Your trip with us
Day 1 – Johannesburg Airport arrival, optional group dinner (not included), stay in hotel near airport
Day 2 – road transfer to our lodge, get settled, first afternoon game drive
Days 3 – 7 – early wake up call, morning game drives, afternoon game drives
Day 8 – morning game drive, road transfer to Johannesburg Airport
The Private Game Reserve we have chosen for our tour is a malaria-free reserve.
The lodge is fenced, so you can walk around the lodge and to your room unescorted at night. However, we will be surrounded by nature and wildlife. There will be some bugs, geckos and other little critters and the like. It’s all part of being out in the bush!
Included in your photo tour
- accommodation in shared room in a gorgeous lodge on a 15000 hectares private game reserve
- most meals & drinks
- 12 gamedrives in open safari vehicle with lots of room
- 2 professional photographers to help you get your photos to the next level
- transportation by road from Johannesburg O.R. Tambo airport to the lodge and back
Not included
- international flights / transportation to Johannesburg
- meals other than at the lodge
- conservation levy (ca EUR150 pp)
- gratuity for guide and lodge staff
- souvenirs
- travel and medical insurance
- any other items not specifically mentioned
A typical safari day
- early wake up call, cup of coffee & rusks
- depart for 3-hour morning game drive with our professional guide, including coffee break
- back to the lodge for breakfast & relaxation, a nap or a dip in the pool
- midday: lunch & time for going through your photos with us, get tips on how to take your photography to the next level
- late afternoon: depart for afternoon game drive, including sundowner drinks
- back to the lodge for dinner
- head for an early night or come outside with us for nightsky photography (2 nights)
Booking
- We are photographers, not travel agents. As such, you will book with our travel agent in The Netherlands directly. We will provide her details to you.
- Upon booking a 30% non-refundable deposit is due
- The remaining balance is due 120 days before start of the photo tour
- Cancellation:
- you are not entitled to any refund, but you may transfer your spot to someone else, if you can find a replacement
- check your travel & cancellation insurance for their terms and conditions
- Not included: your flights to and from Johannesburg, any meals other than at the lodge, tips for our guide, conservation levy (ca. EUR150 pp)
What to bring – gear
- As this is a photography tour, do bring your camera!
Do you need a pro camera & lots of lenses? No you don’t! A camera with high shooting speed and a telelens will help to get better shots, but bring the camera & lenses you have and try to familiarise yourself with it before our trip. We’ll do our best to help you with any specific questions you may have.
- If you have binoculars, definitely bring those along as well! As much as we love photography, we also love to just watch the wildlife through our binos – and scan the horizons for any exciting sightings!
- a bean bag can help stabilise your camera when shooting from the safari car
- a tripod, if you want to join in our nightsky photography course
- plenty of memory cards, extra batteries, battery charger
- laptop to view your photos during the day
What to bring – clothing
- don’t overpack! a couple of long pants, a couple of shorts or dresses, a few shirts, a cardigan
- bring clothing you can layer so it’s easy to adapt when it warms up or cools down
- I always like long sleeves, they protect from sun, breeze and insects
- mornings and evenings can be chilly, so a windbreaker and fleece can be helpful
- ponchos are provided if needed, but you could also bring your own
- neutral colors are best! they don’t attract insects as much as brighter colors, they keep you cooler in the sun than dark colors and don’t show dust and mud as quickly as light colors
- I like closed shoes for the game drives and sandals to wear around the lodge
- a hat or cap
About the lodge
- The lodge is set in a gorgeous 15000 hectares Big 5, malaria-free, game reserve
- The safari vehicle has open side, which is great for photography.
- We’ll have a top-notch driver/guide to help us find the best sightings and views.
- In our experience, there’s plenty of wildlife and lots of awesome photo opportunities.
- The rooms are luxury tents, surrounded by nature, beautifully decorated, spacious and very comfortable. They each have a sundeck with a gorgeous view and plunge pool, airconditioning and heating, inside shower and outside bath and shower.
- The rooms have one king or two twin beds.
- There is WiFi in the lounge area and in the rooms.
- Yes, that’s me in the plunge pool 😉