Digital Photography Safaris - 2008

Grant Atkinson
Grant has been guiding in northern Botswana since the late 1990’s. Aside from regular guiding in the Jao/NG25 concession, he also conducted a lion monitoring project in the area. Studying the lions of Jao led to his further involvement in carnivore conservation efforts. When not guiding guests on trips throughout northern Botswana, Grant monitors lion numbers throughout the Wilderness Safaris’ concessions, working closely with camp managers and guides in this endeavor.

His special interests are lions and other large carnivores, birds, especially birds of prey, digital photography, deep-sea fishing, and flyfishing. He enjoys spending time in untamed wilderness and has visited many of southern Africa’s prime wildlife areas. Grant grew up on the Eastern Cape coast of South Africa in a region known as the Wild Coast. Here he spent much time fishing and birdwatching in the estuaries along the coast and also enjoyed lots of boating, both inshore and offshore. He specialized in saltwater flyfishing and did some guiding of fly-fishermen in the area.

Grant is a member of the Raptor Conservation Group in South Africa, through which he volunteered, working mostly with farmers, eagles, and the conflicts that arise between them. He holds a Botswana Full Guide licence, a Wilderness Level 3 certificate, a valid FGASA Level 3 certificate, is a registered South Africa Tourist Guide and an Okavango Wilderness Safaris certified walking guide, and also has a A3 Skippers (boat) certificate.  Grant adds huge value to the trips he leads and we are fortunate to have him as a part of our team.

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.

All trips are limited to a maximum of 10 participants. In order to maximize instructional and shooting opportunities, each safari vehicle will have a limited number of participants (max 4 guests per vehicle). A specialist private safari guide with expertise in the flora and fauna of Botswana will also help lead each trip. Local guides, familiar with each camp's unique landscape, flora and fauna, will drive each safari vehicle.

These unique safaris provide multiple opportunities for participants to share their images and receive feedback from the professional photographer accompanying the trip.  We travel with a digital projector and screen, so that participants will learn and interact with the instructor using their own images taken on the trip. Expert instruction will be provided on general photography, wildlife photography, digital techniques, digital workflow and image enhancement using Photoshop, ink-jet printing instruction and other state of the art tools.

Wildlife Photography: All participants will receive significant one-on-one personal instruction and feedback while we're in the field on safari game drives. We'll also spend time with sessions on taking great scenic's and panoramas.

Classroom Photo Instruction: We will have a projector and screen with us and will be providing instruction on creating your own digital workflow, including image editing and image enhancement using Photoshop. We suggest you bring a laptop along to work on your images during the trip.  Once you register for a safaro, we will send out a complete list of suggestions regarding equipment to bring along.

Logistics: Our Digital Safari trips are also uniquely designed to accommodate the special requirements of digital photographers, including extra baggage allowance for camera gear and special arrangements for power in each camp, extras which participants would not find or would need to pay extra for on a traditional safari.

When possible, we make use of smaller camps to allow us to take the entire camp and have the maximum privacy and quality experience for our participants.

We have four safaris scheduled for 2008 (read below) and another four safaris for 2009.

03-May to 05-May; (2 nights)
GRACE ROSEBANK HOTEL - Johannesburg, South Africa             Jump to Grace Rosebank

05-May to 08-May; (3 Nights)
SELINDA CAMP - Selinda Reserve, northern Botswana             Jump to Selinda Camp

Selinda Camp is is a newly re-built tented safari camp in The Selinda Reserve, situated on the banks of the eastern Selinda Spillway between the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. The Selinda Reserve joins the Okavango Delta with the Linyanti/Kwando waterways, the river systems close to the eastern boundary of Chobe National Park.The Selinda area has excellent game viewing and guests can hope to enjoy good sightings of Elephant, Lion, Wild Dog as well as all the plains game. Specialist guiding increases the chance of seeing all the area's large predators as well as excellent wildlife interactions. Night drives produce an abundance of nocturnal species.

Selinda is owned by Seba Safaris/Selinda Reserve, which shareholders include the well known wildlife cinematographers, Dereck & Beverly Joubert (of National Geographic fame). For many years the Joubert's were in fact based in The Selinda. Their passion for Botswana & its natural heritage is unquestionable, and The Selinda has always held a very special place in their hearts, with good reason, as it offers some of the best game viewing in all of Africa.

08-May to 11-May; (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

11-May to 14-May; (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.

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

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

19-May to 23-May; (4 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

23-May to 27-May; (4 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.

27-May to 31-May; (4 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.

13-Nov to 15-Nov; (2 nights)
GRACE ROSEBANK HOTEL - Johannesburg, South Africa             Jump to Grace Rosebank

15-Nov to 18-Nov; (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.

18-Nov to 21-Nov; (3 Nights)
MOMBO CAMP - Moremi Reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Mombo Camp

21-Nov to 24-Nov; (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

24-Nov to 27-Nov; (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.

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

30-Nov to 04-Dec; (4 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

04-Dec to 08-Dec; (4 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.

08-Dec to 12-Dec; (4 Nights)
MOMBO CAMP - Moremi Reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana             Jump to Mombo Camp