Articles
Wildlife Photography on an African Safari
Going On Safari
The following article is written for the keen wildlife photographer in mind who wants to spend quality time photographing on safari and willing to sacrifice a few luxuries in the name of good photography. Never the less it contains useful information for those planning on a safari holiday but wanting to make some good photographs or people wanting to travel through Africa with an enjoyment of wildlife.
Africa conjures up images to everybody of rich diversity and wildlife in the raw. Having spent 3 years travelling Africa and viewing wildlife in a variety of habitats I would wholeheartedly recommend a visit for as long as it is possible. For many photographers the chance to photograph the varied and impressive, not to mention exotic wildlife of Africa is the dream of a lifetime.
The chance to spot a leopard lazing in a tree or witness lions defending a kill against Spotted Hyenas, watching Elephants at a water hole or an African Fish Eagle pluck a fish from the water – just a fleeting moment filled with awe and wonder! Excited – well you certainly should be if you are thinking about going on a Safari!
Like any wildlife photography endeavour, the more time “on location” the more likely you will return with better photographs. Remember that much of what we see in magazines, books and on TV is the product of weeks, months or even years in the field sometimes with a dedicated team. Don’t expect to be able to produce similar images without putting in some work. With that in mind most of my non-photographic advice centres around making your hard earned money go a little further while maximising photographic opportunities.
There are two ways of looking at improving your chances. One is to decide on the sort of wildlife you want to see and photograph and find hotspots that will give you the best chances or secondly pick an area and research what is common and abundant. The later is probably more applicable if you are interested in general wildlife.
Most of my experience has been in Southern Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi) which I find to be very safe and friendly as well as good value for money. I have spent a couple of months in Tanzania and loved it but the costs of Safaris in East Africa are typically 5 times the daily costs of those in Southern Africa! Spending time in the field by private means is difficult and so the premium rates of Safari in East African are prohibitively expensive for me to date.
While East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania) has the Wildebeest migration and the Savannah that goes on forever it also attracts huge numbers of tourists buzzing around in minibuses or 4x4s creating havoc where ever there is a predator. While some of the parks in South Africa (Notably Kruger and Pilansberg) and Namibia (Etosha) get very busy in the South African Holidays they are generally quieter as well as being just as easy to find and photograph wildlife.
Click here to read our last adventures.
I’ll begin with the photographic side and then deal with the organisation and finally delve into the adventurous with self drive safaris and camping.
At the end is a brief overview of some Parks throughout Southern Africa
Photographic Considerations
Photographic Tips
Have a look through a few books on Africa, look through this website, or even trawl the web and you may notice that many of your favourite pictures have good low light from the rising or setting sun. That is no accident as that is the best time for wildlife photography. It is commonly called the golden hours when the light is a little softer and has a warm glow to it. By comparison take a look out when it is sunny at midday and the light is harsh, whites may even hurt your eyes and shadows are too dark to see into. The heat creates shimmers that distort the air and the dust causes a haze. All of that is multiplied when taking a photograph and so it should generally be avoided.
In Africa the golden hour is just that followed by about an hour or so of good clear light and then by 8am the light is getting too strong and by 9am to 10am is the time to head back to camp. Judicial use of fill flash can extend your photographic window but to be honest I don’t feel it can never replace good light. Note that during summer in South Africa the dawn is at around 4.30am and so the light for good photographs has gone by 7am. That doesn’t mean you have to stop viewing wildlife or even taking photographs but they are not going to be the beautiful images you see in quality wildlife magazines. Conversely in the South Africa during the winter (May-July) the dawn is only at around 6.30am and the light can remain usable for most of the day.
Animals are usually more active in the cool of the days which happily coincides with the best times for photography. It all sounds easy but if was then everybody would be doing it!
I generally use predictive or servo auto-focus. Depending which camera I am using I use evaluation or matrix metering or centre weighted. I usually pick an ISO of 200 but that depends on conditions. Finally I put a 100-400mm zoom on my 30D and have the 500mm with 1.4x converter on my 5D. A 70-200mm zoom is kept handy.
The amount of space required depends on many factors – what you see, how many frames you make of each opportunity. I find 10Gb good for a morning/afternoon drive and that means that when I see something I want to photograph I don’t have to worry just how much storage I have for later if I see other wildlife I want to photograph.
That is all protected under a coat or sheet to protect it from dust but easily accessible when required.
The idea or logic behind my decisions being that I am ready for almost anything in advance when setting out but it can be changed easily as dictated by conditions or opportunities. The long lens for birds and the zoom for close to medium sized or distance subjects. The 200mm zoom is around if what ever I come across remains relatively close by, in which case unless it has ran away I will have time to change lenses.
It is not a rule but I keep my lens set to wide open (the largest aperture possible) initially that way I have the fastest shutter speed ready but can easily stop down when required.
Whatever way you chose to set up your equipment just remember to put it back if you have changed settings for a particular shot – it’s something we have all done and bitter experience teaches better than reading it but I have warned you!
In my experience there is always one photograph that sticks out as being better than any other. It is hard to know at the time which that might be but to ensure you get it you have to be alert and not afraid to take more than a few pictures at each opportunity. That doesn’t mean shoot and pray but seize good opportunities. When you have stopped at something you are interested in photographing then asses your possibilities and decide on your lens/camera combination. Get your support into position and start looking through the camera for your photograph. Don’t just take a snap and put it down but keep yourself alert for the photograph that you want to make.
It can be well worth making a test exposure before any action begins, you can take a quick peek at the preview and histogram to make sure you have the right exposure. If it’s not right you can dial in the correction and know your exposure is going to be spot on when the action starts.
You can use your “free” eye to scan the scene every so often to make sure you can anticipate any action. Once you think it is about to happen focus solely on making your photograph. It might be a split second away or it maybe a number of seconds or minutes but stay focused and grab your chance once it happens. It might be the turn of the head a growl or yawn but by staying focused and alert you have more chance of capturing the moment. Make a few or several exposures to make sure you have it.
Don’t forget that this may well be a once in a lifetime chance and the cost of a couple of extra cards for your camera and editing time is a drop in the ocean compared to the expense of getting there.
A few examples
So you are out at dawn and you have found all the wildlife you wanted to see -how do you go about making a memorable photograph? I have to assume here that you have some basic knowledge of exposure – there are many websites, magazine articles and books that cover those basics.
Well, what sort of photograph do you want to make? A frame filling portrait or concentrate on moody lighting or maybe a strange behaviour. Much will depend upon your own artistic interpretations. It is sometimes possible to “hold” a picture and make one photograph and then change lenses or camera and capture another.
Let’s tackle the portrait first. Portraits are mostly about the eyes, not always but usually. Wait until getting eye contact if possible or it may be that your subject will look around at your vehicle once it hears the clicking sound of your camera. That will be the optimum moment to press the shutter (again).
So firstly ensure that the eye is in focus – that may mean selecting a specific auto-focus point or focusing and then recomposing, manual focus is also a viable option.
With accurate focus you can compose the shot. If in doubt try to keep to the rule of thirds and put the eyes along the third or at the intersection of two of the thirds. This compositional tool helps keep things from being too central and will add some impact into your photograph.
Animals that are side on tend to be flat but head on you may need to stop the lens down to obtain focus from the tip of the nose to the eye. That will also depend on the distance and the lens you are using and so it is difficult to give any hard and fast advice. There isn’t usually time to check the depth of view preview and so keep an eye on the minimum shutter speed you think you will need and stop down to accordingly (usually f8 to f13+ depending)
Staying on one prime subject and allowing the surrounding animals to blur is the easiest in practice but take as many exposures as possible to ensure the random elements don’t compromise the intended photograph. A longer telephoto lens is usually best with a wide aperture to blur and distractions.
Compositionally try to use the whole frame and put the important elements on the thirds. If you want just the sky then try and include a sliver of ground (20% or less) to “ground” the photograph. Silhouettes of trees and giraffes seem to be common – anything where the outline is easily identifiable.
Try stopping the lens down to f8 or f16 to ensure a good depth of focus.
Because behaviour is so varied it is impossible to give any real clear compositional aid except to make sure that the behaviour is prominent and obvious.
Try to keep the animal or birds obvious but not too large as the landscape should be enhanced by its presence not dominated by it. It is better if the landscape and animal are intimately linked giving an insight into the animals habitat.
Try to expose for the landscape even if the animal is silhouetted, in which case a strong outline will be important.
I am not going to talk about the file types in-depth but I think it is worth mentioning a few advantages and disadvantages of the two formats. A jpeg is made in camera where a number of camera settings are applied to the photograph and saved as a jpeg while RAW files record just the sensor information and so require post production on the computer.
Jpegs are great for finished photos as they are small and the quality is good enough for publishing purposes. If that is so then why shoot RAW? I hear you say. That is because jpeg is a finished photography and to get the best finished photo you need the best file to work on before finally saving as a jpeg. Personally I always use RAW knowing that I have a much better file to work with for post production and I can concentrate on what is going on rather than worry whether to change the contrast or saturation. RAW files allow you to change all the settings later at your leisure and so they allow you to concentrate on the capture. It does mean spending lots of time in front of a computer which is not everybody’s cup of tea. Typically my workflow begins with a RAW file and has a number of adjustments made before converting to a 16 bit Tiff. Then I will finish it off in a tiff format before finally converting and saving as a jpeg.
If you decide to shoot jpegs you have to be diligent with your camera settings and change them to suit the conditions – ie white balance (WB), contrast and saturation as well as sharpening.
You can of course work on jpegs in photoshop but the latitude for work is reduced.
One major down side of shooting with RAW is that the cameras buffer fills up quicker. That can mean waiting and missing good action so you have to be a little more aware of the optimum timing.
What Equipment Should You Take?
There are many considerations to this question and they should be weighed up by priority and personal preference. I will willingly sacrifice many other “necessities” to fit in extra kit, a second camera is to me a must but to some it may be a luxury. Don’t be tempted to take too much though, logistics apart, too much gear can get in the way. Just stick to your tried and trusted combinations.
It is always tempting to buy something new specifically for a big trip. If you intend to do so then buy it a few months in advance to practice with it and get to know it as well as making sure it is working properly.
Clothes can be bought as required and washed on location. Tooth paste and sun screen are also readily available as are most day to day items. South Africa is pretty much European and has many shops where you can buy almost everything, other large African cities will also cater for most peoples needs.
Photographically it all depends on what you want to do and your budget. I have used everything from a 17mm wide-angle lens to 500mm with converters and I always have 2 DSLR bodies just in case..
You may be surprised just how close you will get to wildlife especially if you sit tight and let it come to you. For those times a medium telephoto lens (70-200 or 100-400) is great. However a lens of 500mm (with converters) will allow frame filling photographs and is almost essential for good bird photography. Although this article is predominantly concerned with wildlife don’t forget the chance to photograph the landscape either (or even better, wildlife in the landscape) and so a wide angle lens can be very useful.
Try not to suffer too badly from lens envy! I had great fun and have sold many photographs with my old 100-400 zoom on a 10D and I keep my 100-400 on a 30D for grab shots and if I want to change focal length quickly. If you can’t afford to buy a 400mm lens then think about renting one which (apparently) is reasonably cheap to do. You can of course rent super-telephoto lenses like my 500mm or a 600mm but unless you have used them before you may find that they are too cumbersome and require an amount of practice to get results with them.
For those of you not wanting to carry heavy and expensive gear and just want good snaps then some bridge cameras are now boasting 12x zooms with image stabilisers. These cameras are very capable and easy to use but will not produce photographs of the same quality a DSLR is capable of.
Whatever amount or sort of equipment you decide to take with you ensure that you are familiar with how to use it and what functions it has before you set off. Find out how long the batteries last and what all of those knobs and buttons actually do!
Buy plenty of cards (or film) and keep shooting, worry about dross later, Often it is just that one exposure where the eyes catch the light or are looking straight at you that says it all and unless you are incredibly diligent and fast you may miss the photograph. I try to anticipate those moments and then continue for several exposures afterwards. That’s not to say that you should snap away without a moments thought to composition or lighting but we will tackle that a little later.
Try to take some means of downloading photographs as you go – at the end of the morning and afternoon drive. That will allow you to go out with the full confidence that you can make as many exposures as you can without worrying about filling up cards. A laptop is the most versatile but also big and bulky. There are several HDD based storage devices but I can’t comment on them as I haven’t used any of them. Bear in mind that you may require more space than your existing capacity and so a means of editing or just a larger drive might be required. If you are really serious about it then you might want to consider having two drives just in case one fails and you lose all of your photographs. It is well worth considering as I have personal experience of drives failing while travelling. Burning DVD is also an option but can be time consuming to burn if you have a lot of photos to back up.
Transporting Equipment
A word of warning, I have heard tales of people damaging their camera mountings and even snapping lens when putting lenses attached to bodies in the baggage hold of an airplane. Always keep lenses and camera bodies separate to avoid any damage to your precious equipment.
What with the increased security and reduced hand luggage it is more likely that even expensive gear will be assigned to the hold. I have so far been lucky in that I ask the check in if I can take my 500mm in its hard case on as hand luggage and it has been Okayed but how much longer is anyone’s guess. Ensure all of your gear is protected.
Camera Support - Bean bag, tripod, monopod or window mount
I use all of the above methods depending on circumstances. The bean bag is quick and flexible but it’s terrible for panning. If stopped at a waterhole or at the edge of a plain then I prefer to use a window mount simply for smoother control although that is certainly not a rule! As the window mount is fixed to the car you can have your big lenses ready without constant fear of knocking it off the window. I have never done that but the bean bag is certainly more precarious. Whatever you do don’t think that you can hand hold any lens over 300mm (even with image stabilizers) it just won’t be critically sharp, even if your first few photographs are sharp your arms will soon tire and camera shake will ruin all of those great photographs.
A monopod is very handy if you are on an organised safari and sharing the vehicle with others. It will allow you to get sharp photographs while being unobtrusive and so it shouldn’t upset your fellow guests. Try to not to sit in the middle though! Sitting on the side is best but you take the risk that something interesting appears on the other side! If that happens either ask the driver to turn to give you a good view or watch and hope for better luck the next time.
Some people have a hatred of tripods. I am not one of them but I rarely use a tripod inside the vehicle. However I have found it useful while at camp where there are always a number of habituated animals and birds around that can be easily photographed.
Remember to carry your bean bag empty and buy cheap rice once you have landed – no point carrying extra weight on the plane. At the end of your trip or holiday you can give the rice away to someone – a small parting gift will be very welcome.
The biggest problem I have on location is dust. So keeping it all covered (but accessible) is a prime consideration. A chamois leather cloth, blower (brush removed) and sensor cleaning kit are (to me) essential. A large artist’s brush (that is a large brush an artist would use as apposed to any old brush as used by a large artist!) to get to hard to reach places.
As for sensor cleaning I use artic butterfly brush which works a treat. Unfortunately on my 5D the brush can smear grease across the sensors. I use eclipse fluid and have no residue problems as long as you use it sparingly.
Other (Vital) Equipment
Binoculars
Even if I had the most sophisticated photographic equipment possible I would never be without a trusty pair of binoculars (bins for Short). They will enhance your safari more than any other single item (camera included).
Any size is good as long as they are easy to handle. It is best to buy a reasonable quality pair (expect to pay around £100 but you can spend up to and over £1000!) Try not to skimp but if you are on a tight budget then 10x50 tend to be generally the best quality for the budget priced bins.
For birders a spotting scope may be obligatory. If you are that dedicated then you will certainly know more on the subject than I can cover here.
Guide or Spotting Books
Guide (spotting) books are a must to enhance your safari experience. There are many good guide books and the final choice should really be down to personal preference We found using two different bird books (Newman’s and SASOL) very useful as invariably your bird will be posed completely differently to any illustration in a guide book!. They are both good books but some illustrations have misleading colours and so by having two different books you can compare and contrast sightings.
A separate Birds of Prey guide is particularly helpful as raptors are very difficult to distinguish. They can be immature or sub-adults, they could be in moult or any transitional phase. A quality dedicated raptor book is required to get the ID correct and even then it may be open to debate!
Although many of the mammals are large and easily recognisable there are many smaller animals, mammals, lizards, snakes, frogs that are of interest and guide books that cover them are very useful also. Which you chose will depend on your own interests and many can be bought from Amazon before departure or in the campsites in South African and Namibian parks.
I can not possibly overstate how useful books on animal behaviour are. We have found them to be indispensable and have added a whole new dimension to wildlife observation. By understanding behaviour you can photograph much more in-depth interactions while understanding the herd dynamics instead of driving past “just another herd of Impala”. The more glamorous wildlife is also covered and again it will add new levels of understanding interesting field observations.
“The Safari Companion” is an excellent mammal behaviour guide packed with information but it is a little dry, more a reference book. We also bought “Beat about the Bush” which is a better read but not as in-depth as Safari Companion.
Organising a Safari
Do your home-work. There are plenty of resources, books, magazines and the web for which Google is invaluable. Search for the kind of wildlife you would like to see or conversely find out what wildlife you are likely to see in at a given location.
Initially most people are drawn to the well known hot spots such as the Masi Mara, Serengeti plains, Okovango Delta or Ngorogoro crater. These are great places and are deservedly world renown but the law of economics coupled with supply and demand drive the prices up to astronomic budgets. Parks such as South Luangwa (Zambia), Etosha (Namibia), Chobe and Moremi (Botswana) or Kgalagadi and Pilansberg (South Africa) are all top wildlife destinations that will more than make for a great safari holiday. For birders think Malawi with over 600 recorded species and in Liwonde NP the weekend record stands at over 250!!!!
Each country, area and even camp within a park has its own specialties. If you want to photograph Elephants or Hippopotamus then the Kgalagadi is the last place to go even though it is rich with other wildlife. Much will depend on your own person preferences and research will be required to narrow down your choices. Otherwise the larger parks such as Kruger (South Africa) or Chobe (Botswana) have a good broad selection of wildlife, even so there are hot spots within these parks!
Don’t overlook the small parks that can be just as productive as larger ones. We have spent a lot of time in smaller parks with fewer tourists around. Maybe the density of wildlife isn’t as high as in the famous places but you will often have it to yourself and you won’t have to jostle for the best positions.
If you decide to go with a tour operator then make sure they do Safaris specifically for photographers to avoid disappointment.
When?
I prefer southern Africa in the winter (May – August). The light remains usable for longer especially in South Africa. Many nocturnal animals may find it too cold at night and so they become active at dusk and may remain active at dawn. It is more comfortable to sit in a vehicle (a very important consideration). It is generally the driest time of year and the animals have more predictable movements centred round permanent water. Summer time however may have more dramatic lighting during the frequent storms or over cast days when you can photograph all day without problems of high contrast. However, if you want to photograph some thing specific such as migrant birds, annual movements or birthing then that will dictate your timing.
Quality Time
Plan to spend more time in one place than trying to cover more ground. To get the most out of a trip and the best photographs it is advisable to spend as much time as possible in the same area i.e. chose one park rather than 3 or one area within a country. That way you might glimpse the daily routines and be aware that some animals are more elusive than others that only with time are you likely to see. You will also get a better idea of the most productive places and where certain animals are to be found.
Big Five
Most casual tourists are interested in only the big stuff. The Big 5 (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo) was so named by the fact that they are the most dangerous to hunt. The Big 6 splits Rhino into the two species White Rhino (Wide Lipped) and Black Rhino (Hook Lipped). The Tourist 7 includes Cheetah and Wild Dog.
The Big five (or tourist 7) you’ll note doesn’t even include Hippos, Giraffe, Zebra, any antelope or reptiles and certainly no birds nor a good deal else. All of the wildlife in and around parks has potential interest and when the light is good a photograph of almost anything is better than a dull photo of lions lying asleep in the shade!
Almost Done
So you’ve picked the place and the time of year, you considered the sort of wildlife you are interested in – what now?
Well you’d probably want to book your holiday, take note of South African holidays and avoid it. We never book and have never had a problem but following that advice might ruin your whole holiday and I don’t want that!
Advanced Booking
If you are not intending to camp then booking is essential. If you are on a holiday it makes sense to book campsites or accommodation in advance anyway to avoid problems. While travelling we have never booked (mainly because we are never 100% sure of our arrival dates) and always found space
Usually (but not always) you can change these bookings once at your destination but at least you know you will have somewhere to sleep.
Botswana and Namibia have very strange arrangements where the official information is that you need to book at least 3 months in advance and up to 1 year for busy periods. We never had a problem in this respect even though we never booked and ended up in Etosha during South African school holidays. That is mainly because in Botswana and Namibia a pitch is for two vehicles and 8 people and so by asking around you can usually share a pitch with other people.
The worst situation we have found is that we have had to camp outside of the park in a private camp and enter the park each morning – not ideal but not the end of the world either. If that happens try to pay for a number of days or get to the gates well before opening times so that you are the first in the queue.
Security
I would have no quandaries about taking anybody to Southern Africa or going pretty much anywhere away from the cities but i is always worth being security conscious especially with lots of expensive equipment with you. I haven’t heard of any traveller who has been threatened and almost everybody we have met has been friendly and helpful.
We have once had our tent burgled but that was while camped in a city in South Africa and we had been away longer than we had foreseen.
Organising your Own Safari
This is a big thing to decide! Only a small number of adventurous people go ahead and organise their own Safari but it really is simple and is in my opinion the best way to go about things if you want good photographs on a budget. Renting a car or even fully kitted 4x4 is easy to do. For those travelling or having plenty of time then buying a vehicle is relatively easy but expect to spend at least 3 to 4 weeks organising it and getting your self kitted out.
I would self drive every time for a number of reasons. It might seem daunting at first to drive yourself but it really isn’t and there are plenty of people doing it. People often swap sightings (including game vehicles) so don’t worry about being out of your depth or not seeing anything.
Self driving is essential if you plan to wait and please yourself when and where you go, especially if you are interested in all wildlife and not just the big 5. There are options for having personal or photographic trips with an organised Safari package but that is way over any budget I can afford. Driving yourself means that you can wait at that lovely waterhole or look for that one stunning Elephant photograph all morning. If you are a birder this advice is doubly important.
Cheaper organised game drives are often there to show the many tourists who stay for 1 or 2 days as many animals as possible in 3 hours. They may wait 5 minutes and go on looking for the next animal to tick off the list. If you ask them to wait they will of course wait but remember that they have to please 8 or 9 other paying people. Once a particular animal has been seen they will generally ignore any other sightings.
Expensive lodges will cater for you better but you may still find you are sharing you drive with other non-photographers who don’t understand the necessity of getting the perfect photograph.
All of the Southern African countries drive on the left. The traffic is generally light except in cities. It has to be said that some drivers ignore all and any rules of the road and some vehicles are blatantly not road worthy but that is as much part of the African experience as the wildlife.
I feel I also have to add some cautionary advice if I persuade you to go out and rent a vehicle. Just take things easy. The distances are sometimes vast and roads in varying states of repair from fantastic to “where has the road gone?”. Staying alert for wandering goats and baboons are real dangers as is overtaking large lorries crawling along. Some mountain roads are great fun but a big 4x4 is not the most agile of cars and care is required when making quick manoeuvres or taking tight bends.
Off road is very demanding even when travelling relatively slowly. Picking a route through rocks or keeping the vehicle going through thick sand requires a lot of concentration and is tiring. There is more about specific terrain towards the end.
Renting a Vehicle
In south Africa many of the big parks such as Kruger, Pilansberg, Uhuhlewe-Umfolozi are “sealed” tar roads or graded gravel or dirt roads and so a regular car is adequate but I find a 4x2 (a pickup with only 2 wheel drive) is best as it gives a higher ride which is preferable just in case and means that you can see over grass and bushes.
For more adventurous destinations or during the rainy season a 4x4 and some back up equipment is preferable. For example; a fully equipped Landrover (or Toyota) with camping and cooking gear would be my preferred choice for heading into Botswana. Although the option maybe more expensive it will mean that you can keep other costs down by buying your own supplies and you will have maximum flexibility.
The larger parks have plenty of restaurants and shops but others may have very little in the way of facilities and so you have to be more self reliant and carry all equipment and supplies with you.
South Africa has a very bad reputation for crime. While that may well be true within cities such as Johannesburg I have never encountered any danger apart from some of the driving habits elsewhere. That said you should follow any official advice given to you. I would say the bottom line is common sense and to do some research before hand. Most of sub-Saharan Africa is welcoming, friendly and as safe as anywhere I have ever been – and that includes my little village.
Out on Safari
On location
Don’t rush. It may take a couple of days to discover the most productive or the most appealing areas. When you have found a few good places, stick with them. Try find at least one location close to camp so that you can make the most of dawn or sunset and still get back to camp before they shut the gates! We often miss the gates but you can get fined if you are persistent.
Expect to get up early! I routinely get Kate, my partner, up at 4-5am and I have to have a cup of coffee before anything happens so I’m up even earlier!
Look to spend some time at waterholes and take at least one day to park up and wait. Ask around as to which waterholes are most visited and try to get there as early as possible and get comfortable. Don’t forget some food and drink. Kate, my partner, prefers to read a book and rely upon me to warn her when something comes along.
Another good tactic is to pick a scenic route and do circuits each morning and afternoon. That way you will be familiar with interesting features and the direction of light at given times of the day.
Have your equipment ready. Often animals are approachable but tend to stop doing that interesting thing that would have made a great photograph soon after you stop. Be ready – but don’t drive around with that super telephoto hanging out of the window! Get a lint free cover (I use my Gore-Tex coat) or maybe sleeping bag to protect your camera and lens while moving.
If like me you are lucky enough to have someone willing to drive you around then sit in the rear seat and have quick access to both windows. My partner, Kate, is very good at getting into position and moving small but critical distances to get the best photograph. There is always a twig or blade of grass that ruins the photograph and having somebody who can manoeuvre you into the right position while you concentrate on the photograph is very useful.
Get up and be ready to go early, I know I've mentioned this before but it is important! There will usually be a queue of vehicles waiting for the gates to open and to be in front may mean getting there at least half an hour before the opening times. That’s important as the lead vehicles will get first sightings and will kick up dust that the following vehicles have to drive through.
Getting into Position
Even a few centimetres might mean the difference between a clear photograph or having an annoying twig in the way. I prefer to not turn the engine off until we are in position as often you need to move around until you have the best view possible.
You may find you need to move as the animals move in which case try and pre-empt where they are moving to and get a head of them. That means you can get head on photographs and most non-photographers will not be in your way as they will stop next to them.
The thrill of finding things for yourself
Armed with binoculars, good spotting books and a couple of behaviour books you can really get into the feel of the bush. You can always ask a guide or ranger about a sighting at lunch time. Digital reviewing always means people can argue over that bird of prey later (They are notoriously difficult to differentiate). Remember that it isn’t just about photographs (Kate would laugh at that!). Enjoy the wildlife.
Spotting
It takes practice but most people pick it up quite easily. Don’t just look at the road but scan the bush. To do that successfully you must learn to look through the bushes not at them. Drive slowly but not so slowly that you get nowhere. We drive between 10 and 30km/h depending on habitat. A great way to find animals is to stop when you come to an open area, turn off the engine and scan with a good pair of binoculars.
Human eyes can pick up movement very easily even the twitch of a tail or ear can give a cat away. Otherwise our excellent colour vision is good at noting different hues. Look for dark shapes which may be Elephant, Rhino or Buffalo depending on which park you in.
It has to said that these large mammals are well at home in the bush and I have often seen big bull Elephants weighing 5 tons disappear within 5m of bush! If you ever spot a Giraffe stop and have a good look around – I could bet a considerable sum of money that you will see more (often several) Giraffe that you hadn’t seen initially despite their size. Otherwise Lions can be within 2m of the road but unless you know that they are there then you may well miss them completely.
A great way to find predators is to watch and listen to other animals. A herd of impala all looking in one direction and making alarm calls may reveal a predator close by. Interestingly enough most animals will not flee far from predators. They will generally keep an eye on them and make it known that they are there. Any predator will know that the chances of a kill are gone once they have been spotted.
Other places to look are shady places under trees or thick bushes for animals cooling off. Waterholes are good especially in dry season. Luckily, light wise, dry season is often winter time in Africa.
A Swiss friend we met on the road uses a different strategy completely. He would drive around and look for other stationary vehicles. There’s nothing like using your noddle!
Approaching and Photographing
There is a school-of-thought that says that as you approach you should turn off the engine and glide to a halt. There is nothing wrong with that but it isn’t (in my experience) the best technique for a number of reasons. Firstly the animals are used to the sound of engines and in fact turning the engine off while moving might be seen as a stealthy stalk that maybe construed as a predator or potential danger. Secondly and far more applicably to the photographer is that you will probably need to adjust your position at the last moment to ensure a clear view or get the best position. Lastly, with your engine running your approach can be slower and controlled, if you have to stop a short distance away to allow the animal to settle you can then begin approaching again without having to restart your engine.
Once in position then turn off that bloody engine! It will enhance your viewing and left running it will annoy everybody else to hell!
Once stationery and silent most animals continue their daily activities and assume that you are just some large ponderous animal.
The quickest way to scare many animals is to start up your engine again which to animal is the equivalent of an Elephant trumpeting or Lion roaring. Having said that some animals are oblivious to it and much of the time it depends on your distance from them.
The sound of the camera can cause many animals to become inquisitive and so be prepared for eye contact after you have made a few exposures. Birds, Rhinos, Lions and Leopards have all taken an interest in our big green creature (Land Rover) that’s making funny clicking sounds.
Depending on the circumstances – stay with your chosen subject or accept that it just isn’t going to work and move on. This is not easy and is really down to personal preference. We have seen Rhinos or herds of Zebra in the distance and waited for the inevitable approach. On other occasions we have seen cats laid up miles way and moved on knowing that they will rest for several hours. However we have found lions lying in the shade and waited hours until they became active – we then watched them make a kill 5m from our Land Rover!
The photography doesn’t have to stop once you get back to camp for lunch. I have photographed many birds which come into the camp as well as Jackals, Mongoose, Ground Squirrels, Lizards. The wildlife you will find in camps is generally quite well habituated to humans and you can approach closely if you take your time. Some animals that frequent campsites should be treated with caution however, Baboons are top of this list. Never use food to attract any of the animals. As one sign reads concerning Baboons and Vervet monkeys – “You feed ‘em, we shoot ‘em”
Signs of the Wild
Read those guide books and behaviour books before you go! Why are all of those impala looking over there? It may well be a predator that has spooked them. We have used animals to find other animals on numerous occasions for instance Baboons are great at giving away Leopards.
Often you might be waiting for that one photograph at say a waterhole. Why not look around and try to see what else is going on. Why is that Nyala tossing mud up with his horns? Why do the Wildebeest and Zebra hang around together? Why do Warthog’s tales stand erect when they run? It will add a whole extra dimension to your experience.
Try some tracking. Look down at the ground for prints as you drive along, especially in the early morning. It’s no good heading west when the lion tracks are going east! Many predators use the roads to move around at night and leave tell tale prints in the dust.
Try and listen out at night for Hyenas, Lions or Leopards (difficult) to give you some idea of where to head in the morning.
The People Factor
You will meet all sorts of people; tourists, locals, workers, guides and even night guards. Believe me when I say that they all usually know more than you do! Chat up the night guard as they stay awake all night and hear all of the wildlife. They can often tell you were you might find predators in the morning. Guides and other tourists in cars all trade information, here the key word is TRADE. If you expect them to tell you where everything is out of hand you will be disappointed.
Try learning even just a couple of words of the appropriate language, even a badly pronounced hello goes a long way.
Otherwise as our Swiss friend learnt, watching other vehicles is a dead give away. Although we invariably disappoint people using this technique as we stop for all sorts of small and interesting stuff that most people don’t really care about .
Camping
Not everybody’s cup of tea but bear with me. You get to hear the night time wildlife which is important if you want to find it in the morning. Listening to the roars of lions, “hoops” of hyenas or grunts of hippos during the night is a thrill that will stay with you long after you have returned home. It will also motivate you to get up before dawn to go and make the best of the morning light.
In some parks the wildlife roams through the campsites and you may experience some very up-close and personal wildlife moments, much more fun than being pampered in some lodge! Those encounters are my most memorable experiences of being on safari.
It’s also cheaper, probably so much so that you could afford a new short telephoto lens or some converters!
For those wanting a longer stay of a month or more then camping is the only budget option. The weather is generally good and reliable so camping is a pleasure.
If you follow my advice and go camping just remember that any animals you encounter will be wild and should not be approached or fed. Do not stray far from your car or camp.
Driving and Terrain
This section is added for the benefit of the overland traveller or very adventurous photographer.
As mentioned many of the bigger parks have tarmac roads and even the dirt roads in most parks won’t require any special driving skills but we have rescued a number of people who just didn’t know better and it is prudent to have a little forewarning. Of course if in doubt then don’t! Every year people die in remote places due to a lack of planning. It is also no good having all of the equipment if you don’t know how you use it!
We never take a GPS because if we are relying solely on it then we shouldn’t be there!!!! Well certainly not alone. Don’t be tempted to head off road into the great unknown unless you know exactly what you are doing. If you fancy doing something adventurous try and find like minded people en-route or in hostels and travel in convoy. It is well worth giving somebody you can trust your itinerary and date to expect contact – that way you are covered in case of breakdown or an accident – and somebody will alert the emergency services. All of the advice points to staying with your vehicle and making signs visable from the air.
We do however carry maps, a compass and make efforts to restock food and water (up to 150L) and fuel (up to 180L) at pretty much every possibility.
Learn how to use the high lift jack as that will get you out of 99% of problems. It can also be used as a winch at a push. One thing we didn’t carry was a spare inner tube which in hind sight would be one of the first things we should have bought.
Know your limits and be prepared to turn around or radically change plans when confronted by terrain that is beyond your capabilities.
The other thing to be aware of is that if you are in or near a park expect there to be animals around. Generally by making noise you will scare off any animals but everybody should remain alert and aware of what is in the vicinity. If you are not happy to get out then stay in the vehicle until you are or until someone else comes along.
For a real life experience we have changed another vehicles punctured tyre in Chobe by driving alongside the offending wheel at an angle and so ensuring three sides were covered in case of any unwanted visitors The others stayed in the vehicles and kept a look out for any animals wandering around
Tarmac
Most driving to places will be upon some sort of tarmac – some good some very bad with ruts and pot holes. The smooth good roads may lull you into a false sense of security and with long distances and seemingly empty roads you’ll probably be tempted to put your foot down. That’s all well and good until a goat, cow or child walks into the road also expecting it to be deserted. We have seen all of the above involved in accidents and none of the out comes was very pleasant.
While driving you are almost bound to see wrecks from previous accidents as a warning that they happen all too frequently.
Often sections of roads maybe washed away seasonally and so are in worse repair than other sections – unless you are familiar with the road you may not be ready for a dramatic change in road conditions. Pot holes can be deep and very unpleasant especially if you hit them at speed.
A 4x4 will not handle as nimbly as a car and the camping gear plus fuel and water will take the weight up to 3 tonnes, at least double that of a standard cars weight. It will act much more sluggish and will not stop as quickly either. There lies the real danger of tarmac driving where a sudden swerve throws 3 tonnes of metal and equipment off balance and can easily result in lose of control and often a full roll – and believe me you don’t want to visit an African Hospital.
Gravel and dirt roads
The biggest danger is in slowing down. Uneven ground compromises the suspension and the gravel acts as marbles and simple rolls under the wheels when you try to brake or turn quickly resulting in skidding and lose of control. Never brake and swerve at the same time. No matter what terrain brake as much as possible in a straight line and then turn once you have shed the necessary speed.
Slow down for on coming vehicles and if need be then stop especially if the approaching vehicle is a lorry or bus. It is also polite to slow down through villages and past people or cyclists.
Sand
This is the one that catches everybody out even the best. The first thing to do is to lower the tyre pressures so that the tyres spread over the sand rather than push through it and where possible drive in another vehicle’s tracks.
In deep sand pick a low gear or low ratio and lock the differential so that you have maximum traction. Try and keep your momentum up but if you get start to get bogged down stop immediately and asses the situation. If you are not going forward then the tyres will simply dig down until your vehicle is resting on its axles at that point you will not be going anywhere fast.
When getting bogged down try to discover which wheel is lacking traction and try and pack stones or branches in front and under the wheel to give as much traction as possible. Don’t stand behind the vehicle when the attempt to move off is made as the packing material may be flung back at high speed!
Lastly driving through sand burns much more fuel than usual. Always carry plenty of fuel, which is generally more than you expect.
Rocks
Most of the danger comes from damaging the tyres or vehicle when driving over rocks. The sharp edges can split the side walls or tear chunks out of the tread. Lower the air pressure a little to allow the tyre to deform over rocks. Drive slowly and try not to use the break much as you will cause the rocks to roll under the wheels and you lose some control.
Always pick the easiest route and stay away from larger rocks that may hit the axles and the differential. Drive slowly preferably in a low ratio and lock the differential if going up hill.
If you do have to transverse large rocks then pack smaller stones in front to create a ramp for the wheel to travel up.
Mud
There are different sorts of mud! Sticky stuff that sits on top of harder mud and fills your tread making traction the big problem. Expect to go very slowly and slip all over the place. Don’t attempt any sudden manoeuvres and try not to use the brakes. Use the clutch and a higher gear and be very gentle on the throttle.
Deep watery mud might need packing with branches or rocks close by to provide traction in the worst places. If or when you get stuck reverse and then go forward repeatedly. In extreme cases it mean repeating it 30 or 40 times gaining a little extra each time. It is worth adding any packing after a few tries. Use plenty of throttle to try and dig through the mud. Eventually you will drive out but in extremes you might have to resort to the high lift jack.
Water
I think it very unwise to cross any size river if you don’t have a great deal of experience. Standing water is still a challenge but much less dangerous. After spending sometime watching and listening (and smelling) for any wildlife you will have to find out how deep it is. That will mean walking into the water with a stick to probe the water in front of you. If shallow enough then drive through cautiously. If it is deep then prepare yourself. Again go cautiously but try not to stop, expect a bow wave to form.
Overland Tricks and Tips
Border crossings - The Bane of the Overlander.
Generally we have had very little problems at police checks and borders but occasionally it is not as smooth as it should be. Timing it to be close to closing time can work well as guards may want to finish and go home and will not give you as much hassle but that is not to be relied on.
Try to remain calm and keep smiling and being helpful – easier said than done in some instances!
Whatever you do don’t try to bribe guards or police. If everything is going horribly wrong then ask if there is an “on the spot fine” or payment you can make. If you are fully confident your papers and insurance and equipment is all in order but someone is asking for an unofficial payment then try and ask for a receipt that you can take to the nearest government official.
The worst bribe we have had to pay was a round of soft drinks at a police check. The police were looking for any excuse to get something out of us and as we weren’t playing the game they got bored and after a few cans we were on our way.
Sometimes you will be inundated by helpers who for a fee will ease you through by getting the correct paper work and knowing which queue to stand in. Sometimes it is well worth the few dollars other times it a waste of money. Often it depends on how busy the border is and how complicated the paper work is.
Unaccompanied Baggage
On a long trip you’ll probably have much more equipment than baggage space. On several occasions we have used unaccompanied baggage which is relatively cheap and easy way to get all your stuff your start destination. It also means that you are not carrying huge bags while sorting yourself out at the start of your trip.
Weight Distribution
150L of water weighs 150Kg as does 180L diesel (roughly). Try and keep these evenly distributed. We put our diesel on the roof as it smells but when tackling difficult terrain it is best to keep the weight as low as possible and we would move it into the car. It is best to empty spare jerry cans into the main fuel tank as you go. Note that petrol is much more dangerous and as such should be carried with caution.
The bush washing machine
By half filling a sealable box with soap and water and adding dirty clothes you can use the bumps of off road driving to do your washing for you!
12v Low Energy Bulbs
Everybody we met used a rear mounted spot light or 12v Fluorescent strip lights. Neither are ideal as a spot light uses 55w and will flatten your battery quickly and strip lights are a bit dim and flicker.
The low energy bulbs are expensive and will require a (bayonet) fitting to use them but at only 12w giving as much light as a 60w bulb they are superb for the overland traveller.
12v Inverters
Considering pretty much all of the equipment requires electricity it is best to have your own supply. An inverter takes 12v and steps it up to 240v. That means you can plug in portable hard drives, laptops and charge camera batteries wherever you are. I generally prefer to spend a little extra money and get a “true sine wave” inverter which supplies real AC 240v. I have found 150W versions to be ample to run all I have needed. It is prudent to have a second (leisure) battery to power it all instead of running down your starter battery.
A brief overview of Parks and Countries
South Africa
Generally easy to get around and most parks have good facilities and often multiple camps to choose from. Very good value for money especially if you buy a “wildcard” which will pay for itself after about 10 days.
There are many private reserves some large some small. Often they lie next to the National Parks and have highly skilled guides but expect to pay premium prices.
Khalagadi Transfrontier Park (also Botswana)
Park within the Kalahari desert. Many predators and raptors (Eagles, owls, falcons and Secretary birds). Brown hyena, lion, leopard and Cheetah. Black Backed Jackal. Oryx (Gemsbok). Giraffe and springbok.
No Elephants or Hippos
Small but productive waterholes
Kruger
Very high density of wildlife but not the most picturesque of parks. Hotspots in the Southern half. Many camps to choose from all with shops and facilities.
Lots of everything! (including Wild dogs)
It’s soooo big that it covers all sorts of habitats
If it is your first self organised Safari then this is probably the easiest park to visit. It is possible to fly into Neilsprut and also hire a car or 4x4.
Pilansberg
It’s quite a small but picturesque park .Very popular at weekends as it is so close to Pretoria.
Lots of Rhino black and white and Elephants. Good numbers of predators. Eagles and Kites. Brown Hyena. Some large lakes with wildlife moving to and from.
Hluhluwe-Umfoluzi
The highest concentrations of rhino anywhere. Predators including wild dogs. Expensive to stay inside park but a good hostel a few Km out.
Cape Town
Boulders Beach – African penguin colony
Cape point
Botanical gardens – plants (obviously) and associated insects and birds
Namibia
Cheetah capital of the planet. A huge country with a small population. Roads are generally gravel but in excellent condition.
It is very easy to get away from it all but if you want to go out into the wilderness do lots of research and ensure that you and your kit is capable of surviving for 10 days+ without contact with other people. We would typically carry 150L of water and 180L of fuel even though we knew we would not be accessing anywhere extreme.
Etosha – An easy days drive from Windhoek where you can get all of the supplies you need. Etosha is dominated by desert and salt pans with large and very productive waterholes. Lots of Predators and interactions between herds of various species.
The camps have viewing platforms next to waterholes and have spot lights for evening viewing.
Skeleton Coast
Cape cross Seal colony. Rare desert plants.
North West area
Many small concessions linking up to make a vast area of wilderness.
Namibia is also a great place to head for landscape photography with Fish River Canyon, Quiver trees, the surreal Deadvlei and Sousselvlei dunes.
Botswana
Most of the camps in the parks do not have fences and wildlife freely roams through and around the camps especially at night. Roads inside parks are generally more demanding with sections of deep sand.
The Okovango Delta.
A completely unique and truly amazing area. Really need a boat to get out into the Delta. Mokoro trips available but they only enter the edges of the delta unless you fly into Chief's Island but expect to pay for the pleasure.
Flying over the Delta is a wonderful experience and due to competition you can usually get a good value flight especially if you charter a small plane with friends.
Moremi
On the edge of the Okavango delta but accessible by road. Moremi was one of the most beautiful parks we visited but due to late rains wildlife density wasn’t high as we had hoped for and lots of water to cross. That said we still had great sightings and adventures especially in the camps with all manner of animals joining us!
Chobe
Elephant capital of the world. A varied and stunning park. Large herds of Buffalo and large prides of Lions.
Zambia
A relatively easy country to travel through. The roads are mostly tarmac but with dangerous potholed sections. Victoria falls in the south with the Zambezi River flowing East.
The North has some marshes that are more remote and difficult to access where you can find the Shoebill. Sadly I have not been able to visit that part of Zambia.
Kafue
One of the biggest and arguably best parks in Africa that no one has ever heard of! Kafue is huge and supports many predators and large herds of Lechwe. One of the best places to view Leopard.
South Luangwa
World famous to those in the know. Varied and attractive park packed with diverse wildlife and birds.
Campsites outside the park are open to wildlife which roams freely in and out of the park - especially Elephants.
Malawi
Lake malawi is a huge inland body of Fresh water with plenty of wildlife around it and Cichlids within it. Although Malawi does not have any thing like the number of predators of the other destinations it does have a number of jewels that will satisfy those who may be more experienced and looking for something different, for instance a couple of reserves (Majete and Lengwe) allow you to bush camp. Malawi is also a prime place for birding with its own special species plus 600+ others!
Liwonde
Dominated by the Shire River running out of Lake Malawi. Elephants (especially playing in the river). Hippos and wading bird including Black Egrets. Antelopes including Sable. Many species of birds including many rarities.
Nyika Plateau
Rolling hills. Hyena, leopard, zebra and roan
Elephant Marsh
A wetland wonderland. Many water birds and no tourists! Not easy to get to and there is very little to do during the day but a must for serious birders.
Lengwe
Nyala. Raptors. Hides by waterholes. Bush camping
Majete
Large and sparse but beautiful park currently being restocked. Bush camping