Digital Photo Safaris - 2009

Here are some key points to help you decide:
1.  We welcome photographers of ALL levels. The experience level of most of of our participants is beginner to mid-level amateur.
2.  We are BIG on photographing in the field. We spend most our time and effort on safari activity and making images. We do meet daily to review images and discuss technique, but this is not a “classroom-intensive” trip. Our "classroom sessions" are optional (although the review sessions are valuable and I haven't seen a more beautiful classroom ever)!
3.  Non-photographer or videographer spouses / travel companions will love these safaris. We have specialist guides leading all safari activities and optional activities (boating, walks, etc.) are also available at any time.

29-Jun to 01-July; (2 nights)
GRACE ROSEBANK HOTEL- Johannesburg, South Africa             Jump to Grace Rosebank

01-July to 04-July; (3 Nights)
LITTLE VUMBURA CAMP - Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Little Vumbura Camp

Little Vumbura is situated about 25 km's north of Chief's Island in the neighboring northern private reserve of nearly 130,000 acres, within Botswana's Okavango Delta. Vumbura offers perhaps the best combination of water and land activities anywhere in the Delta. The area also boasts a wonderful variety of habitats and a great diversity of wildlife, including large numbers of Sable Antelope (rarely seen elsewhere in Botswana) and offers excellent fishing.

Little Vumbura accommodates ten guests on a wonderful private island, typically reachable only by boat.  Little Vumbura has five tents under an enormous canopy of ancient Okavango forest. Each tent is large and roomy and has en suite facilities, as well as an outside shower for those who want to be even closer to nature. The dining room and pub are under canvas and have been built in and around the existing trees. There is a pool for relaxing by in the quiet of the day. One of the camp's attractions is the outdoor dining area. Wooden decks have been built on the floodplains and dinners under the stars are a wonderful experience.

The main activity at both camps is game viewing in wonderful and varied countryside. Open 4x4 Land Rovers allow close proximity to animals in the savannah and forested areas. Lion, Leopard, Wild Dog, Elephant, Cheetah and Buffalo along with all the plains animals make Vumbura an excellent all-round wildlife experience in a remote and private part of the Okavango.  Birding too is great with large varieties and quantities. Walks, mekoro’s and boating give Vumbura's guests the opportunity to enjoy Africa from a different perspective.

04-July to 07-July; (3 Nights)
SAVUTI CAMP - Linyanti Reserve, Botswana             Jump to Savuti Camp

Savuti Camp is situated within the private Linyanti Wildlife Reserve along the Savuti Channel, a legendary wildlife region that is best known for its large numbers of predators - especially Lions and Hyenas.

The camp is small and intimate, with seven large comfortable walk in tents with en-suite facilities. Each tent is raised off the ground on platforms and has its own bathroom with a shower, hand basin and flush toilet. There is a separate dining room and pub under reed and thatch, also on raised platforms, as well as a plunge pool.In front of camp is a small water hole which utilizes a solar powered pump to replenish the water.  The pan is especially popular with elephants.  Savuti has constructed a "woodpile hide" directly adjacent to the water hole which a fabulous for viewing and photographing the animals that come to visit.  The hide is made with huge and incredibly heavy leadwood trees that are even too heavy for elephants to budge, so it is quite safe inside the hide.  Hides at other waterhole's are also a special feature.

Game concentrations here are high. All of the plains game are prevalent, as well as good concentrations of Roan, Sable and Giraffe. All the predators also occur in the area - Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Hyena. We have already identified 40 different Lion along the Savuti channel around the camp. The Chobe/Linyanti area is renowned for its dense Elephant population.

07-July to 10-July; (3 Nights)
CHITABE CAMP - Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Chitabe Camp

Chitabe Camp is located in a 28,000-hectare photographic reserve built on one of the most beautiful islands in the Okavango Delta.  The area is made up of a superb variety of habitats, which include waterways and marshlands, dry acacia and mopane woodland, riverine areas, open grasslands and seasonally flooded plains.

Chitabe offers guests game drives in open 4x4 vehicles during the day and at night accompanied by an experienced guide, as well as nature walks. Chitabe is strictly a game viewing camp - no water activities are offered here.

Game viewing is excellent here, and includes Buffalo, Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Reedbuck, Lechwe, Impala, Zebra and Hippo. Wild Dogs are among the major attractions of this area and a long-standing program to study the Wild Dogs is based nearby (read more on the Wild Dogs below). Night drives can be very rewarding with good sightings of the rarer nocturnal animals such as Pangolin, Civet, Serval, Genet, Porcupine and Aardwolf. Guests will also likely see Zebra, Reedbuck, Red Lechwe, Impala and all the plains game.

Chitabe has aided in the support of the Botswana Wild Dog Research Project, which was established by Dr Tico McNutt in 1989. The Wild Dog Project has a study area of about 3000 square kilometres. About 160 wild dogs in ten to twelve packs inhabit this region, and Chitabe lies within this study area. Dr. "Tico" McNutt and the wild dogs featured in the May 1999 edition of National Geographic Magazine

10-July to 13-July; (3 Nights)
MOMBO CAMP - Moremi Reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Mombo Camp

17-July to 19-July; (2 nights)
GRACE ROSEBANK HOTEL- Johannesburg, South Africa             Jump to Grace Rosebank

19-July to 22-July; (3 Nights)
KWETSANI CAMP - Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Kwetsani Camp

Kwetsani Island is a large, elongated island surrounded by enormous open plains in Botswana's Okavango Delta. It is located in the private Jao Reserve, an area of 60,000 hectares to the west of Mombo and the Moremi Game Reserve. The island is heavily wooded with palm, mangosteen and fig trees. The water levels around the island change each year, depending on the magnitude of the annual floods from central Africa. The water levels at Kwetsani are at their highest from April or May to September each year.

Kwetsani Camp is a small, intimate, ten-bedded luxury camp and is raised on wooden decks above the lush ground vegetation. The five spacious and lavish "tree-house" chalets are built under thatched roofs and have canvas and pole walls. En-suite facilities under thatch include a shower, flush toilet and basin, with an additional outdoor shower. The rooms have an open, airy feel about them, with a superb view of the surrounding plains. The dining room, lounge and pub area is situated under cool thatch. Complimentary laundry services are provided.

A variety of habitats ensures diverse and interesting game viewing. Hippo, Sitatunga antelope and Crocodile reside in the deeper permanent lily-filled lagoons of the area and these can be explored using the Delta's traditional form of transport, the mokoro. However, Kwetsani offers superb land and water activities - with much of the focus depending on the water levels from the region's annual flood. In addition to stalking game by mokoro, you will also be able to enjoy exploring palm fringed islands on foot. Day game drives are a highlight, enabling guests to experience varied and diverse game viewing. Guests have excellent chances of spotting predators during the day as well as on night drives. Night drives are permitted in the Jao Reserve as it falls outside the Moremi Game Reserve and is not subject to its rules regarding drives after sunset.

22-July to 25-July; (3 Nights)
SAVUTI CAMP - Linyanti Reserve, Botswana             Jump to Savuti Camp

Savuti Camp is situated within the private Linyanti Wildlife Reserve along the Savuti Channel, a legendary wildlife region that is best known for its large numbers of predators - especially Lions and Hyenas.

The camp is small and intimate, with seven large comfortable walk in tents with en-suite facilities. Each tent is raised off the ground on platforms and has its own bathroom with a shower, hand basin and flush toilet. There is a separate dining room and pub under reed and thatch, also on raised platforms, as well as a plunge pool.In front of camp is a small water hole which utilizes a solar powered pump to replenish the water.  The pan is especially popular with elephants.  Savuti has constructed a "woodpile hide" directly adjacent to the water hole which a fabulous for viewing and photographing the animals that come to visit.  The hide is made with huge and incredibly heavy leadwood trees that are even too heavy for elephants to budge, so it is quite safe inside the hide.  Hides at other waterhole's are also a special feature.

Game concentrations here are high. All of the plains game are prevalent, as well as good concentrations of Roan, Sable and Giraffe. All the predators also occur in the area - Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Hyena. We have already identified 40 different Lion along the Savuti channel around the camp. The Chobe/Linyanti area is renowned for its dense Elephant population.

25-July to 28-July; (3 Nights)
CHITABE CAMP - Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Chitabe Camp

Chitabe Camp is located in a 28,000-hectare photographic reserve built on one of the most beautiful islands in the Okavango Delta.  The area is made up of a superb variety of habitats, which include waterways and marshlands, dry acacia and mopane woodland, riverine areas, open grasslands and seasonally flooded plains.

Chitabe offers guests game drives in open 4x4 vehicles during the day and at night accompanied by an experienced guide, as well as nature walks. Chitabe is strictly a game viewing camp - no water activities are offered here.

Game viewing is excellent here, and includes Buffalo, Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Reedbuck, Lechwe, Impala, Zebra and Hippo. Wild Dogs are among the major attractions of this area and a long-standing program to study the Wild Dogs is based nearby (read more on the Wild Dogs below). Night drives can be very rewarding with good sightings of the rarer nocturnal animals such as Pangolin, Civet, Serval, Genet, Porcupine and Aardwolf. Guests will also likely see Zebra, Reedbuck, Red Lechwe, Impala and all the plains game.

Chitabe has aided in the support of the Botswana Wild Dog Research Project, which was established by Dr Tico McNutt in 1989. The Wild Dog Project has a study area of about 3000 square kilometres. About 160 wild dogs in ten to twelve packs inhabit this region, and Chitabe lies within this study area. Dr. "Tico" McNutt and the wild dogs featured in the May 1999 edition of National Geographic Magazine

28-July to 31-July; (3 Nights)
MOMBO CAMP - Moremi Reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Mombo Camp

09-Sep to 11-Sep; (2 nights)
GRACE ROSEBANK HOTEL- Johannesburg, South Africa             Jump to Grace Rosebank

11-Sep to 14-Sep; (3 Nights)
TUBU TREE CAMP - Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Tubu Tree Camp

Tubu Tree Camp is situated in the Jao Reserve, an area of 60,000 hectares, in Botswana's Okavango Delta. It is built on a private reserve bordering on the Moremi Game Reserve, in the western area of the reserve. Tubu Tree Camp offers both land and water activities, depending on the fluctuating levels of the Okavango's floodwater. This camp is built on the western side of a large island called Hunda that has diverse vegetation ranging from dry Kalahari sandveld, through mopane forest and riverine forest on the edge of permanent waterways and floodplains.

Tubu Tree Camp is a traditional style tented safari camp built on raised wooden platforms to take best advantage of the beautiful view over the floodplains. The camp sleeps a maximum of 10 guests in 5 large and comfortable tents. The tents have a small and private deck in front, overlooking the lagoon. Each tent has en suite bathroom facilities, with hot and cold running water, consisting of flush toilet, hand basin, and private outdoor shower.  The tents include wooden door entrances and roll-down canvas on the windows with large windows in the front for viewing. The tents are beautifully decorated, using locally found materials and attention to detail is evident in all the locally crafted furnishings.

Tubu Tree Camp offers game drives with experienced guides in open 4 x 4 vehicles during the day and night, as well as walking with an armed guide. When the flood is in, boating, fishing and mokoro trips are also offered. Full day adventurous transfers by mekoros can also be undertaken during the flood season.

A variety of habitats ensures diverse and interesting game viewing, as well as spectacular birding. Wildlife seen here includes Elephant, Lion, Zebra, Red Lechwe, Giraffe, Tsessebe, and Wildebeest on the floodplains. Kudu, Impala, Leopard and Bushbuck are also seen in the forested areas. During the winter months, the water levels rise and the floodplains become covered with water, permitting water activities. The variety of bird life is impressive with dry land species seen on the large islands and all the wetland birds seen on the floodplains and waterways

14-Sep to 17-Sep; (3 Nights)
MOMBO CAMP - Moremi Reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Mombo Camp

17-Sep to 20-Sep; (3 Nights)
DUBA PLAINS CAMP - Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Duba Plains Camp

Duba Plains is one of the Okavango Delta's most remote camps and is located in the furthermost reaches in a very private reserve of 30,000 hectares, north of the Moremi Wildlife Reserve. The camp is built on an island shaded by large ebony, fig and mangosteen trees and surrounded by expansive plains which are seasonally flooded - usually from about May to early October each year, depending on the rains. Since Duba has access to large islands, floodplains and marshes, the camp offers a diversity of experiences. Duba's real treat is its exclusivity and it is particularly suited to those who want to be in a truly remote reserve. The camp's dining room and pub are raised on decking under large riverine trees. There is a small swimming pool too.

Thousands of buffalo take advantage of Duba's rich grasslands and they alone support the concentrations of Lions and Hyenas which prey upon them. These huge buffalo herds (some numbering several thousand animals) are hunted almost daily by up to four different prides of lions which live in and around Duba. Quite often the hunting is during the day - so one gets fantastic photo opportunities. The Lion-Hyena interactions are also worth the visit as both species compete for the same prey and most kills eventually result in the presence of both these super-predators.
View images of a Buffalo hunt by the "Tsaro" pride of Lions at Duba Plains: Lions & Buffalos

20-Sep to 23-Sep; (3 Nights)
SAVUTI CAMP - Linyanti Reserve, Botswana             Jump to Savuti Camp

Savuti Camp is situated within the private Linyanti Wildlife Reserve along the Savuti Channel, a legendary wildlife region that is best known for its large numbers of predators - especially Lions and Hyenas.

The camp is small and intimate, with seven large comfortable walk in tents with en-suite facilities. Each tent is raised off the ground on platforms and has its own bathroom with a shower, hand basin and flush toilet. There is a separate dining room and pub under reed and thatch, also on raised platforms, as well as a plunge pool.In front of camp is a small water hole which utilizes a solar powered pump to replenish the water.  The pan is especially popular with elephants.  Savuti has constructed a "woodpile hide" directly adjacent to the water hole which a fabulous for viewing and photographing the animals that come to visit.  The hide is made with huge and incredibly heavy leadwood trees that are even too heavy for elephants to budge, so it is quite safe inside the hide.  Hides at other waterhole's are also a special feature.

Game concentrations here are high. All of the plains game are prevalent, as well as good concentrations of Roan, Sable and Giraffe. All the predators also occur in the area - Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Hyena. We have already identified 40 different Lion along the Savuti channel around the camp. The Chobe/Linyanti area is renowned for its dense Elephant population.

28-Sep to 30-Sep; (2 nights)
GRACE ROSEBANK HOTEL- Johannesburg, South Africa             Jump to Grace Rosebank

30-Sep to 03-Oct; (3 Nights)
CHITABE CAMP - Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Chitabe Camp

Chitabe Camp is located in a 28,000-hectare photographic reserve built on one of the most beautiful islands in the Okavango Delta.  The area is made up of a superb variety of habitats, which include waterways and marshlands, dry acacia and mopane woodland, riverine areas, open grasslands and seasonally flooded plains.

Chitabe offers guests game drives in open 4x4 vehicles during the day and at night accompanied by an experienced guide, as well as nature walks. Chitabe is strictly a game viewing camp - no water activities are offered here.

Game viewing is excellent here, and includes Buffalo, Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Reedbuck, Lechwe, Impala, Zebra and Hippo. Wild Dogs are among the major attractions of this area and a long-standing program to study the Wild Dogs is based nearby (read more on the Wild Dogs below). Night drives can be very rewarding with good sightings of the rarer nocturnal animals such as Pangolin, Civet, Serval, Genet, Porcupine and Aardwolf. Guests will also likely see Zebra, Reedbuck, Red Lechwe, Impala and all the plains game.

Chitabe has aided in the support of the Botswana Wild Dog Research Project, which was established by Dr Tico McNutt in 1989. The Wild Dog Project has a study area of about 3000 square kilometres. About 160 wild dogs in ten to twelve packs inhabit this region, and Chitabe lies within this study area. Dr. "Tico" McNutt and the wild dogs featured in the May 1999 edition of National Geographic Magazine

03-Oct to 06-Oct; (3 Nights)
LITTLE VUMBURA CAMP - Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Little Vumbura Camp

Little Vumbura is situated about 25 km's north of Chief's Island in the neighboring northern private reserve of nearly 130,000 acres, within Botswana's Okavango Delta. Vumbura offers perhaps the best combination of water and land activities anywhere in the Delta. The area also boasts a wonderful variety of habitats and a great diversity of wildlife, including large numbers of Sable Antelope (rarely seen elsewhere in Botswana) and offers excellent fishing.

Little Vumbura accommodates ten guests on a wonderful private island, typically reachable only by boat.  Little Vumbura has five tents under an enormous canopy of ancient Okavango forest. Each tent is large and roomy and has en suite facilities, as well as an outside shower for those who want to be even closer to nature. The dining room and pub are under canvas and have been built in and around the existing trees. There is a pool for relaxing by in the quiet of the day. One of the camp's attractions is the outdoor dining area. Wooden decks have been built on the floodplains and dinners under the stars are a wonderful experience.

The main activity at both camps is game viewing in wonderful and varied countryside. Open 4x4 Land Rovers allow close proximity to animals in the savannah and forested areas. Lion, Leopard, Wild Dog, Elephant, Cheetah and Buffalo along with all the plains animals make Vumbura an excellent all-round wildlife experience in a remote and private part of the Okavango.  Birding too is great with large varieties and quantities. Walks, mekoro’s and boating give Vumbura's guests the opportunity to enjoy Africa from a different perspective.

06-Oct to 09-Oct; (3 Nights)
MOMBO CAMP - Moremi Reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Mombo Camp

09-Oct to 12-Oct; (3 Nights)
SAVUTI CAMP - Linyanti Reserve, Botswana             Jump to Savuti Camp

Savuti Camp is situated within the private Linyanti Wildlife Reserve along the Savuti Channel, a legendary wildlife region that is best known for its large numbers of predators - especially Lions and Hyenas.

The camp is small and intimate, with seven large comfortable walk in tents with en-suite facilities. Each tent is raised off the ground on platforms and has its own bathroom with a shower, hand basin and flush toilet. There is a separate dining room and pub under reed and thatch, also on raised platforms, as well as a plunge pool.In front of camp is a small water hole which utilizes a solar powered pump to replenish the water.  The pan is especially popular with elephants.  Savuti has constructed a "woodpile hide" directly adjacent to the water hole which a fabulous for viewing and photographing the animals that come to visit.  The hide is made with huge and incredibly heavy leadwood trees that are even too heavy for elephants to budge, so it is quite safe inside the hide.  Hides at other waterhole's are also a special feature.

Game concentrations here are high. All of the plains game are prevalent, as well as good concentrations of Roan, Sable and Giraffe. All the predators also occur in the area - Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Hyena. We have already identified 40 different Lion along the Savuti channel around the camp. The Chobe/Linyanti area is renowned for its dense Elephant population.