safari photo botswana

Southern Dynasty Safaris

African Safari Vacations

11 Day Best of Botswana Photo Safari

Embark on an unforgettable 11-day journey through the heart of Botswana, exploring its most captivating and diverse wildlife habitats. This exclusive Best of Botswana Photo Safari begins in the vibrant town of Kasane and culminates in the charming city of Maun. Throughout this immersive adventure, you’ll have the opportunity to discover the natural wonders of The Chobe, the Okavango Delta, and The Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

The expedition commences at the illustrious Pangolin Chobe Hotel, a luxurious vantage point perched high above the picturesque Chobe River. Here, you can bask in the breathtaking views while enjoying all the comforts and amenities that this award-winning establishment has to offer. On the third day, an optional day trip to the iconic Victoria Falls awaits, adding an extra layer of wonder to your journey.

Following your Chobe experience, you’ll board a plane bound for the mesmerizing Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its pristine landscapes and rich wildlife. Your next stop is Bushman Plains, where you’ll engage in more land-based photography, capturing the diverse flora and fauna that thrive in this unique ecosystem.

The grand finale of your adventure takes place in the untamed wilderness of the Central Kalahari, where you’ll spend three additional nights at Dinaka. This secluded paradise offers an exceptional opportunity to photograph rarer and less-photographed species during hide sessions. Furthermore, you’ll have the privilege of embarking on game drives within a private concession, providing you with an intimate and unspoiled connection to the wildlife of the region.

This Best of Botswana Photo Safari is a remarkable journey that not only showcases the breathtaking landscapes and extraordinary wildlife of Botswana but also provides you with the opportunity to capture these moments and create lasting memories through your camera lens. It’s an immersive experience that will leave you with a profound appreciation for the natural wonders of this remarkable African nation.

Your adventure commences as you touch down at Kasane International Airport, having journeyed from Johannesburg. As you disembark, a friendly and knowledgeable member of the Pangolin Team awaits to extend a warm welcome and assist you in settling into your Botswana experience.

From the airport, a short transfer will convey you to the magnificent Pangolin Chobe Hotel, an award-winning establishment that sits majestically on a plateau overlooking The Chobe River and the captivating Caprivi floodplains. Here, you'll check in, receive your room assignment, and immediately be immersed in the serene and pristine surroundings.

Upon your arrival, you'll be introduced to your indispensable companion for the duration of your stay – the Pangolin Photo Host. This expert guide is your key to unlocking the secrets of Chobe's remarkable wildlife and ensuring that your photographic journey is both productive and educational.

For those who have yet to acquire their own camera equipment or telephoto lenses, Pangolin thoughtfully offers loaner gear, free of charge, for the entire duration of your stay. Additionally, memory cards are made available to accommodate the countless moments you'll want to capture during your time at the Pangolin Chobe Hotel.

It's important to note that for novice photographers seeking a more comprehensive experience, the Chobe, Delta, and Kalahari Hosted Photo Safari, scheduled on set departure dates, may be an ideal choice. This option not only provides you with cameras but also ensures continuous photography guidance throughout the entire journey.

The Chobe River, surrounding the hotel, unveils a cornucopia of subject matter that evolves with the seasons. During the African Summer months, spanning from November to April, you'll find yourself in the midst of a thriving birding spectacle. Migratory bird species make their annual return, turning the area into a vibrant avian paradise. At this time, the landscape is painted in lush green hues, and adorable baby animals add a dose of charm to your photographic subjects.

As the African Winter months roll around, from May to October, the water sources inland begin to dwindle, prompting larger congregations of elephants to frequent the river. These majestic pachyderms are a sight to behold as they gather for their daily rituals.

Regardless of the specific time you choose for your safari, The Chobe always offers an abundance of photographic opportunities, ensuring that your journey begins with a bang and a memory card filled with "keepers."

In between your exhilarating game activities, you'll also have the opportunity to participate in hosted image review and group editing sessions. To maximize these sessions, it's advisable to bring your own laptop with the latest version of an editing program installed. Adobe Lightroom is the software of choice, and Pangolin provides a free online course to familiarize you with its functions if you're not already acquainted with it.

Your second day dawns with a promise of more breathtaking photography opportunities in the Chobe region. Engage in a variety of land and water-based activities that will allow you to immerse yourself in the diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes surrounding The Chobe River.

You'll be capturing images of iconic African species, from the awe-inspiring elephants and powerful buffalo to the graceful hippos, stealthy crocodiles, and elegant antelope. Under the expert guidance of your Pangolin Photo Host, you'll have the opportunity to refine your photography skills, learning how to frame the perfect shot, make use of lighting, and capture the essence of the wilderness.

In between these activities, group image review and editing sessions provide you with an invaluable chance to review and enhance your photographs, with your fellow enthusiasts. These collaborative sessions can be both instructive and inspiring as you learn from one another's perspectives.

On the third day of your stay, you have an enticing option to embark on a day trip to one of the world's most astonishing natural wonders, Victoria Falls. This awe-inspiring spectacle of nature beckons you to experience its grandeur and majesty.

Your day begins with a comfortable and air-conditioned minivan ride, leading you across the border into Zimbabwe. There, you'll be captivated by the breathtaking vistas of Victoria Falls, one of the world's seven natural wonders. The morning adventure allows you to explore the falls, marvel at their immense power, and truly absorb their magnificence.

As your appetite grows, you'll have the opportunity to enjoy a sumptuous lunch at one of the recommended dining establishments. Following your meal, consider taking to the skies with an optional helicopter flight. This thrilling experience provides you with a bird's-eye view of the falls and their surroundings, an unforgettable perspective.

Don't forget to explore the craft stalls, where you can browse and shop for unique souvenirs and mementos. Your Victoria Falls excursion promises a day filled with awe and wonder, and you'll return to Botswana in the afternoon, crossing the border once more.

For those who choose not to visit Victoria Falls or have already experienced its splendor, your day will be dedicated to the same morning and afternoon photo safaris as the previous days. The flexibility in your itinerary ensures that you can tailor your experience to suit your personal preferences and desires.

Day four sees you continuing your stay at the luxurious and comfortable Pangolin Chobe Hotel. This elegant establishment offers not only remarkable wildlife experiences but also all-inclusive meals and beverages, encompassing soft drinks and alcoholic options throughout your entire itinerary.

Your room, complete with en-suite facilities, air conditioning, and a choice of double or twin beds, provides a comfortable and welcoming retreat. There's plenty of storage space, and an abundance of plug points ensures that you can keep all your devices charged and ready to capture the moments that lie ahead.

After your morning activity, it will be time to bid adieu to the magnificent Chobe region. You'll be transferred back to Kasane Airport, where you'll board a charter flight to embark on the next thrilling phase of your Best of Botswana Photo Safari. These charter flights usually depart around 11 am, setting the stage for your journey into the renowned Okavango Delta

Your journey continues as you arrive in the remarkable Okavango Delta via a charter flight. This marks the start of a new and exciting chapter in your photography adventure. The Okavango Delta is celebrated for its pristine landscapes and rich biodiversity, offering a unique and diverse ecosystem for exploration. Your journey through the wonders of Botswana enters a new realm of natural beauty and wildlife encounters.

Arrive at either Shinde or Kanana camps in the Okavango Delta, both owned and operated by Ker and Downey Botswana. These private concessions offer the privilege of off-roading for unique wildlife sightings and conducting night drives.

The concessions are similar in size, providing ample space for excellent game viewing from game viewer vehicles. Each camp offers 8 rooms and follows a policy of no more than four guests per game viewer. Game viewer vehicles are equipped with beanbag mounts and deep trays in front of each seat, ensuring a secure place for your camera while on drives.

The safari guides have been extensively trained to understand the specific needs of wildlife photographers, including optimal positioning for the right light and anticipation of animal movements and behaviors.

Immerse yourself in the extraordinary wildlife photography opportunities provided by the Shinde or Kanana concessions.

Both concessions have thriving populations of big cats, including several resident lion prides. Regular sightings of elusive leopards, wild dogs, and cheetahs offer thrilling photographic moments. Capture iconic Okavango Delta species, such as red lechwe grazing in shallow waterways, alongside an abundance of other plains game like giraffes, zebras, kudus, waterbucks, and impressive buffalo.

Your game drives, led by expert guides, focus on positioning for the best light and anticipating animal behavior to optimize your photographic opportunities.

Continue your wildlife photography journey in the private concessions of Shinde or Kanana. Game drives offer opportunities for off-roading and in-depth exploration, providing access to special wildlife moments. Benefit from the expertise of your guides as they help you position for ideal lighting conditions and predict animal behavior.

Delve deeper into the private concessions of Shinde or Kanana, taking advantage of off-roading capabilities. Explore the savannah landscapes and track down remarkable wildlife moments, ensuring unique photographic opportunities.

Enjoy night drives, which unveil the nocturnal world of the Okavango Delta, offering a chance to capture elusive nocturnal creatures under the starry skies.

Depending on water levels during your time of travel, embark on an optional mokoro trip, a traditional dugout canoe experience.

Glide along the meandering water channels, observing aquatic and avian life unique to the Okavango Delta. This serene experience adds diversity to your photographic portfolio and provides a contrast to terrestrial wildlife encounters.

During this segment of the safari, there is no dedicated Pangolin Photo Host in residence, as the focus shifts toward providing a wildlife photography holiday experience, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty of the Okavango Delta and capture its remarkable wildlife through your lens.

You will be in the capable hands of experienced guides and within the pristine wilderness of Botswana's private concessions.

Arrival at Dinaka Camp in the Kalahari After an exciting and wildlife-filled experience in The Chobe and Okavango Delta, your safari transitions into a more relaxed environment in the Kalahari Desert.

The Kalahari is characterized by its arid nature, where animals tend to congregate around waterholes, creating perfect opportunities for hide photography. Dinaka Camp, your chosen partner in the Kalahari, is located on a private reserve bordering the vast Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

The landscape here is distinct from the previous destinations, with slightly denser and thornier bush and a unique mix of wildlife species adapted to the desert ecosystem. Expect to encounter animals like oryx, springbok, brown hyenas, black-maned lions, black-backed jackals, and cheetahs. Dinaka Camp, owned and managed by Ker and Downey, is known for its luxury and serves as a well-deserved haven for relaxation at this stage of your journey.

The communal areas of the camp are exceptional, and the spacious rooms feature private verandas overlooking a popular waterhole. Game viewer vehicles are equipped with beanbag camera mounts, and a maximum of four guests are allowed per vehicle for game drives.

Embrace the unique environment of the Kalahari and enjoy wildlife photography opportunities.

Dinaka Camp provides access to a sunken "bunker type" waterhole hide, capable of seating up to eight photographers at a time, although typically used by four at a time. From this hide, you'll capture images of animals quenching their thirst at water level right in front of you.

It's a truly special experience to photograph from this hidden vantage point and observe wildlife interactions up close.

Experience the Kalahari from a different perspective with a guided walk through the bush led by resident Bushman guides. Learn about their traditional subsistence way of life, which thrives in this seemingly stark environment.

The walk may culminate in a demonstration of traditional fire-making techniques and storytelling as the sunsets, offering cultural insights. Enjoy flexible timing for game activities, allowing for earlier starts or later finishes to make the most of your time at Dinaka.

Use your downtime by the pool, relax on the deck with a good book, and always keep your camera nearby in case wildlife makes an appearance at the camp's waterhole.

On your final day at Dinaka, prepare for your departure to Maun airport, which serves as an excellent transportation hub.

While this marks the end of your safari, remember that there are opportunities to extend your journey. Daily flights between Maun and destinations like Cape Town and Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, are available. Consider exploring South Africa further by transferring across the border and continuing your adventure at Jaci's Tree Lodge in Madikwe, a wonderful addition to your safari experience.

Your time in the Kalahari allows you to unwind in luxury, capture memorable photographs, and gain insight into the traditional way of life of the local Bushmen. It's the perfect way to conclude your safari adventure.

Cost Includes

• Airport meet and greet
• Photographic tuition, advice and editing assistance at the Pangolin Chobe Hotel by a Pangolin Photo Host.
• Use of a Canon DSLR camera and telephoto lens (if required) incl memory cards at The Pangolin Chobe Hotel only.
• 4 nights The Pangolin Chobe Hotel (Full board).
• Twice daily activities in the Chobe National Park on a Pangolin photo boat or game viewer.
• Charter flight from Kasane to the Okavango Delta.
• 4 nights at Shinde or Kanana (full board).
• Twice daily game drives (maximum four per vehicle).
• Charter flight to Dinaka, Central Kalahari.
• 2 nights at Dinaka (Full board).
• Twice daily game drives and use of the Dinaka bunker hide
• Charter flight from Dinaka to Maun
• All park, landing and concession contributions
• All meals and drinks

Cost Excludes

• Gratuities, laundry and items of a personal nature
• Visa fees for Botswana and Namibia (if required)

You can send your enquiry via the form below.

• Best Price Guaranteed
• No Booking Fees
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This Okavango Delta Photo Safari takes you to Africa’s number 1 wilderness safari destination, the Okavango Delta. Extend your Botswana photo safari by adding a 3 night Salt Pans extension or a Mashatu green season experience (details at end of this page). Scroll down to see a portfolio from this photo safari in Botswana.

Scroll down to see the guest testimonials at the bottom of this page and watch this fun YouTube video from this safari, made with my iPhone.

Book your spot now by filling in the form at the end of this page. Space for only 3 photographers.

An Okavango Delta photo safari experience

Introduction from your host:

I am very proud to add yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site to my safari offering and this time on a Botswana photo safari ! As a professional wildlife photographer, based full-time in Africa, the question I am asked the most often is, “Where is the best place to go on an African photo safari?” This is a tough question because Africa has so many fine photographic safari destinations, but if you really press me for an answer then I will say an Okavango Delta photo safari is Africa’s top wilderness safari experience. Keep reading to find out why this Botswana photography tour is the one to do…

The Okavango is not only one of Africa’s last great wildernesses and the jewel in the crown of any photo safari in Botswana; it is also totally unique, a place where the water, desert and sky meet. It feels like the furthest place from civilisation and yet, the safari camps are luxurious and intimate. The area consists of private wildlife concessions, each the size of the game reserves and parks that you find in other African countries. There are only one or two camps per concession, making this Botswana photography tour an exclusive experience. On this Okavango Delta photo safari you will search for your wildlife subjects in splendid isolation, driving for hours without seeing any other vehicles.

Not only is Botswana’s Okavango breathtakingly beautiful with big skies, lots of water, lush bush and beautiful birds; it is also the ultimate location in Africa to combine African wild dog and big cat photography. All of this unites to make a Botswana photo safari one of the finest safaris in Africa.

For this ultimate Okavango Delta photo safari we have secured bookings at two different camps in prime concessions. The first camp is a wilderness oasis located on a beautiful floodplain. The second camp is located close to the heart of the Okavango Delta, adjacent to the Moremi Game Reserve, and is absolutely the wildlife mecca of the Okavango. By spreading ourselves across two incredible concessions, we drastically increase our chances of seeing the big cats and especially the African wild dogs and cheetah, whose home ranges are larger.

There is a very special 3 night ‘Botswana Salt Pan’ extension to this Botswana photography tour: The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans are just a short flight away and this extension offers everything from Meerkats and Bushman cultural photography, through to zebra aerial photography over what are believed to be the largest salt pans in the world. What could be better than photographing the watery delta and desert pans all on one photo safari in Botswana?

Sign up now for your ultimate Botswana photo safari by completing the form at the bottom of this page.

OKAVANGO DELTA PHOTO SAFARI DETAILS

This is a 8 night (9 day) Okavango Delta photo safari with the exciting option of doing a 3 night Botswana Salt Pan or Mashatu green season extension.

• Ultimate Okavango Delta Safari 2025
• 17 - 25 January 2025 SPACE FOR ONLY 3
• 15 - 23 February 2025 FULLY BOOKED
• * NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
• * Cost based on 3 participating photographers.
• * This tour can be booked any time as a private safari .
• * Rates are estimated 2025 rates and may need to be adjusted later.
• * Dates are provisional.
• Complete the booking enquiry form
• Ultimate Okavango Delta Safari 2026
• 17 - 25 January 2026 SPACE FOR ONLY 3
• * Rates are estimated 2026 rates and may need to be adjusted later.

Cost for this Okavango Delta photo safari includes all internal flights from Maun Airport (Botswana); meet and greet services; 4 nights’ accommodation in the 1st safari camp and 4 nights’ accommodation in the 2nd safari camp, both located in the Okavango’s most productive wildlife areas; meals; laundry; house drinks; conservation/community fees; additional luggage allowance; private safari drives with exclusive vehicle use; photographic tuition and guiding services of professional African wildlife photographer Greg du Toit.

Not included in the cost of this Okavango Delta photo safari are visas you might need (depending on your nationality); purchases of a personal nature (like curios); staff gratuities (at your discretion); personal travel and medical insurance (Global Rescue Medical Evacuation Insurance is included); your international flights and any adhoc activities not included on the itinerary. The Salt Pan or Mashatu green season extension is a separate charge and booked on a per request basis.

30% deposit confirms your booking on this Okavango Delta photo safari. Please note: the above cost applies only when 3 photographers are booked. If there are more or less photographers joining the safari, the cost will be adjusted accordingly.

Your Ultimate Okavango Delta Photo Safari Itinerary

• Day 2, 3 & 4
• Day 6, 7 & 8

To commence your Okavango Delta photo safari, you will be met at Maun Airport in Botswana by your personal photographic tutor and safari host, Greg du Toit. For those of you needing to overnight in Johannesburg the night before (depending on where in the world you are coming from), this can be arranged for you with the necessary meet and greet transfers. The Ultimate Okavango Delta Photo Safari however officially starts in Maun where we will check in at the Wilderness Air desk at the airport and get our luggage weighed. Don’t worry, an extra luggage allowance has been booked and is included in the cost of your Botswana photography tour. We take to the skies and leave all remnants of civilisation behind.

Flying east for 20 minutes, into one of the largest inland deltas in the world, you will land at a small dirt airstrip close to the camp that will be your home for the next 4 nights. To be more specific, your home on this Okavango Delta photo safari will be a large canvas tent built on a raised wooden deck under a tree and overlooking the vast floodplains of the Okavango Delta. Although you are in a tent, you will enjoy fine safari luxury with hot water and electricity.

Your first camp on this Botswana photography tour lies in one of the most wildlife rich parts of the Okavango Delta. Here you are not in the public reserve but in a gigantic private concession, where you can photograph African wildlife with exclusivity and freedom. After settling in to your tent, we will meet in the lounge area for tea. During this time we will check your camera settings and prepare for the afternoon safari drive, where photography will commence with immediate effect.

After your first afternoon safari drive on your Botswana photography tour, you will return to camp where after a campfire and scrumptious dinner, you will turn in for the night. The camp is located in one of the wildest concessions, offering a pure wilderness experience, and as such you will be lulled to sleep by the wild sounds of Africa.

Waking early on your Okavango Delta photo safari, when the nightjars and owls are still calling, you will meet around the fire for a cup of coffee or tea. It will still be dark and just as the faintest blue and orange hues appear in the East, you will head out on a full morning safari drive.

The concession you will be photographing in on this Botswana photography tour is simply sublime and offers a mosaic of habitats ranging from palm-fringed floodplains through to beautiful woodlands. Surrounded by water, you will explore and photograph the Okavango Delta. The green season is also the Okavango’s best kept secret because it is a true delta oasis at this time of year, teaming with life of all kinds and offering a plethora of green shades – the perfect backdrop to your photographs. The mammals have babies as this time and all the migrant birds have arrived. All this is yours to explore for the next 3 full days. The floodwaters are also low at this time as the rainwaters from Angola have not yet reached the delta, allowing you to penetrate the heart of the Okavango Delta and to photograph the wild creatures that call the Okavango home.

The good news is that almost every type of African animal calls the Okavango home. All the big cats like lion, cheetah and leopard can be seen as well as spotted hyenas and even honey badger and bat-eared fox sightings are a possibility. It is also rich in general game, including Cape Buffalo; giraffe; lechwe; tsessebe; warthog and zebra. This concession is especially famous for big male lions and large breeding herds of elephant and buffalo (scroll down to see a portfolio of photographs from this concession).

The other good news is that you are on a small group Botswana photo safari (only three photographers) and this means that not only do you have a professional wildlife photographer directing the guide in front, so as to be best positioned for light and animal behaviour, but you have an entire row in the safari truck to yourself. There is therefore lots of space to have your gear next to you and you can shoot out the left and the right.

After lunch you will have time to download your memory cards before heading out again after tea, to photograph the great afternoon light. This ultimate Okavango Delta photo safari is specifically designed for photographers and everything will revolve around getting you the very best photographs possible. Finding subjects in great light and in action will be our focus. Taking in the sights, sounds and smells of one of Africa’s last great wildernesses, will happen by osmosis. For this day and the upcoming days on your Botswana photo safari, you will immerse yourself in the Okavango Delta and with a professional photographer on-board to give recommendations and to answer any of your questions, the big African sky is the only limit.

Returning to camp in the dark, you will enjoy a fire and delectable dinner before turning in. The good news is that you wake up the next day only to do it all over again, except with different sightings and photo opportunities. No two days on a Botswana photography tour are ever the same.

There is no need to pack your camera away as we take a safari drive to your next camp. That’s right, no need to pack bags and wait at airstrips on this Okavango Delta photo safari – this safari has been designed to maximise your shooting time. Your home for the next four nights is traditionally the best for wild dogs and leopard in the entire Okavango Delta, so make sure you have fresh batteries and empty memory cards.

This private concession is situated in a high-density game area and in the green season it simply teams with life. Your luxurious tent is set under a grow of ebony tress and comes complete with a deck and outdoor shower. The camp overlooks a wetland and is impressively 100% solar powered. Arriving for lunch you will settle in to your new home and meeting at tea again, you will set out to explore our new concession and the absolute wildlife mecca of the Okavango. By now we have ironed out your photographic creases and the photography on your Okavango Delta photo safari goes up a gear!

Your afternoon safari drive will end back at the campfire. After dinner, you turn in with the excitement of being able to explore further afield the following day on your Botswana photography tour.

With the same routine as in your previous camp, you will set out each morning before sunrise, in search of photographic subjects. This concession is very diverse, as place where giraffe-filled acacia savannahs give way to zebra-filled floodplains and riverine forests and groves of palms await, all filled with an abundance of birdlife.

This is a concession where you never know what is around the next corner. It could be a cheetah, a lion, a leopard or all three! A big lion pride calls the concession home as do all other predators and giraffe; kudu; waterbuck; reedbuck; buffalo and hippo. Don’t forget about the smaller predators, like dwarf mongooses and side-striped jackals.

Breaking for lunch before heading out on the afternoon safari, you will search for any predators that you missed when at our previous camp. This concession is the best concession in the Okavango for African wild dogs and leopards.

Day 6, 7 and 8 on your Okavango Delta photo safari will be spent exploring and photographing one of the Okavango’s most exciting and dynamic concessions, especially legendary for its incredible wildlife sightings. The Okavango Delta will penetrate your heart and soul, and your memory cards too! You will experience real, wild and wonderful Africa on this Okavango Delta photo safari as you photograph one of the most exclusive concessions in Africa’s most exclusive safari destination.

After a last morning safari drive, you will say goodbye to the Okavango Delta from the air as you catch your 30 minute flight back to Maun. This is sadly the end of the official safari itinerary and you will commence your onward travel home from Maun.

The great news though, is that if you want your Botswana photo safari to continue, you can sign up for the Botswana Salt Pan or Mashatu green season extension. You can read more about this dynamic extension at the bottom of this page.

See the Okavango Delta photo safari portfolio below and click on any image to enlarge.

Photographic possibilities on this Okavango Delta photo safari

Why this Ultimate Okavango Delta Photo Safari is the safari for you…

– The concessions we base ourselves in on this Okavango Delta photo safari have consistently, for the past decade, provided the very best wildlife sightings of all the concessions in the Okavango Delta.

– This Botswana photo safari has been timed to coincide with the green season. This is the time of year when the Okavango is the most filled with life and offers photographers not only baby wildlife but sublime green backgrounds for their photos.

–  This itinerary offers continuity and exposes you to two different top-class concessions.

– This Okavango Delta photo safari maximises your time in the wilderness photographing. The first camp is just a short 30 minute flight from Maun and you will not pack your camera away once, until you fly out of the delta at the very end of the safari. The transfer between camps is done in the safari truck, so you will not waste time in airports, traveling, packing and unpacking on your Botswana photo safari.

– You will receive expert personal tuition that larger group safaris cannot offer. Space for only 3 photographers on this Ultimate Okavango Delta photo safari.

– With our own private safari truck, you will spend quality time at each sighting. Off-road driving is allowed and having an entire row to yourself, you will have maximum freedom to capture exceptional wildlife images.

– No one wants to see loads of vehicles and masses of tourists on a photo safari in Botswana. That is why this Botswana photography tour plays out on two private concessions with a limited number of vehicles and at a time of year when others are not traveling.

– This Botswana photo safari offers a feast of unique photo opportunities and as such we cannot expect you to leave any of your equipment at home. We have booked an extra luggage seat for your flight in and out of the Okavango Delta.

– Your photographic host is the author of a book titled ‘ Getting it right in camera ’ and if that title is exactly what you want to do, then this is the Botswana photography tour for you. With a complete photo workshop on his laptop, you can request lessons from Greg on any and every aspect of wildlife photography.

– The Okavango Delta is one of the best places in Africa to photograph big cats and painted wolves (wild dogs) making this Botswana photo safari one of the best on the continent.

– Besides the excellent photo opportunities, this photo safari in Botswana allows you to experience one of Africa’s most beautiful, unique and pristine wilderness wildlife areas.

– Professional African wildlife photographer , Greg du Toit, has spent the last decade exploring the Okavango and he will be your personal host and guide on this Botswana photo safari.

– Photographers of all levels are welcome and you will receive expert tuition based on your level of experience.

– The green season is the best kept secret in the Okavango. Not only does the delta offer a plethora of life at this time but the flood waters are low, allowing you to penetrate the floodplain. The green season rates are also lower, so get in touch now to book your Okavango delta photo safari as there is limited space.

– The Okavango delta is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is also one of the largest inland delta systems in the world. So, what are you waiting for? Book your place now on this Okavango Delta photo safari by filling out the form at the end of this page now.

* Still got questions? See the FAQ I wrote about African photographic safaris .

Botswana Salt Pans extension

This Kalahari photo safari exciting extension dovetails beautifully with your Okavango Delta photo safari   to make this the ultimate Botswana photo safari . Once back in Maun, you will take a short flight to central Botswana, where you will stay in a camp on the edge of the famous salt pans. For the next 3 nights and with African wildlife photographer , Greg du Toit , as your expert guide, you will photograph one of Africa’s most unique wildlife settings.

To do this you will fly by helicopter over the salt pans where Zebras journey to the last remaining pans of water, making for dramatic wildlife imagery . You will also take a flight over one of the very few flamingo breeding sites in Africa. Other activities on this extension include photographing adorable meerkats as well as joining in on a Bushman cultural experience. The second half of this YouTube video will give you a good idea of what this extension is all about.

It makes all the sense in the world to add this unique extension on to your Okavango Delta photo safari , so just do it. Please mention when booking on the form below, if you are interested in doing this extension on your Botswana photo safari.

*With the salt pans extension, your Botswana photo safari is now a 11 night itinerary. Extend it and make it a 15 night odyssey by adding 3 nights searching for brown hyena, honey badger and black-maned lion in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and/or head down to Mashatu for more green season action. If you add all these extensions together what you have is a truly ‘ Bespoke Best of Botswana ‘ safari.

Mark and Bonnie Overgaard (USA)

Stephen and eric cheek (uk), follow greg,    .

[email protected] | +230 452 3731

Botswana Photo Tours

Botswana is renowned as an african photographic safari destination par excellence, offering some of the continents finest wildlife photographic opportunities and some incredible wilderness experiences to boot..

The Kalahari, a vast semi desert area that covers significant parts of southern Africa is centred on Botswana, and it is through these endless sands that the famous Okavango and Chobe rivers run. These river systems truly are the lifeblood of much of the north of Botswana, and it is in these regions that most of our tailor-made safaris and our scheduled Savute & Khwai photo tours operate, focussing on the sizeable populations of large mammals that live here. However, Botswana has a lot more to offer the intrepid wildlife photographer, and our scheduled tour offerings do not neglect the eastern areas of the nation as it is here that hide photography at Mashatu is a major focus and offers a very different set of experiences and photographic opportunities to those of northern Botswana.

As if this wasn’t enough, the country is also one of the safest and most stable nations in Africa, and we look forward to hosting you as we journey through the woodlands, savannas and swamps on an unforgettable Botswana photo safari!

Mashatu – Hides & Predators Photo Safari 2024 US$7,985 Single supplement: US$1,950

Mashatu – Hides & Predators Photo Safari 2026 US$9,125 Single supplement: US$2,145

Botswana photography tour gallery.

Destinations

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• South Africa
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Botswana Photographic Safari with James Gifford

24 march 2022 to 2 april 2022 – maximum 6 travellers.

Join professional wildlife photographer James Gifford on a superb 9 night Botswana photographic safari through the best of the Okavango and Chobe. An itinerary specially designed for keen photographers looking to take their skills to the next level – whether you’re starting out with your first DSLR or an experienced photographer. These camps have been selected for their prime locations, specially equipped vehicles and great safari guides to ensure the best possible photo opportunities. You’ll experience the best of Botswana from every angle – open 4×4 vehicles, motor boat and helicopter – with James on hand to share his knowledge gained over 15 years in the field. What better classroom than the African wilderness to practice your photographic skills?

This Botswana photographic safari begins in Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta, and covers three different locations over nine nights allowing time to explore each area fully before moving on. Beginning with three nights in Khwai, in the eastern Okavango followed by 3 nights in Gomoti, the southern Okavango and finally ending with 3 nights on the Chobe Riverfront.

The camps and locations have been chosen specifically with photographers in mind. The Okavango camps are set on game rich concessions, where off-roading is permitted, allowing greater flexibility for tracking animals and positioning the vehicles for the best photo opportunities. All vehicles are equipped with adjustable arms for camera supports and in Chobe where we focus on the water, we use boats which have been specially modified for photographers with rotating chairs and camera mounts

Throughout the safari, James will be on-hand to teach, advise, answer questions and review your images. By having both a professional photographer and a local guide in the vehicle, you will get the best of all worlds. This ensures James can give everyone individual attention, irrespective of whether you are picking up a camera for the first time or if you are an experienced photographer.

James be taking you through the whole range of wildlife photography – from all the technical fundamentals to different lighting techniques, creative shutter speeds, landscapes, stars and much more. Positioning is vital with wildlife photography – James will ensure the vehicle is in the optimum position for you to get the best shots using his local knowledge and experience of wildlife behaviour from photographing in Botswana for the last 15 years.

Learning in the field allows you to practice your skills straight away – our classroom on this Botswana photographic safari is the African wilderness with subjects around every corner and James’s goal is to share all his photographic secrets with you garnered from the time he has spent in the field. In between activities, James will always be available to go over any specific topics, or review your images on a one-to-one basis should you wish.

This Botswana photographic safari tour runs from 24 March 2022 to 2 April 2022  and has a maximum of 6 travellers.

Arrival and departure details: The itinerary starts in Maun Airport and ends in Kasane Airport. The tour has been planned to work with the Airlink flights arriving into Maun from Johannesburg/Cape Town and the Airlink departure from Kasane to Johannesburg.

Extensions to other areas before or after the safari can easily be arranged. Victoria Falls is just 1.5 hours away from Kasane so those interested may wish to consider adding a couple of nights at the end of the safari. Please speak to us for more details.

James Gifford is an award-winning photographer and writer. For 15 years he has been living and working on the edge of the Okavango Delta, photographing and videoing wildlife and running specialist photographic safaris. Passionate about conservation, James believes photography is a powerful conservational tool and the perfect medium to showcase the complex issue of Africa’s diminishing wildlife and he regularly works with local research and community projects. He brings a wealth of experience to his Botswana Photographic Safari tours.

Day 1 - East Okavango

You will be met on arrival at Maun Airport by your photographic guide and host, James Gifford. With the group all assembled you set off on your safari – beginning with a 25 minute charter flight to Khwai in the eastern Okavango. You safari begins on take-off so keep your eyes peeled!

You safari guide will meet you at the airstrip on landing and transfer you to camp, a short game drive of around 15 minutes. Set along the riverine forest below the shade of the sycamore trees in a quiet corner of the Khwai concession lies Machaba Camp. There is a friendly down to earth feel to this camp, offering an authentic safari with plenty of sophisticated touches. Stylish and thoughtfully designed rooms, excellent food and great guides come together to deliver a great all around safari.

Once you have settled in, James will discuss the plan for your photographic adventure, assessing different skill levels, ambitions and subject matter preferences. Activities at Machaba will include morning and afternoon and night game drives as well as an adventure on the local mokoro canoes.

Before heading out on your first game drive you will enjoy a late afternoon tea. Revitalised, you set off on your first drive around 4pm –taking in the untamed wilderness and the myriad of animals that frequent the region. You will stop at a scenic spot for a well-deserved sundowner before returning to camp for dinner by a roaring fire and a star filled sky.

Day 2 and 3 - East Okavango

Early mornings and late afternoons are the best time for productive game drives and photography. The cool early mornings are your best chance to see predators active before they retreat to the shade during the midday heat – this also allows you to take advantage of the soft morning light.

You begin the day with a light breakfast spread and freshly brewed coffee by the fire before your departure. Setting off as the sun comes up for a game drive of about 4 hours, stopping for a coffee break at a scenic spot along the way.

Your daily game drives will cover various environments allowing you to experience a wide diversity of wildlife. Khwai is a rich game area - with good elephant numbers (with both bull elephants and breeding herds) as well as good predator sightings – lion and leopard are frequently seen, and wild dog are found here too. Buffalo are found here in large herds during this time of year, carefully watched by lions. Other wildlife species include giraffe and plains game such as lechwe, impala, zebra, tsessebe, wildebeest, kudu, sable and roan antelope. Hippo are numerous along the river and will often be heard around camp at night.

When water levels allow Mokoro rides are also offered. Guided by experienced polers, you will explore the beautiful reed-lined water channels that have made the Okavango Delta so famous. View animals from a different perspective as they come down to drink, from elephant to the smaller creatures like reed frogs jumping between the reeds as you glide past quietly. The perfect way to gain a deeper understanding of Okavango Delta ecosystem at this slower pace.

In between your activities you can relax by the pool or enjoy an afternoon siesta. This is also a great time to review your pictures and discuss technical questions with James.

Machaba Camp also offers spa treatments such as massages and facials in your room and there is also a little library to catch up on some Africana literature.

Day 4 - South Okavango

After your early morning game drive and brunch you depart Khwai for your next camp in the southern Okavango. This is a short but beautiful 20 minute flight. Named after the river it borders, Gomoti Plains Camp sits below picturesque palm trees and offers eco-luxurious comfort in an area that is bursting with game-viewing opportunities.

Gomoti Plains Camp lies on the Gomoti concession, just south of the famous Chitabe and Sandibe concessions, an area well known for excellent game viewing. The area is particularly well known for fantastic predator sightings such as lion, leopard and wild dog. Rhino were introduced to the area in 2017 and this remains one of the best places to see rhino in the Okavango Delta. The plains game is extensive and varied, with regular sightings of giraffe, zebra, buffalo, impala, red lechwe and warthog. All offering the perfect backdrop for wildlife photography.

Once you have settled into your new rooms and toured the new camp you will head out to the floodplains for your first evening game drive.

Sometimes you will return to camp after dark so that you have the opportunity to search for nocturnal animals using a specially designed spotlight. A roaring fire awaits you at camp, enjoy drinks around the fire before dinner under the stars.

Day 5 and 6 - South Okavango

Halfway into your safari you have now settled into the daily rhythm of your Botswana photographic safari. For the next two days you will wake up with the sun, enjoy a quick breakfast and set off on your morning game drive, which usually last around 4 hours before returning to a scrumptious brunch and some down time in the afternoon before your second activity around 4pm.

The Gomoti Plains region pulses with a diverse range of wildlife including large herds of buffalo, prides of lion and packs of endangered African Wild Dog. Leopard are also seen here and occasionally cheetah too.

The focus at Gomoti Plains is on game drives and walking, with boating and mokoro activities offered when water levels permit. Game drives allow you to cover more ground and approach predators up close. The expert tracking of animals through this vast wilderness showcases your guide’s expert knowledge and experience.

During your stay at Gomoti you will enjoy a 30 minute scenic helicopter flight over the Okavango. A spectacular experience, and utterly thrilling. With the doors off and well strapped in you whiz fast and low – offering fantastic photo opportunities.

Day 7 - Chobe

This morning you bid farewell to the Okavango Delta as your continue your safari to Chobe National Park. After your morning game drive you return to the airstrip for your 60 minute flight to Kasane, followed by a 15 minute drive to your hotel.

Chobe Pangolin Hotel sits on a plateau with wonderful views of the Chobe river and floodplains. A fun and friendly hotel with just 14 rooms, it has a simple but striking design. Importantly this hotel is specially aimed at photographers – with specially designed boats with fully rotating chairs and camera mounts. The hotel itself has dedicated areas for photo editing in post-production sessions and plenty of charging points for camera equipment. The heart of the hotel is a wildlife photography gallery featuring a selection of pictures from their resident photo guides.

After a refreshing lunch and taking time to settle in your rooms you set off on your first afternoon boat trip on the Chobe River.

The Chobe River has gained a reputation for offering some of the best game viewing in Southern Africa. Home to the largest concentration of elephants in Africa, Chobe has become synonymous with Elephants. It has a rich and varied range of wildlife – with good numbers of plains game which include the rarer antelope such as sable and roan, as well as good numbers of predators too. Lion, leopard, hyena and wild dog are all found here. The birding in this area is spectacular, especially at this time of year.

Day 8 and 9 - Chobe Riverfront

The next two days will be focused on the river. Although it is possible to do game drives into the park the best photo opportunities are found when exploring the Chobe river by boat. The Pangolin photographic boats are kitted out with swivel chairs and gimbal mounts to make it easier to photograph on the moving water. In addition to the spectacular birdlife, the boats enable you to get much closer to buffalo, hippo and elephants which regularly cross onto the islands.

Each day at the hotel will include a morning and an afternoon cruise on the Chobe River or possibly a game drive into the Chobe National Park. James, along with the Pangolin team, will help you make the best out of every photo opportunity that presents itself.

In between activities and in the evenings, you will have plenty of time to relax by the swimming pool or on your private balcony overlooking the river. At the front of the hotel there is a large deck where your meals are served and also features a large firepit. Overlooking this deck you have the Pangolin Bar, names for the fabulous stained glass pangolin-shaped window, offering some of the best views of the Chobe River.

Day 10 - End of Tour

Today marks the end of your Botswana Photographic safari. At a time advised the day before you will be transferred to Kasane Airport in good time for your flight home. This tour ends at Kasane Airport.

Extensions to Victoria Falls, Cape Town or other safari destinations can be arranged. Please speak to us for more details.

Machaba Camp

Gomoti plains camp, chobe pangolin hotel.

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Extensions to this safari

Meno a kwena.

Lying between the wetlands of the Okavango Delta and the deserts of the Kalahari, Meno a Kwena - “teeth of the crocodile’’ - offers an interesting safari experience from a semi-arid environment, with starlit sleepouts and seasonal river safaris along the lively Boteti River. This is an affordable, friendly and down to earth camp, appealing to those looking for something different. Lovely landscapes feature a myriad of wildlife from dazzles of zebras to desert- adapted elephant.

Victoria Falls Hotel

Known fondly as the “Grand old lady of the Falls’’ the luxurious Victoria Falls Hotel is a stone’s throw away from the thundering Victoria Falls. Built in 1904 and steeped in history, the hotel epitomises the elegant splendour of the early 1900s with rich teak furniture and sophisticated décor. With spectacular views into Batoka Gorge, an unrivalled location and a full range of facilities to suit everyone, this remains a top choice for many visitors.

• Duration 9 Nights
• Rates Mar 2022 USD 7,660

Featured Properties

Machaba camp sits below the shade of sycamore trees in a quiet corner of the game rich Khwai concession in the eastern Okavango. There is a friendly down to earth feel to this camp, offering an authentic safari with plenty of sophisticated touches to make this a spoiling experience. Stylish and thoughtfully designed rooms, excellent food and great guides come together to deliver a great all round safari.

Gomoti Plains Camp is a classic tented camp with a modern elegant style overlooking the Gomoti river system in a particularly scenic and game rich area of the Okavango Delta. Ten spacious and thoughtfully designed tents offer a fantastic base to explore this exciting area. This area consists of a variety of habitats, from woodland to open grasslands and wetlands attracting an interesting array of wildlife and good concentrations of animals year round. An excellent classic camp.

Set on the plateau overlooking the Chobe river with lovely views of the floodplains, Chobe Pangolin Hotel is a charming little hotel with a unique and striking design. Photography is at the heart of this owner-run hotel. DSLR cameras and lenses are provided free of charge, their 4x4 vehicles and boats are specially adapted to support photographers and there are dedicated areas for photo editing. A friendly, affordable and very comfortable stay in Kasane with great access to Chobe National Park.

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Essential Botswana Wildlife Photo Safari

Experience a once-in-a-lifetime completely immersive private trekking boat safari in the Okavango Delta, which will get you close to both the water and wildlife of this magical wilderness region.

Safari & Tour Overview

Safari summary.

Tour Duration: 11 Days 10 Nights

Departure/Return Location: Kasane/Maun, Botswana

Destinations on Tour

Chobe National Park

Okavango delta, central kalahari game reserve.

• All Transfers
• Charter Flights
• Conservation Fees
• Local Flights
• Luxury Accommodation
• Safari Activities

Highlights & Activities

• See and feel the thunder of the mighty Victoria Falls
• Zambezi National Park game drives and river cruises
• Hwange National Park game drives and boat cruises
• Excellent waterhole-based game viewing in Hwange
• Mana Pools – a remote big game wilderness area
• Mana Pools game drives and boat cruises
• Mana Pools canoeing safaris
• Mana Pools walking safaris

Map & Destinations

Day to day itinerary.

On arrival in South Africa, board a direct flight to the town of Kasane. On arrival you will be met by a member of the Pangolin team and transferred to your award-winning hotel overlooking the Chobe River and Caprivi floodplains.

Check in to your en suite air-conditioned room. Each room is equipped with lots of storage and desk space including an abundance of charging points. All the rooms have a private balcony to relax and enjoy the view. Settle in and later you will meet your photo host who will be taking care of you and your land and water-based photographic safari activities while in Chobe. *If you do not have a good quality camera, lens or memory cards, the hotel will be able to lend you these free of charge for the duration of your stay in Chobe.

After enjoying something to eat and drink you will head out into the Chobe National Park for a 3 to 4-hour photographic game drive in our 8-seater photo-equipped open 4x4 vehicle or a photographic boat cruise on the Chobe River. The Chobe National Park boundary is a few hundred meters away meaning that with our proximity to the gate we are usually the first vehicle through the gate for game drives. Our boats are moored on the river directly below the Hotel and it is a quick five- minute transfer to get to them for our boat cruises.

You will return to the hotel after sunset and freshen up before dinner is served.

In the front of the hotel is the open deck where most meals are served, which in turn leads to the sunken fire pit surrounded by our eco pool. The fire pit is large enough to seat a full house of guests and is a firm favourite before and after dinner. Overlooking the deck is the Pangolin Bar with arguably one of the best views of the Chobe River and Caprivi Floodplains in the region.

Rise early the next morning and enjoy a light breakfast before you head out on your first 3- hour morning boat cruise or game drive. During the safari activities we stop for another tea/coffee break and rusks – which is best described as an African biscotti.

The Chobe River offers up different subject matter during different times of the year, but there is always something to photograph. In the (African) summer months between November and April you will see amazing birdlife as the migrants take up their annual residency. Large mammals such as elephant, buffalo and hippo as well as resident crocs and antelope will be around with lots of bright green backgrounds and baby animals everywhere. The (African) winter months between May and October will see larger herds of elephants and other mammals as the water becomes scarcer inland and all the animals flock to the river.

We return to the hotel mid-morning where a hearty brunch is served. In-between game activities there will be hosted image review and group editing sessions in the editing room. For this to be truly effective you will need to have your own laptop with you with the latest version of an editing programme installed and updated to the latest version. Our software of choice is Adobe Lightroom and we have a free online course you can start before your arrival so that you are familiar with its functions if you haven’t used it before.

Later in the afternoon a high tea is served with sweet and savoury offerings along with liquid refreshments, where after you head out on another afternoon photographic safari.When you return to the hotel after your sundowner we invite you to freshen up and join your fellow travellers in The Pangolin Bar , or the sunken fire pit, for a cocktail or glass of wine and await the “cow bell” which signals dinner is ready. Whenever possible we like to have dinner out on the pool deck under the African night sky. The menu and style of food varies from night to night with plated dishes, a braai (barbecue) and even on occasion a gourmet pizza night cooked in our mopane wood fired oven!

On day three of your stay there is the option to visit Victoria Falls for the entire day. If you choose to do so you will be collected in the morning from the hotel in an air-conditioned minivan and driven across the border into Zimbabwe and onwards to the Rainforest, which is the entry-point to the Falls. The journey will take approximately 90 minutes.

While in Victoria Falls you will have time to tour the Falls and all of the 16 viewpoints, enjoy some lunch, perhaps take a helicopter flight over the Falls and quickly stop off at one of the many craft art stalls before heading back to Chobe.

If you choose not to visit Victoria Falls you will be able to do the same morning and afternoon photographic safari activities at the hotel as you did on the previous day.

Later in the afternoon a high tea is served with sweet and savoury offerings along with liquid refreshments, where after you head out on another afternoon photographic safari.

When you return to the hotel after your sundowner we invite you to freshen up and join your fellow travellers in The Pangolin Bar , or the sunken fire pit, for a cocktail or glass of wine and await the “cow bell” which signals dinner is ready. Whenever possible we like to have dinner out on the pool deck under the African night sky. The menu and style of food varies from night to night with plated dishes, a braai (barbecue) and even on occasion a gourmet pizza night cooked in our mopane wood fired oven!

After your last morning safari activity and breakfast, check out and make your way back to Kasane Airport to meet your charter flight into the Okavango Delta. The flights usually depart at around 11AM. The network of islands and channels is ever changing depending on the season and the water levels and is home to every photographic subject you could hope to capture.

Your plane will land in the prolific Vumbura wildlife concession within the Okavango Delta, only a few kilometers from the community-owned and intimate Bushman Plains Camp, a good old-fashioned, down to earth, honest bush camp in the Okavango Delta wilderness, shaded by giant ebony trees. The area is teeming with wildlife year-round and is blessed by permanent water channels so our guests enjoy a wide mix of land and water-based safari activities.

Upon arrival you will have time to settle in to your en-suite tent (only four tents available) before high tea is served. After this you will depart on your first game drive, with no more than four guests allowed per vehicle. Each vehicle is equipped with beanbag mounts for your photographic comfort. The camp is also located within a 370,000-acre wilderness area, utilizing a prime wildlife area where you will not find crowds. Also, Bushman Plains camp boasts with some of the best passionate and enthusiastic guides and trackers in the business, making this a top game-viewing and wildlife photography experience. They love nothing more than finding iconic animals such as lions, leopard, cheetah and wild dog and will get you as close as possible to them. Guests will also be educated on tracks and signs during the tracking activities, making it all about the wildlife here.

After an exciting afternoon you will return to camp to freshen up for dinner. The central area of the camp includes a mess tent with veranda for relaxed hanging out. Central to Bushman culture is the campfire area where we share ancient stories, and tales from today, under the stunning Botswana night sky. Our camp chefs produce delicious meals that are predominantly western in style but making best use of local ingredients with some options to include traditional fare if you desire.

Explore the Vumbura concession of the Okavango Delta during morning and afternoon photographic game drives with your guide and tracker team.

The camp is also located within a 370,000-acre wilderness area, utilizing a prime wildlife area where you will not find crowds. Also, Bushman Plains camp boasts with some of the best passionate and enthusiastic guides and trackers in the business, making this a top game-viewing and wildlife photography experience. They love nothing more than finding iconic animals such as lions, leopard, cheetah and wild dog and will get you as close as possible to them. Guests will also be educated on tracks and signs during the tracking activities, making it all about the wildlife here.

During the day you will enjoy breakfast around the campfire, a buffet-style lunch and three-course sit-down dinner, with the family-style mess tent at the center of all meals and relaxation time. In-between game drives enjoy some time to relax in this beautiful wilderness or pop into the editing tent for some post-production time.

This area of the Okavango Delta offers some of the brightest night skies in Africa, and you can even try your hand at photographing the night sky.

After your last morning safari activity and breakfast, check out and make your way back to the airstrip for your charter flight south to Dinaka Camp, situated in the drier Central Kalahari region.

After a week of early starts and over excitement, the Kalahari is a slightly more relaxed environment and the perfect last destination for this photographic safari. Here the environment is completely different than what you have experienced in the Chobe and Delta. The bush is drier, but thicker and thornier, with different wildlife species found here, including the impressive black-maned lions, brown hyena, cheetah, jackal, oryx and springbok.

In this desert-like region, the animals tend to congregate more around the waterholes which makes it the perfect location for some hide-based photography. Dinaka has an excellent waterhole-based hide for this purpose. This luxurious 5-star camp offers true pampering with elevated and spacious en-suite tented rooms plus private verandahs offering views onto a popular permanent waterhole.

On arrival, check in and after settling in enjoy a light lunch or afternoon snacks and drinks. Soon after you will depart on your first afternoon game drive with only four guests allowed per vehicle. Beanbag mounts on each vehicle makes for a much more pleasurable wildlife photography experience. Afternoon game drives regularly continue into the evening.

Return to the camp after dark and freshen up before enjoying dinner under the clear African night sky. A Star-gazing activity is also the perfect way to end the day.

Explore the Central Kalahari during a full day photographic safari.

The focus of activities at Dinaka is exploring the Kalahari experience with wildlife ranging from giraffe to antelope, small mammals like the honey badger, bat-eared fox and porcupine to predators including the Kalahari black-maned lion, cheetah, leopard and brown hyena.

Daily activities include morning and afternoon game drives in open safari vehicles, with afternoon game drives often continuing into the evening. We also recommend daily bush walks with the resident bushman guides where you will learn about their traditional subsistence way of life, fire making techniques and enjoy some story telling as the sun sets. Birding is also spectacular here as Dinaka hosts over 200 bird species.

Year-round waterholes result in spectacular photographic opportunities either from the vehicle, on foot or one of the several underground hides/bunkers. The bunker-type hides can seat up to eight photographers but is normally only use by four at a time. You will be photographing at water level as the animals arrive to quench their thirst right in front of you. This is a special place to be for wildlife photography.

Again during the day there will be time between meals and activities to have some downtime by the pool or a snooze on the deck…with your camera close at hand in case something appears at the camp waterhole.

Explore the Central Kalahari during a full day photographic safari today. The camp is flexible in terms of timings of activities and their duration, so please discuss this with your host at camp.

The focus of activities at Dinaka is exploring the Kalahari experience with wildlife ranging from giraffe to antelope, small mammals like the honey badger, bat-eared fox and porcupine to predators including the Kalahari black-maned lion, cheetah, leopard and brown hyena. This is also one of the most popular off-the-beaten track African safari destinations for photographers, especially for sunset, desert landscape and night sky photography.

After your last morning safari activity, either a game drive or another hide-session, you will enjoy a lazy breakfast. From here you will fly to Maun Airport where we bid you farewell for your onward journey. From Maun you can fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town.

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OKAVANGO DELTA PHOTO SAFARI

Explore africa’s favourite safari destination.

Rhulani Safaris bring you our most authentic African experience, our Okavango Delta Photo Safari.

Discover Botswana’s Okavango Delta on a photo safari experience of a lifetime! The Okavango; known as natures perfect paradise, is a must do for any passionate wildlife photographer or enthusiast that enjoys a wild, tranquil and inspiring experience.

This safari takes you into the heart and soul of the African continent, on an exclusive experience like no other. Accommodation in the form of mobile safari camps allow for exclusive usage for our guests, as well as a private vehicle dedicated for Rhulani Safaris.

Khwai, Moremi Game Reserve, Okavango Delta will see you spend three nights in the wilderness of the Khwai River. Explore the beautiful floodplains of the Delta, which are breathtaking in appearance. They host many various species of animals that rely on its constant water supply for shelter and substance.

The spectacular views of the Okavango are second to none with the open landscapes and classic fallen trees, excellent for Botswana landscape photography (especially when there’s a leopard involved!).

Enjoy a delicious coffee break late in the morning, taking in the sights and sounds of the local wilderness and if you’re lucky, you might even have a local visitor!

Savuti, located in the Chobe National Park is famously known for the multitude of films and documentaries about Botswana displaying the high density of predators and their every-day lifestyle.

It is here that you could meet the famous Marsh Pride and the tree-climbing lions of Botswana, and spend the following three nights in pure isolated wilderness.

The Savuti’s marsh area is enormous in size, and you can often spot a sleeping cat from kilometers away lying in the open or busy stalking prey. The beautiful rocky area of Leopard Rock towers over the Marsh region, creating a unique setting as elephants and buffalo enjoy grazing below.

Mobile Tented Safaris are often the best way of experiencing the true wilderness of the Okavango and really getting the raw nature experience.

Your accommodation is that of a Tented Camp with an outdoor en-suite bucket shower and a pit toilet. The 4×4 open safari Landcruiser vehicle is perfect for photography, having a 360-degree view with a maximum of 6 guests per vehicle for your comfort.

Camps are un-fenced and local visitors such as elephants, lion, leopard, hyena and honey badgers frequently stop by throughout the night to say hello! More budget ‘Standard Camping’ options are available for those who prefer a slightly more traditional experience.

• Arrive in Maun, Botswana
• 14:00 Meet at Audi Camp, Maun
• 18:30 Dinner
• 07:30 Breakfast
• 09:00 Depart for Khwai
• 14:00 Lunch on Arrival
• 16:00 Afternoon/ Evening Game Drive

DAY 3 & 4

• 05:30 Wake-Up and Breakfast
• 06:00 Morning Game Drive
• 12:00 Brunch
• Art of Wildlife Photography Workshop
• 20:00 Dinner
• 05:30 Wake-Up an Breakfast
• 09:00 Relaxing Drive to Savuti
• 12:00 Lunch at Mababe Depression
• 18:00 Arrive at Camp

DAY 6 & 7

• 09:00 Relaxing Drive to Maun
• 11:00 Brunch at Mbabane Depression
• 15::00 Arrive at Camp
• 19:00 Dinner
• 10:00 Departure

Please Note: Times may vary depending on seasons*

2024 DEPARTURES  

September 15 – 23

September 24 – 02 October (FULL)

USD$ 3 850 

[Rates are per person sharing and a 30% deposit required to confirm booking. This safari is available as a Private Tour – please contact us for more information.]

2025 DEPARTURES 

September 14 – 22

October 09 – 17

November 30 – 08 December 

USD$ 4 295pps

(Solo Rate Applicable: Max 2 per Safari)

THIS PACKAGE OFFERS THE FOLLOWING

DISCOVER WHAT OUR BOTSWANA SAFARI INCLUDES.

• 3 Nights Khwai [Private Wilderness Camp]
• 3 Nights Savuti [Private Wilderness Camp]
• 2 Night Audi Tented Camp
• All Meals, Tea’s and Coffee’s (including Breakfast and Dinner at Audi Camp)
• House Drinks (water, juice, coffee, tea, soft drinks)
• Selection of local alcoholic beverages (must be organized prior to safari)
• Photography Workshop and Tutoring Daily
• Photographic Guide (Armand Grobler)
• 12 Game Drives (6 Morning / 6 Afternoon)
• All Transfers (Airport – Maun – Khwai – Savuti – Maun – Airport)
• Staff Gratuities
• Beverages not specified

PHOTO SAFARI BOTSWANA OVERVIEW

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African Safaris

• Secluded Botswana Safari

Trip Highlights

Botswana's Premier Safari

Intimate & Secluded Luxury Camps

Encounter Prolific Wildlife on Private Reserves

Botswana Photo Expeditions

There Are Important Differences in Botswana Safaris

• You Won't Find a Smaller Group—Just 7 or 8 Guests! The best African safari can't happen in crowded conditions. We take a maximum of just seven guests on regular departures—and eight guests on photo departures—divided into two vehicles for game drives, on photo departures. An exceptionally small group ensures a highly personalized safari experience, allowing us to stay at very small camps that offer truly intimate wildlife encounters. 
• A "Window" Seat for Every Guest Our private safari vehicles have open sides, with no glass to impede your view. Though vehicles have 10 cushioned passenger seats—one in front next to the driver, followed by three rows of three seats each—we limit our capacity to just seven travelers on wildlife drives ( and only four travelers per vehicle on photo departures ), ensuring clear viewing—no one stuck in a middle seat—maximum comfort, easy photography access and plenty of room for your gear. 
• The Optimal Botswana Safari Itinerary Our itineraries have been meticulously designed in conjunction with World Wildlife Fund to provide a secluded experience of Botswana's prolific wildlife, where animal numbers are highest and tourist crowds non-existent. We have years of experience running the best safaris in Botswana, and we continually tweak our itineraries to ensure that the experience we offer is second to none. 
• Stay in Seclusion on Private Reserves We stay on exclusive private reserves,  offering an isolated setting and activities off-limits in the national parks, such as night drives and guided walking excursions that allow a rare chance to explore the intricacies of the bush on foot. Our secluded camps in Linyanti and Moremi provide outstanding proximity to wildlife, with close-up photo opportunities and the chance to shoot at sunset when the light is best. In contrast, other groups that stay inside the national parks must be back at camp by sunset due to park regulations.
• Intimate Camps Facilitate Close-Up Wildlife Encounters Our very small luxury safari camps maximize quiet encounters with Botswana’s prolific wildlife at close range. With just four or five tents each, their discreet presence enhances the likelihood that wildlife will wander through camp. Individual verandas provide guests a private view on the African wild, with photography possibilities right out the door of your tent. And within the privately owned Santawani and Linyanti concessions, Gomoti Tented Camp and Linyanti Tented Camp are for our groups alone.
• Doors-Off Helicopter Flight on Photo Departures Anyone who's had an aerial view on an African safari will tell you there's nothing like photographing wildlife from on high. So we've included an exciting helicopter flight on our photo departures. Capture wildlife on the move as you soar over the Gomoti River, a year-round lifeline for animals, and the Okavango Delta—one of the richest wildlife enclaves in all of Africa. With the doors off, there's nothing to impede your view!
• Explore from Our New Electric Safari Vehicle From our private Gomoti Camp in the southern Okavango Delta, experience quiet game drives in our new fully electric safari vehicle. Operating from our off-grid camp and powered by the sun, this retrofitted Toyota Land Cruiser marks a new era in more sustainable safari transportation. 
• Air Transfers Maximize Your Time on Safari Light aircraft flights between safari locations, rather than long, dusty drives over rough dirt roads, allow us to spend more time scouting for wildlife on safari, instead of enduring uncomfortable conditions in transit.
• The World's Finest Naturalist Guides  Our guests enjoy the personalized service of some of the Africa's top naturalist guides—a Nat Hab hallmark. Your NHA Safari Expedition Leader accompanies your group from start to finish, ensuring a seamless experience. Rather than using less-qualified local camp guides at each location, you benefit from our Expedition Leaders' expertise—they are the most highly trained guides in Africa, averaging 15 years' experience, with additional resources provided by WWF’s top scientists. Our philosophy on this is simple: an African safari is only as good as the guide, so we must provide the very best! See Expedition Leader bios and traveler comments regarding the quality of our leaders.
• Our Quality-Value Guarantee Ensures Your Superior Botswana Safari With Natural Habitat Adventures, you receive our exclusive guarantee, which clearly states that we will meet the lofty expectations we set in our promotional materials. To our knowledge, this is the most ambitious guarantee made by any adventure travel company. Read our important promise.
• Feel Good About Your Carbon-Neutral Journey We care deeply about our planet, as we know you do. When you travel with us, the carbon emissions from your trip are 100% offset—including your round-trip flights from home. Natural Habitat Adventures has been the world’s first carbon-neutral travel company since 2007.

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Botswana Photo Safari, Tours, Journeys - private photo safari | photo tours | journeys

BOTSWANA PHOTO SAFARI

From £  2890.

• DESTINATION

WORKSHOP LEADER

Explore botswana’s wilderness during this exclusive photo safari..

With stunning rocky landscapes, prime opportunities for big cat sightings, large herds of elephants, crystal clear starry nights and a vast array of bird species: the Tuli Block in Botswana is the perfect photo safari destination.

Join us for a 7-day or 9-day adventure in this river-side wilderness, and capture some of these breath-taking sights under the guidance of wildlife and conservation photographer Alan Hewitt. You will stay at a safari-style camp in the heart of the game reserve and your days will be filled with game drives, walking safaris, photography workshops and unforgettable wildlife encounters. Along the way, you’ll receive photographic tutoring by Alan Hewitt, who will help you sharpen your skills, at whichever level you are as a photographer.

If you’re up for a longer wildlife photography adventure, you can combine this trip with our South African photo safari ! Based in the Timbavati, an exclusive collection of private game reserves, this safari offers an incredible Big Five experience and it compliments the photo safari in Botswana in a great way.

QUICK FACTS

Tour highlights, exceptionally beautiful landscapes, great for big cat photography.

• Unique photographic opportunities
• Perfect for walking safaris
• Exceptional landscapes 
• Big cat photography 

TOUR GALLERY

THE DESTINATION

This Botswana photo safari is based in the beautiful Tuli Block. Described by Lonely Planet as ‘Botswana’s best kept secret’, Tuli Block is a nature reserve marked by far-stretching and striking landscapes: vast moon-like rocky plains, large riverbeds lined with giant trees, and stark blue skies. The dry winter season offers prime game-viewing and exceptionally clear starry nights, whilst the rainy summer season sees carpets of wildflowers spring from the ground: refreshed by spectacular thunderstorms. It is a land populated by lions, leopards, large herds of elephants, hippos, hyenas, wild dogs, and cheetahs. The Tuli Block is also home to an impressive variety of bird species, including (but certainly not limited to) Meyer’s Parrot, African Scops-Owl, Meve’s Starling, Southern Black Tit, Little Sparrowhawk, and a mating pair of Verreaux Eagles – a paradise for birding enthusiasts!

ACCOMMODATION

For the 7-day itinerary, you’ll stay at Serolo Safari Camp. Sheltered by Mashatu and Apple-leaf trees and only a few hundred meters from the banks of the Limpopo River, Serolo sits right in the heart of the wilderness you journeyed here to photograph. You will spend your nights in a comfortable two-bed safari-style tent, fully serviced with hot running water, en-suite showers, and flush toilets. There are electric fans and lamps in each tent and bedding, towels, and soap are supplied.

If you’re joining us for the longer itinerary in May 2025, you’ll divide your time between Serolo Safari Camp and the neighbouring Mohave Bush Camp; a camp with permanent safari tents and a similar authentic African feel. Mohave is off the grid, but solar power will charge all of our equipment. This camp is exceptionally well-positioned for game viewing, and you’ll enjoy some great photographic opportunities from the comfort of your tent.

Both camps have splash pools, communal areas, and lovely outside dining areas, where you’ll enjoy three cooked meals a day.

THE PHOTOGRAPHY

The Tuli Block is a fantastic location for photographing some of Botswana’s larger species such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, and elephants, but we’ll also focus on smaller wildlife during your photo safari, both during game drives and on foot, like jackals, honey badgers, different antelope, and birds of prey. The Tuli Block offers some unique photographic opportunities too; near our lodge, for instance, there’s a hyena den that will allow us to observe and photograph these fascinating animals from unusually nearby, and the elusive bat-eared fox can sometimes be spotted on night-drives. This area truly is brimming with life, offering a huge variety and abundance of photographic subjects to enrich your portfolio.  

The breath-taking vistas of the Tuli Block provide a unique backdrop for your wildlife photography and, for those keen, also offer exciting landscape photography opportunities. The bright, clear, and expansive night skies offer a chance to explore astrophotography too.  

Your guide, Alan, will time your game drives and walking safaris to both harness the best possible lighting conditions for your photographs, and to suit the behaviours of the animals you’re tracking; he’ll do his upmost to make sure that you’re in the right place at the right time for those prime photographic opportunities.  

PHOTOGRAPHIC TUTORING

Alan, an experienced wildlife photographer, will be there to assist you throughout your photo safari and to help you take the best possible wildlife images. His tuition will be tailored to everyone’s level; you’ll be able to get as much or as little guidance as you would like. Tuition will most likely include camera settings, exposure, aperture, creative techniques, as well as post-processing. The tuition will happen both during game drives and other activities, and during sessions at our accommodation; it’s flexible and adaptable to everyone’s needs. If there’s anything in particular you would like to learn – be sure to ask! It is our hope that you’ll return home from your Botswana photo safari with an enriched portfolio and improved photography skills that you can implement in all your future photographic expeditions.  

YOUR ITINERARY

Touch down in Botswana! We’ll collect you OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and take you on the 6-hour drive to Tuli Game Reserve. Once there, you can settle into your tent, enjoy your first meal under the riverine trees and let the hum of the African bush lull you to sleep, ready for an unforgettable week.

Day 2 - 6 (or day 2 - 8 if you're joining our longer trip)

You’ll spend the next five days enjoying game drives, walking safaris, photography workshops and once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters. Alan will be with you every step of the way, offering tailored tuition, feedback, and guidance on all things photography.  

If you’re joining us for the 9-day trip in May 2025, you’ll swap to the other camp halfway through, to enjoy some variation in setting and photographic opportunities.

Day 7 (or 9)

It’s time to head home, or to wherever you’re off to next. We’ll drive you back to Johannesburg airport with a portfolio filled with photographs of the stunning wildlife, landscapes and skyscapes to be witnessed in beautiful Botswana.

£ 2890 (7 days) / £ 3395 (9 days)

• Accommodation
• Airport transfers to and from Johannesburg
• All game drives and walking safaris
• Photographic tutoring by Alan Hewitt
• All entrance fees
• International flights to Johannesburg
• Travel insurance

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

• A range of lenses; ideally ranging from wide angle for landscape to telephoto for wildlife
• Tripod or bean bag
• Sturdy camera bag
• Laptop if you’re keen to improve your post-production skills, and/or if you’d like to review your images with Alan

Alan Hewitt is a wildlife and conservation photographer, writer, and workshop leader. Mainly driven by his appreciation for and fascination of wildlife, Alan’s aim with his photography is to document our natural world and use this as a tool for conservation. His work has been used to support wildlife conservation organisations in Kenya, as well as ones closer to his home in the UK, including campaigns to save nature reserves that are home to iconic and endangered species. Alan is an official UK ambassador for FUJIFILM.

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Tailor Made Safaris

Popular safaris, east & central africa, southern africa, set departures, top destinations, indian ocean islands, set departure safari, 10-day mobile photo safari botswana, “discover 10 days of breathtaking landscapes, diverse wildlife, and exhilarating adventures in botswana’s premier game reserves, perfect for passionate wildlife photographers.”.

Safari Rating

This exclusive 10-day safari transports you from the picturesque Moremi Game Reserve through the peaceful Khwai Concession Area to the wildlife-rich Chobe National Park, with a special focus on wildlife photography. Enjoy thrilling game drives, tranquil mokoro excursions, and a spectacular boat cruise on the Chobe River while capturing unforgettable photographic moments. This journey offers the ideal combination of adventure and relaxation, immersing you in Botswana’s natural beauty and providing incredible photo opportunities.

Itinerary in Brief

3 Nights Mobile Tented Camp – Moremi Game Reserve

3 Nights Mobile Tented Camp – Khwai Concession Area

3 Nights Mobile Tented Camp – Chobe National Park

Join this unique 10-day Botswana Safari Adventure that blends thrilling landscapes, diverse wildlife, and serene river cruises. Tailored for avid nature and wildlife photographers, this journey begins in the famous Moremi Game Reserve, continues through the tranquil Khwai Concession Area, and concludes in the wildlife haven of Chobe National Park. Experience comfortable stays in Mobile Tented Camps, enjoy exciting game drives, mokoro excursions, and an unforgettable boat cruise along the Chobe River. This adventure offers an immersive experience in Botswana’s pristine wilderness, providing countless opportunities for stunning photography.

• Explore the diverse landscapes and wildlife of Moremi Game Reserve.
• Experience the traditional mokoro canoe excursion in the Okavango Delta.
• Enjoy the freedom and exclusivity of the Khwai Concession Area.
• Discover the abundant wildlife of Chobe National Park, including the Central Chobe region and Chobe River Front.
• Relax on a scenic boat cruise along the Chobe River.
• Soar over the Okavango Delta on a thrilling charter flight.

map and overview

• 10-day safari adventure through Botswana’s renowned game reserves.
• Begins with a visit to Moremi Game Reserve, known for its rich wildlife and scenic beauty.
• Includes a mokoro excursion and game drives in the Khwai Concession Area.
• Three nights in Chobe National Park, exploring the Central Chobe region.
• Concludes with a boat cruise on the Chobe River.
• Accommodations in comfortable, spacious Letaka Tented Camps with private bathrooms.
• All meals, drinks, and activities as specified in the itinerary are included.

start dates

Detailed itinerary, day 1: maun to xakanaxa.

Travel Day / 30 minute charter flight

After your arrival at Maun International Airport you will be met by Mack Air for your charter flight at approximately 14h00 to the Xakanaxa airstrip in Moremi Game Reserve where you will be met by your guide.

If you are staying in Maun prior to the safari, please request an airport transfer, Mack

Air will liaise with your accommodation the day before to confirm the flight departure time. Alternatively, if you are coming from one of the many safari lodges, you can organize to fly directly into Xakanaxa Airstrip with the lodges preferred charter company although we do request that these flights land only after 12h00 in order for our guide to be there to meet you. Our first three nights are spent in the Xakanaxa region where we explore the surrounding wilderness on morning and afternoon game drive excursions.

Wildlife: From the air only the larger animals are easily seen. These include large breeding herds of African elephant that live in the mopane scrub. On the open plains large herds of buffalo and lechwe can be seen and in the waterways, pods of hippopotamus are a common sight. Once you land in Xakanaxa and board your land cruiser, the smaller game animals can be found.

Accommodation: Letaka Tented Camp

Activities: Game Drives

Days 2 & 3: Xakanaxa Exploration Days - Moremi Game Reserve

Habitat: Moremi lies on the eastern extremity of the Okavango Delta. Habitats here range from wide-open floodplains, marshes, lagoons, papyrus fringed channels, vast stands of Miscanthus and Phragmites , woodland and savannah. As a result of the extremely variable habitat the diversity of both wildlife and birdlife is excellent.

Wildlife: Moremi is amongst the best game reserves in Africa for viewing the endangered African wild dog. Xakanaxa is home to a resident herd of several hundred buffalo whose range covers the territories of at least 4 prides of lion which may often be seen flanking the ever moving herd. Breeding herds of elephant move between their browsing areas in the mopane forests and the fresh water of the Okavango. Red lechwe are one of the more unusual antelope species and commonly found here.

Day 4: Xakanaxa to Khwai

Travel Day / 60km (full day of extended game drive and journey time with picnic

lunch between camps)

Following and early morning breakfast you take a slow drive through Moremi Game Reserve north-east towards the Khwai Community Area.

Habitat: The Manuchira Channel is known as the Khwai River at its eastern most extremity. The day’s journey follows this water course, with the track weaving from the riverside and floodplains into the mopane veld and the woodlands that make Khwai one of the most scenic areas of the Okavango. We pass the magnificent Dombo Hippo Pools in the morning stopping to enjoy the scenery and the antics of the resident hippo.

Wildlife: The western mopane veld is home to mostly breeding herds of elephant whilst the eastern reaches of Khwai is home to some impressive old bulls. The mature bulls revel in the cool waters of the Khwai and are far more approachable while drinking and bathing than the breeding herds. The river has an unusually high density of hippo as well as some huge crocodile. Leopard, cheetah, serval and lion are common predators along this route and both Xakanaxa as well as Khwai are included in the home ranges of 2 different packs of wild dog. General game includes southern giraffe, Burchell’s zebra, tessebe and red lechwe with roan and sable antelope being less common residents.

Activities: Game drive and night drive

Days 5 & 6: Khwai Exploration Days

The Khwai River forms a boundary between the reserve and the community area. We spend the following two nights camping at an exclusive campsite in the community area, exploring the Khwai floodplains on game drives both during the day and at night. Exploring after dark with spotlights offers you an opportunity to experience some of the nocturnal animals that are rarely encountered during the day. We will also have the opportunity to explore the surrounding wilderness on foot (not in low season) and mokoro and enjoy an up close and personal encounter with Botswana’s flora and fauna. It is important to note that night drives and guided walks are not permitted within the national parks and reserves. These activities are conducted outside the boundaries of the Moremi Game Reserve in the Khwai community area.

Habitat: We spend our time between the dry-land habitats of the lead-wood and camel-thorn woodlands and savannahs and the riverside and marshy back-waters of the Khwai. Time permitting we may visit the lagoons and waterways of Xakanaxa where the largest heronry in southern Africa exists.

Wildlife: The Khwai region boasts excellent populations of both bull elephant as well as breeding herds. Lion, leopard, serval and African wildcat are common predators of the region with wild dog and cheetah being less common. Buffalo use this area seasonally with large herds moving in during the summer rains. The swampy areas in the west are home to red lechwe. Other ungulates include tsesebe, blue wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, sable antelope, roan antelope and impala.

Activities: Game Drive, Walking Safaris (not in low season) Night Drives and mokoro excursion

Day 7: Khwai to Central Chobe

Travel Day / 100km (full day of extended game drive and journey time with picnic lunch between camps)

We head further north en-route to Chobe National Park, were we spend the following three nights camping in an exclusive wilderness campsite in the Central Chobe region, exploring the dessert-like landscape of game drives.

Habitat: A fascinating days drive looking at some of the evidence of the Paleo-Lake Makgadikgadi that dried up some ten thousand years ago. The most challenging part of the trip is crossing the Magwikwe Sand-ridge that formed the shoreline for this massive inland sea. The winding track through this deep sand makes for interesting travel in the early summer! The old lake bed is now the Mababe Depression. The dense clay floor of the depression result in high protein feed for wildlife and the area teams with game after the rains. During the rain season the depression is impassable due to the “cotton soil” and alternative routes must be used.

Wildlife: A day when anything could happen. The range of habitat that is covered encompasses most of the habitat types of northern Botswana. We pass through excellent lion country and some of the best cheetah country that our safari will cover. Elephant occur throughout the drive but are more common at the start and end of the drive where permanent surface water can be found.

Activities: Morning and Afternoon Game Drives

Days 8 & 9: Central Chobe Exploration Days

Habitat: Unlike the vast majority of the country, Central Chobe is not a totally flat landscape. Large outcrops of volcanic rock reach up out of the Kalahari sands, towering over the endless savannah. These hills provide habitat for a completely different array of small wildlife, birds and plants. The Savuti Marsh has been the stage for many of the most dramatic wildlife documentaries in Africa. The wide open country, good ungulate populations and particularly strong prides of lion and hyaena clans make for dramatic wildlife interaction and excellent viewing opportunities. The now dry Savuti Channel runs through this landscape linking the dry sand-veld, the waterholes, the hills and the grassland that was the Savuti Marsh.

Wildlife: Undoubtedly it is the interaction between lion and elephant that is the most interesting aspect of Savuti. The area is inhabited by a huge pride of lions with numbers fluctuating from 20-30 members. These remarkable lion have learned over the years how to hunt these massive pachyderms that are supposedly above predation. Launching their attack under darkness and using their numbers, they manage to kill adolescent and even young adult elephant. The marsh is prime cheetah country and in the wet season it is not unusual to have the wild dog hunting here in Central Chobe.

Activities: Game Drives and Bushman Painting Walks

Day 10: Central Chobe to Chobe River

Travel Day / 170km (5 hrs)

On our final day on safari we will leave Central Chobe early to travel along the Chobe River arriving in Kasane where we will stop for a picnic lunch before taking an afternoon boat cruise to end the safari. As today is a long day we recommend either spending a night or two in Kasane at Chobe Safari Lodge or two nights in Livingstone at Taita Falcon Lodge or Victoria Falls at Ilala. For those transferring across to Zambia/Zimbabwe it is recommended that your transfer be organized to meet you at Kalahari Tours at 15h30 .

Habitat: The habitat on today’s drive takes us through the stunted mopane scrub of the Goha clay basin, across the sand-ridge and through the wonderful Zambezi teak woodlands of the Chobe Forest Reserve and along the Chobe| P a g e River itself. The Chobe floodplain is tens of kilometers wide and in years of exceptional rains the water stretches as far as the eye can see.

Wildlife: While there are community areas that we pass through that are settled by local tribes, for the vast majority of the day’s drive we pass through wild country where wildlife moves un-inhibited by fences or man. Roan and sable antelope thrive in the teak woodlands where the low density of predators and lack of competition for food by other ungulates makes this prime habitat for these large ungulates. Leopard occur in these woodlands in low numbers but they are highly secretive and seldom seen. The Goha region has natural waterholes that hold water well into the dry season and herds of buffalo, Burchell’s zebra, greater kudu and elephant come down to drink.

Activities: Game Drives & Chobe Boat Trip

Prices 2024

• USD 6.395,00 per person sharing

Prices 2025

• USD 5.595,00 per person sharing (April)
• USD 6.395,00 per person sharing (June and October)

additional information

Your safari includes:.

• Spacious and comfortable tented accommodation, including beds, bed linen and towels, with a private bathroom

• Services of a professional guide, safari chef and camp assistants, complete with a supply vehicle.

• Game drives and local transfers in customised safari vehicles

• Exclusive camping in private campsites within the national parks and reserves

• All entrance and camping fees within the national parks and reserves

• All meals and drinks (filtered water, soft drinks, beer, wine and G&T) whilst in Letaka Tented Camps

• All activities as specified in the itinerary

• 12% Value Added Tax

Your Safari Excludes:

• Travel Insurance

• All flights unless otherwise indicated

• Items of personal nature

Staff gratuities

• Optional safari extensions

• Any drinks at lodges or accommodation other than Mobile Tented Camps.

Photographic Kit List

Do not feel obligated to buy a ton of expensive kit just to come on this trip. You will certainly benefit from a reasonable

telephoto lens (preferably 300mm or more; a 100-400mm zoom gives you added flexibility) and a shorter wide-angle

lens which can be used for landscapes. If you have additional equipment (e.g. a macro lens, a spare body, etc.) then

please bring them along, but be aware that the maximum total luggage limit on the light aircraft

is 20kg per person. The following is a list of useful but by no means essential items.

Camera Bag – A sturdy, soft backpack is ideal for these types of trips. Pelicases are also good

if they do not take you over the baggage weight limits. Whatever your choice, be prepared for

plenty of dust, so make sure your bag can suitably protect your equipment.

Camera Body

Lenses and extenders/converters

Memory cards/film – You can never have too many memory cards or film. If you are shooting

digitally and have a multimedia photo viewer, then this can act as a back-up for your memory

cards and a useful editing tool in the field.

Lens cleaning kit (Gitzo blower, cloth and solution) – You will undoubtedly need this at some stage during the trip.

Spare battery and charger – There is an inverter in the safari vehicle, but to be safe we would advise bringing enough

batter power to get you through the safari.

Beanbag (optional – Guide can supply if requested in advance)

Tripod (especially if you are keen on landscapes)

Monopod – If you have a heavy super-telephoto lens (500mm or more) then you will find shooting in the back of the

vehicle much easier with a monopod as the arm rest tends to be quite low.

Filters – Generally a polariser will be your most useful filter. UV filters are also useful for protecting your lenses. If you

are serious about landscapes then a neutral density filter can help to darken skies resulting in a more uniform exposure.

Flash – An external flash can often help “fill-in” shadows during the day as well as allowing you to shoot in more overcast

conditions.

Routing: Maun to Kasane.

Access: Maun.

Accommodation: Fully serviced en-suite Tented Camping.

Ready for an adventure? Lets Talk!

Contact SAFARI FRANK to get started on your safari of a lifetime!

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• Botswana Photographic Safari
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Welcome to Botswana!

If wildlife photography is a passion, or a new skill you’d like to add to your list, then this seven day safari is the perfect option. Your photographic safari host, who will be with you for the duration of your trip, will offer advice and ideas to assist with the perfect photographic shot. Accommodation will not only be at the award-winning Pangolin Chobe Hotel, but also on a houseboat, which sails on a long stretch of the Chobe River. If you are travelling without a camera, we can supply you with cameras and telephoto lenses to use for the duration of this tour, free of charge.

Destination: Botswana

Chobe, Namibia

When you arrive in Chobe you will be met and briefed by your dedicated photo host who will be accompanying you throughout your trip. Generally, clients either arrive at Kasane Airport or are transferred from nearby Victoria Falls. You will meet up with the group and then make the short transfer across the river (to the Namibian side) to board the houseboat – The Pangolin Voyager.

The Pangolin Voyager cruises up and down a long stretch of the Chobe River with three dedicated mooring points at which you will spend one night. Water levels and conditions of the river influence the order that the boat visits the mooring points.

The rhythm of the animals in and around the Chobe River set the order of the day, so it’s usually very relaxed. An early morning, with some tea & coffee and a snack before heading out on a smaller boat. The 8-seater photo boat is especially designed and equipped for this sort of excursion. Everyone has their own seat which rotates 360 degrees and has a camera mount built into the chair. The boats are very wide and stable and this allows your guide to move between all the photographers on the boat, offering an interactive experience, so that everyone has the best opportunity to get some amazing images. Whether you are just getting started in wildlife photography or are more accomplished, your photo host is able to tailor his or her tuition to suit your requirements.

Brunch is served back on the houseboat, while it cruises to the next destination along the river. We recommend that you keep your camera close at hand as this is a wild destinations and you may have some amazing sightings to capture.

After brunch, you are free to relax in your cabin, the lounge, the sun deck or join the photo host at the dining table for an image review of the pictures you have taken so far. These sessions are less about post-production and editing and more about analysing your images and seeing how your host help you improve on your techniques. There are no computers or laptops on board, so please bring your own to join in these sessions.

The “golden hour” at the end of the day is not to be missed, so a couple of hours before sunset you’ll head out again to see what you can find to photograph. Refreshments are served on all the cruises and you’ll be sure to have some very special sundowner moments.

The dinner is a three-course meal taken around the dining table lovingly prepared by the galley staff from fresh local ingredients. With the National Park on the other bank you can often hear the call of lions and hyena at night.

On the fourth day, after brunch, we will disembark and head back into Botswana to The Pangolin Chobe Hotel for the next part of the safari.

Chobe, Botswana

Today, after brunch, you will disembark and be taken back into Botswana to The Pangolin Chobe Hotel for the next part of your safari.

Not only do you now have access to the Chobe National Park for game drives, but you are also able to cruise the Southern Channel of the Chobe River, which is not accessible from the Namibian side.

The same type of equipped photographic boat is used for the river cruising and photos as what were used the first three days. The vehicles that are used in The Chobe National Park also seat all eight guests with everyone having a window seat and camera rest to support the lenses.

In between the activities you can either relax at the eco-pool or make use of the air-conditioned editing room at the hotel.

Meals are enjoyed either out on the deck or in the inter-leading dining room and wholesome meals, using locally sources ingredients, and the pride of the chefs. The evening meals vary from Braai (Barbecue) Nights to gourmet pizzas cooked in wood-fired ovens.

The Pangolin bar on the upper floor of the hotel has spectacular views and the best cocktails in Kasane and is a great place to relax after dinner with your fellow travellers.

After breakfast you will be transferred to Kasane Airport for your onward arrangements.

Pangolin Voyager

The Chobe River is the natural border between Namibia and Botswana and the Pangolin Voyager is actually based on the Namibian side of the river with the Chobe National Park as the opposite bank. The Chobe is unique in that it flows in both directions at different times of the year depending on the flood in the mighty Zambezi with which is converges a few kilometres further downstream. The houseboat has five cabins which can be configured as double or twin beds. Each has an ensuite shower and toilet as well as air conditioning. Please be aware that the aircon is controlled centrally to cool the cabins throughout the day and night when you are most likely to be in your room but cannot run 24/7 as we predominantly rely on solar generated battery power. The middle level is where you will find the living and dining areas where all the meals are served and a well-stocked bar is located. Large glass sliding doors offer a wonderful view of the river as we cruise between our three moorings. Most cruising takes place after the morning game activity and during brunch and the midday sun – which is best enjoyed on the partially shaded upper deck.

Pangolin Chobe Hotel ****

The Pangolin Chobe Hotel sits on the plateau overlooking The Chobe River and Namibia’s Caprivi floodplains which stretch out to the far horizon. The Chobe National Park boundary is a few hundred meters away meaning that with our proximity to the gate we are more often than not the first vehicle through the gate for game drives. Our boats are moored on the river directly below the Hotel and its a quick five minute transfer to get to them and then straight into the park. Each of the fourteen rooms have been designed to maximise the space and provide plenty of surfaces (for cameras and laptops etc) and charging points galore. They are all en-suite and air-conditioned with safes and tea/coffee making facilities and plenty of intriguing design features.

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BOTSWANA: WILDLIFE SPECTACULAR – The photographic wonders of the Okavango and Chobe

Baby African Elephant and watchful guardians (image by Mark Beaman)

A Lioness shakes off the water after a river crossing (image by Mark Beaman)

Blue Wildebeest portrait (image by Mark Beaman)

Lion cub with a baby elephant's foot, a decidely macarbre 'plaything' (image by Mark Beaman)

Eye to eye with Botswana's Meerkats (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Red-crested Korhaan (or Red-crested Bustard) portrait (image by Mark Beaman)

Water lily detail (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Curious Wild Dogs peering at safari guests (Image by Grant Reed)

Backlit Impalas browsing at sunrise (image by Mark Beaman)

African Hawk-Eagle portrait (image by Mark Beaman)

Portrait of a Meerkat (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Impala male portrait (image by Mark Beaman)

Portrait of a Brown Hyena in the sunset (Image by Inger Vandyke)

The rare and endangered Slaty Egret is the star bird of the Okavango Delta, Botswana (image by Mark Beaman)

Zebra detail (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Honey Badgers may not be big, but they make up for it with remarkable strength and courage (image by Mark Beaman)

The Puku is an uncommon, restricted-range antelope of flood plains in Botswana and some neighbouring countries (image by Mark Beaman)_

Red Lechwe leaping across a Khwai water channel (Image by Wim Vorster)

Martial Eagle in flight in the skies over Moremi (Image by Wim Vorster)

Lions at the river bank (image by Mark Beaman)

Male Lion chewing away on elephant hide. The darker the mane the more dominant the individual (image by Mark Beaman)

A male Red-headed Weaver building it’s nest (Image by Wim Vorster)

The dazzling Southern Carmine Bee-eater at the Chobe River, Botswana (image by Mark Beaman)

Three generations of African Elephants (image by Mark Beaman)

Botswana's Okavango at dusk (image by Mark Beaman)

A male Lion from the Marsh Pride drags the almost-consumed carcass of a young elephant at Savuti, Botswana (image by Mark Beaman)

We hate those flies! Painted Wolves (or African Wild Dogs) observe their tormentors (image by Mark Beaman)

Watching families of Meerkats prepare to go to bed at sunset is a highlight of visiting the Makgadikgadi Clay Pans in Botswana (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Wild Dogs on the run in Botswana (Image by Grant Reed)

The majesty of lions (Image by Grant Reed)

"You said you weren't afraid of crocs, so you go first! Lions reluctantly making a river crossing in Botswana (image by Mark Beaman)

A pride of Lions who seem oblivious to the herd of zebra behind them (Image by Grant Reed)

Lilac-breasted Roller flight portrait (image by Mark Beaman)

Vervet Monkey mother and baby (image by Mark Beaman)

Squacco Heron in the waterways of Botswana (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Motion blur of a Cheetah running (Image by Grant Reed)

A Little bee-eater feeds a dragonfly to its chick (Image by Wim Vorster)

An African Elephant takes a drink from the shores of the Chobe River (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Elephant bull swimming in Khwai River (Image by Wim Vorster)

Red-billed Spurfowl calling at Moremi (Image by Grant Reed)

What is he looking at? Portrait of a Wild Dog in Botswana (Image by Grant Reed)

Baby and adolescent, after a bath (image by Mark Beaman)

Common Warthogs and African Elephants. Little and Large... (image by Mark Beaman)

Fantastic rainbows in the clouds of spray are a lovely feature of the Victoria Falls (image by Mark Beaman)

African Marsh Harriers hunt over the Okavango and Chobe floodplains (image by Mark Beaman)

An inquisitive Dwarf Mongoose (image by Mark Beaman)

A Peters's Epauletted Fruit Bat mother cradles her baby with her wings (image by Mark Beaman)

An aerial view of one of Makgadikgadi's clay pans taken from the scenic flight into our lodge (Image by Inger Vandyke)

The impressive wattles of a Southern Ground Hornbill seen up close by photographer Grant Reed

The Lilac-breasted Roller is a truly stunning bird (image by Mark Beaman)

The Saddle-billed Stork is one of the most stunning stork species in Africa (Image by Grant Reed)

An impressive section of the Victoria Falls (image by Mark Beaman)

A pair of elegant but endangered Wattled Cranes in Moremi Game Reserve at the edge of Botswana's Okavango Delta (image by Mark Beaman)

African Elephant detail (image by Mark Beaman)

Wild Dogs are an adrenaline filled highlight of any safari in Botswana (Image by Grant Reed)

The African Jacana uses its elongated toes to spread its weight as it walks over the lily pads (image by Mark Beaman)

Guests with a yawning lion on a foot safari in Khwai, Botswana (Image by Grant Reed)

A Yellow-billed Oxpecker perches on the rump of a strange stripey animal (image by Mark Beaman)

A male African Wild Dog watches for prey in Khwai (Image by Wim Vorster)

Two birds are dwarfed by the watery immensity of the Victoria Falls (image by Mark Beaman)

One of the spray-filled chasms at the Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe/Zambia border (image by Mark Beaman)

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill portrait (image by Mark Beaman)

Above and below water lilies in the marshlands (Image shot with a GoPro by Inger Vandyke)

Lion cubs tussle over a baby elephant's foot at Savuti, Botswana (image by Mark Beaman)_

Sunrise in Botswana (Image by Inger Vandyke)

A Nile Crocodiles feeds from a dead hippo in the water in Chobe (Image by Wim Vorster)

Plains zebras often play and fight with each other (Image by Wim Vorster)

A beautiful San (Bushman) girl in Botswana (image by Inger Vandyke)

Cats, even large ones, are clean creatures. A Leopard grooms itself after its siesta (image by Mark Beaman)

Female Leopard and her almost full-grown male cub (image by Mark Beaman)

A Brown Hyena pair rest at their den in the Makgadikgadi clay pans of Botswana (Image by Inger Vandyke)

A beautiful leopard watching the sun go down in Khwai (Image by Grant Reed)

Common Zebra in a dust storm (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Tree Squirrel in its world of bark (image by Mark Beaman)

Male Red Lechwes sparring. Red Lechwe's are an antelope of seasonally-flooded grasslands bordering swamps (image by Mark Beaman)

A pair of Brown Hyenas play in front of their den at dusk (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Greater Kudu female (image by Mark Beaman)

Sometimes the Okavango floods are so high that they kill the trees (image by Mark Beaman)

Portrait of a pair of Swainson's Francolins in Botswana (image by Mark Beaman)

African Elephant drinking in the early morning light (image by Mark Beaman)

Young elephant bulls playing in the Khwai River (Image by Wim Vorster)

San (Bushman) of Botswana: a vanishing people (image by Inger Vandyke)

Oxpeckers are so annoying! Southern Giraffe and Yellow-billed Oxpecker on our Botswana safari (image by Mark Beaman)

Yawning hippos are always a highlight of the Moremi swamps (Image by Wim Vorster)

A beautiful Crested Francolin walking through the yellow flowers of a Devil’s thorn creeper (Image by Wim Vorster)

Water lilies and phragmites characterise the marshlands of Botswana (Image by Inger Vandyke)

A stunning male leopard in dead tree (Image by Wim Vorster)

Little bee-eater with dragonfly kill (Image by Wim Vorster)

"I love you Mummy!" Lion cub and mother (image by Mark Beaman)

A Painted Wolf (or African Wild Dog) in Botswana, surely the best place to see this sought-after predator (image by Mark Beaman)

Meerkats have sharp teeth to hunt prey and defend themselves from predators (Image by Inger Vandyke)

There are few things stranger than a giraffe feeding from the ground. This is a Southern Giraffe in Botswana (image by Mark Beaman)

Impala mother and calf (image by Mark Beaman)

An Impala family race away, one of the calves 'pronking' as it goes (image by Mark Beaman)

An elephant's eye has seen so very much... (image by Mark Beaman)

Follow my leader: lions crossing a river (image by Mark Beaman)

Lioness feeding on her kudu kill in Chobe (Image by Wim Vorster)

The Victoria Falls from the air (image by Mark Beaman)

Lions shake off the water after a river crossing (image by Mark Beaman)

Cheetah being followed by an Gemsbok herd (Image by Grant Reed)

Leopard portrait (Inger Vandyke)

Elephants swimming in the Chobe River provide ideal roosting spots for Cattle Egrets (Image by Inger Vandyke)

The Painted Wolf (or African Wild Dog) is a fearsome predator (image by Mark Beaman)

The unique, marmalade-coloured Pel's Fishing Owl (image by Mark Beaman)

Male Lion portrait (image by Inger Vandyke)

Red Lechwe silhouetted by a Moremi sunset (Image by Wim Vorster)

A male Lion is a truly impressive beast (image by Mark Beaman)

A cute little lion cub plays in Savute (Image by Wim Vorster)

Leopard portrait (image by Mark Beaman)

Mark Beaman with his little friend (image by Inger Vandyke)

The awesome sight of a hippopotamus yawning at sunset (Image by Grant Reed)

Male lion shaking his head (Image by Wim Vorster)

African Wild dogs on the look out in Moremi (Image by Wim Vorster)

Portrait of a Wild Dog (Image by Grant Reed)

Hippopotamus heads (image by Mark Beaman)

Join the resident Meerkats of the Makgadikgadi clay pans to watch the sunrise in Botswana (Image by Inger Vandyke)

A huddle of Commnon Ostrich chicks (image by Inger Vandyke)

A young Leopard crouches close to us on the 2018 Wild Images Botswana photosafari (image by Mark Beaman)

Just your typical day on safari in the Makgadikgadi region of Botswana (Image by Inger Vandyke)

A pretty male Pygmy Goose swims through the lily flowers of Moremi (Image by Wim Vorster)

Tiny biting flies torment a Painted Wolf (or African Wild Dog) until it leaps up to catch some (image by Mark Beaman)

A sweet little Baby Chacma baboon in Chobe (Image by Wim Vorster)

The sunsets and sunrises of the Makgadikgadi Clay pans are characterised by savannahs and towering Makalani Palms (Image by Inger Vandyke)

A rare and spectacular encounter with Wild Dogs running through the water near the Khwai River in Botswana (Image by Grant Reed)

Common Zebra kaleidascope (image by Inger Vandyke)

BOTSWANA WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS WITH WILD IMAGES

Botswana is home to some of Africa’s best national parks and wildlife sanctuaries and has some of its most diverse wildlife, and yet it is still less well-known as a destination for wildlife photography tours as compared with places like Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. One reason is that the great national parks and conservation areas of Botswana are still real wildernesses that are both difficult and expensive to access.

This wonderful wildlife photosafari will take us from Maun in the southwest of the Okavango region to Kasane in the far northeast of Botswana, passing through the Moremi Game Reserve, the Khwai Concession Area, Savuti and eastern Chobe National Park as we go.

We will be staying in spacious and comfortable mobile tented camps (including proper beds and bed linen, with a private en-suite bathroom) in exclusive private campsites within the national parks and wildlife reserves, whilst travelling in our customized safari vehicle, which is open-sided with a fantastic, almost all-round view.

Now that’s surely an ideal way to get to the very heart of Botswana’s wildlife wonderland!

Accommodation & Road Transport

During our Botswana and Okavango photosafari we will be staying in exclusive and comfortable mobile tented camps which are specially erected for our stays in private campsites within the national parks and reserves. The tented accommodation is both spacious (walk-in height) and comfortable, and includes beds and bed linen, with a private (well side-screened, but open to the skies) en-suite bathroom and a large porch. The bedroom section of the tent is about 4m x 3m (approximately 13ft x 10ft). The camp is serviced by a safari chef and camp assistants, complete with a supply vehicle. The meals that the chef comes up with are truly remarkable, particularly given the pretty simple cooking facilities a mobile safari chef has to cope with!

Road transport is by a customized safari vehicle which is perfect for wildlife viewing and photography. These special vehicles are great for photography as they have all-round (almost 360 degrees) views and very low sides, allowing lower angle shots.  They have a roof cover in case it gets hot or rains, and even have a fridge stocked with cold drinks. The few main roads are mostly good or reasonable (but there are also plenty of rough tracks in the sanctuaries and some ‘off-road’ driving).

The walking effort is easy throughout our Botswana and Okavango photosafari. Walking is restricted to a few specified areas in the national parks/game reserves. This is of little hindrance and indeed we can approach many large birds and mammals far more closely in a vehicle than we could on foot.

At this season in the Okavango and Chobe regions of Botswana, most days will be warm or hot, dry and sunny, but overcast conditions are fairly frequent and there may well be some rain.

Photographic Equipment During Botswana wildlife photography tours, the most used telephoto lens focal lengths with a full-frame DSLR or mirrorless are usually between 200-600 mm (sometimes even longer is useful). Do not neglect the mid-range telephoto area (150-300 mm) as many subjects are large and/or approachable, or in groups.

Botswana has few panoramic views and so ultra-wide-angle is only occasionally useful (but this does not apply at Victoria Falls, where it is good to have the focal lengths 16-24 mm covered). Of more use is to cover the range 24-70/100 mm.

All the focal lengths mentioned above relate to full-frame cameras. Please adjust as appropriate for crop sensor and micro four-thirds cameras.

You can also get wonderful results throughout this Botswana wildlife photography tour, with many subjects, with a high quality ‘bridge’ camera with an 18-20x or higher optical zoom and a wide-angle setting which is equivalent to 24mm.

A tripod cannot be used on this tour (there is insufficient space), but a monopod can be helpful if you use a heavy telephoto, as the vehicle sides and armrests are low and so often unsuitable for resting on. A beanbag can also be useful at times. If you do not have one yourself, let us know as our local agent can usually provide one. Bring a flash if you wish for the Khwai night drives.

The safari vehicle has a battery charger, but even so, we would strongly recommend having plenty of spare, full-charged battery power just in case! A failure of the charger is unlikely, but think how you might cope if it happened. There is no other source of electricity during the safari. Dust is ever-present in Africa, so protecting (so far as is practicable) and cleaning your photography equipment is important.

If you have questions about what equipment you ought to bring, please contact us.

VICTORIA FALLS EXTENSION

As our Botswana wildlife photosafari ends in Kasane in northeasternmost Botswana, it is very easy to extend your holiday and add in a visit to the incomparable Victoria Falls. The Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya (the Smoke that Thunders) are situated on the mighty Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls are some of the largest and most spectacular in the world, offering some remarkable opportunities for photography, and so are well worth a visit if you can spare an extra day or two.

We recommend travelling to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe to see the falls (Victoria Falls, which has a wide range of hotels and is a pleasant small ‘touristic’ town, is only about one and a half hours from Kasane), spending two nights there. (A one night visit is possible, but rather rushed.) The views from the Zimbabwe side are better, particularly in October-December when the Zambian part of the falls largely dries up. Tourist visas can be obtained in just a matter of minutes at the border, for around 50-60 US Dollars cash (no passport photos required). There are regular flights from Victoria Falls to Johannesburg.

The price will depend on the price level of the accommodation you select and your duration of stay. Please indicate on your booking form if you are interested in a Victoria Falls extension and we will quote you a cost once we know your intended accommodation (we suggest the good but mid-priced Batonka Guest Lodge, the historic, impressive and expensive Victoria Falls Hotel or the very comfortable and conveniently situated Ilala Lodge, but other options are also available) and other requirements. A road transfer from Kasane to your hotel at Victoria Falls and an airport transfer at Victoria Falls will be included.

You can easily walk to the falls from some of the accommodations (for example Ilala Lodge or the Victoria Falls Hotel), but more distant ones need road transport. This is best arranged locally while you are there. We can strongly recommend the ‘Flight of the Angels’ by helicopter, including the extended version that goes upriver over the national park. This is best pre-booked in case they are busy the day you want to fly.

MAKGADIKGADI EXTENSION

For ‘something completely different’ why not make a pre-tour visit to the famous Makgadikgadi Pans, a huge, mainly dry area of grassland, sparse savanna and saline lake beds situated roughly two hundred kilometres (120 miles) to the southeast of Maun? There are some splendid tented safari lodges here, including Camp Kalahari and the famous and original Jack’s Camp (both lodges are run by the same company). Transport from and back to Maun is by charter flight, and you can transfer to the charter plane for the one hour plus flight directly upon arrival into Maun airport if you wish. Views during the flight are spectacular, so be sure to have your camera out.

The arid, wide-open landscapes of Makgadikgadi come as a total contrast to the Okavango Delta region at Moremi and the savanna landscapes of Khawai, Savuti and the Chobe River that you will experience during the tour. This is a semi-desert region and for much of the year, the huge saline pans are dry, fringed by vast expanses of tawny grassland, stands of Makalani Palms and areas of dry bush country or woodland.

The first of the two major attractions of Makgadikgadi are the group of habituated Meerkats. These fantastic creatures have become so unafraid of humans that you can visit them at their den, or follow them closely as they forage through the grasslands. They are not only tame enough to let you photograph them from just one or two metres distance if you want (you can get great wide-angle shots!) but they will, if you kneel or sit, climb up on your back, shoulders or head to get better views of their surroundings! You can even stand up while they remain at their post. Various individuals act as ‘lookouts’ for the group and they regard an extra metre or two of vantage height to be invaluable!

As well as the fantastic Meerkat experience, the other big draw at Makgadikgadi are the rare and usually (i.e. elsewhere) very wary Brown Hyaenas. At one of the dens here the hyaenas have become used to visitors, so much so that they typically emerge from the den well before sunset and lol around, interact with each other or have a wander before the light goes. Quite often they come right up to the vehicle! For anyone who knows how difficult it normally is to see this shy and increasingly rare Southern African predator, Makgadikgadi’s Brown Hyaenas are miraculously approachable.

Makgadikgadi has an excellent selection of other wildlife and the recent creation of permanent waterholes by the use of solar-powered boreholes has meant that many more large mammals spend the whole year here, not just the wet season. Large numbers of Blue Wildebeest and Common Zebras, and smaller numbers of Springboks are to be found, Black-backed Jackals are common and both Lions and Cheetahs are regular. The waterholes attract many birds, including flocks of Burchell’s Sandgrouse and Grey-backed Sparrow-Larks. The wind often gets up as the morning advances, creating interesting possibilities for photographing mammals amidst the dust.

As the lodges are outside the national park boundary, night drives can be made and it is easy to see wallaby-like Spring Hares, Cape Hares and Bat-eared Foxes. Aardwolf and Small-spotted Genet are regular and very rarely an Aardvark is sighted.

Both lodges have expert, very professional resident naturalist guides who are attuned to the needs of photographers. We suggest three nights here, but you can also make a worthwhile two nights visit if you need to keep the cost down. Please contact our office if you are interested in a visit to Makgadikgadi. The cost will depend on the duration of your stay and whether you opt for the comfortable Camp Kalahari or the even more luxurious and more expensive Jack’s Camp. If you want more than one visit to the Meerkats and one visit to the Brown Hyaena den to be guaranteed during your stay, it is best to request a private vehicle and guide (at extra cost, if available).

Photographic Highlights

• The beautiful scenery and extraordinary wildlife of the Moremi Game Reserve and the Khwai Concession
• Amazing wildlife in the world famous Chobe National Park, from Savuti eastwards
• Excellent chances of great encounters with Wild Dogs (African Hunting Dogs)
• Frequent encounters with large cats
• Amazing daily encounters with a fantastic variety of other large game
• A superb variety of bird life, much of which is approachable and photogenic
• Transport by extended safari Landrover or Toyota Landcruiser with all-round visibility and low sides. The perfect wildlife photography platform that can go anywhere
• Maximum 5-6 group members in the vehicle
• Only one vehicle and a very small group size for the best possible photosafari experience
• A boat trip offering an entirely different wildlife photography experience
• The marvellous habituated Meerkats and Brown Hyaenas of Makgadikgadi (on an optional tour extension)
• The awe-inspiring Victoria Falls (on an optional tour extension)

OUTLINE ITINERARY

• Day 1: Early afternoon tour start at Maun airport. Transfer to our hotel outside Maun.
• Day 2: Drive to Xakanaxa in Moremi Game Reserve.
• Days 3-4: Moremi Game Reserve. Overnights at Xakanaxa.
• Day 5: Drive to Khwai Community Area.
• Days 6-7: Khwai Community Area.
• Day 8: Drive to Savuti area in Chobe National Park.
• Days 9-10: Savuti area.
• Day 11: Drive to Chobe Riverfront area in Chobe National Park.
• Day 12: Chobe Riverfront.
• Day 13: Chobe Riverfront, then drive to Kasane for morning tour end.

To see a larger map, click on the square-like ‘enlarge’ icon in the upper right of the map box.

To see (or hide) the ‘map legend’, click on the icon with an arrow in the upper left of the map box.

To change to a satellite view, which is great for seeing the physical terrain (and for seeing really fine details by repetitive use of the + button), click on the square ‘map view’ icon in the lower left corner of the ‘map legend’.

PRICE INFORMATION

Wild Images Inclusions: Our tour prices include surface transportation, accommodations, meals and entrance fees.

Our tour prices also include a Chobe River boat trip and both soft and alcoholic drinks while on safari (but not while at Maun).

Tips/gratuities for the local driver-guide and for the camp staff are not included. We suggest you allow around US$400 per person for this itinerary.

Deposit: 20% of the total tour price. Our office will let you know what deposit amount is due, in order to confirm your booking, following receipt of your online booking form.

TO BOOK THIS TOUR: Click here (you will need the tour dates)

The single supplement shown applies to the night in Maun. Five of the safari tents are available for single occupancy at no additional charge.

This tour is priced in US Dollars. Amounts shown in other currencies are indicative.

Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency will be pleased to arrange your air travel on request, or you may arrange this yourself if you prefer.

BOTSWANA WILDLIFE SPECTACULAR PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR: DETAILED ITINERARY

Our Botswana wildlife photography adventure will begin in the early afternoon at Maun International Airport in northern Botswana, from where we will be transferred to our hotel for an overnight stay.

Our pleasant hotel is situated outside Maun itself and beside a wide river. There will be some initial opportunities for photographing waterbirds and other birds this afternoon.

This morning we will board our safari vehicle and make the journey northwards to the Xakanaxa area in Moremi Game Reserve for a three nights stay in our tented camp.

There will be plenty to see during the journey. On the open plains large herds of African (or Cape) Buffalo and Red Lechwe can be seen, while large breeding herds of African Elephant live in the mopane scrub and, in the waterways, pods of Hippopotamus are a common sight. We will enjoy our first opportunities for wildlife photography along the way and we should arrive in Moremi Game Reserve in time for some initial exploration.

During our time in the Xakanaxa region, we will explore the surrounding wilderness of the Moremi Game Reserve during morning and afternoon wildlife photography drives. Moremi lies at the eastern edge of the Okavango Delta in northernmost Botswana. Habitats found here range from wide-open floodplains, marshes, lagoons and papyrus-fringed channels to woodland and savanna. The mopane woodlands alone range from towering trees around Xakanaxa (where there is sometimes a cathedral-like feel owing to the trees being so tall, with a continuous high canopy) to classic climax mopane woodland and, in the dryer and harsher areas, mopane scrub woodland. The San-ta-Wani region has scattered ephemeral water pans with large floodplains and areas of camel-thorn woodland. As a result of this wide variation in habitats, the diversity of both wildlife and birdlife is excellent and sometimes we will not know which way to point the cameras.

Moremi is amongst the best game reserves in Africa for viewing and photographing the endangered African Wild Dog. Xakanaxa is also home to a resident herd of several hundred African Buffalo, whose range covers the territories of at least four prides of Lions which may often be seen flanking the ever-moving herd. Breeding herds of elephants move between their browsing areas in the mopane forests and the wetlands of the Okavango Delta. Red Lechwe is one of the more unusual antelope species and commonly found here, while the rare Sitatunga antelope may be spotted along the waterways of the Xakanaxa Lagoon.

The rich diversity of habitats is also home to a wide array of birds, and some of the more obvious and/or interesting photography subjects we may encounter include African Skimmer, Saddle-billed and Yellow-billed Storks, Goliath Heron, Dark Chanting and Gabar Goshawks, Shikra, Tawny Eagle, African Fish Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle, African Harrier-Hawk, many of most of Botswana’s hornbills including Red-billed, Southern Yellow-billed, African Grey, Bradfield’s and the mighty Southern Ground, and numerous other goodies including the globally-threatened Slaty Egret and Wattled Crane.

At this season wintering Lesser Spotted and Steppe Eagles have arrived in Botswana from Eurasia and local cuckoos, including Diederik, Levaillant’s, Jacobin, Great Spotted and African, are very active and vocal. Other brood-parasites that we may encounter and photograph include Greater and Lesser Honeyguides, and spectacular Shaft-tailed, Pin-tailed and Eastern Paradise Whydahs.

Today, following an early breakfast, we will take a slow game drive through the Moremi Game Reserve northeast towards the Khwai Community Area for a three nights stay in our private tented camp. The Manuchira Channel is known as the Khwai River at its easternmost extremity and today’s journey follows this watercourse, with the track weaving from the riverside and floodplains into the mopane veld and the woodlands that make Khwai one of the most scenic areas of the Okavango.

We pass the magnificent Dombo Hippo Pools in the morning stopping to enjoy the scenery and the antics of the resident Hippopotamuses. The western mopane veld is home to breeding herds of elephants, but the eastern reaches of Khwai River are home to some impressive old bulls. The mature bulls revel in the cool waters of the Khwai and are far more approachable while drinking and bathing than the breeding herds, often making for some wonderful photography opportunities The river has an unusually high density of hippos, as well as some huge Nile Crocodiles.

Predators including Leopard, Cheetah, Serval and Lion are all possible along this route and both Xakanaxa and Khwai are included in the home ranges of two different packs of African Wild Dogs. General game is common and includes Southern Giraffe, Burchell’s Zebra, Tsessebe and Red Lechwe, with the spectacular Roan and Sable Antelopes being less common but possible.

Raptors are common in this area and we may also come across the huge Kori Bustard, while in the mopane woodland the bird parties may include Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Neddicky, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Chin-spot Batis, Scarlet-chested Sunbird and Red-headed Weaver. The margins of the swamps are good for African Crake, Black Coucal and the lovely Rosy-breasted Longclaw.

Photography opportunities abound, so, with all the mammals and birds we will see today, the cameras should be busy!

The Khwai River forms the boundary between the Moremi Game Reserve and the Khwai Community Area, and for these two days, we will explore the Khwai floodplains on wildlife photography drives both during the day and at night.

Exploring after dark with spotlights offers an opportunity to experience some of the nocturnal animals that are rarely encountered during the day. We may also come across predators like Lion, Spotted Hyaena or even Leopard that are also active by day but which appear rather different at night.

We will also have the opportunity to explore the wilderness on foot and enjoy an up-close and personal encounter with Botswana’s flora and fauna.

It is important to note that night drives and guided walks are not permitted within the Botswana national parks and reserves, so these activities are conducted outside the boundaries of the Moremi Game Reserve in the Khwai Community Area. Staying here allows us much greater freedom of action and the chance to enjoy some unusual activities that are not possible for visitors who are restricted to the parks and reserves.

We will split our time between the dry-land habitats of the lead-wood and camel-thorn woodlands and savannahs and the riverside and marshy back-waters of the Khwai.

The Khwai region boasts an excellent population of African Elephant, both solitary bulls and breeding herds. African Buffaloes use this area seasonally, with large herds moving in during the summer rains and the swampy areas in the west are home to Red Lechwe. Other ungulates include Tsessebe, Blue Wildebeest, Southern Giraffe, the impressive Greater Kudu, Sable and Roan Antelopes, and Impala.

Khwai has a marvellous selection of predators. Lion, Leopard, Serval and African Wildcat are all regular in this region, with African Wild Dog and Cheetah less likely though possible.

The whole area is also one of Botswana’s birding Mecca’s, with raptors and waterbirds being particularly abundant, making for some great photography. We shall be on the lookout for such raptors as the huge as Martial Eagle, the impressive Bateleur, Long-crested Eagle and Black Sparrowhawk, while the entire Khwai River is a favoured hunting domain for Bat Hawk. Waterbirds include African Rail, African Crake, Allen’s Gallinule, Lesser Moorhen and Greater Painted-snipe.

Today, we head further northeast as we make our way to Chobe National Park, where we will initially spend three nights camping in an exclusive wilderness campsite in the Savuti region.

It will be a fascinating drive as we pass through the desert-like landscape, which is evidence of the vast Paleo-Lake Makgadikgadi that once covered much of northern Botswana but which dried up some ten thousand years ago. The most challenging part of the trip is crossing the Magwikwe sand-ridge that formed the shoreline for this massive inland sea. The winding track through this deep sand area makes for interesting travel!

The old lake bed is now the Mababe Depression. The dense clay floor of the depression results in vegetation that offers a high-protein feed for wildlife and the area teams with game after rain. During the rainy season, the depression is often impassable due to the ‘black cotton’ soil and alternative routes must be used. Today is a day when anything could happen!

The range of habitat that is covered encompasses most of the habitat types of northern Botswana. We pass through excellent Lion country and some of the best Cheetah country that our safari will cover. Elephants occur throughout the drive but are more common at the start and end of the drive where permanent surface water can be found.

The Mababe Depression is a paradise for birdlife. The nutritious grasses that grow on the rich soils provide excellent seed for an impressive array of finch-like birds. Among these are the magnificently coloured Violet-eared Waxbill, Black-cheeked Waxbill, Village Indigobird, Shaft-tailed Whydah and Paradise Whydah. These, in turn, provide a good food source for small raptors such as Gabar Goshawk, Red-necked Falcon and Lanner Falcon. It is not only the small birds that feed on the grass seeds but rodents too. There are annual outbreaks of huge numbers of rats and mice. As a result, good numbers of Secretarybirds, Black-shouldered Kites, Steppe Buzzards and Tawny, Wahlberg’s, Steppe and Lesser Spotted Eagles are often present and provide more photographic distractions for the cameras!

Unlike the vast majority of the country, Savuti, in west-central Chobe National Park, is not a totally flat landscape. Large outcrops of volcanic rock reach up out of the Kalahari sands, towering over the endless savannah. These hills provide habitat for a completely different array of smaller mammals, birds and plants.

The ‘Savuti Marsh’ has been the stage for many of the most dramatic wildlife documentaries about Botswana or indeed Africa as a whole. The wide-open country, good ungulate populations and particularly strong prides of Lions and Spotted Hyaena clans make for dramatic wildlife interactions and excellent viewing opportunities. The often-dry Savuti Channel runs through this landscape, linking the dry sand-veld, the waterholes, the hills and the grassland that together comprise the ‘Savuti Marsh’.

Undoubtedly the most unusual photography attraction here is the interaction between lions and elephants. The area is inhabited by a huge pride of Lions, known as the ‘Marsh Pride’, with numbers fluctuating between 20 and 30 members. These remarkable predators have learned over the years how to hunt these massive pachyderms that are supposedly above predation. Launching their attack under darkness and using their numbers, they manage to kill adolescent and even young adult elephants! Night photography here is not allowed, but if we are really in luck we will find a pride at an elephant kill.

The marsh is prime Cheetah country too and in the rainy season it is not unusual to have African Wild Dogs hunting here too. There is a real chance for Leopard here as well, although it cannot be counted on.

The surface water that is pumped up here by the Botswana Government provides a major attraction for birdlife. In the dry season, thousands of doves and Double-banded Sandgrouse and other species come down to drink in the mornings and are under constant surveillance by a variety of raptors, including Yellow-billed Kite, Tawny Eagle and African Hawk-Eagle. Red-crested Korhaan is common in the Kalahari Apple-leaf ( Lonchocarpus nelsii ) veld and the marsh is home to good numbers of other interesting birds, such as Dickinson’s Kestrel, Red-necked Falcon, Northern Black Korhaan, Meyer’s Parrot, Chestnut-backed and Grey-backed Sparrowlarks, Red-naped Bushlark, African Pipit and Desert Cisticola.

 At this season they are joined by Montagu’s Harriers from Western Eurasia, Caspian Plovers from Central Asia and Amur Falcon’s from even further east.

A further point of interest in Savuti is the Bushman paintings of giraffe, elephants and eland that, unusually, have been painted on rocks out in open country rather than in caves. They are thought to be well over a thousand years old!

Today we will leave Savuti to travel northeastwards along the Chobe River, arriving at our campsite in the early afternoon for a two nights stay. The drive takes us through the stunted mopane scrub of the Goha clay basin, across some sand-ridge country and through the wonderful Zambezi teak woodlands of the Chobe Forest Reserve and along the Chobe River itself. The Chobe floodplain is tens of kilometres wide and in years of exceptional rains the water stretches as far as the eye can see.

While there are community areas that we pass through that are settled by local tribes, for the vast majority of the day’s drive we pass through wild country where wildlife moves freely, uninhibited by fences or man. Roan and Sable Antelopes thrive in the teak woodlands, where the low density of predators and lack of competition for food by other ungulates makes this prime habitat for these large ungulates. Leopard occur in these woodlands in low numbers but they are highly secretive and seldom seen.

The Goha region has natural waterholes that hold water well into the dry season and herds of buffaloes, Burchell’s Zebras, Greater Kudus and elephants come down to drink.

A variety of interesting birds occur in this part of Botswana, particularly in the teak ( Baikea plurijuga ) woodlands. This broad-leafed woodland, known locally as ‘miombo’ provides good pickings for insectivorous birds such as Grey Tit-flycatcher, Ashy and Pale Flycatchers, African Paradise Flycatcher, Amethyst Sunbird and Violet-backed Starling, while other species include Lizard Buzzard, Flappet, Fawn-coloured and Dusky Larks, and Yellow-throated Petronia.

Botswana’s great Chobe River is presided over by an impressive sand ridge. Along this sand ridge, broad-leafed woodland is the dominant vegetation. As we move into the river valley the impact of the high elephant population is strongly felt, with a paucity of the large trees that typically line the rivers of sub-tropical Africa and instead dense, tangled masses of knobbly combretum and woolly caper that appear impervious to the constant onslaught of these browsers. The river itself is broad and meandering, and in the flood season, it is an impressive sight. To the east, outside of the park, lie the riparian forests that are home to so many of the more tropical African species whose ranges end abruptly in northeastern Botswana.

Our final full day will be another packed with wildlife. Much of the Chobe’s wildlife comes to drink in the latter half of the morning and during the early afternoon when the heat excites their thirst. To give ourselves a very different angle and aspect for photographing Chobe’s wildlife, and particularly its elephants, we will take to a boat on the Chobe River for several hours today. We will be hoping for some rewarding ‘low-angle’ photography of drinking animals.

This is one of the best places to see and photograph Roan and Sable Antelopes. Breeding herds of African Elephant seem to be around every corner here in the dry season and the massive herds of African Buffalo are constantly flanked by the ever-hungry Lions of the Chobe. This is one of the highest lion densities of any national park or game reserve in southern Africa. The eastern Chobe also supports large herds of Burchell’s Zebras.

Puku Antelope occurs nowhere else in southern Africa, but only here on the Chobe floodplains. With the diminishing of the woodlands and thickets, the magnificent Chobe Bushbuck is becoming ever more scarce. Again, a variety of interesting birds will surely crop up during the day.

Following breakfast and an early morning wildlife photography drive, our photosafari ends around mid-morning at Chobe Safari Lodge in the town of Kasane in far northeastern Botswana. Transfers to Kasane airport can be arranged (as can a transfer to Livingstone if you are taking the Victoria Falls extension option).

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BOTSWANA SAFARI

11 days – chobe river, okavango delta, botswana, tour details.

B otswana, a secluded photographic paradise and a marvel of true wilderness in epic proportions. 

It’s an ecosystem unlike anything I have ever seen. Inhabited by an incredible diversity of African wildlife including over 500 species of birds, almost 200 species of mammals, and the largest herds of elephants in all of Africa, there is always somewhere to focus your camera. It is one of, if not the most photographic rich locations I have ever had the pleasure of visiting.

Aboard a privately chartered houseboat, we will travel along the Chobe River for three nights photographing this one-of-a-kind ecosystem, and the biodiversity that this precious water provides from eye-level. After an intensive and meticulous scouting trip, last year, we have selected new campsites and accommodations that will provide us with access to the most premier photographic locations Botswana has to offer. Also, our experienced guides specialize in photographic trips have unmatched tracking abilities, and have been trained to maneuver their vehicles for the best lighting and composition.

This Botswana photo safari is perfect for any photographer who has dreamed of experiencing a safari in Africa. I especially recommend this epic adventure any past participants of my Ultimate Africa Tour, it’s time to explore another part of this beautiful continent.

Images From Botswana Photo Safari

Testimonials.

“I have been privileged to have traveled a fair bit, and have traveled with several photography groups and workshops. Aaron Baggenstos is by far the best at offering a complete wildlife photography travel adventure experience. From pre-trip planning, personal attention, great accommodations specifically with the photographer in mind, to his open warmth and incredible grasp of wildlife and nature photography he is unequaled in my experience. The Botswana adventure was full of diverse photographic opportunities, and with his mentorship there is always a creative angle in reach. We were always out at the very best light and because of that were able to capture the “magic”. He is incredibly talented and so generous  in sharing his photographic pearls. He is kind, energetic, young and wise beyond his years.. if you are looking for the best photography experience, Aaron will make it happen.” -7  time Aaron’s Photo Tours Participant

“This was the trip of a lifetime on every level, starting with the first rate accommodations.  We were looked after from the moment we landed.  As a single woman traveling in Africa, this was supremely important for me. I felt incredibly safe with the guides, drivers, and spotters as well as in the beautiful camps and lodges where we stayed. The photography opportunities with wildlife were stunning, and this was my third trip to Africa! Breathtaking is the only word that suitably describes this tour.”  8 time Aaron’s Photo Tours Participant

Itinerary Includes

10 nights’ accommodations, internal airfare from Johannesburg to Kasane, charter flights from Kasane to Khwai and on to Maun, first night accommodation and welcome dinner in Johannesburg, all meals, internal airfare from Maun to Johannesburg, game drives, boat cruises and boat rides, photographic instruction, park fees, tourism Levies. Itineraries are subject to change without notice (for safety, environmental or any other reasons).

Itinerary Does Not Include

International Airfare to and from Johannesburg, South Africa, items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry, etc.) gratuities for your guides & lodge staff, Visas and recommended travel insurance.

Registration

If you would like to register for this workshop or have additional questions, please fill out the form using the sign up button below.  Please specify the date of the tour you prefer. Please also take a minute to review our  Terms & Conditions , containing important information about our cancellation and refund policies.  Refer to our  workshop information section  to learn more about the  registration process  and our  frequently asked questions .

• Experience one of Africa’s foremost destinations for wildlife photography alongside Aaron as your photographic guide
• A private custom built photographic itinerary
• Secluded camps and lodges
• Allow Aaron’s scouting and meticulous trip planning lead you to the adventure of a lifetime

Dates: June 24-July 4, 2023 ( Sold Out ) We are not running this trip in 2024 or 2025

Group Size:  8 Participants

2023 Cost: $12,995 Sharing (Single Supplement is available only for first 5 nights of this adventure please email to request, if you are not traveling with someone we will assign you a roommate)

Payment Terms: 25% Non-Refundable Deposit, Rest Due at 180 Days Before Departure

You can join the wait list for any sold out trip here .

Day 1 :  Arrival day in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Accommodations: Please Inquire

Days 2-4 : Short Flight to Kasane.  Our first Lodge is situated with premier access to the Chobe National Park, probably one of the best reserves in Africa for wildlife photography. Not only can we enjoy our photography from land and water, but the animals tend to be far more relaxed in the Chobe and many other places.  Accommodations: Please Inquire

Days 5-7 :  Journey along the Chobe river via houseboat in one of the most game rich environments in Africa.  We have a custom built photo boat with fully rotating chairs and fitted with state of the art camera mounts. Accommodations: Please Inquire

Days 8-10 : Short flight to our final camp situated in the Okavango Delta.  The delta is known for its sprawling grassy plains, which flood seasonally, becoming a lush animal habitat. We will navigate past hippos, elephants and crocodiles. On dry land, wildlife includes lions, leopards, giraffes and rhinos.  Accommodations: Please Inquire

Day 11 :  Departures.  Flight from Maun to Johannesburg followed by international flights.

In the last 10 years Aaron has led over 200 wildlife photography tours around the world. He has earned a reputation for his gracious teaching style to photographers of all skill levels and extensive knowledge of Nikon, Canon, Panasonic, Olympus, and Sony digital cameras.

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​Images & Pictures of Botswana

Photos, images & pictures of botswana.

Red lechwe in Okavango Delta

View of the Delta in Okavango Delta

Elephant passage in Okavango Delta

Aerial view of the Delta in Okavango Delta

Mokoro trip in the Delta in Okavango Delta

Giraffe with young in Okavango Delta

Lion killing a buffalo in Okavango Delta

Little bee-eaters in Okavango Delta

Lion king in Okavango Delta

Cattle egrets above a herd of buffalo in Okavango Delta

Marabou storks in Okavango Delta

Water lily in Moremi Game Reserve

Aerial view of elephants in Moremi Game Reserve

Leopard in Moremi Game Reserve

Zebra with newborn in Moremi Game Reserve

Lioness with cubs in Moremi Game Reserve

Great white egret among black egrets in Moremi Game Reserve

Cheetah with cub in Moremi Game Reserve

4x4 safari vehicle beside Chobe floodplains in Chobe National Park

Picturesque river scene in Chobe National Park

Game drive vehicle on the Chobe riverfront in Chobe National Park

Lion cubs in a tree in Chobe National Park

Black egret fishing in Chobe National Park

Wild dogs drinking in Chobe National Park

African elephants in Nxai Pan National Park

Beautiful male lion resting in Nxai Pan National Park

Mating pair of ostriches in Nxai Pan National Park

A safari vehicle drives into the pan on a clear evening in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

Zebra migrating in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

Observant meerkats in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

Zebra walking in a line in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

View of the park in Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Alert gemsbok in Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Bat-eared foxes in Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Small herd of springbok in Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Lion roaring at sunset in Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Southern giraffes standing tall in Mashatu Game Reserve

Greater kudu looking at the camera in Mashatu Game Reserve

Leopard prowling around the bush in Mashatu Game Reserve

Lion standing strong in Mashatu Game Reserve

Wild dogs resting in Mashatu Game Reserve

Black-backed jackal out hunting in Mashatu Game Reserve

Plains zebra at sunset in Mashatu Game Reserve

Safari Tours to Botswana

7-Day Chobe NP, Okavango Delta & Victoria Falls Luxury

$4,995 to $7,810 pp (USD)

Botswana & Zimbabwe: Private tour Luxury Lodge & Tented Camp

You Visit: Victoria Falls (Start) , Chobe Riverfront (Chobe NP) , Okavango Delta, Maun (End)

Wayfairer Travel

4.8 /5  –  154 Reviews

4-Day Mid-Range Victoria Falls and Chobe Safari Combo

$1,170 to $1,290 pp (USD)

Zimbabwe & Botswana: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle) Mid-range Lodge

You Visit: Victoria Falls (Start) , Chobe NP, Victoria Falls Airport (End)

MoAfrika Tours

4.9 /5  –  1336 Reviews

4-Day Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve

$1,485 pp (USD)

Botswana: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle) Budget Camping

You Visit: Maun (Start) , Moremi GR (Okavango Delta) , Okavango Delta, Maun (End)

Kalahari Marsh Safari Holidays

5.0 /5  –  38 Reviews

Why These Sustainable Safari Experiences In Botswana Are Essential For Any Nature Lover

A frican wildlife is hanging in a delicate balance. Recent decades have seen shrinking animal populations right across the continent. This is a pretty sobering thought, particularly if you’re contemplating a safari. Fortunately, luxury accommodations and amazing wildlife adventures don’t have to come at the expense of the places you want to visit. An increasing number of African lodges have started prioritizing eco-friendliness and many travelers have started paying attention to the environmental impact of their vacations.

There are few countries in Africa that can compete with Botswana for exclusivity and luxury, as well as abundant wildlife and diverse landscapes. With a population of roughly 2 million, Botswana is slightly smaller than Texas and slightly larger than France — yet an incredible 40 percent of the country is dedicated to parks and wildlife. Botswana’s government has decided on a low-volume, low-impact tourism policy, which means fewer tourists and a better-protected natural wilderness. In addition, they have dedicated their army to anti-poaching, which is an additional reason why the country is such a safe haven for wildlife.

Where you go in Botswana and who you travel with can make a real difference, both to the environment and to your experience and enjoyment. Let me share with you two of my favorite destinations in Botswana, three of my favorite sustainable safari companies to travel with, and some of my all-time favorite eco-conscious safari lodges to stay at in Botswana.

The Okavango Delta

A stunning maze of waterways and lagoons, Botswana’s Okavango Delta is one of Africa’s premier wilderness sanctuaries. This 6,177-square-mile wetland wilderness in northern Botswana is one of the largest inland deltas in the world and it teems with wildlife. You’ll find elephants, hippos, and crocodiles here, along with black and white rhinos, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, and rare antelope like lechwe and the super special but shy sitatunga. Predators like leopards and lions abound, and this is one of the best places in Africa to see African wild dogs. The Okavango Delta is home to over 1,000 species of plants, around 500 species of birds, 130 species of mammals, and numerous species of reptiles and fish — a real wildlife paradise. The Okavango Delta was voted one of the stunning Seven Natural Wonders of Africa in 2013, and the following year, it was the 1,000th site to be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Incredibly, at its fullest, the Okavango Delta is large enough to be seen from space.

Where To Stay

There are some truly special places to stay in the Okavango Delta; lodges that are synonymous with luxury, but are still deeply conscious of conservation and protecting the places in which they operate. 

Wilderness Vumbura Plains Camp

Wilderness Vumbura Plains Camp is located in the far northern reaches of the delta. Two separate but linked camps, Vumbura has a total of 14 spacious, raised rooms, each with indoor and outdoor showers, private plunge pools, and outdoor areas from where you can watch a passing parade of wildlife. The grasslands here offer great seasonal wildlife viewing, and you can easily fill your days with game drives, walking safaris, and boating. Morning and afternoon game drives will bring you up close to thrilling wildlife interactions. Mokoro (dugout canoe) trips are also highly recommended and fishing during the annual flood season gives you the chance to pursue the highly prized tiger fish. Conscious of its ecological footprint, the camp is largely run on solar power.

Duba Plains Camp

Blissfully isolated and accessible only by air, Great Plains Conservation’s Duba Plains Camp lies on a 77,000-acre private concession in a particularly beautiful part north of the delta. Six vintage-style, luxuriously tented rooms built in the shade of tall trees overlook the flood plains. It features antique-style furnishings, oriental rugs, canopy beds shrouded in mosquito netting, and a climate-controlled wine cellar containing a few hundred bottles of wine. This is a special place. 

Elephants and hippos frequently trudge through camp and the wildlife here is the subject of numerous award-winning National Geographic documentaries by founders Derek and Beverley Joubert — including Eternal Enemies which chronicles the battle for survival between lions and buffalo in the area. Duba Plains guarantees a memorable stay and prides itself on its extraordinary wildlife experiences. In a commitment to the local community, Great Plains facilitates Kids Conservation Education Camps, educating local school children about wildlife and conservation.

Khwai Leadwood Camp

Set within a community-run part of the delta, called the Khwai concession, African Bush Camps’ elegantly designed Khwai Leadwood Camp is beautiful. It features six standard tents and a family tent, all tucked under trees on the edge of the Khwai River. The river is the only thing that separates the camp from the fantastic Moremi Game Reserve and wildlife like hippos, elephants, and even lions crossing the river from time to time. It’s an exceptional experience even for the most seasoned safari veteran. An additional bonus here is that guests can head off on night drives and get an up-close and personal experience with some of Africa’s nocturnal and more elusive animals. African Bush Camps has a number of eco-tourism initiatives that operate in conjunction with the local community.

The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve

The 275,000-acre Linyanti Wildlife Reserve in the northwest of Botswana is a safari destination you’ve quite possibly never heard of. Nestled between the Okavango Delta and Chobe River, here, the Kwando River, Selinda Spillway, Linyanti River, and Savuti Channel create a system of river channels and floodplains. Hundreds of miles from so-called civilization, the Linyanti is one of the most game-rich regions in Botswana, known for its wild dog populations, lions, hyenas, elephants, and huge herds of buffalo. Most of the lodges here are accessible only by light aircraft.

Wilderness King’s Pool Camp

Tucked into a grove of giant jackal berry trees, Wilderness King’s Pool Camp has a vast private concession all to itself overlooking an oxbow lagoon on the Linyanti River. This river forms the border between Namibia and Botswana, and King’s Pool is right at the center of the important wildlife corridor in the reserve. The camp consists of eight spacious thatched-roof chalets set on raised decks near the water’s edge, all connected by raised wooden walkways to the rest of the camp. King’s Pool boasts a sunken hideaway overlooking the lagoon, which attracts an impressive array of wildlife and birdlife — especially elephants — who come to drink the water. Demonstrating its commitment to sustainable tourism, the camp is 100 percent solar-powered and wastewater is treated to ensure it’s safe before passing into the surrounding environment. 

Selinda Camp

Located in the vast 320,000-acre Selinda Reserve, Selinda Camp is one of Botswana’s most exclusive camps and — with just three guest tents — one of its smallest. Selinda is Arabic for “beloved one,” and what’s not to love here? Enjoy game drives, walks, boating, tracking, and birding amongst some of the best wildlife Botswana has to offer. The nearby Selinda Spillway is home to prides of lions and incredible concentrations of buffalo. 

The camp’s spacious, luxury tents sit below cooling thatched roofs and feature ensuite bathrooms and private verandas, each with a swimming pool. The camp’s main dining and lounge area has spectacular views out over the lagoon. Selinda is where Derek and Beverly Joubert filmed Birth of a Pride — a story of survival, of lions returning to an area where they’d once been hunted to near extinction. Selinda Camp has been named one of the world’s Top 100 Sustainable Destinations.

Linyanti Ebony Camp

At the heart of the Linyanti Wildlife haven is Linyanti Ebony , an intimate camp with just four tents — making it perfect, particularly for family-oriented safaris. Built on raised decking overlooking the Linyanti Marsh, this is an intimate camp with panoramic views of the incredible natural wetland surroundings. The camp’s design offers an eco-conscious base from which to explore this amazing wilderness and the main area encompasses a large lounge and dining area, perfect for al-fresco dinners under a star-studded sky.

Planning Your Trip To Botswana

It’s sometimes hard to know where to start when planning an African safari, especially if it’s your first time. Mahlatini specializes in sustainable safaris and has been putting together fantastic African itineraries for over 20 years. They offer an 8-night safari to Vumbura Plains, Duba Plains, King’s Pool, and Selinda Camp, with 2 nights in each camp. It costs $16,060 per person on a fully inclusive basis — including daily activities, international flights, and light aircraft and road transfers.

This article originally appeared on TravelAwaits

Why is Botswana the Most Magical Safari Destination on the Planet?

Africa has a handful of safari options, but nothing beats the majestic Botswana destination. It is an incredible wilderness area with beautiful landscapes and diversity. In recent years, Botswana has become a favorite travel destination for tourists. Other major attractions are Delta Wetland, surrounded by a desert with diamonds, and Chobe National Park.

If you are traveling to South Africa to experience the biodiversity and authenticity, Botswana Safari should be on your bucket list. Within the same nation, you can explore deserts, rivers, wildlife, deltas, etc. Undoubtedly, it promises a magical and unforgettable adventure. It will leave you spellbound.

Imagine camping at a place where you hear the sounds of animals and witness scenic beauty everywhere around you. To fetch magical moments of your life, plan a safari tour to Botswana. If you are still not ready to believe why this destination is magical, follow the guide to know the reasons and convince yourself to go ahead.

Reasons Why Botswana is a Magical Safari Destination

1. unspoiled wilderness.

Botswana has an untouched wilderness area, which is home to many animals in South Africa. Almost 40% of the land is protected with trees, providing a secure environment to live for wild animals. There is no shortage of beautiful landscapes and scenic sunsets. No matter whether you visit the delta or the desert, you will witness natural beauty everywhere.

The views are breathtaking and unexplored. Due to less crowd, you will enjoy more and feel at peace. The country provides diverse habitats to support multiple species living in the woods. The government authorities are focused enough on preserving the ecosystem by keeping it unspoiled.

2. Unique Delta

Talking about the unique ecosystem, the Okavango Delta tops the list. The small area is surrounded by desert, which makes it appear as an oasis. Seasonally, floods happen in this area, which helps in maintaining the lush greenery and vibrancy of the oasis. You can even take a dugout canoe to travel across the waterway to explore the wildlife.

Choose a suitable time when you can witness animals like elephants, hippopotamuses, and beautiful birds. Capture the moments with your camera and enjoy exploring the authentic wild beauty in South Africa. After photo editing , post them on social media and create vlogs to share your journey with the world.  

3. Amazing Wildlife

Being a wildlife lover, Botswana should be your favorite destination to travel. Chobe National Park is a wildlife paradise where you can witness a large population of elephants, lions, buffaloes, leopards, and rhinoceroses. Due to less population and a protected environment, it becomes the best place where you can witness the animals easily.

Not many people live in this area, which keeps the wildlife protected and intact. As a wild enthusiast, you can watch wild animals at peace and capture their moments. You need to stay quiet when you go inside the national park to prevent fearing animals or getting hunted by them.

4. Incredible Safari Experience

Safari tourism in Botswana offers high-quality services to get a better experience on your journey. Authorities give special attention to their tourists by maintaining their privacy and building better connections with nature. 

Visitors can spend time in remote areas and connect themselves with the incredible beauty and authenticity of the place. They admire the greenery around them and experience peace everywhere. It is a great place to explore yourself by connecting with nature. 

Find luxurious camps in remote areas for night stays and food availability. Botswana people believe in peaceful retreats and providing personalized services. Through this approach, the environment remains protected, and the safari experience becomes more special.

5. Rich Heritage

Another main reason to choose Botswana safari over other destinations is its cultural heritage. As per the historical facts, Bushmen, the San people, used to live here for many years. There is an opportunity to explore the traditions, culture, and survival skills of the tribe.

People living in Botswana are friendly and understanding. Meet them to know more about the place and get connected with the lives of individuals. Explore the historical facts of this place to differentiate it from other destinations.  

6. Adventure

Due to the varied landscapes in Botswana, there are multiple ways to explore and experience adventures. Choose to walk in Kalahari to witness the moments of animals in the woods. Take a mokoro to drive through the Okavango Delta.

You can also drive to the reserve to see animals and take photographs for memory. Adding adventure to your journey is your choice. There are many ways to explore the less-crowded area. Go on small treks to explore the scenic beauty of landscapes.

7. Sustainable Safari

Botswana tourism is quite sustainable. All the government authorities are dedicated enough to protect wildlife and provide personalized services to tourists. They support local communities or populations that reside in different corners.

The government aims to preserve the natural treasure for coming generations and protect animals from getting extinct. Travelers must follow the regulations to keep up the commitment to sustainability by the forest authorities.  

8. High-ranked Safari Location

Compared to other safari locations in South Africa, Botswana National Park is ranked in third position. Not many people know about this place, and hence, it is always less crowded and unexplored. Here, travelers can witness even endangered species like cheetahs.

This place is also called the land for pure adventurers. As per CNN, Botswana is a beautiful country due to its scenic landscapes and untouched natural beauty. Their unique tourism focuses on fewer people at a time and provides better services.

Final Thoughts

Botswana is not only a simple safari destination. In South Africa, it is known as the heart of the wilderness. Being an adventurer, plan your journey to explore unspoiled biodiversity, landscapes, cultural heritage, forests, rivers, etc.

Unlike other safari destinations, Botswana cannot be ignored. If you love to explore the wildlife, add the destination to your bucket list and plan your trip when you feel ready. Experience the magical journey of adventures and transformation by connecting yourself with beautiful landscapes.

Interesting Related Article: “ Top 5 Stunning Destinations For African Safaris “

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Botswana voted Africa’s best safari country of 2024

MAUN: In the second consecutive year, Botswana has once again won the crown for the best safari country in Africa in 2024. In a report released on Tuesday (June 18), Botswana beat many African contenders in the safari sector.

This is the fourth time Botswana has won, consolidating its prized number one position among African safari countries. Following close behind Botswana was Tanzania at second place and Namibia taking up the third spot. Uganda, being host to more than 1, 000 bird species, won the important birding category. The grading was done by The Netherlands-based SafariBookings.com, which is the largest online market for African safari tours. The organisation undertook a detailed study of almost 3, 600 reviews, completed by both safari-goers and African travel experts.

The annual survey looks at a range of categories, from wildlife viewing and birding to bush atmosphere and scenic value. In a statement, SafariBookings.com noted that “Botswana does safari travel very well indeed. Much of the country is genuine wilderness. It incorporates the Okavango Delta, a massive waterway packed with wildlife including African’s largest elephant population, and the Kalahari Desert, where black-maned lions rule over enormous sand plains. Whether you are driving out into the wilderness or flying into a luxury camp, Botswana is the best place for safari travel.” It further explained that the reviews used in the analysis consisted of 2, 419 user review gathered by SafariBookings.com between January 1, 2002 and April 10, 2024 and 1, 174 reviews written by 26 reputable guidebook authors who work for a variety of publishers including Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Frommer’s, Bradt Guides and Footprint.

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