Page 19 - 5 Critical Things

- Extra thoughts -
There are many considerations that come together to make an extraordinary photographic safari, one that not only gives you an exceptional experience but also delivers on the opportunities that you hoped for. Some additional thoughts that may help with choosing the right safari for you follow.
• You don’t need to book into an existing group safari, it is possible and in fact quite easy with the right sort of guidance, to create your own trip that delivers everything you want.
• Expect to pay for the privilige of exclusivity and exibility that is the cornerstone of superior safaris and photographic opportunities. For great general wildlife viewing, being part of larger groups with less exclusivity will still deliver a wonderful experience as the African continent rarely disappoints. It is just much harder to get the exceptional photographs.
• Be aware that small planes are used for transfers between most parks, reserves and conservancies across all the different countries and these come with severe weight restrictions. You will barely manage to t your camera gear into the allowance without even considering clothes and other necessities. The way around this is to consider either a charter, purchasing an extra plane seat or going by road, the latter using up precious time of course. Read the ne print on any photo tours that you’re considering as quite a few will include charters as part of the trip and you will have no problem with excess weight restrictions whereas others will have a 15kg restriction on luggage.
• If you are a solo traveller you will mostly be required to pay a single supplement. Occasionally, the tour leader will have negotiated with the operating camp to include one or more single supplement waivers. Single supplements can add quite a bit onto the cost of your safari.
• If you are a rst time wildlife photographer, even if serious about your photography in other elds, it’s worth looking at what the
professional wildlife photographers are doing. There are many books, both printed and online, that give worthwhile information about what to expect in the eld, how to handle light, different scenarios that you might meet as well as technical matters such as cameras, lenses, settings to use amongst others. Practising at your local zoo to get a sense of particular animals isn’t a bad idea.
Ultimately, the experience of being out in the wild with all the diversity and action that an African safari gives, is life changing for most people and a once in a lifetime trip often becomes the rst of many. So plan hard but once you’re there really immerse yourself and enjoy the experience.