why the group size is kept small, so she can spend more one on one time, assisting you when needed.
Important Details
The Price
The price of this premier wildlife photographic safari is $15,295.00. This price is based on double occupancy.
Private accommodations are extremely limited and come at a premium. Private accommodation can be confirmed for all accommodations except for the houseboat, which only has one private room available. This room will be confirmed, once the trip is sold out, and the other rooms allocated. If you must have single accommodations please inquire prior to registration. Priority for a private room will be based on the order the deposit is received with the request for a private room on the registration.
The cost of private accommodations is 3,395.00
***The cost of this safari is based on a minimum of 7 participants. If there are less than 7 participants a small supplement fee of $995.00 will apply.
A USD $5,000.00 Non-refundable deposit is due at the time of registration to secure your spot. We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance to cover your deposit and trip.
Payment Terms
- USD $5,000.00 non-refundable deposit to confirm your place on this safari
- 2nd payment of USD $5,500.00 is due October 1, 2023
- Final payment/balance is due May 15, 2024
- We highly recommend trip and cancellation insurance.
Price Includes:
- Three In-country flights with extra weight allowance (Total of 70lbs)
- Airport transfers
- First class accommodations
- Guaranteed row and window seat in private 4X4 Land cruisers
- All National Parks fees, Game Reserves entrance fees, and taxes
- Custom photo boats
- All meals except on arrival and departure days (Breakfast on Sept 17 – Breakfast on Sept 27)
- Water, soda, coffee, tea, domestic beer and wine at lodges and camps
What’s Not Included:
- Visas
- Travel Insurance
- Personal purchases (such as curious, top shelf spirit liquors, telephone calls, internet,
- Gratuities for the guides, staff at accommodations, and airport transfers
- Optional extra activities
- Pre- and post-safari tours
- Meals or accommodation before or after the safari
- International flights to and from the African Continent
- Airport taxes
- Covid testing
