Murray Loc: New Westminster

Duhhhh, I see that.☹️

ldmarsh

ldmarsh

I have toured Africa several times and if you are going to Tanzania I would recommend Good Earth Tours. If going to Namibia I would recommend Safari Wise. These are both reputable tour companies. If you are a photographer make sure to state you want to go on a photo tour otherwise you will end up with people that all they want is to see as many animals and birds as possible then move on quickly.

Chris Hayes

Many thanks indeed for the varied suggestions. That is exactly what i was looking for. I am familiar with Africa actually lived there for 2 years but i was a young at the time, so nothing current. I purposely did not limit my question as to duration or budget, so i could get a sampling of all this great continent has to offer, and the varied services people on this board had experienced. Just searching through the web advertisements is not as informative as listening to those who have been and experienced it. I can now take these suggestions and decide what kind of trip i want. I have a board enough budget to cover many suggestions. For those that were helpful, i do thank you very much.
For those that think it's interesting to others to pick at the question, and wonder off into geography or spelling lessons, you really don't get the point of a serious question posted on a board like this for photographers.
Thank you to those that were helpful.
Chris

Dossile

I got great photos on a regular Safari to Kenya and another to Tanzania. The guides were exceptional at positioning the vehicle. I got exactly the same shots as the groups who were on photography tours. They were all around me. The difference is that on a photography tour you are with an instructor teaching new techniques and with people willing to wait and wait and wait for that great shot. My wife isn’t into photography and doesn’t like the waiting. We traveled with Collette Travel to Kenya and Easytravel in Tanzania. Both were fine.

I haven’t decided if waiting was any better than moving because we sure saw a lot of great things that the photography tours rushed to but missed or the gathering mob of vehicles destroyed the natural shot. The one time I really wanted to wait, we couldn’t because we were on our way to catch a flight. We came across two lionesses stalking a hedgehog family. Seeing an actual kill is rare.

Bobnewnan

My son in law and I have been to Africa twice and are going again in Aug 20 with "Images in Africa Safaris"
CEO is Glavin Slabbert, was the best trip I've ever been on, bar none!

mitrecon

Wilderness Safaris is my recommendation. They have access or own over fifty camp sites mostly in southern Africa (RSA, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe etc). They offer photographic tours with much "off road" game drives and professional guidance. Ask for any tour with Dana Allen as the photographic guide - an award winning wildlife photographer, vastly knowledgeable, instructive, patient and kind. They also give back a sizable percentage of their profits to conservation programs, indigenous populations and wildlife preservation. My entree to WS was through Journey's Unforgettable, a highly competent broker of sorts with native roots in RSA and vast experience in southern African photo tourism. Varying packages and price points. You can figure on a base price of $1000/day per person plus airfare. I had planned on a one and done trip to Africa and after that one signed up for a second two years later. Planning on the third now. You'll have an unbelievable time.

Silverrails

I had a friend that went on a Safari tour, he said it was nice but Dusty as many of the roads were dirt, so dust in the air is not good for Photography or equipment.

ricardo00

Also lots of wild dangerous animals there, so don't go!

Seriously? If you haven't been to Africa and are into wildlife photography, you don't know how good it can be. Unfortunately, many people do go and the cost has gotten very high (and the best places book up very early). However, as the saying goes, the worst wildlife safari is still amazing. I have gone 3 times and would love to go back, dust or no dust.

311abe

I took a tour a few years ago with AMA Waterways. We spent a few days in Capetown with great photo opportunities at the Cape, Gardens, city views from the tram up Table Mountain etc. We then went to Manyeleti game reserve and a few days of nonstop wildlife photography. After the safari we traveled to the Chobe river aboard the Zambezi Queen - Again great river photos, sunsets and wild life along the river. Also some side trips into back country and Chobe National Park for more game photography. We then traveled to Victoria Falls with some fantastic photos of the falls along with a helicopter ride over the falls which you can't miss.

Great trip. I created a book of photos after the trip to preserve the memory.

Fotomacher Loc: Toronto

Pangolin - very professional and knowledgeable.

Opsafari Loc: Roodepoort South Africa

Chris, Africa is a huge continent! The Swahili word safari means journey, originally a Arabic word. Modern times the word safari relates to a journey where you can see wild animals. There are three main “safari” destinations: central Africa eg. Kenya and Tanzania, Botswana and South Africa. Followed by Namibia and Zimbabwe while the latter is currently bit of a problem but more on logistics.

Central Africa is expensive and overcrowded more like a rat race especially during the migration season. Botswana is far better as most of the camps are not fenced and wildlife can walk through and give some tourist the shock of their lives! South Africa has some wonderful parks, fantastic for wildlife photography and experienced with modern facilities with fenced camps or accommodation.

Also there are some good private reserves but at inflated prices however somehow the drivers of the gamedrive vehicles are “allowed” to go off-road or drive off the main track just like central Africa. These practices are not allowed as it damages the environment and drivers can get a massive fine! But suddenly environ “sensitive” from America and Europe with their cameras don’t care and allow the driver to bush whacking and the driver gladly do it because he except a good tip at the end of the day. This is also very dangerous especially in the company of elephants and lions!

Tourists are vehicle bound while animals are free to move the opposite of a zoo. No one, but no one can determine where a lion will be at any given time, after all Kruger National Park is nearly 2 million hectares! Agree, a good guide can read tracks; a guide will do pre-safari research from info gathered by other guides, and time of season and day plays a huge role in sightings.

A good guide will ensure that photographers get the best possible option to photograph any sighting and that is important. Safari is not only about wildlife it also includes various insects, birds and plants, it’s about nature!

If you are serious about nature and really want to capture great photos of nature then you have to go a private safari where you pay for the privilege to be in nature and not pay mega money for fantastic accommodation! The fancy safari operators make their money through their accommodation and offer guest’s two game drives per day and sometimes at additional costs a night drive which is better for experience of live in the wilderness at night than for photography.

The private operator takes his or her guests to the same area if it’s in national parks. A different kind of situation when a private guide takes his guests to a private game reserve in South Africa or Namibia, there he hands over his guests to local guides.

I am a registered adventure tour guide focusing on photography and I don’t care what camera make or type you have as long as you have the urge to take wonderful nature photos. Obviously you will need a camera that has the ability to bring a subject closer – zoom lens. Not from 1000 meters but from 100 meters or even closer from the vehicle. A long lens is not going to help if some of the animals are closer to the vehicle therefore you need a shorter zoom. Around the campsite you will need a different lens to capture the activities.

My camp setup is at public camps, canvas tents, meals around campfire where you are welcome to participate. You will experience a real safari experience as you are very much part of the activities and much closer to nature! In Botswana my camp setup is in public places without any fences and elephant do visit while you are enjoying afternoon coffee! Sometimes the public campsites are huge and you are more than 150-200 meters away from other people!

To sum up, Africa is huge so be more specific where you want to go to! There are various types of photographical “safaris” private versus with other non-hobby or professional photographers that does not have the same urge and patients you might have. “Just another kudu, driver can we move on please!” Then there are the Big Five “hunters” and nothing else counts, a nightmare for those who wants to take photos of wildlife! Southern Africa has more to offer than central Africa!

I shoot with three Pentax cameras with a mix of various lenses by various manufacturers. I stopped shooting video as I prefer still photography. Been in the Television industry for years and used my free time to take guests into southern African wilderness. Now a full time adventure mobile tour guide with the focus on photography, fauna and flora.