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How to Capture Stunning Safari Photography on Your Next Trip

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If you’re planning a safari trip in the near future, you’ll want to make sure your camera is packed and ready to go. Safari photography can be some of the most rewarding and beautiful photos you’ll ever take, but it takes a little bit of know-how to capture those perfect shots. Here are seven tips to help you get started.

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Safari Photography Tips – How to Get Great Photos on Safari

Last updated: May 7, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 4 Comments

A safari is a fantastic way to see a wide range of wildlife in its natural habitat. It’s also an opportunity to take lovely photos of that wildlife! However, there are some unique challenges to taking photos on safari. In this post, I’m going to share some safari photography tips to help ensure you get the best photos when you go on safari.

As a professional travel photographer, I’ve been lucky enough to take photos in a wide range of scenarios, including on a number of safaris in both Africa and Asia. Based on my experiences, I’m going to share with you everything you need to know to get great photos on safari.

Most of my examples used in the post are from taking photos while on safari in Africa; however, these tips will work for most safari destinations. as well as for wildlife photography in general. Many of these tips can help anyone looking to improve their wildlife photography and also for anyone wanting to take photos from a vehicle.

I’ll cover a few things in this post. I’m going to talk about some general tips and things to think about when going on safari from a photography perspective. I’ll also include ideas on suggested cameras and camera accessories for safari so you know what is important to bring along.

A safari is a big investment for many of us, and is often a once in a lifetime trip. So getting great photos to remember our experiences is important. Let’s get started with the tips!

Tips for Taking Better Photos on Safari

Plan where you want to go.

The first thing you are going to have to do is decide where you want to go on safari. It’s likely that you already have an idea as to what you want to see and photograph on your safari, be it specific animals or birds, or maybe you are interested in certain landscapes.

The main thing is that you pick a destination that will give you a good chance of seeing the things you really want to see and photograph. This is particularly the case with animals or birds that are rarer, like rhinos.

On a recent trip across East Africa, we knew that we wanted to see and photograph things like gorillas, chimpanzees, rhinos, and spoonbill storks. We picked the countries we visited as well as the time of year we travelled to ensure that we would have a good chance of seeing these particular animals.

We also wanted to see the Great Wildebeest Migration on that trip. This is always taking place, so it was just a question of researching where it would be at the time of year we would be visiting to ensure we would have the best chance to see and photograph it.

Planning your destination properly is definitely the first step to getting the photos you want to get on your safari.

Research Your Chosen Safari Location

Once you have chosen your safari destination, do some research to better understand your trip itinerary and the wildlife, landscape, and climate of the destination.

All of these things can affect how you will want to prepare for your safari and the type of camera equipment you might need.

For instance, if your main photography goal of the trip is take photos of lions, you will want to try to make sure that you spend a sufficient amount of time in places with healthy populations of lions to increase your chances of seeing and photographing them. Lions are often best seen in savanna areas.

However, if you are interested in malachite kingfishers, you’ll want to make sure that you spend enough time in wetland areas for a good chance to see these birds. These little birds are best spotted and photographed either from a boat or on foot.

This research will also help you decide on the equipment you will need to take with you. For photography of smaller birds for example, you’re likely going to need a longer lens. If you are more interested in landscapes, then a wide-angle lens will be an essential item.

Finally, check out the climate for the country you are visiting and the time of year you plan to visit. Having an idea of what to expect will ensure you bring the right clothing as well as any protective equipment like camera rain covers on your trip.

Choose the Right Camera for Safari

One of the main decisions you’ll have to make when planning your safari trip is what camera to take with you on your trip. This decision will have you weighing various factors, from your budget through to the size and weight of the camera.

When you are deciding how much to spend and how much you are willing to carry with you, consider what sort of images you want to get. If you are looking for amazing wildlife shots of fast action or in low light, then you will want to invest more money in a high-end set-up.

As an example, compare these two shots of a leopard taken in low light at the end of the day. Both are uncropped.

Both images are obviously of a leopard. However, the compact camera struggles to get a close up shot due to the maximum 70mm focal length, and even at ISO 800 the image ends up being quite noisy. The slow shutter speed, even with image stabilization, also means the shot is not too sharp.

The larger and more professional Canon EOS R5 mirrorless camera paired with a 100-400mm lens is still able to get a very usable image, even at 10,000 ISO.

If you are just happy to capture memories of your trip, then a compact camera or smartphone will likely do the job.

A good compromise for many users is a bridge camera , which offers a good balance between a long zoom, affordability, and image quality.

However, if you want the most flexibility and opportunity to get the best shots from your trip, then a higher end mirrorless camera would be my recommendation.

If money and size are no object, my recommended camera for safari would be a high-end mirrorless system. The latest mirrorless models feature excellent auto-tracking autofocus which can recognise and lock onto a subject very quickly, which can really help with fast moving subjects.

In this situation, I’d probably pick a Canon EOS R5, Sony Alpha a7r IV or a Nikon Z9. I’d pair it with a telephoto zoom in the range of 100-500 with stabilization and as wide an aperture as I could afford.

If you want something that offers a good balance between affordability, image quality, and zoom, then my suggestion would be a bridge camera.

I have a whole post on the best camera for safari which I would suggest reading if you don’t already have a camera you want to bring with you. It’s definitely important to choose the right camera for you.

In summary though, here are some recommended cameras that I suggest you take a look at, depending on the type of camera you would like to take on safari:

• Smartphone: either a Pixel 6 Pro or iPhone 13 .
• Compact camera Panasonic Lumix ZS70 or Sony RX100 VII
• Bridge camera:   Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80 / FZ82 or Sony RX10 IV .
• Mirrorless camera: Sony a6100, Sony Alpha 7c , Canon EOS R6 Mark II , Nikon Z7II , Canon EOS R5 , or   Sony Alpha a7 IV
• DSLR camera:  Nikon D3500 or Canon EOS 6D Mark II

For more on choosing a camera in general, we also have guides to the best travel camera , best compact camera , best bridge camera , best mirrorless camera and best DSLR cameras .

If you have, or plan to buy, a mirrorless camera or DSLR camera, you may be wondering what kind of lens would be best for safari. It depends of course on your photography goals and what you want to photograph, but I would generally recommend a lens with a focal range of 100-400mm. See my safari camera post for lens recommendations.

Learn How to Use Your Camera

Once you have decided on which camera to take with you, it’s important that you learn how to use it properly. This applies to whatever kind of camera you are using, be it a smartphone camera or a high-end DSLR or mirrorless camera.

A camera is ultimately just a tool to help you take great photos, and like any tool, it will only do what you ask of it. Understanding the various features of your camera and how to access and adjust key settings is vital to ensure you don’t miss a shot.

When you are on safari, great photography opportunities can arise very quickly and be gone just as quickly. For example, for the shot of the leopard at the start of this post I had just a couple of seconds to frame the shot and ensure all the settings were correct before he decided to sit up and slink away out of sight.

Had I not been able to nail the focus or adjust ISO, aperture, and shutter speed appropriately in time, I would have missed the shot. I would recommend checking out my guide to the exposure triangle , as well as how to use a mirrorless camera for detailed advice.

Understanding how to adjust the settings and set up your camera properly means you’ll have more control over the final look of your shots. For example, you could learn how to manually change the shutter speed so as to capture movement in different ways.

Here are a couple of examples of different shutter speeds to show the difference.

In the first shot, even though the fighting zebra are moving quickly, the fast shutter speed freezes the action. In the second shot of the wildebeest crossing, they are just walking over the road. But in 1/5th of a second, they cover a small amount of ground, and so they become blurry. The single stationary wildebeest remains sharp as it isn’t moving.

There are many features of a camera which can be used to adjust how the final shot looks, and understanding how to control them will help ensure you get the shots you want.

If you feel you need help with using your camera and would like to improve your photography, there are a lot of photography courses, books, and workshops out there. I run an online photography course that teaches all the basics as well as more advanced skills, and have proudly helped thousands of people improve their photography skills.

Understand the Limitations of Your Camera

Every camera has limitations as to what it can do. These limitations will vary, and even high-end cameras will have some sort of limitation.

Examples of limitations are:

• The zoom isn’t very big, meaning you can’t capture animals which are far away and will have limitations capturing smaller animals like birds
• The camera sensor is small, and so will produce noisier images when there is less light
• The lens is big and heavy, so you need to use a fast shutter speed to avoid getting blurry images due to your hand motion when hand holding it
• Big and heavy equipment is more difficult to pack and travel with

The important thing is to understand the limitations of your camera so you can work around them, or at least, know what to expect before you go on safari.

The most common issue is probably not being able to take photos of animals that are further away. We saw a number of travelers frustrated by this on our recent trip in East Africa. All cameras will have their distance limitations, just be sure to have a good idea of yours so you can have realistic expectations of what kinds of photos you will be able to take. You can simply go outside and take photos of local animals or birds to get a good sense of this.

Another common issue I see from safari photos and wildlife photos in general are images that are not as sharp as they could be.

This is usually because the shutter speed is too low, and the user is hand holding a larger lens. A slow shutter speed means that any movement in your hand is translated into motion blur as you take the picture. You can fix this by increasing the shutter speed and/or resting the lens on a steady surface.

Some limitations can’t be overcome though, and are usually down to the actual hardware inside the camera. For example, the maximum zoom, the sensor size and maximum aperture size will be fixed.

However, if you know what the limitations of your equipment are, then you will be able to either accept them and work around them, or decide on upgrading to a different camera for your trip.

I’d also add at this point that you shouldn’t compare your photos to those you’ve seen on TV, online, and in wildlife magazines. You have no doubt seen some amazing wildlife photos and videos on sites like National Geographic or the BBC , and might wonder why you aren’t able to get the same sorts of shots.

Whilst it is of course possible to get images like those photographers do, they often have a lot of advantages over the average tourist. Not only do they typically travel as a crew with tons of high-end equipment, but they often take photos in locations that are hard to get to with limited public access.

They also often have paid for special press / filming permits to get off-road access or shoot in private areas outside of national parks. They also often spend weeks planning and trying to get the right shots, and only share the best shots with the public.

So don’t be too hard on your gear or yourself. Just be aware of the limitations of your photography equipment and know how to get the most out of it.

Understand What Causes Blurry Wildlife Images

It’s important that your images are sharp. Two things can cause an image not to be sharp.  The first is using too slow of a shutter speed for the situation you are shooting. The second is not focusing correctly.

A slow shutter speed can result in blurry images for a number of reasons. If you are hand holding your camera, then any movements in your hands can translate to blurry images. Movement of the subject can also translate to blur, as can movement due to you taking photos from a moving vehicle or boat.

You can resolve the slow shutter speed blur problem by using a faster shutter speed, and ensuring you are as still as possible when shooting. Ideally, you’ll want to rest your camera on something totally stable when shooting. Then all you have to think about is the motion blur that might result from the animal moving.

For focus, the main issue is likely to come about as a result of the camera’s autofocus system picking the wrong part of the scene to focus on, leaving your subject out of focus. I’ll cover that in my next tip.

Master Your Camera’s Focus System

An important aspect of wildlife photography is knowing how to use your camera’s focus system.

It is important to be able to focus on the animal or thing that you want the viewers’ eyes to go to in the image. This means that you will want to be able to use your camera’s manual focus system (if it has one) and/or learn how to change the focus if your cameras autofocus gets it wrong.

A shot can technically be in focus and sharp, but if you have focused on the wrong part of the scene your actual subject will be out of focus and so you won’t end up with the image you want.

Nearly every camera on the market today has an automatic focus, or autofocus system. As the name suggests this system automatically focuses for you when you point the camera at a scene.

There is however quite a difference in the capabilities of these systems. At the more basic end, an autofocus system will allow you to select an area of the scene to focus on, and then focus appropriately.

More advanced autofocus system will be able to identify specific types of subject like animals or people, and track them as they move so you can keep focus.

Many cameras and lenses also feature manual override, so you can manually adjust the focus if you need.

For the main camera I use for wildlife photography, the Canon EOS R5 , this has a very sophisticated autofocus system which is able to recognised and lock onto a wide range of subjects. If it can find an eye, it will lock focus on that. Otherwise it will try to track a torso or head. Additionally, it can continue to track the subject as it moves, switch between subjects, and I can override the focus selection if necessary.

It took me quite a while to get to grips with this system, and also to get used to its quirks and limitations. For example, on some occasions it would prefer to focus on the grass in front of the subject rather than the subject. Other times it might focus on a marking on an animal’s hide, rather than the eye.

Results like this are why it is so important to both understand the various focus modes of your camera, but also understand how to override them.

For example, on my Canon EOS R5 I have a separate button set up for centre spot focus. This allows me to point the centre of the frame at the area I want to focus on, and know I’ll get sharp focus in that area when I press the focus button. I can also entirely override the focus with the manual focus ring on the lens.

Whilst I can rely on the autofocus subject tracking 90% of the time, it also means I don’t miss focus in those edge cases where the camera doesn’t get it right. Technology can be smart, but it can’t read minds quite yet, so it’s usually working off a best guess as to what you want to take a photo of.

Whatever your camera is, my recommendation is to spend some time learning the various focus modes, what they are, and how to quickly override the focus if necessary, either manually or by selecting a different focus area.

Ideally you’ll want the camera to be in a continuous focus mode so it keeps tracking a moving subject. Try to find some subjects like wildlife in your garden or a moving pet that you can practice on before you go on safari to master your camera’s focus features.

Try Shooting in Burst Mode

Most cameras have a range of shooting modes, which may also be called drive modes. The choices normally vary, and will include single shot and burst shot modes. The drive mode menu on your camera is also where you’ll often find the camera’s self-timer mode.

For wildlife photography, a lot can happen in a short sequence of time. For this reason, shooting in burst mode is usually the way to go when you have a moving subject. This means that as you hold down the shutter button the camera will keep taking images.

Alternatively, in single shot mode, you have to keep pressing and depressing the shutter button. This loses you time and you may miss the shot.

Shooting in burst mode will let you take a sequence of images and then pick the best one. For example, here’s a sequence to show a yellow-billed stork landing.

The number of images the burst mode will take will depend on two main factors.

First, the camera’s burst speed, which is the number of images per second your camera can take. For instance, a camera with a burst speed of 10fps (frames per second) can take up to 10 photos per second.

Second, the speed that your camera can write to the memory card inside the camera as it takes pictures.

Most cameras will be able to take a certain number of images at the maximum burst speed for a few seconds, and then as the memory buffer fills up, this rate will slow down or even stop until the images have been written to your memory card. These details should be made clear on the specification sheet for your camera.

When you shoot in burst mode you will definitely also want to have continuous autofocus enabled. This will mean that if your subject moves as you are shooting it will hopefully stay in focus.

The main disadvantage of shooting in burst mode is that you will end up taking a lot more photos and using more memory card space. However, memory cards and memory in general are relatively inexpensive these days, so this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Just be sure to always have an extra memory card with you.

Try to Shoot at the Best Times of Day

If you’ve ever read a photography guide, it will normally advise you that shooting in the earlier morning and later afternoon will give you better results. This is because the light at the start of the day and in the evening is softer and has that nice warm yellow glow.

In addition, the lower angle of the sun in the morning and evening produces shadows, resulting in images that have better contrast and depth compared to images shot in the overhead midday sun which can produce more flat images.

When it comes to safari, this advice is also true, but there are additional reasons to shoot earlier in the morning and later in the evening.

To start with, the majority of animals are going to be more active earlier in the morning and then towards the evening. The middle of the day tends to be hotter, and is a time when many animals are likely to be resting in a nice shady spot.

You will tend to see fewer animals in the hottest part of the day and those you see will tend to be less active during this time.

If you are looking for nocturnal species like genets, bushbabies, or aardvarks, your best chances to see them are on night drives or night walks, or to try to go as early in the morning as you can for a chance to spot them before they have gone off to sleep.

Just note nocturnal animals can be pretty tricky to see in most national parks given the hours that you are allowed to do a game drive. Getting good photos of them can be very difficult given they are often spotted at night.

We recommend trying to start your game drives as early as the park will allow. This will give you a better chance of seeing more wildlife, and also getting better images of that wildlife.

Another reason to avoid the middle of the day is that as the air heats up it gets more hazy. Think of the heat shimmer you see on a hot day—this is a real issue when shooting during hotter days and can negatively impact your images.

The haze will result in less sharp images, especially of further away subjects. In addition, as the day progresses, there will often be more dust in the air from vehicles driving around, which also reduces the clarity in the air.

Of course, I appreciate that I am talking about ideals. It isn’t always possible to pick the ideal time. Sometimes you will be out in the middle of the day. In these situations. Try to get as close as possible to your subject, which will let you avoid more of the heat haze. Where possible, shoot your subject so the sun is behind you rather than behind your subject.

The below two images are of the same black rhino mother and calf in Kenya. Both were shot in the middle of the day. In the first shot, the pair were quite far away and there was quite a lot of heat haze, meaning the shot ended up not being as sharp as I would have liked.

In the second shot, the pair moved much closer to us and the light was slightly improved, so there is some depth from the light and dark. It’s still not the ideal setup, but it’s definitely improved compared to the flat and slightly hazy look of the first shot.

See more on heat haze in photography here , including more tips for identifying and avoiding it.

This brings me on to my next tip for getting great photos on safari.

Any wildlife photographer will likely tell you that their most useful skill is patience. When doing landscape photography , I am certainly used to waiting for the right light, but wildlife photography definitely takes the need for patience to a new level.

Wild animals tend not to move to our schedules. They go where they want when they want. Being patient and quiet can reap huge rewards when it comes to photographing them in their natural habitat.

An example is of this leopard in a tree. When we arrived, it was asleep in the tree by its kill. However, we waited for around an hour and it decided to get up, eat more of its kill, descend from the tree and wander off. All these moments provided better photography opportunities than the initial one, and just required patience.

Another example would be a group of lion cubs we encountered in Tanzania. There were eight of them playing near the road, and as we watched two of them climbed up a tree. Shortly afterwards, one of their mothers returned, and we were rewarded by the sight of baby lions bounding across the grass to be reunited.

This is a story I could repeat multiple times across many wildlife encounters, but the overall message should be clear. Try to remember that a safari game drive is not an exercise in getting somewhere.

When you find an animal or bird you want to see, you will probably be rewarded if you spend some time just sitting and watching it rather than rushing on to try to find something else.

Prepare Your Equipment

If you already have a camera that you plan to take with you on safari, you want to make sure it’s in great working order before heading on safari. This is especially the case if you have older gear or gear that gets a lot of use.

Before you go, I recommend testing and cleaning the camera yourself to make sure it’s working. You’ll also want to make sure all the gear from your lenses to your camera straps are in good shape before your trip. Your trip is not a good time to learn about a preexisting scratch in your lens, a corrupted memory card, a fraying strap or a battery that doesn’t hold its charge!

You might also consider taking your camera to have a professional clean and check before your safari. Often you can do this at a local authorised dealer or repair shop for your camera brand, as they will have servicing options. Alternatively, your manufacturer might offer mail-in servicing options.

I try to get my cameras serviced every year or two, especially if I know I’ve been hard on them. As well as cleaning the sensor professionally, they check the camera over and make sure things like seals and screws are all in good working order. In my opinion this is well worth the investment, especially on high-end equipment.

Protect your Equipment on Safari

Safaris can be really hard on camera equipment. From dusty conditions to bumpy roads, there are all sorts of hazards that can either damage your equipment or cause it to function less effectively. In this section, I’m going to talk about common issues you can expect to encounter and how to overcome them.

Dust or Sand

When it’s hot and dry, the roads will be dusty. As your vehicle and other vehicles travel on the roads they kick the dust up, and it gets everywhere. If you have the top down or windows open, expect dust to get on your camera equipment.

If you are traveling to a place where sand is a concern, such as a desert or beach, be careful as blowing sand can get into your gear and can also leave scratches on your lens if you accidentally wipe them. Never put your camera down in the sand as it can easily work its way inside.

Cameras contain a lot of sensitive electronics as well as some moving parts, neither of which appreciate dust or sand. In addition, if dust gets onto your camera’s sensor it can cause unsightly spots to appear in your images.

There are a few things you can do to minimize the impact of dust or sand. First, a good camera bag that you can put your camera in between uses will help to prevent general dust getting in. So when you are not using your camera, I’d recommend securing it in a case or bag.

Also be careful about where you set your camera. Don’t place it on the ground or other dirty surfaces, and don’t leave it outside for any longer than it needs to be outside.

Next, remember to use a lens cap if your camera lens supports them as this will help to keep the front element dust free. Just keep the lens cap in your pocket and place it on the camera whenever you are not using it. If your lens supports it, then a lens hood and a UV filter can also provide much needed protection.

If you are using a camera where you can change lenses, try to change the lens in a dust-free location if possible, such as in your hotel or when stopped in a sheltered place. Try not to change your lenses more than you need to when in dusty situations.

In addition, I’d recommend packing a small camera cleaning kit so you can get accumulated dust off your gear as you travel. I’d particularly recommend having a lens cloth, a brush, and a blower with you.

Once you are done with your safari and you have gotten all the amazing photos you wanted, you might consider getting your camera professionally serviced and cleaned to get rid of any errant dust and to ensure it’s back to full working order for your next adventure.

Not all safaris take place whilst in a closed vehicle. Sometimes you might be on foot or trekking, or in an open top vehicle. In these situations, even when visiting a country in the dry season, there’s always a possibility of rain.

Whilst some cameras do offer a level of weather-proofing or rain resistance, the majority are not fully waterproof. So having a camera rain cover to keep your gear dry like this is a good option.

I’d also recommend having a good camera bag or backpack with a rain cover where you can put your camera in between shots.

If you have a smaller camera like a compact camera or smartphone, something like a resealable freezer bag or clear dry bag can also work well to keep it dry.

Bumpy Roads

As well as dust and rain, another issue you will have to contend with will be bumpy roads. Most roads in safari parks are unpaved, and some of them can be very bumpy.

You definitely don’t want your camera equipment flying around the inside of a vehicle as this can damage it, and could even cause injury to the other occupants. I have a few suggestions to help avoid this scenario.

First, I recommend bringing along a good camera bag or case. Camera bags are specially designed to provide padding and protection for your gear, and many of them also come with rain covers. This means that you have somewhere safe, protected, and padded to put your gear in between shoots.

Personally I use Vanguard photography bags and I’ve been an ambassador for Vanguard for many years now. If you see something on their store that works for your equipment, you can save money using our exclusive Vanguard discount code. This will give you 20% off everything in the  Vanguard store.

Just use the code  FindingTheUniverse for your discount! This code works in the Vanguard USA, UK, Australia, Spain, and Germany stores.

When you are actually using your equipment, I recommend having a strong and comfortable strap to keep it secure around your neck or shoulders. I use the Peak Design strap system which has reliably kept my camera gear comfortably slung at my hip for many years now. You’ll want to find one that is comfortable for you.

I left my DSLR camera on the seat of our Land Cruiser on a trip and it fell on the floor after hitting an unexpected bumpy patch in the road. I was lucky that nothing was damaged but it sure made me more careful about either putting gear away in my bag or keeping it around my neck.

I also recommend that if you are someone like me who enjoys standing up in a safari vehicle, that you sit down or at least put your camera in a camera bag when the roads gets really bumpy. If your guide tells you to hold on or you see that you are going to be crossing a river, it is probably best for both you and your gear to sit down. This way you’ll have a better grip on your gear and avoid banging your gear on something or falling.

Dress Appropriately

Packing appropriate clothing is going to ensure you are comfortable and ready for the weather during your trip. Whilst it might not directly help you get better photos, comfort is a really important factor. When you are comfortable you will be able to focus on getting great photos rather than the temperature or the insects.

When choosing clothes for your trip, consider the climate, weather, and insects of where you are going as well as the activities you plan to do. You are going to pack very differently for a cool weather destination than a tropical one. You also need to pack differently if visiting a country during its rainy season versus its dry season.

In terms of photography specific clothing, you might want to consider having lots of pockets so that you have plenty of places to store things when standing in a vehicle and when hiking. This will give you quick access to things like extra batteries, lens wipes, and your lens caps.

There are a range of different vests you can get, including specialised photography vests . I personally prefer something a bit more versatile that I can use in a variety in situations, and I like the Scottevest products which have a lot of pockets and are great for travel in general. I find them particularly useful for airport travel as they have so many handy pockets.

Generally though, on safari I wear the NosiLife long-sleeve shirts from Craghoppers . These have lots of pockets and also come with built in insect protection and sun protection. They also dry very quickly.

Jess and I mainly wore Craghoppers tops and bottoms throughout the days where we were either in the vehicles on safari or were doing treks. This is the most common brand we’ve seen people wearing for proper safari clothing throughout our travels. You can shop for them on their official store here , as well as on REI in the US here , and on Amazon here .

Depending on where you are going, you will probably also want to consider packing a hat, sunglasses, insect repellent , sunscreen, good practical shoes (we generally wear Scarpa or Merrell ), layers for warmth, and a rain jacket or poncho .

For more tips, check out our detailed guide to what to pack for safari , which has lots more tips and suggestions for your trip.

Pack a Photography Bean Bag

If you are traveling with a longer lens, I’d consider getting a photography bean bag or two for your safari trip.

For wildlife photography on safari, I find that a photography bean bag like this is one of the most useful photography accessories I have packed. Generally, I find I get a lot more use out of a bean bag on safari compared to a tripod or monopod.

This is because on safari you are often shooting from a vehicle, either from the window or via the pop-up top. And in both cases, setting up a tripod or even a monopod isn’t always going to be possible.

On the other hand, a bean bag can rest on the top of the vehicle or over a window, where you can then rest your lens or camera on it. If you are shooting with a larger camera and lens setup, you will definitely be thankful of having somewhere to steady it, as it’s unlikely to be practical to hold it up for prolonged periods of time. It also keeps you from putting your camera or lens directly on the metal edges of windows and roofs which could lead to damage.

Using a bean bag means you’ll be able to use slower shutter speeds for more stationary animals as well, so you don’t have to worry about camera shake so much. This is especially helpful when shooting with very big telephoto lenses from around 400mm and up.

Jess also found the bean bags useful for just using as armrests and for placing her elbows when using binoculars.

Bean bags are very light to travel with, and you can usually find inexpensive materials like dried beans to fill them with at your destination. My only tip is not to fill them with anything obviously edible, as some animals in some parks might sniff out the tasty treats within and decide to give them a nibble! Dried (obviously uncooked!) beans are a good option for this reason.

Be Specific About What You Want with your Guide

If you are doing a safari with a driver and/or guide, then being able to communicate about your goals and what you want to see is really important. It is also important for you to listen to your driver/guide for feedback and understand what is realistic based on their expertise. Doing this as early in the trip as possible is best.

If there’s a certain shot or composition that you want, it’s a good idea to let your guide know so you have a better chance of seeing it. Whilst there’s never a guarantee of seeing any wildlife on safari, if you specify that you want a shot of an elephant bathing for example, then your guide should have an idea of where the best places to get that shot might be on your trip.

If you aren’t clear on your interests, then you’ll be on more of a general safari and taken on the common safari drive circuits within the parks. Guides will almost always drive you to see things like lions or cheetahs if spotted, even without asking you. However, if you’d rather photograph elephants, eagles, or zebras, then you need to speak up so that you guide know what your wildlife sightseeing priorities are for the trip.

Whilst you will still likely get great photo opportunities (your guide is there to take you to see wildlife after all!), it might not be exactly the shot you want. So being specific will definitely help improve your chances of getting the shots you want if you have something specific in mind.

Another thing we discussed with our guide from the beginning was to have signals about stopping and when to leave after stopping for a wildlife sighting. So we asked our guide to just ask to make sure we wanted to leave an animal or we’d tell him, or he’d give us a head’s up if we needed to leave.

This not only helped make sure we felt we had enough time to get the photos we wanted, but it also made sure we were prepared for any sudden jerks from stopping and starting the vehicle.

Communicate with your Fellow Travelers

If you are traveling solo, then you will of course have a lot of autonomy in where you go and what you see on your trip. If you have a driver/guide then the two of you can set times and itineraries each day and be in sync about your wildlife spotting goals.

But, if like most safari goers, you are traveling with a partner, your family, friends, or as part of a group safari with other travelers, then you will likely have to be willing to compromise at times.

Common things you will likely need to decide on together will be what time to leave, how long to spend on game drives, whether to eat a hot lunch or a picnic lunch, and how long to spend watching each animal.

This can also affect your ability to get the photos you may want in terms of timing and views from the vehicle. With just one or two people in a vehicle, it is generally easy to find a good view, but once you have 4 or more people, it often becomes difficult for everyone to have a great view all at the same time, especially if an animal is not in an open area.

Generally, in these circumstances everyone will politely take turns and give everyone a bit of time and space to view the animal and take photos. But this does mean you will need to compromise and will sometimes miss the “best” view.

However, group safaris by far offer better value in terms of money compared to a private safari. But just note that they do come with some compromises.

I definitely recommend traveling with family or friends if that is an option, as sharing these experiences is probably worth more than taking a good photo. But it is worth talking about everyone’s goals and travel style before booking your trip to make sure everyone is likely to have a good trip.

Consider the Composition

As with any kind of photography, composition is key. Composition refers to how you place the various elements in your shot to create the final image.

It can be easy to get caught up in the moment when you see something exciting, and just to start shooting in an effort to get something shot. This excitement is very understandable!

However, if you are able to calm yourself down a bit and spend a fraction of time properly composing your shot, you will likely get better results.

There are a range of general composition rules in this post that you can read about, so I won’t rehash that. The main things I’d suggest just keeping in mind are the following.

• What’s in shot . When framing your shot, glance around the whole frame to see what is and what isn’t in the shot. For example, it can be very easy to frame an animal’s head, but accidentally crop out parts of their body or a tail. Whilst this might be the composition you are after, it might also end up looking a bit odd. Sometimes, zooming out a fraction and ensuring the whole animal is in the frame might be a better composition
• Eye contact . There are many different wildlife poses you can capture, but one of my favourites is when the animal is looking directly into the camera. In this pose, it will appear to be directly staring at the viewer. This is not always easy as animals tend to look all over the place. In these scenarios, burst mode and patience can be your friends.
• Animal Placement . When shooting from a vehicle, especially from the pop-up roof area, we can often end up above the animal. However, often animals look better when shot from eye level. So repositioning yourself to shoot from an open window lower down in the vehicle might give you a better shot, depending on the distance to the subject.
• Background and skyline . When putting your shot together, don’t forget to consider the background. For example, a deer against a brown rock face or tree will not stand out as well as one against a skyline. It’s not always possible to reposition yourself, but if there is the opportunity to wait for a better composition, or move the vehicle to a different location, take it.

Here are a couple of shots to illustrate my points above.

Don’t Forget the Landscapes

One of the main reasons people go on safari is to see the incredible wildlife of an area. However, it’s also very likely that you are going to be passing through some amazing natural landscapes.

Whilst it can be easy to get a bit single-minded about what we’re photographing, it’s important to step back and capture the landscapes as well as the wildlife.

If nothing else, this will serve as a reminder for you in the future as to where you were when you got the shots, and also the lovely scenery you witnessed. Capturing the wildlife with the landscape is also a good option, as it will give some depth and scale to your compositions.

Pack Spare Memory Cards and Batteries

The chances are that you are going to be taking a lot of photos when on safari. If you are shooting with anything other than a smartphone, your camera will likely have a battery you can change and a memory card slot.

It is definitely worth bringing at least one spare battery for your camera, and ideally two. In addition, bringing plenty of memory is also a good idea.

You don’t want to be half way through a busy day and run out of battery or memory card space, and then potentially miss some great shots. Modern mirrorless cameras in particular can eat through batteries, so a spare or two is definitely a must in my opinion.

Consider bringing a USB Powered Battery Charger and Power Pack

Accommodation options on safari can vary greatly, from simple campsites to high end luxury safari lodges. One thing we have found is that not every accommodation, especially the more remote and basic ones, will have AC power outlets. Or at least not one in your room (there is usually at least one public shared power outlet somewhere in a lodge or campsite).

If they have wall outlets, they will likely be 220V-240V, so you will want to check that all your equipment supports this if you are coming from a country like the USA, Japan, or Canada which has 110V-120V power. Many people will also need a travel adaptor to adapt your plugs, depending on where you are coming from and your travel destination.

However, rather than full power outlets, many locations offer USB outlets. These don’t use so much electricity, and are often powered by solar panels.

What this means is that if your camera only has a standard wall outlet charger for its batteries, you might not be able to charge them. Note that some cameras do charge via USB, so do check if that is the case.

So we recommend making sure that you are able to charge your batteries using both the local AC power outlets and via USB so you can take advantage of either charging option. We also recommend considering packing a power pack.

We personally travel with a USB battery charger for our Canon camera batteries. This is better than our standard charger in some respects, as it can charge two batteries at once, and charges over standard USB. There are a number of different models available , the main thing is to find the one that matches your camera battery.

As well as the USB battery charger, we also travel with a USB power pack . We can use this to charge all our USB powered devices, including our phones and the USB camera battery charger. This is helpful when we have periods of time without power.

Ask About Your Safari Vehicle

Before you go on safari, it’s a good idea to check with your safari company about the type of vehicle you will be in. There are a number of different models that companies use in different locations around the world, with Toyota Land Cruisers being the 4X4 vehicle of choice for many companies. However, there are many different models of Land Cruisers used for safaris so knowing the specific model can be very helpful.

The same vehicle model’s features can also be different across companies depending on the specific conversion. Probably the most important thing for most people is the number of seats, luggage space, and the configuration of the top.

We highly recommend a vehicle with a pop top. This means the top of the vehicle will pop up, allowing you to stand up inside the vehicle and get a better view, as well as better photos.

For the majority of these vehicles, the top pops up and remains over your head, providing much needed shade. However, in some vehicles, the tops actually come off completely, so you won’t have any shade.

We highly recommend a vehicle where the top doesn’t come off completely, as otherwise you are going to be in the sun a lot.

It’s also a good idea to check on the height. In some of the vehicles we have found that even when standing up, the lip is a little high for Jess to get a good view. So if you are shorter (or very tall) you should definitely check about this if you really want to be able to stand up for game viewing.

Another thing to check is whether or not the vehicle has charging points (some have standard wall outlets whilst others might have USB outlets). Some of our vehicles have had this, some didn’t, but it is becoming more common.

If you are planning a very photography focused safari, you can also ask if the vehicle has any photography specific features. Some of the vehicles we’ve travelled in came with photography bean bags for our use for example, which was very helpful.

Other special features might include special camera mounts, tripod mounts, the ability to fully open or remove windows, and even the ability to remove a door or two. I wouldn’t expect most of these features unless you are paying extra for a special photography trip.

Consider Doing Boat and Walking Safaris

Whilst most safaris are done from a 4×4 vehicle, there are other options depending on where you are travelling.

For example, in some locations you might be able to do a walking safari or a boat-based safari. These will give you some variety as well as present the opportunity to see different wildlife.

For instance, if you are interested in birds and small creatures (e.g., dung beetles, lizards), then walking safaris are often going to be better for getting close to these animals. Boat safaris are going to obviously be the best way to get closer to aquatic wildlife.

Of course, this isn’t always going to be possible depending on where you travel, but we definitely recommend signing up for at least a couple of these experiences if you have the option.

Shoot in RAW

If your camera supports it, and nearly all do these days, I highly recommend setting it up so it saves your image files in RAW format. Whilst this takes up more memory, and does require you to edit your photos, you will get a lot more latitude when it comes to editing your final image.

I go into a lot more detail in why to shoot in RAW in my guide to RAW in photography . For now, I recommend enabling it. Most cameras have the option to shoot in both RAW and JPG if you need a stepping stone, although this will take up more memory card space.

However, if you want to be able to share your photos instantly online during your trip, then you will probably want to also shoot in JPG/JPEG because you don’t need to edit them prior to uploading them.

Learn to Edit Your Photos

Photography involves a number of skills. The first two are in the field when you’re getting the shot, and require you to know how to compose a great photo and how to use your camera.

The third skill is photo editing. Photo editing is where you can get the most from the images you have captured. This doesn’t have to take a long time, even minor edits can make a big difference to an image.

Judicious cropping, adjustment of shadows and highlights, tweaks to saturation—these can all add up to really improve an image.

Of course, you can go a lot further with photo editing software. But as a starting point, loading up one of our favourite photo editors and learning how to use it can really help you get the most from your shots.

Keep Your Eyes Open

When you are on safari, the chances are that you will have a guide. Your guide will normally know what sort of wildlife you are likely to see in the areas you’re visiting, and they will of course be looking out for it as you drive or walk around.

However, the thing about wildlife is that you never know what you are going to see. And the more eyes that are looking for wildlife, the higher your chance that you will spot something. Your guide can’t look everywhere at once, and if they are driving, they are going to be at least a little distracted by operating the vehicle and keeping you safe.

In our most recent safari experience, we would often maximize what we could all see while on a game drive. So, generally our guide was seated in front in the driver’s seat, Jess would sit on the opposite side of vehicle from the driver, and I would stand at the back and scan for a different viewpoint. This way we were looking in many directions and had a better chance of spotting things. Although our guide was by far much better at spotting wildlife than we were, we still occasionally made some great spots that our driver had missed.

In my opinion, a safari should definitely not be a passive experience where you sit back and wait for something interesting to be pointed out to you. However, I have been surprised by the number of Land Cruises and Land Rovers full of bored-looking people who seemed to be spending more time on their phones or talking to one another than looking outside. They seem to simply wait for their driver to stop and point something out, take a photo, and then go back to their phones.

If you actively participate and spend your time searching for wildlife as well, you’re going to improve the chances of sightings and find more photo opportunities. You are also going to learn a lot more about the natural environment around you. And you are going to enjoy your trip a whole lot more!

Enjoy Yourself!

This might seem a bit counter intuitive in a guide to getting great photos on safari, but it’s important to remember. When on safari, it can be easy to become caught up in the need to capture every moment with our cameras, and not to miss a shot.

Whilst of course I want you to get those amazing shots, don’t forget that you came on safari also to witness wildlife in its natural habitat. So don’t forget to just step back from the camera every now and again and just take it all in. A safari is an incredible experience and you definitely want to try and enjoy it rather than being stressed over getting every shot on your memory card.

On our recent trip, Jess generally only took photos when animals came close, otherwise, she was content just watching them, either with a pair of binoculars (I definitely recommend packing a good pair of binoculars) or her naked eyes. She said she got much more enjoyment just watching them than when she was trying hard to get a good photo as she had in prior trips.

We highly recommend just sitting back and letting some moments go by unrecorded. I find you can often learn a lot more about animals if you just sit and watch them sometimes. Not every moment needs to be photographed!

Further Reading

That’s it for my guide to getting better photos on safari! If you found this useful, you might enjoy some of my other photography content. Here are some articles to get you started.

• We have a guide to the best safari camera , to help you choose the right gear for you and your budget. We also have a guide to photography bean bags for safari you might consider checking out.
• We have a detailed overview of gorilla trekking in Uganda as well as chimpanzee trekking in Uganda , both of which are an incredible experience
• We have a detailed guide to what to pack for safari , to help ensure you bring the right gear for your trip
• I have a guide to my favourite  photo editing applications , as well as the best  alternatives to Lightroom
• Wildlife photography can often result in noisy images. See my guide to the best noise reduction software for some ideas on how to get the best out of your photos even when they might be a bit noisy
• We have a guide to  how to use a compact camera ,  how to use a DSLR camera , and  how to use a mirrorless camera . We also have a guide to  how a DSLR works
• Knowing how to compose a great photo is a key photography skill. See our guide to  composition in photography  for lots of tips on this subject
• We have a guide to what  depth of field  is and when you would want to use it.
• We are big fans of getting the most out of your digital photo files, and do to that you will need to shoot in RAW. See our guide to  RAW in photography  to understand what RAW is, and why you should switch to RAW as soon as you can if your camera supports it.
• You’re going to need something to run your photo editing software on. See our guide to the best  laptops for photo editing  for some tips on what to look for.
• If you’re looking for more advice on specific tips for different scenarios, we also have you covered. See our guide to  Northern Lights photography ,  long exposure photography ,  fireworks photography ,  tips for taking photos of stars , and  cold weather photography .
• Color accuracy is important for photography – see our guide to  monitor calibration  to ensure your screen is set up correctly.
• If you’re looking for a great gift for a photography loving friend or family member (or yourself!), take a look at our  photography gift guide ,
• If you’re in the market for a new camera, we have a detailed guide to the  best travel cameras , as well as specific guides for the  best cameras for hiking and backpacking , the  best compact camera ,  best bridge camera ,  best mirrorless camera  and  best DSLR camera . We also have a guide to the  best camera lenses .
• If you want a camera or lens, but the prices are a bit high, see our guide to  where to buy used cameras and camera gear  for some budget savings options.
• We have a guide to  why you need a tripod , a guide to  choosing a travel tripod , and a round-up of our  favourite travel tripods

Looking to Improve Your Photography?

If you found this post helpful, and you want to improve your photography overall, you might want to check out my  online travel photography course .

Since launching the course in 2016, I’ve already helped over 2,000 students learn how to take better photos. The course covers pretty much everything you need to know, from the basics of how a camera works, through to composition, light, and photo editing.

It also covers more advanced topics, including astrophotography, long exposure photography, flash photography, and HDR photography.

You get feedback from me as you progress, access to webinars, interviews and videos, as well as exclusive membership of a Facebook group where you can get feedback on your work and take part in regular challenges.

It’s available for an amazing one-off price for lifetime access, and I think you should check it out. Which you can do by  clicking here .

And that’s it! I’d love to hear about your thoughts on wildlife photography on safari, and am happy to answer any questions you have. Just pop them in the comments below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

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There are 4 comments on this post

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Towab Muhammad Yusuf says

2nd April 2022 at 12:27 pm

Zebras is looking awesome, so natural looking

Laurence Norah says

3rd April 2022 at 10:28 am

Thanks Towab!

D. Hernandez says

26th March 2022 at 1:36 am

Hello Laurence,

Thanks for these wonderful photography tips and advice! I am not much of a photographer but found these tips very useful and will be keeping this page bookmarked to read again before my safari. My wife and I have a 2-week trip planned to South Africa in in the fall and about a week of that will be spent on safari.

I was given a Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR camera (used but barely used) last year but without any lenses. So my question for you would be what lens would you recommend I invest in if I was to choose to take just one for this trip? I would also of course want to use it around home and for taking photos of family events and future trips, but the main focus for now is getting some decent wildlife photos on our safari in South Africa. Would like to purchase it soon so can start practicing (as you recommend) now!

Thanks for all your time & help! D

26th March 2022 at 9:42 am

I’m glad you found the post helpful and I am sure you will have an amazing trip! So if you are looking at just one lens then you will want a lens that can go from quite wide to quite zoomed in. A lens like this is known as a walk around lens. I would probably recommend either the Tamron 18-400 f/3.5-6.3 or the Tamron 16-300 f/3.5-6.3 . These would both give you the versatility you would want in terms of range, from wide to zoomed in. The 16-300 gives you a slightly lighter lens that can take slightly wider angle shots, whilst the 18-400 is a bit heavier but you get more reach.

It is worth noting that of course if you zoom in at 100% and peer at the images produced by these lenses they won’t compare to a high-end lens costing thousands of dollars. However I think that for standard size prints and general use they are a good option at a reasonable price point.

Let me know if you need any further input, I’m happy to help. Otherwise, have a fantastic trip!

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20 Easy Tips for Better Safari Photos

I hate to break it to you, but it’s impossible to get good safari photos with your phone’s camera . Yes, even with the latest iPhone or Pixel, what good safari photos require is physically impossible to fit into a phone. I mean, if we didn’t need to lug around big lenses, I’m pretty sure no one would do it?

So if you need to bring a “real camera” on safari, exactly what camera equipment do you need for safari? Which equipment is optional? And how can you make the most out of the camera equipment that you already have?

Here are the essential photography equipment for going on safari, including my personal recommendations for gear, ideas for how to save money on your safari photography setup, as well as safari photography tips to help you make the most of any gear you get your hands on.

Bring the right photography gear for safari

You don’t need to spend a fortune to get great photos, but you do need more than an iPhone to snag great photos. If this list sounds daunting and you don’t already have a suitable camera, consider renting a camera or lens if you are certain you won’t use it again. You can also buy gear used on eBay or Amazon to save some money.

• Camera – I used the Fujifilm X-T2 with great success.
• Zoom lens – For the Fuji system, I can recommend the Fujinon XF 50-140mm f2.8 + Fujinon 2x Teleconverter .
• Wide angle / mid-range lens – I took the Fujinon XF 16mm f1.4 + Fujinon XF 35mm f1.4 + Fujinon 56mm f1.2 .
• Lens cleaning equipment (lens pen, lens wipes) – I recommend this lens pen and these lens cleaning wipes .
• Spare batteries – Choose whatever fits the camera you have, fully charged! I usually bring two spares.
• Spare memory cards – You want something with a fast write speed, like this 64GB UHS-II 300MB/s SD card
• Camera bag – Bring anything with easy access. You’ll be sitting on safari so size and weight is not a big deal.

It might look silly, but you can bet I got the best photos!

Use the burst shooting mode

Burst shooting mode allows you to hold down the shutter, and take between 5 10 photos in a single second! This can be extremely useful on safari, when animals are moving quickly or simply when you know the animals are likely to disappear into the bush or an area you cannot drive to. That’s why it’s super useful to get a camera that supports this setting!

For example, here there are two water bucks, sparing with one another in the morning sun. Since they’re moving around quite a lot, there weren’t a lot of photos where I could see their antlers interlock. But since I could take a bunch of pictures, I could just pick the best one.

Here, the rhinos are not moving very fast, but it’s a super special moment to capture a baby rhino on camera! Owing to the vegetation, I knew I wouldn’t have a view of both the mother and baby for long, but burst mode saved me and I had a number of pictures to choose from. Thanks burst mode 🙏

Learn to use your camera in advance

Nothing is worse than trying to figure out how your freaking camera works while you’re already ON safari! You’ll just be frustrated trying to get the settings right, while an amazing wildlife moment just passes right by. Spend time practicing with your new camera. You’ll want to learn a few things like:

• How to make the shutter speed faster
• How to turn on burst mode
• How to change the focus point

That’s just for beginners, but these are really important things to have down second-nature before your safari 🍃

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Bring equipment for dealing with dust or fingerprints

When you’re driving out in the bush, there’s a good chance you’ll need to deal with some dust. How much dush depends a lot on where you’re driving and recent weather conditions (has it rained recently?). In any case, don’t forget to bring along a lens pen for cleaning smudges off your lenses (which can make your photos blurry!) and some lens cleaning wipes for more serious dirt or water droplets 💦

Bring back up memory cards

When you’re using burst mode, it’s easy for your memory card to fill up fast . Don’t get caught on safari having to delete photos just to free up space on your memory card. I personally filled up THREE memory cards during my two-week trip to South Africa, and about half of that was just safari photos. Be prepared, buy extra.

Bring a telephoto lens

If your goal is to take wildlife photos, then a telephoto lens (also called “zoom lens”) is the one piece of equipment you can’t leave behind. The question is always, how much zoom do you need for safari? For many systems, the most common zoom lenth is somewhere between 50-150mm and 100-400mm. In general, you won’t regret having plenty of zoom – it doesn’t go as far as you’d think. That said, be sure to complement your zoom lens with a wide-angle or mid-range lens because there will be times where you need to capture a landscape, a whole herd of animals, or a complete scene with multiple animals in it.

This crocodile was super far away, but I could capture him with my zoom!

Support your zoom lens to avoid camera shake

An interesting caveat to having a big zoom lens is that the more you zoom, the more likely you are to get blurry photos . That’s because more zoom means less light coming in, and your camera needs to compensate for it. If you already have the aperature (also called “f stop”) as open as possible, the next step for the camera is probably to slow down the shutter speed.

That’s why you need to be as still as possible and support your lens with your hand to keep camera shake down. You can also hold your breath during a shot, to avoid introducing shake, or balance your lens on a bag or something soft on the edge of the safari vehicle or hand rail. Anything to help the lens keep still!

Many zoom lenses also come with OIS (optical image stabilization), so look for that when you are picking a zoom lens!

This two-week South Africa itinerary can show you some of the best of the country, from wine regions to urban life, from safari to city, and from the sparkling Indian Ocean to the deserts of the Karoo. Here is how to spend two weeks traveling South Africa.

Bring a tripod for long exposures at night

Even though this isn’t strictly a safari tip, the fact is that if you’re staying in a private safari lodge , you’re going to have incredible views of the stars . Bring along a tripod for some very special photos at night!

Include the environment

Sometimes the environment with the animal in it is way more interesting than the animal itself! Here’s an example of that, with the hippo yawning as the sun sets over his favorite watering hole. These guys were so loud with their howling, it was a really memorable moment on safari while the sun was going down.

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Be prepared for low light photos

When choosing lenses for safari, make sure you find one that has the lowest f-stop number (meaning, the widest aperature) that you can find. For example, the lens I used was f2.8. That’s pretty good for a zoom lens. Many wildlife lenses will be f4, but that can also mean you get less light for the evening drives. Strive for a balance between zoomm power and f-stop.

At night, our tracker scans the landscape for the gleam in the eyes of nocturnal animals. On one night, we spotted this beautiful African barn owl who was patient enough to let me take his photo!

You can hover over any photo on this blog to see the camera and lens that the photo was taken with. Click on the information to see reviews on Amazon.

Don’t forget about the details

It can be really easy just to focus on animals, but safari is also about the overall experience, not just the so-called “Big Five”. On safari you’ll learn about the plants that animals feed on, and how it affects where they move to, as well as the smaller creatures that drive the ecosystem in the bush, like the venerable Dung Beetle!

Above: Mopane trees are a favorite food of elephants, and one of the reasons they come to the Timbavati Game Reserve. Below: A Dung Beetle crafts its ball of dung, intended to attract a mate.

Include people or other objects for scale

It can be incredible how big animals are on safari! But usually in photos it’s hard to convey how big they really are. By including people or other objects for scale, it can be easier to communicate visually how big something really is. For example, this Giraffe is totally huge standing next to a fully grown tree! No trouble getting to those leaves, eh?

Go to where the animals are

In most parks, this means watering holes! Especially during high sun, you’ll see animals coming to watering holes for a drink or to take a mud bath. Even if you don’t see animals right away, you can stay and sit at a watering hole for a while and there’s a pretty good chance that some animals will swing by in no time.

Watering holes are also a great place to see herds of animals. At Addo Elephant Park we saw herds of zebras and especially elephants congregating at the watering holes. The best part is watching the elephants chase the zebras away! 🐘

Going on safari is the number one item on top of many tourists' lists when visiting Africa. No matter what your budget is, there is a safari option that will fit your budget. Here are different ways you can get the safari experience and their pros and cons!

Wear neutral colors

There’s a reason why safari-goers tend to dress in neutral colors! That’s because animals are less likely to see it and run away. In most areas that are popular for safari, the animals know that safari vehicles are not to be feared, but plenty of prey animals are likely to run anyways. Dress neutral and keep your visibility to a minimum.

Dressing neutral usually means tan and olive-colored clothing. You’re meant to avoid white or neon colors in particular.

Join a bush walk

One of the best ways to experience the African bush is going through a bush walk! You’ll get a chance to see smaller animals and get up close to plants and insects you typically don’t get to take your time with when driving through. Check that your safari lodge offers a bush walk.

WARNING – You should never go on a bush walk on your own, or leave the safari vehicle without your guide telling you it’s fine. On a self-drive you should not get out of the vehicle at all. Only walk through the bush on guided tours, with guides who are usually armed.

Travel early in the morning or around sunset

Not only do you get some of the best photos possible during the “golden hours”, but it’s also the time when animals are the most active. Although we saw animals at all times of the day, you’ll see different animals active at each time during the day. Most private safari lodges will take you on early morning and late afternoon game drives, but be sure to verify that before you book!

Above: Hyenas venture away from their den for a late afternoon drink near our safari lodge. Below: A bull elephant eating his leafy breakfast 🍃

Talk to other safari-goers for tips on sightings

If you’re doing a private safari, there’s a good chance your guide and tracker are communicating with other guides and trackers about their sightings. That’s one of the big benefits of going on private game drives. But even if you don’t have the budget for that, don’t be afraid to slow down your car on a self-drive and roll the window down to talk to people! That’s how we got a tip about one of the best elephant herd sightings we had.

It can be really hard to pick a safari lodge in South Africa with so many great options. Here is my incredible experience at Motswari, a private game reserve in part of the Greater Kruger National Park.

Don’t just zoom in all the way

Sometimes the best photos include the full body of the animal, or even some of the environment. It can be so so so tempting just to use your zoom for animal portraits, but make sure you’re also getting some of the landscape in the picture too!

Focus on the eyes

Whether you’re photographing animals on safari, or you’re taking portraits of people, the principle is the same: set your focus point on the eyes! This is what makes the photo look sharp and feel engaging.

Make sure the settings on your camera are correct

Before heading out for the day, check that your camera settings didn’t get changed, or that they’re not the same settings you used when you were out at night! Nothing’s worse than having an awesome early morning sighting and screwing it up because you still had your ISO too high.

Don’t forget to enjoy the safari!

Photography is supposed to help you remember your safari experience, not to BE the experience in and of itself. Bring some binoculars to inspect the animals more closely, and enjoy whatever gifts nature has brought you that day!

Have you ever been on safari? What animal did you think was the most photogenic? What was the best spot you’ve been for viewing animals?

Share your experiences in the comments! I’d love to get your safari tips.

About the author

Hi there! I'm Monica, an American expat living in Germany for over six years and using every opportunity to explore the world from my homebase in Berlin. My goal is to capture my memories in photos and posts that show how easy it is to start from scratch and travel the world by working abroad.

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The Ultimate Serengeti National Park Safari Guide

LAST UPDATED: 1/31/24 – Serengeti National Park Safari Guide

The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is one of the most famous wildlife habitats in the world.  This large park in Northern Tanzania, along with its sister park (the Masai Mara) in Kenya, plays a pivotal role in the great wildebeest migration. 

This great migration, which also features zebra, gazelle, and other grazing animals, brings over two million grass feeders through the parks as they follow the rains each year.  It is quite an unbelievable spectacle to behold while on a Serengeti National Park safari.

The Great Migration is a Must-See Wildlife Event

It is because of this migration, and its sheer volume of migrating animals, that the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania has become so famous.  The park provides visitors with a front-row seat to see the migration and all of the drama that unfolds with it. 

These migrating wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, and other animals have to cross rivers that are infested with large Nile Crocodiles, navigate savannas that are teaming with ambushing lions and leopards, outmaneuver aggressive clans of Spotted Hyenas, and outpace the lightning-fast cheetahs that hunt on the open plains of the parks.  All are in search of fresh grass that sprouts after the rainstorms that they instinctively follow.

This is what makes going on a Serengeti National Park safari so special, and why it is a place that I will never forget.  In few other places in this world can you see nature at its most beautiful, and at its most cruel.  The sheer number of animals that live in and migrate through the park gives visitors an almost unprecedented opportunity to see the wildlife they came to see.

See the “Big Five” of Africa

In our short, two-day Serengeti National Park safari, we were able to see both a mother lioness protecting her newborn baby cubs in a thicket, as well as the rest of her pride feasting on a fresh wildebeest kill that they had made.  These experiences are what make the Serengeti National Park such an amazing wildlife destination.

If you are looking for a great place to go on a safari in Africa, then your search should start with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya.  These parks provide visitors with the ability to see the “Big Five” animals of Africa (lions, elephants, buffalo, rhinoceros, and leopards), as well as a plethora of other amazing wildlife.  And if you plan your visit right, you might get to see the great migration unfold in this amazing place!

Serengeti National Park Guide Navigation Menu

Tanzania entrance requirements.

Before you can even start to think about your Serengeti National Park safari, you need to make sure that you can meet the Tanzania entrance requirements.

If you don’t meet the requirements, you will not be allowed entry into the country. This will put a huge damper on your safari plans. To assist you in ensuring you meet the requirements, I have outlined the passport and VISA requirements for you to review.

Tanzania Passport Requirements

One of the most important Tanzania entrance requirements you need to consider when planning your trip is Tanzania’s passport requirements.

According to the US State Department website , your passport needs to be valid for at least 6-months after your date of arrival. So, if your passport is set to expire within 6-months of your arrival date, you will need to renew your passport before you travel to Tanzania.

Tanzania VISA Requirements

You will also need to purchase a VISA to be allowed into Tanzania. This VISA can either be purchased ahead of time via as an e-VISA or be purchased upon arrival at your port of entry. The cost of a 90-day VISA for Tanzania for a US Citizen is USD 100. For a summary of the Tanzania passport and VISA requirements, please refer to the table below.

Tanzania Travel Immunizations

Important Note: I am not a medical doctor and do not have any medical experience. The information provided in this section is a summary of information that I got from the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States for travel to Tanzania . I am providing you this information to help bring awareness of the necessary vaccinations to you. However, consultation with my guide should not replace a discussion about your travels with your doctor or a travel medical clinic.

Before you leave for your trip to Tanzania to go on your Serengeti National Park safari, you need to make sure you have all of the proper vaccinations.  Not only to protect yourself but to protect others.  In fact, depending on where you are visiting from and whether you are making any stops before visiting Tanzania, you might not even be allowed in the country without the proper vaccinations.

Travel Vaccination Advice

You may have questions on what immunizations you will need and what to look out for when you go to get them. In this case, I have included some general guidelines from my experiences below.

• Most specialized travel clinics will not accept insurance, so you will have to pay for your travel consultation and immunizations and then request reimbursement from your insurance company later.
• Some immunizations aren’t accepted by every insurance company, so check with your insurance provider before getting your immunizations.
• Check with your regular doctor first, as often they can do a travel consultation for you and write you the necessary prescriptions for your immunizations, even if they aren’t able to give them to you.  This way you can ensure that at least your travel consultation will be covered by your insurance up-front.
• Check with  Walgreens  or other drug stores that give flu shots to see if they have any of the immunization shots that you require before going to a specialized clinic that doesn’t accept insurance to get them.  Walgreens can give you many of the immunizations necessary for international travel, and they accept insurance up-front.
• The  Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website   can be a great resource for answering any travel immunization questions that you have.

Tanzania Vaccination Recommendations

You will need to consult with your doctor or a travel clinic on recommended vaccinations before you leave. I have compiled a list below of some of what you might expect your physician to recommend.

• Antimalarial  (Aralen, Qualaquin, Plaquenil, Mefloquine, or Doxycycline).
• Typhoid  (either a shot, which is good for 2 years, or a live virus pill, which is good for 4 years).
• Yellow Fever  (be aware that some countries require a yellow fever vaccination if you are traveling from another country that is high risk, even if your stay in that other country was short).
• Hepatitis A & B  (if you haven’t had them).
• Tetanus  (if you aren’t current).
• Rabies  (if you are going to be working in close contact with animals).
• Dukoral  (gives you 3-month protection against travel diarrhea).

Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements

Depending on which country you are arriving from, you may need to have a Yellow Fever vaccination to enter the country.  If you are traveling to Tanzania from another country in Africa, please use the  US Centers of Disease Control (CDC) website  to determine if you will be required to have proof of the Yellow Fever vaccination to enter.

What to Bring to the Serengeti

If you are going on safari for the first time, you might not know what to bring with you. To help prepare for your Serengeti National Park safari, I have developed several guides that you should review.

What to Expect When Visiting Africa for the First Time

First, my article on the “20 Tips for Those Visiting Africa for the First Time” will help get you prepared. The article outlines what you can expect when you visit Africa for the first time. It outlines what you should and should not do while visiting. It also gives you some tips on what to expect during your first visit to Africa.

Then, as you prepare for your trip, you will want to review my “Essential Safari Packing List”. This guide will ensure that you have all the gear you need for your safari. It also outlines what you should not bring with you.

Finally, my last article covers taking pictures while on safari. My “Tips for Photography on African Safaris” guide will help you take the best possible photos of your epic adventure. Not only does it include photography gear I recommend, but it also covers my recommended camera settings.

Getting to the Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti National Park is located in Northern Tanzania, right on the border with Kenya.  In fact, the Serengeti National Park continues into Kenya, where it becomes the Masai Mara National Reserve.  The huge area created by these parks, along with the Ngorongoro National Conservation Area that joins to the East of the Serengeti, makes it one of the largest wildlife conservation areas in the world.

If you are planning on a safari trip to Tanzania and Kenya, there are other parks that we would recommend in addition to the Serengeti and Masai Mara. 

The Ngorongoro Crater

The Ngorongoro Crater, which we wrote about previously, is one of the most unique wildlife areas in the world because it is an enclosed, protected wildlife sanctuary that is located in the crater of an extinct volcano. 

Wildlife in the crater doesn’t migrate because there is water in the crater year-round, so it affords visitors some of the most predictable wildlife viewing experiences of any wildlife area in the world.

Lake Manyara National Park

In addition to the Ngorongoro Crater, the Lake Manyara National Park is a unique and incredible wildlife park because of its abundance of animals and its unique tree-climbing lions. 

It is a park that we visited during our trip, and we absolutely loved it.  There are also the Tarangire, Arusha, and Mount Kilimanjaro National Parks in the area that are absolutely worth exploring. 

Depending on the length of your stay, you can combine many of these parks into a single safari vacation and get to see many of the beautiful wildlife areas in Tanzania and Kenya.

Recommended Serengeti Tours

We used Tanzania Choice Safaris for our safari, and we absolutely loved them. We have relatives who lived in the country and had used them on multiple occasions and had a lot of really great things to say about them.

They were very courteous, well-organized, and extremely knowledgeable about the parks and the wildlife. We would absolutely recommend them to anyone considering a safari in any of the national parks in Tanzania. If you are looking for a safari tour of the Serengeti National Park, here are some good ones I can recommend:

My Top Recommendation

Best time to visit the serengeti.

Before you decide when to take your Serengeti National Park safari, I would suggest thinking about when you want to go. There is never really a bad time to visit the Serengeti. However, depending on what you want to see, some months are better than others. The information in this section of my guide will give you all the information you need to make this decision.

Average Temperature (℉)

The climate around the Serengeti National Park is typically very moderate and pleasant throughout the year. It never gets scorching hot like it does in Botswana and Zimbabwe, but it does get hot.

In the mornings and evenings, it is consistently cold throughout the year. You will need to bring a jacket with you for early morning game drives and evenings. The good news is, that Tanzania uses closed safari vehicles, so the morning game drives won’t be that cold.

Average Precipitation (Inches)

The dry season in the Serengeti is from June until October. Most people believe there is only one wet season, but there are actually two. There are short rains from November until December.

Then, the long rains last from March until May. This is what most people refer to as Tanzania’s wet season. During the wet season, you’ll rarely see it rain all day long. However, you will consistently see afternoon rain showers.

Best Months of the Year to Visit

What the “best” months of the year to visit will largely depend on what you want to see. For instance, do you want to see the wildebeest migration at its height? Or, are you more interested in seeing baby animals? Perhaps you want to see some crocodile activity at the river crossings?

These are the ultimate factors you will want to consider. However, if you ask me, some months are better than others. For information on which months of the year I think are best to visit the Serengeti, please see the chart below.

The Seasons in the Serengeti

If you are interested in seeing baby animals, the wildebeest calving season is between January and February. The period between June and September is great for general wildlife viewing and you have a great chance of seeing wildebeest and other animals do river crossings of the Grumeti River in June and July and the Mara River in September.

During the wet season, which is typical during March and April, the area can get quite a bit of rain.  These are the storms that the herds of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, and other grazing animals follow to take advantage of the fresh grass that grows after the storms.  If you are looking to see the wildebeest migration at its height, visiting during June and July is your best bet.

The Great Wildebeest Migration

The wildebeest will be heading from the heart of the Serengeti on their way North towards the Masai Mara in Kenya.  These months typically have the best weather as well.  If you would like to understand the wildebeest migration and where the animals will typically be during certain parts of the year, I have included a map below that gives you an overview of the migration.

View Larger Map

June to October (The Dry Season)

• Best time to see the wildebeest migration.  They tend to be in the Western part of the park between June and July and in the Northern part of the park between August and September.
• The animals are typically easier to see because the vegetation isn’t as thick, and the animals tend to gather around water sources.
• This time of year typically has the best weather.
• The park is the most crowded.
• Mornings and evenings can be quite cold because this is the wintertime in Tanzania.

November to May (The Wet Season)

• Late January into February is the best time to see baby animals as this is the wildebeest calving season.  It is also a great time to see predators in action as they tend to target the young wildebeest.
• The animals can be more difficult to spot because water is plentiful, so there is no need to congregate around water sources, and the vegetation is the thickest.
• April and May are the low seasons, so the park is less crowded, and the rates are the lowest.
• Migratory birds are typically in the park, so it is the peak season for bird watching.
• March through May is the peak of the wet season, but storms typically occur in the afternoon, so there is still time to go on safari early in the day.

Where to Stay in the Serengeti

One of the most memorable experiences we had while on our Serengeti National Park safari was our experience camping in the park.  If you are planning on going on a safari in Africa, I would absolutely recommend that you spend at least one-night camping. 

Camping in the Serengeti is an Amazing Experience

There is absolutely no better way to get an authentic safari experience and really feel like you are part of the environment.  I wrote about our night camping in the Serengeti National Park in an article that I linked below.

It was such a surreal experience to sit by the campfire, drinking a hot beverage and chatting with other like-minded adventurers, in the middle of one of this world’s most infamous wildlife sanctuaries. 

Being woken in the middle of the night by a clan of hyenas passing through our camp was both thrilling and exhilarating, to say the least.  If I had to point to one experience on my safari adventure in Tanzania as the most memorable, it would be the night that we camped.

Now, before you start to worry about safety, let me assure you that the accommodations are very safe and secure.  These aren’t the typical camping tents that you sleep in while on a camping trip. 

These are thick canvas tents that have a bathroom and shower inside.  As long as you follow the proper safety guidelines and do not leave your tent when it is dark, you are perfectly safe sleeping in these tents.

It may not have all of the luxuries you might be accustomed to back home, but nothing beats being out in the middle of the Serengeti and among the very wildlife you came to see.  It is truly an amazing experience that I absolutely recommend to anyone who is considering going on safari in the Serengeti National Park.

Campsite and Lodging Recommendations

Below you will find a detailed map of the Serengeti National Park and the surrounding park and conservation lands.  The map includes plenty of lodges and tented camps that you can consider when going on safari in the area.

Pro Tip:   Make sure you decide which parts of the Serengeti and surrounding areas you want to see first and then look into the accommodations.  In most cases, your safari operator will have recommendations for lodges and camps in the areas that you will be visiting and will make the arrangements for you.

Accommodations in the Central Serengeti

Accommodations in mara – the northern serengeti, accommodations in lobo – the northern serengeti, accommodations in the western serengeti, accommodations in the ikoma region, serengeti national park fees.

Important:   Make sure you read the section below carefully so that you understand how long your permit for the Serengeti National Park is good for.  I have read a lot of stories about people who had their trips ruined because they did not properly understand the rules.

To enter the Serengeti National Park, you must purchase a permit.  The permits are obtained on a per-person basis, and they are good for 24 hours. 

This is important when considering when you are going to enter the park.  Should you enter the park at mid-day, you will be expected to exit the park at mid-day the next day.  If you stay past the 24 hours allowed by your permit, you will need to pay for a permit for an additional full day.

In most cases, your safari operator will take care of purchasing your safari permits for you and will handle the logistics of when you enter and need to leave the park.  However, if you are planning on doing a self-drive through the Serengeti, please check the Tanzania Parks official website for the current fees .

The Wildlife You Might See in the Serengeti

The landscape in and around the Serengeti National Park is truly remarkable in and by itself, but the main reason people flock to go on a Serengeti National Park safari is to see the wildlife. 

And let me tell you, the wildlife does not disappoint.  With the large numbers of migrating animals and all of the predators that congregate to feast upon them, there is no shortage of wildlife in the savannas of the Serengeti.

When you are on a Serengeti National Park safari, you can expect to see most, if not all, of the animals that you came to Africa to see.  In addition to the “Big Five” animals of Africa, which include elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, and buffalo, you have a good chance of seeing spotted hyenas, cheetahs, hippos, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, and many of the other grazing animals that Africa is known for.

The Serengeti is a Great Place to See Predators

If you are looking to see some action, a Serengeti National Park safari also provides you a great chance to see some predator action first-hand year-round, but this is especially true during the calving season in late January and February and during the height of the great wildebeest migration. 

When we were on safari in the Serengeti, we got to see lions feasting on a wildebeest, which was a very surreal experience.  It was sad to see a life lost, but we were happy to see that all of the little lion mouths would be fed that day.

The Serengeti is a big place and there is so much to see, so make sure you communicate with your safari guide.  If you let them know which animals you are really interested in seeing, they will be able to put you in a better position to see those animals. 

In addition to their years of experience guiding and tracking these animals, they also have two-way radios that they use to communicate with other drivers and share information about what is happening throughout the Serengeti.

Serengeti Safari Tips

When you are on your Serengeti National Park safari, where animals are abundant, it is easy to get lost in the experience.  Being on safari is such an amazing experience and you should enjoy every single second of it.  However, if you aren’t careful, you might not get everything out of the experience that you could have.

To make sure that you get everything out of your safari experience in the Serengeti that you possibly can, I have provided some general safari tips below for you to review.

Be Patient and Open Minded

When you are on safari, everything isn’t going to go according to plan.  The weather, the animal’s behavior, and other factors are going to impact where you go and what you see.

Safety First

It is really easy to get caught up in the safari experience and want to get the best pictures you possibly can.  However, safety should always be the primary concern.  To give you some help in how to remain safe while on safari in the Serengeti, I have outlined some general safety tips for you to review later in this guide.

Don’t Get Stuck Behind Your Camera

Everyone wants to get great pictures while on safari, and you should absolutely bring your camera and take a lot of pictures.  However, if you spend your entire time in the Serengeti looking through your camera, you are going to miss out on some of the experience.  I would recommend setting your camera down every once in a while and just enjoy being in such an amazing place.

Ask Lots of Questions

Make sure you ask your guide a lot of questions while you are in the Serengeti.  It is easy to get caught up in the moment and forget to ask which type of animal you are looking at or why they are doing what they are doing, but your safari guide is there to answer these questions for you.  And believe me, they enjoy answering these questions.  Don’t get home and regret not asking those questions.

Be Conscious of Time

You are going to see some amazing things while you are on safari in the Serengeti.  However, as I mentioned before, the time that your daily permit is good for is limited. 

Don’t get too caught up in one place within the Serengeti for too long as you might regret not having time to do other things later.  By no means am I suggesting that you should rush through the park, but you might not want to linger watching one thing for hours upon hours either.

More than anything else, the best tip I can give you is to just have fun.  Going on a Serengeti National Park safari should be a trip of a lifetime, and you should enjoy every single second of this adventure.  Don’t get caught up on the little things that might go wrong.  Before you know it you will be back at home and left with just the memories and pictures of your adventure.  Make those memories great ones!

Safari Safety Tips

Being on a Serengeti National Park safari can be an amazing and exciting experience, but it can also be a very dangerous experience if you don’t follow the proper safety rules.  To ensure that your safari experience is a memorable and safe one, I have outlined some general safari safety rules for you to review below.

Obey Your Safari Guide at All Times

The most important safari safety tip of all is to listen to your safari guide and obey them at all times.  They are there to keep you safe, so let them.

Don’t Stick Anything out of the Safari Vehicle

It is never a good idea to stick anything outside of a safari vehicle.  Whether this be your arms, your feet, or your camera as you try to get a great picture, keep them inside the vehicle at all times.

Don’t Make Frantic Movements

When you are in the safari vehicle, the animals tend to think of the vehicle, and everything associated with it as one homogeneous entity.  However, if you make sudden and frantic movements, or do something else to make you stick out as apart from the vehicle, you may become an object of interest to them.

Never Get Out of the Vehicle

This point cannot be stressed strongly enough. Never, and I mean never, get out of your safari vehicle unless your safari guide explicitly instructs that it is safe.

Never Leave Your Tent or Lodge at Night

This is another point that I cannot emphasize strongly enough.  You should never leave your tent or lodge room at night without a chaperone.  The African bush can be a dangerous place, especially at night, so make sure you follow whichever procedures your safari guide gives you for getting assistance at night.  If they don’t mention this, make sure you ask ahead of time.

Walk, Never Run

If you do find yourself outside of your vehicle and confronted by an animal (hopefully this never happens), then make sure that you stay as calm as possible, walk away slowly (never turning your back on the animal), and NEVER, EVER run away.

Be Careful Around Lakes and Rivers

Unless you are explicitly told by your safari guide that the waters are free of hippos and crocodiles, you should never attempt to swim in a lake, river, or pond.  Even then, I would think twice about doing it.  Hippos kill more people in Africa than any other animal, and crocodiles are not far behind on the list, so you always have to be safe when even approaching bodies of water.

Stuck in the Serengeti

It wasn’t all fun and games while we were on our Serengeti National Park safari.  On our second to last day of safari, we managed to get stuck in the mud in the Serengeti.  It was an interesting experience, to say the least.  Check out the short video below to find out how it could have been much worse for us.

Serengeti Safari Photo Gallery

Serengeti National Park is one of the most amazing wildlife destinations in the world.  Below is a gallery of just some of the wonderful pictures we were able to take while on our Serengeti National Park safari.

If you would like to see more of my travel photography, I would also encourage you to give me a follow on Instagram . Putting this blog together to pass on my free guides, itineraries, and travel photography tips is a lot of work and your support in the form of a follow-on Instagram would be so very much appreciated!

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Published by Josh Hewitt

Avid traveler and photographer who loves to see new places, meet new people, and experience new things. There is so much this world can teach us, we just need to explore! View all posts by Josh Hewitt

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My pleasure Josh.

Thanks so much for the kind words Carl!! Glad you found it helpful!!

Thanks so much for the kind words John! I am glad you found it helpful!!

Thank you so much for the kind words!

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Planning a photo safari in Africa: 7 essential tips

Planning a photo safari in Africa ? Based on my knowledge and experience as a photographer, responsible traveler , and wildlife enthusiast, I share 7 essential tips that help you plan and prepare a photo-focused safari trip , where it's all about capturing beautiful and high-quality images of your safari adventure and wildlife sightings.

If you have been on an African safari before, you will be aware of the conflict that can occur when traveling with people with different interests. For people with a special interest in (learning) wildlife photography in Africa, I would recommend looking into a photography safari trip, rather than a regular safari. I wrote an article about the difference between a photo safari and a regular safari .

What is a photo safari?

On a photo safari all circumstances that can be influenced, are created in a way to get the best out of your photography. It’s all about going to the right place at the right times, in different lights, getting the best position to photograph from the right (and different) angles, and spending more time at one sighting to observe and get that perfect shot. The more time you spend with the animals, who are telling their story, the better your photos. On a photographic journey, you will not be rushing to tick off the ' Big 5 ' game animals. You will also be out during the ‘magic golden hours’ around sunset and sunrise.

Apart from that, you will learn from a professional photographer who helps to improve your photography skills. If you are traveling in a group, you can also learn from other wildlife photography enthusiasts. Another plus of photography safaris is that many game drive vehicles are designed and configured specifically for wildlife photography with more space to maneuver.

Joining a photo safari doesn't mean you have to be an experienced photographer. On most photography trips it doesn't matter if you're a beginner, intermediate or professional photographer. Having an interest in photography is the basis of what you need for most of these photo trips.

Planning a photo safari group tour or private tour

Whether you love to travel in a group or with a private company, there are always a few important things to consider before you book your trip. If you have never been to Africa, I wouldn't recommend planning your safari trip on your own. Feel free to reach out for advice to help you create a personalized travel plan, or to join me on one of my upcoming photo safari tours .

Now you know what to expect from a photographic safari in Africa, it’s time to dig into the most important things to know and consider for planning and preparing your photo-focused safari. Here are my 7 valuable tips for planning your African photography safari .

1. Create an overview of your wishes

As a traveler, you are the only one that can decide what’s important to you, and how you want to spend your money.

To make that clear, you need to d o research and create an overview of your wishes . From there, you can start making choices. Consider which aspects are most essential for you. Keep in mind that every aspect can influence the price.

You can make a start by answering the following questions:

• Where do I want to go? (Country, safari destinations, number of places)
• When do I want to go? (high-, low-, rain-, dry-season)
• Do I like to travel in a group or private?
• What’s my budget?
• What accommodation can I afford (Budget, comfort, luxury)
• How long will I be traveling?
• Do I want to organize it all by myself or book an organized trip?
• What would I like to see and do?

2. Choose the right time to travel

As you might know, Africa has a wet and dry season and offers variations of climates and weather in different countries and areas. The dry season in Africa is the most popular as well as the most crowded season. The best advantage of traveling in the dry season is that animals are frequently found around water pools because of the scarcity of water. In the dry season, the temperatures are high and landscapes are usually dry.

However, some photographers find the wet season in Africa the best time to photograph because of the dramatic skies, green scenery, better light (because of clouds), and less dust. This is also a great period for capturing newborns.

I’ve traveled to Africa in both seasons and in different months. I always try to go in the shoulder seasons , in between dry and wet seasons. Choosing the best time to travel also depends on your personal wishes, budget, and safari destination. Kenya is for example an all-year-round safari destination, while other countries, for example, Uganda , are harder to travel during certain times of the year because of heavy rains.

3. Choose a reliable and qualified photo safari operator

After you defined your wishes, it’s time to select the right tour operator or organization to travel with and choose destinations and accommodations to stay in. I always attach great importance to organizations with a focus on conservation efforts, sustainability, and responsible travel choices . I personally do my best to select and collaborate with local organizations and try to look for unique, more private experiences, where they also give back to nature and the surrounding communities.

Do your research to ensure that your trip will meet, or even exceed your expectations.  Always search for valuable reviews, ask specific questions in advance to know what to expect to check the reliability, and follow your gut. If you are planning your first African safari trip, feel free to contact me for help or simply join me on one of my group safari trips to Africa . You can even form your own group of max 6 people to accommodate greater flexibility in addressing your preferences regarding the travel period and dates.

Good photography focussed safari companies will offer a 4x4 vehicle with enough space inside, large windows, and a pop-up roof. The luxury photographic companies usually offer a specially-equipped photographic vehicle with sliding gimbals, removable doors, and photography equipment to borrow. Some companies also have the permission to enter National Parks and Game Reserves after opening hours, which is great for an evening game drive or night photography.

4. Find a guide with an eye for photography

Normally you cannot choose your guide for your safari, but by doing detailed research, like searching for reviews and references, you can increase your chances of finding a guide with an eye for photography.

Guides with an interest and eye for photography will understand how to get you in the right position for a perfect shot. They will anticipate the lights and movements of the animals, and they will always find the best positioning for the vehicle. To get the best out of your photography, your guide has to be committed to leaving in the early morning and staying out for a longer amount of time than on a regular game drive.

Use your guide’s knowledge to capture the best photos. Local guides perfectly know the animal’s habits, territories, and behavior. Tell your guide what’s important for you and what kind of photos you would like to capture. Take advantage of their knowledge and advice!

If you come on a photo safari with me , I can assure you that I work with highly knowledgeable and qualified driver/guides . And as a qualified guide myself with an expertise in photography, we form a great team to give you the best possible safari experience.

5. The right photography gear for a photo safari

If you are an advanced photographer, I would definitely recommend bringing one, or preferably two, DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras with exchangeable lenses .

With two cameras (bodies) and different lenses, you can easily switch cameras. For example, when wildlife comes closer, or you want to capture an animal in different contexts, like a wide shot to capture wildlife in its environment and close-ups. In the worst case, when anything happens to one camera, you have a second to continue photographing.

Zoom lens and wide-angle lens

The best zoom lenses for wildlife photography are in the range of 200-600 mm. Zoom lenses with a focal length of 300+ mm are great for capturing wild animals or birds, while more wide-angled lenses are great to capture the beautiful environment or stunning African sunsets. For a crop camera, a zoom lens of 300mm should be ideal. If you’re using a full-frame camera, I would suggest a lens that can reach 400mm zoom. If you are a keen birder, then the more zoom your lens has, the better. For example, 600mm is perfect for bird photography .

Keep in mind that Africa’s wildlife is most active in the early morning and late evening, which means the lights can be challenging. For that reason, it will be better to bring lenses with larger apertures (f/2.8) and to use a camera that can increase the ISO without getting too much noise in your photo.

Other photography accessories

Apart from the camera and lenses, it's advisable to bring photography accessories like an external hard drive to secure your photos, plenty of memory cards, extra batteries, cleaning wipes, a charger, a camera bag, and a rain cover. To provide stability for your camera, you can also bring a beanbag, monopod, and/or tripod on safari.

In the above image captured in Uganda, I carry a 16-35mm wide-angle lens for landscape photography as part of my photography gear

6. Know your camera

Having the most expensive camera doesn’t mean you’ll shoot the best images because whatever camera you bring, it’s extremely important to know how to use it. You will be disappointed if you invested a lot of money in camera gear and your pictures are too dark or blurry.

To practice and learn how to use your camera, you can read the instruction manual, watch some tutorials on YouTube, and most importantly  practice with different settings and conditions  before you're going on a photo safari to Africa. Practice on your dog, take photos in a park or forest, and do whatever you can to get more familiar with your camera and its features. It’s essential to understand the different settings to adjust to different conditions.

If you don’t have the time, motivation, skills, or if there’s any other reason why it’s not possible to learn how to make good photos, please save your money and enjoy the experience. You can try to take photos with your smartphone or a compact (zoom) camera because nowadays, the cameras on smartphones and compact cameras are pretty good. The most important thing is that you have an interest in (learning) photography.

7. Make a suitable itinerary

Photographic safaris often manage a slow and sustainable travel approach to spend enough time at the right places at the right times. The less time you spend in transit, the more time you’ll have for spending on your destination, being in the moment, and encountering and capturing incredible wildlife. On regular safaris, you usually visit more destinations, which means more time in transit. Another big advantage of slow travel is minimizing your impact on the environment and maximizing your appreciation and connection with the local community and their environment . I would always recommend spending at least three nights at each safari accommodation.

For photography, it’s extremely important to have time and patience. Wildlife is unpredictable and not always active.

When planning your trip, find a good balance between the number of destinations and the time you want to spend photographing wildlife on game drives .

Customized Photo Safari Experience

Do you want to improve your photography skills and travel with like-minded people? You might want to consider joining my upcoming photo safari in Africa ! Contact me if you are interested.

Like what I do? Follow me on my social media channels and  help me grow by sharing or pinning this article and leaving a comment.

Maps & Merlot

14 Outstanding African Safari Photography Tips

If you’re heading to Africa soon and are looking for photography tips for your African safari, you’ve come to the right place! For most people, photography is a huge part of an African safari, and while we all want to capture those epic National Geographic photos, it is important to understand that those types of shots can be pretty difficult to achieve.

I’ve put together a list of African safari photography tips to help you plan ahead and set you up to take the best photos on your safari. The list includes equipment to bring, camera settings, framing considerations, and more. I hope these African safari photography tips will help you to capture the photos of your dreams!

This post may contain affiliate links.

1. Invest in Quality Camera Equipment

The first of my African safari photography tips is to invest in quality camera equipment.

There is always a huge discussion between mirrorless vs. DSLR cameras, and each has its pros and cons. I’m personally pro-mirrorless due to the lighter weight and how far the technology has come over the years, but you can’t go wrong with either.

The next decision is crop sensor vs. full-frame. As an owner of both, I would firmly recommend a full-frame camera. A full-frame camera provides a wider field of view and also tends to shoot better in low light, which is critical on a safari. Animals are often most active around dawn and dusk, so you’ll often be shooting in low light.

One other thing to consider is the camera’s frame rate, expressed in frames per second “fps.” I ended up shooting in burst mode pretty frequently for animals in motion, so it was amazing to be able to capture a lot of shots. For example, shooting in burst/ continuous mode meant capturing this epic shot of a lion yawning.

With that, I’d recommend a full-frame camera with good fps. I’m personally a Sony fan, so I opted for a Sony A7iii and would absolutely use the same camera again.

Recommended Camera : Sony A7iii or Sony A7iv

Now that you have a camera, your next step is selecting lenses. I’d recommend bringing along 3 main lenses:

Telephoto Lens: A telephoto lens is an absolute must-have for a safari. It should be at least 300mm, or you won’t be able to take those close up shots. For my Sony A7iii, I use the Sigma 100-400mm . It is significantly less expensive than its Sony counterpart, and I was very happy with the pictures.

Wide Angle Lens : While you’re on safari, make sure to bring along a wide angle lens to capture the epic landscapes. I use a Sony FE 12-24mm G Master . On most of my trips, I do a lot of landscape photography, so it made sense to splurge on a wide angle option.

Traditional Lens : For a traditional zoom lens, I’d recommend the Sony FE 24-70mm G Master II . This is a common walkaround lens and is great for most trips (city shots, etc.). On safari, I switched to this lens multiple times when the animals were so close to the vehicle that I couldn’t capture the shot with a telephoto lens.

2. Camera & Lens Rentals

Having the proper camera equipment will help to capture the best wildlife photos. However, purchasing a camera and lenses can definitely add up and if you don’t want to invest in a full setup, the good news is you can also rent cameras and lenses! You can rent a camera body and/or lenses in packages and separately.

If you choose to rent a camera or lens, make sure you schedule its arrival far enough in advance of your trip. It is so important to practice to get to know your camera before you go on safari.

3. Pack Camera Accessories

One of my African safari photography tips is to pack all of the necessary camera accessories. From extra storage to backup batteries to camera support, there are a few items that you definitely want to bring.

Extra Storage

I was actually shocked by the amount of storage I needed for photos on this trip. I completely filled up a 256GB card and was well into my second by the end of my week-long safari. I’d recommend bringing along multiple 256GB memory cards (or larger) to ensure you have plenty of photo storage.

I’d also recommend bringing along a memory card holder case so you can safely transport your SD cards. This is the exact case I use and travel with – it take up very little space and keeps all of my memory cards safe.

Backup Batteries

Going along with the extra storage, you’ll definitely need some backup camera batteries. For my Sony a7iii, I bring two or three of these rechargeable batteries and this battery charger . Our days on safari were pretty long; on some days, we were out for 12 straight hours, so I heavily relied on my backup batteries.

Some safari vehicles will have charging ports (which were great), but I wouldn’t rely on your vehicle having them. Our vehicle was open air, so we also couldn’t charge if it was raining.

Camera Support

For your safari, you’ll also want to bring along some kind of camera support to help stabilize your camera. A camera bean bag is pretty common because it doesn’t take up much space. When you take small bush planes on safari, you’ll usually be limited on weight (30 or 40 pounds), so the bean bag is nice because it won’t take up too much of your baggage allocation.

However, if you have less of a limit on your baggage, I love my tripod . I have used this tripod for so many different things – waterfall photos, long exposure with the Northern lights, and beautiful blue hour shots. It is also perfect to stabilize your camera for safari shots. A tripod is a little unwieldy in a safari vehicle, but it is nice to have around camp.

4. Protect Your Camera Gear

One of my key African safari photography tips is to take very good care of your camera gear. Between the dust and the rain, there are all sorts of things that can mess up your shot.

For the dust : Bring a lens cleaning kit . Even though I changed my lenses very quickly, dust still got into all of the camera’s crevices, so I ended up using the air blower a lot. I didn’t want to touch the inner workings of the camera, so this was so helpful in keeping the camera dust-free. If you get dust in your sensor or on your lens, you’ll get those annoying black spots on your photos. I’d also recommend keeping your lens cap on when not using your camera. I kept my camera covered, but made sure it was easily accessible to quickly capture photos.

For the rain : The lens cleaning kit and keeping the lens caps on also protects well against light rain storms. It was also helpful to use a lens hood during storms if you still want to capture a few photos. I’d also recommend ensuring that your camera bag is waterproof or has a waterproof cover. We had an open-air vehicle for part of our safari and a couple of the rain storms were very heavy. If our bag hadn’t been waterproof, it would have been a huge problem.

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5. Camera Settings

I wrote a whole post on the best camera settings for safari photography , but I’ll give you some of the highlights below.

Continuous Shooting : Wildlife moves a lot, so I shot a lot in burst mode/ continuous shooting. On the positive side, I was able to capture so many cool shots. On the down side, I ended up with thousands of photos to sort through…despite the annoyance, I would highly recommend shooting in continuous mode to capture those epic shots.

Pick the Correct Mode : I wouldn’t recommend shooting in Auto because your camera may not select the correct shutter speed, ISO, or aperture and you may miss “the shot.” If you’re a pro, Manual is your best bet. I’m not a pro, so I switched between Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority. I’d recommend giving my article on camera settings a thorough read for all of the details.

Read More : Camera Settings for Safari Photography

6. Shoot RAW+ JPEG

Set your camera to shoot in RAW. This option will give you so much more latitude in processing and is one of the most important of my African safari photography tips. Sometimes I would only have a few seconds to snag a shot before the animal moved on, so I didn’t always have enough time to get the camera settings perfect. Fortunately, RAW files allowed me to fix most things during processing! One important point is that RAW photos do take up significantly more space on your memory card, so make sure to factor that into your decision when choosing SD cards.

I usually choose to shoot in RAW + JPEG so that if I can transfer a few JPEG files to my phone. This isn’t a huge deal, but I often like to immediately enjoy the pics and send to my family. JPEG may also be the right option for you if you don’t want to spend much time on editing!

7. Framing Your Shot

Framing your shot is one of the key African safari photography tips, and while there are no hard and fast rules, there are a few points to consider.

Rule of Thirds: The Rule of Thirds is a common photography guideline that breaks down an image into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, so that your image is split into nine pieces. You then position the key elements at the intersection of the gridlines to make the image feel balanced. However, remember that this is just a guide and that sometimes rules are meant to be broken. Oftentimes animals don’t cooperate with your photographic vision, so take what you can get!

Shoot High and Low: In a safari vehicle, it can be easy to always gravitate toward the same seat…and if you do, a lot of your shots will be from the same perspective. Make sure to switch up where you’re sitting and stand up, sit down, anything to get a unique perspective.

Zoom In & Out: It can be tempting to zoom in and take tons of close-up shots, but make sure you also zoom out and incorporate the landscape, as well. When I shoot, I’ll usually capture some close-up shots with my telephoto lens and some further-out shots, which I take with my telephoto lens, traditional lens, or wide angle lens – depending upon how far the safari vehicle is from the animals. I’d also recommend doing a major zoom on an animal’s face occasionally. I love when you can capture the emotion behind their eyes.

8. Capture the Small Stuff

Everyone going on a safari knows about the Big 5, and for a good reason. However, there are tons of smaller animals and birds that are so unique that are highly worth capturing on safari. I’ll give you a few of my favorites that I captured while on safari.

There are lots of colorful birds like the lilac-breasted roller and the kingfisher.

The serval and caracal are both cats, though clearly smaller than the lions. We watched both animals stalk their prey and we even saw the caracal spring through the grass to catch a bird!

The pangolin is a scaly mammal, and an animal that our guide told us was considered very lucky. Seeing a pangolin on a safari is very rare; our guide had been working for years and told us that this was only the second pangolin he has ever seen.

9. Photograph the Landscape

In addition to the smaller animals, make sure you take the time to photograph the landscape. It is so easy to only focus on animals, but chances are good that the surrounding landscape is very different than your hometown. I loved snapping shots of the Serengeti at sunrise and the unique trees.

10. Pick the Right Time & Location

Next up on the list of African safari photography tips is to pick the right time and location. To capture the best safari photos, you’ll want to do plenty of advance research. For example, my ultimate goal on our Tanzania safari was to capture the wildebeest river crossing – which tends to occur in late August through early September in the Northern Serengeti. However, if your goal is to see calving season, which means lots of baby wildebeest and zebras, you’d want to travel in February – March to the Southern Serengeti.

No matter the goal for your African safari, do plenty of advance research to ensure you’re booking your trip at the correct time and to the correct location.

11. Trust Your Guide & Communicate Expectations

One of my top African safari photography tips is to get to know your driver-guide. They know so much about the animals, their behaviors, and where to find them. If you are transparent and communicate your expectations, they will be an excellent resource.

On the last day of our safari, we had already seen all of the animals on our list, so we jokingly asked our guide to find us a lion on a rock (very specific!). Our guide was so familiar with the area that he knew of an area with rocks where a lion pride frequently visited. After a bit of driving around, he found us our lion on a rock!

Jokes aside, do communicate your priorities. Do you want to see sunrises over the Serengeti or do you prefer to sleep in? Do you want to take lots of photos or just experience the animals? (This may impact where the driver-guide parks the vehicle). Are there particular animals you want to see?

The other piece is trusting your guide. If your guide makes a decision seemingly out of the blue, there is probably a very good reason. We were driving to the river at sunrise one morning to watch a river crossing and all of a sudden, our driver-guide turned around and sped off in the opposite direction. The guides all communicate on the radio, and it turns out that there was a rhino sighting, which was incredibly rare!

12. Patience is Key

When on safari, it can be so tempting to drive from one animal to the next, always in pursuit of the next best thing. However, patience is key – it often pays off to stay in one location. We ended up waiting by the river for nearly five hours for a wildebeest river crossing; while it was a long wait, it was so worth it. While we waited, we got to see so many other things. We saw baby elephants, two male giraffes fighting over a female giraffe, and baby warthogs playing – things we never would have witnessed if we continued to drive around. Just remember that if your guide suggests you wait, it will very likely pay off.

13. Respect the Wildlife

As part of my African safari photography tips, one of the most important things is to respect the wildlife. Always follow your driver-guide’s rules, because they will try to keep both you and the animals safe.

Remember that you are a guest in the animals’ environment and to never interfere with the animals just to capture a better picture. Do not try to impact what you are seeing; for example, do not interfere in hunts, try and wake up animals, or influence their behaviors in any way. It may be tempting to encourage a particular action in pursuit of that perfect photo, but remember that you are only there to capture photos!

14. Practice Before You Go

One of the most important steps is to practice before you go. For me, safari photography was very different than my traditional landscape photography, so I spent the weeks leading up to the trip experimenting with my gear. I practiced in my backyard with my dog; I’d highly recommend practicing at sunrise, sunset, and other low light settings since this is typically when animals are the most active.

Have you been on a safari? What African safari photography tips would you recommend to travelers trying to capture beautiful wildlife shots?

For some more travel inspiration, check out some of the posts below!

Safari Tips for First-Timers: 20 Top Things to Know Before Going on Your First Safari Safari Photo Settings : Best Camera Settings for Safari Photography Safari Outfits: What to Wear on Safari for Women: 10 Cute Outfit Ideas Tented Safari Camps : Top 13 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Tented Camps Tanzania : Kikuletwa Hot Springs: 14+ Things to Know Before You Go Tanzania Itinerary : Tanzania 7 Day Itinerary

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Safari Photography Guide

Embarking on an African safari promises an exhilarating and memorable adventure, and ensuring you have the appropriate camera gear is crucial for immortalizing those rare and exceptional moments. Canon stands out as a top choice among camera brands for safari photography, renowned for its superior image quality and robust build. This article delves into the optimal Canon cameras and lenses to seize breathtaking photos during an African safari. This safari photography guide focuses on Canon as it is the brand that I use for all my photography and I have found the bodies and lenses robust and able to withstand whatever nature chooses to throw at you while on safari.

Behind the Lens: A Peek into My Camera Bag Essentials

In the dynamic world of photography, having the right gear can make all the difference in capturing those picture-perfect moments. Here’s an in-depth look into what’s in my camera bag, a carefully curated selection of equipment that empowers me to unleash my creativity.

• Lowepro ProTactic BP 350 AW II (Camera Backpack)

The backbone of my photography setup is the Lowepro ProTactic BP 350 AW II. Crafted with precision, this camera backpack is a perfect blend of durability and functionality. Its customizable interior ensures a snug fit for my gear, while the all-weather cover provides protection against the elements. With its versatile design, this backpack is a reliable companion for photographers on the move.

• Canon R7 Camera

At the heart of my kit is the Canon R7 Camera. Boasting advanced features and a mirrorless design, it delivers outstanding performance and portability and with its crop sensor is perfect for safari photography. With a high-resolution sensor and rapid autofocus, the Canon R7 empowers me to capture crisp and vibrant images, making it an indispensable tool for both amateurs and professionals.

• Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R

Enhancing the versatility of my setup, the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R allows seamless integration of my EF lenses with the Canon R7. This adapter ensures compatibility across the Canon lens ecosystem, giving me the flexibility to explore various shooting styles and perspectives.

• CANON EF 100-400MM F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM (Telephoto Lens)

When it comes to capturing distant subjects with precision, the CANON EF 100-400MM F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM is my go-to telephoto lens. Its impressive focal range and image stabilization technology enable me to achieve sharp, detailed shots, making it an essential tool for wildlife photography.

• SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 2TB (Storage Solution)

Storage is never a concern with the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 2TB. This high-speed, compact storage solution ensures that I have ample space for my extensive collection of photos and videos. Its rugged design adds an extra layer of security, making it the perfect companion for on-the-go photographers.

• Lexar SILVER Series Professional 1667x 128GB UHS-II SDXC Memory Card

The Lexar SILVER Series Professional 1667x 128GB UHS-II SDXC Memory Card complements my camera’s capabilities with its high-speed performance. With rapid read and write speeds, this memory card ensures smooth data transfer, a crucial factor in capturing high-resolution images and recording 4K videos.

• CANON EF 24-105MM F/4L IS II USM (Versatile Zoom Lens)

The CANON EF 24-105MM F/4L IS II USM is a versatile workhorse in my kit. Its wide focal range and constant aperture make it suitable for a variety of shooting scenarios, from landscapes to portraits. The built-in image stabilization ensures sharp results even in challenging lighting conditions.

• MacBook Air 13-inch  Apple M2 (Editing Powerhouse)

For on-the-go editing and organization, the MacBook Air 13-inch with the Apple M2 chip is my trusty companion. Its lightweight design and powerful processing capabilities allow me to review and edit photos with efficiency, ensuring a seamless workflow during and after photo sessions.

• Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (Immersive Audio Experience)

These headphones provide an unparalleled audio experience with exceptional noise cancellation, perfect for long flights and allowing me to focus entirely on my work, whether I’m editing photos or reviewing footage, or listening to music.

• Manfrotto Element Travel Tripod (Stability on the Go)

Stability is paramount in photography, and the Manfrotto Element Travel Tripod delivers just that. With its lightweight design and quick setup, this tripod provides a steady platform for capturing long-exposure shots, group portraits, or any scenario where stability is key.

• Spare Canon LP-E6NH Lithium-Ion Battery

To ensure uninterrupted shooting, I always carry a spare Canon LP-E6NH Lithium-Ion Battery. With extended battery life, I have the peace of mind that I won’t miss a crucial moment, especially during extended photo sessions or while exploring remote locations.

• iPhone 15 Pro Max (Smartphone Camera)

Lastly, the iPhone 15 Pro Max serves as a versatile tool for quick captures and behind-the-scenes moments. With its advanced camera capabilities, it complements my professional gear and allows me to document scenes spontaneously, ensuring no moment goes uncaptured.

Photography Tips  

Engaging in safari photography offers a rare chance to capture breathtaking wildlife images in their native surroundings. Yet, achieving these moments can be daunting without a grasp of the optimal camera settings. Armed with the right configuration, you can produce sharp, well-exposed photographs with vibrant colors. This section will explore the most effective camera settings and offer tips for successful safari photography.

Shutter Spee d

Capturing the essence of movement is crucial in safari photography, making shutter speed a vital setting. Opting for a faster shutter speed proves effective in freezing the motion of swift-moving animals. Typically, a recommended shutter speed of 1/1000th of a second or faster is advised for wildlife photography. Adjustments to the shutter speed may be necessary depending on the animal’s movement and the prevailing lighting conditions.

Slow shutter speed can also play a crucial role in enhancing the artistic and dynamic elements of safari photography. While a faster shutter speed freezes fast-paced movement, a slower shutter speed introduces intentional blur, imparting a sense of motion to the image. This effect can be particularly useful when capturing the graceful movements of animals, such as a herd of wildebeests or a bird in flight.

By deliberately slowing down the shutter speed, you allow more light to enter the camera, contributing to a longer exposure time. This can result in visually striking photographs, showcasing the ambient light and creating a sense of drama in the scene. It’s important to note that using a slow shutter speed requires a steady hand or, preferably, a tripod to avoid unwanted camera shake.

Experimenting with slow shutter speeds in safari photography opens up creative possibilities, offering a unique perspective that goes beyond simply freezing action. Consider incorporating this technique when the opportunity arises, and adapt your settings based on the specific conditions and subjects encountered during your safari adventure.

In safari photography, mastering the relationship between aperture and depth of field is key to creating compelling and visually striking images. The aperture, the opening in the camera lens that controls the amount of light entering, plays a dual role by significantly influencing the depth of field in your photographs.

A wide aperture, represented by a smaller f-number (e.g., f/2.8 or f/4), is advantageous for safari shots. This setting allows more light to reach the camera sensor and creates a shallow depth of field. This shallow depth of field results in the main subject, such as a magnificent lion or an elegant giraffe, being sharply focused, while the background is beautifully blurred. This technique not only isolates the subject but also adds a pleasing aesthetic element to the image.

On the other hand, a narrow aperture, represented by a larger f-number (e.g., f/11 or f/16), increases the depth of field. This is useful when you want to keep both the foreground and background in focus, capturing the broader context of the scene. It’s essential to strike a balance between aperture and depth of field based on your creative vision and the specific composition you aim to achieve.

Understanding how to manipulate the aperture for optimal depth of field empowers you to adapt to different safari scenarios and improve your safari photography. Whether you’re highlighting a single animal against a dreamy backdrop or capturing the expansive landscape with various subjects in sharp focus, mastering aperture settings enhances the storytelling potential of your safari photography.

ISO is a measure of your camera’s sensitivity to light. A higher ISO can help you achieve a faster shutter speed in low-light conditions. However, a high ISO can also introduce noise or grain in your images. You should try to use the lowest ISO possible to achieve the desired shutter speed and aperture. A good starting point for ISO is 400, but you may need to adjust it based on the lighting conditions.

When capturing animal photographs on a safari, selecting the right focus mode is crucial to ensure that you achieve sharp and well-focused shots, especially considering the unpredictability of wildlife behavior. Here are some focus modes and considerations for taking animal photographs on safari:

• Continuous Autofocus (AI Servo or equivalent): This focus mode is essential for photographing moving subjects, such as animals in action. Continuous autofocus allows the camera to track the subject and adjust focus continuously, ensuring that your shots remain sharp even as the animal moves within the frame. It’s particularly useful for dynamic scenes like animals in motion or engaged in activities. This is the mode in which I normally have my camera set.
• Single Autofocus (One-Shot AF): When photographing stationary animals or capturing portraits, using the Single Autofocus mode can be effective. This mode locks focus on a specific point, and it’s suitable when your subject is relatively still. It allows you to achieve precise focus on the animal, especially when capturing detailed shots or portraits.
• Face and Eye Detection: Many modern cameras, including those used for safari photography, come equipped with advanced face and eye detection technology. When photographing animals, especially those with distinct facial features, enabling face and eye detection can help the camera automatically focus on the eyes or faces of the animals, resulting in compelling and engaging images. This needs to be set in your camera menu.
• Zone or Expanded Area Autofocus: For situations where your subject may move unpredictably within a certain area of the frame, using a zone or expanded area autofocus mode can be beneficial. This allows the camera to focus on a broader region, making it more forgiving if the animal moves slightly within the selected zone.
• Manual Focus: In certain scenarios, such as when dealing with challenging lighting conditions or when the camera’s autofocus might struggle, switching to manual focus gives you full control over focusing. This can be particularly useful for capturing shots where the autofocus system might have difficulty, such as in dense vegetation or low-light environments.

When on a safari, it’s essential to be ready for various shooting conditions and animal behaviors. Experimenting with different focus modes and being familiar with your camera’s autofocus capabilities will help you adapt to different situations, ensuring that you can capture stunning and well-focused animal photographs on your safari adventure.

Exposure mode

When on safari, selecting the appropriate exposure mode on your Canon camera is crucial for capturing well-exposed and visually appealing photographs in a variety of lighting conditions. Canon cameras typically offer several exposure modes, and the choice depends on the specific shooting scenario. Here are some exposure modes to consider:

• Aperture Priority (Av): This mode allows you to set the desired aperture while the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed to achieve a proper exposure. Aperture Priority is useful when you want to control the depth of field, especially in wildlife photography where isolating the subject with a blurred background might be desirable.
• Shutter Priority (TV): Shutter Priority lets you choose the shutter speed while the camera adjusts the aperture accordingly. This mode is beneficial for capturing fast-moving animals or freezing motion in dynamic scenes. For example, when photographing wildlife in action, a faster shutter speed can help avoid motion blur.
• Program (P) Mode: In Program mode, the camera automatically sets both the aperture and shutter speed based on the scene’s lighting conditions. This mode is convenient when you want a balance between control and automation, suitable for situations where lighting is relatively consistent.
• Manual (M) Mode: Manual mode provides full control over both aperture and shutter speed. This mode is beneficial when dealing with challenging lighting situations or when you want precise control over exposure settings. It’s particularly useful for capturing diverse safari scenes where lighting conditions may vary.
• Auto (Green Square or Scene Modes): The Auto mode is suitable for beginners or situations where you want the camera to handle most of the exposure settings. Many Canon cameras also offer scene modes, allowing you to select a specific scenario (e.g., landscape, portrait, sports) for optimized settings.
• Exposure Compensation: Regardless of the exposure mode you choose, exposure compensation is a valuable tool. It allows you to adjust the exposure up or down in increments to compensate for challenging lighting conditions. This can be crucial when dealing with backlit subjects or scenes with high contrast.

When on safari, be prepared to encounter a variety of lighting situations, from bright sunlight to low-light conditions during sunrise or sunset. Familiarizing yourself with the different exposure modes on your Canon camera and understanding how they affect aperture, shutter speed, and ISO will help you adapt to the diverse and dynamic environments of a safari, ensuring you capture stunning images with optimal exposure.

RAW VS JPEG

When embarking on a safari adventure with your Canon camera, the choice between shooting in RAW or JPEG format becomes a crucial decision, each with its own set of advantages and considerations. My safari photography is done solely in RAW.

RAW Format:

• Maximum Image Quality: RAW files contain uncompressed and unprocessed data captured by the camera’s sensor. This results in the highest image quality and provides more flexibility in post-processing.
• Greater Dynamic Range: RAW files retain more information in highlights and shadows, allowing for better recovery of details in post-production. This is particularly useful in challenging lighting conditions often encountered on safaris.
• Extensive Editing Options: RAW files offer a broader range of editing possibilities, enabling adjustments to exposure, color balance, and sharpness without significant loss of quality.
• White Balance Flexibility: RAW allows you to fine-tune white balance settings during post-processing, providing greater control over the final appearance of your images.
• Optimal for Print and Large Prints: RAW files are well-suited for large prints due to their higher resolution and superior image quality.

JPEG Format:

• Smaller File Sizes: JPEG files are compressed, resulting in smaller file sizes. This can be advantageous for conserving storage space on memory cards and hard drives.
• In-Camera Processing: JPEG files undergo in-camera processing, applying settings like white balance, sharpness, and color saturation at the time of capture. This can be convenient if you prefer minimal post-processing.
• Quick Sharing: JPEGs are easily shareable as they are ready to be uploaded or sent without the need for extensive post-production. This can be beneficial when sharing images promptly, such as on social media.
• Faster Burst Rates: Shooting in JPEG allows for faster burst rates and longer continuous shooting, beneficial when capturing rapid sequences of wildlife action.

Considerations:

Storage Capacity: RAW files consume more storage space than JPEGs. Ensure you have sufficient memory cards and storage devices, especially if you plan to shoot extensively.

Post-Processing Skill: If you are comfortable with post-processing and desire maximum control over your images, shooting in RAW is recommended. However, if you prefer minimal editing and quicker workflows, JPEG may be suitable.

Backup: Given the larger file sizes of RAW, having a robust backup strategy is essential to avoid the loss of valuable images.

Ultimately, the choice between RAW and JPEG depends on your preferences, post-processing workflow, and the level of control you seek over your safari photographs. Many photographers opt for shooting in RAW for the superior image quality and flexibility it provides during post-production, especially when capturing the diverse and challenging conditions of a safari environment.

Familiarize Yourself with Your Camera Settings

Before embarking on your safari, take the time to acquaint yourself with the settings of your Canon camera. Knowing how to manipulate factors like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO is crucial for capturing captivating photos of wildlife and landscapes. Opting for manual mode grants you complete control over your camera settings, enabling adjustments tailored to the specific shooting conditions. For beginners, Aperture Priority mode serves as a viable option, providing control over depth of field while the camera automatically adjusts other settings.

Use a Telephoto Lens

When embarking on a safari adventure in Africa, having the right telephoto lens can significantly enhance your wildlife photography. Canon, a renowned camera and lens manufacturer, offers a variety of telephoto lenses designed to capture the beauty and essence of African wildlife. 

To explore these lenses further and make an informed decision, you can check out real reviews from experienced photographers by clicking on the respective links. These firsthand experiences will give you valuable insights into the capabilities of each lens and help you choose the perfect companion for your safari photography journey.

Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM Lens

• Compact, lightweight, and high-image quality RF Tele zoom lens
• Optical Image Stabilizer with up to 5.5 Stops of shake correction
• High speed, smooth, and quiet autofocus with Canon’s Nano USM
• 9-blade circular aperture for beautiful bokeh
• Control Ring for direct setting changes

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM :

• Versatile zoom range for flexibility in framing distant subjects.
• Advanced Image Stabilization (IS) for sharp handheld shots.
• Excellent image quality with fluorite and super UD glass elements.
• Fast and accurate autofocus for capturing fast-moving wildlife.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM :

• A professional-grade telephoto zoom lens with a wide aperture.
• Ideal for capturing wildlife portraits and details.
• Superior image stabilization for handheld shooting.
• Durable build suitable for rugged safari conditions.

Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM :

• Exceptional image quality with a wide aperture for low-light conditions.
• Super telephoto reach for capturing distant subjects.
• Advanced IS technology for stable handheld shooting.
• Lightweight design for easier portability during safari excursions.

Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM :

• Designed for Canon’s RF mount, offering compatibility with mirrorless cameras.
• Impressive zoom range for versatile composition.
• Image Stabilization for sharp images at longer focal lengths.
• Compact and lightweight design for travel and safari use.

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM :

• Super telephoto lens with an ultra-wide aperture for exceptional light gathering.
• Ideal for capturing distant or elusive wildlife with incredible detail.
• Advanced IS system for handheld stability.
• Robust build with magnesium alloy construction.

Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x :

• Unique built-in extender for increased focal length flexibility.
• Versatile zoom range suitable for a variety of safari scenarios.
• Advanced optical design for high-quality images.
• Durable construction for challenging environmental conditions.

When selecting a telephoto lens for safari photography, consider factors such as focal length, aperture, and image stabilization. The choice depends on your specific preferences, the type of wildlife you plan to capture, and the shooting conditions you expect to encounter during your African safari.

Consider using a Wide-Angle Lens

When embarking on a safari adventure in Africa, a wide-angle lens can be a valuable addition to your camera gear. While telephoto lenses are often associated with wildlife photography, wide-angle lenses offer unique opportunities to capture the vast landscapes, stunning scenery, and the broader context of the safari experience. Here are some Canon wide-angle lenses to consider and why you might use them on a safari:

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM :

• Versatile Wide-Angle Zoom: This lens covers a broad range of focal lengths, making it versatile for capturing both expansive landscapes and closer subjects.
• Large Aperture: The wide f/2.8 aperture allows for excellent low-light performance and creative control over depth of field.
• Durable Construction: With weather-sealing and robust build quality, it’s suitable for varied safari conditions.

Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM :

• Designed for Mirrorless Cameras: This lens is part of Canon’s RF series, providing compatibility with their mirrorless cameras.
• Image Stabilization: The inclusion of image stabilization is beneficial for handheld shooting, especially in low-light situations.
• High Optical Performance: Offers sharpness and clarity across the frame, capturing the vibrant details of African landscapes.

Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM :

• Wide Aperture: With a wide f/1.4 aperture, this lens excels in low-light conditions, allowing you to capture the magical moments of sunrise or sunset on the safari.
• Prime Lens Quality: As a prime lens, it delivers exceptional optical performance and is well-suited for capturing wide-angle scenes with stunning clarity.

Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM :

• Ultra-Wide Angle: This lens offers an ultra-wide focal length, ideal for capturing dramatic landscapes and immersive safari scenes.
• Image Stabilization: Equipped with image stabilization for handheld stability, even at wider angles.
• Compact and Lightweight: Designed for portability, making it a practical choice for travel and safari expeditions.

Why Use a Wide-Angle Lens on Safari:

Landscape Photography: Wide-angle lenses are perfect for capturing the vastness of African landscapes, showcasing the sweeping plains, majestic mountains, and expansive skies.

Environmental Context: Wide-angle lenses help tell a more comprehensive story by including the surroundings, and providing context to the wildlife and their habitat.

Creative Perspectives: Wide-angle lenses allow for creative compositions, emphasizing foreground elements and creating a sense of depth in your images.

Group Shots: When photographing groups of animals or scenes with multiple subjects, a wide-angle lens ensures you can fit more into the frame.

In summary, incorporating a wide-angle lens into your camera kit for an African safari enables you to capture breathtaking landscapes and diverse environments, providing a well-rounded photographic narrative of your safari experience.

Best Canon Cameras For Safari

Choosing the right Canon camera for an African safari involves considering factors such as budget, features, and the level of photographic expertise. Here are recommendations for affordable, mid-range, and professional-level Canon cameras that are well-suited for capturing the diverse and dynamic scenes encountered during an African safari:

Affordable Cameras:

Canon EOS Rebel T7i (EOS 800D):

• Budget-Friendly: The Rebel T7i offers an affordable entry point for those on a budget.
• 24.2MP APS-C Sensor: Provides decent image quality for capturing wildlife and landscapes.
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF: Ensures quick and accurate autofocus, handy for spontaneous wildlife moments.

Affordable RF Canon Cameras

Canon EOS R100

• Entry-Level Mirrorless: A budget-friendly mirrorless option24.1 Megapixel (APS-C) CMOS Sensor with ISO 10025600 (H: 51200
• Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC Technology.
• 9-point AF System and AI Servo AF
• Optical Viewfinder with Approx. 95% Viewing Coverage
• 3.0-inch LCD with 920,000 Dots
• Scene Intelligent Auto Mode – Full HD 30p 
• Canon EOS Rebel SL3 DSLR Camera
• Lightest, Smallest EOS DSLR camera.
• High Image Quality with 24.1 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) Sensor
• Fast and Accurate Dual Pixel CMOS AF with Eye Detection AF
• 4K Video, 4K Time-lapse Movie
• Vari-angle Touchscreen, 3.0-inch LCD.
• Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Technology with Auto Image Transfer.

Mid-Range Canon Cameras :

• Canon EOS 90D
• Fast continuous shooting, Capture the action at up to 10fps
• 32.5 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, For exquisite detail
• Intelligent optical viewfinder, Comfortable to use even over long periods
• 45 cross type AF points with multi-controller, Focus quickly and accurately even in low light
• iTR focus tracking, Keep even fast-moving subjects in focus
• 4K filmmaking and Dual Pixel CMOS AF, Superb quality video and audio
• Canon EOS 6D Mark II
• Full-Frame Power: A mid-range full-frame option.26.2 Megapixel Full-frame CMOS Sensor
• Optical Viewfinder with a 45-point All Cross-type AF System
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF with Phase-detection & Full HD 60p
• DIGIC 7 Image Processor, ISO 100-40000
• Vari-angle Touch Screen, 3.0-inch LCD
• Built-in Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth and GPS
• Canon EOS R7
• High Image Quality with a 32.5 Megapixel (APS-C) CMOS Sensor
• High-Speed Shooting
• Blazing Fast Autofocus
• 5-axis In-body Image Stabilization with auto-level technology
• Record each clip over 30 minutes
• Get professional quality video with Smart Shoe integration for audio and HQ 4K

.                            

Pro Canon Cameras

• Canon EOS R3 Mirrorless Camera
• High Image Quality with a Back-illuminated Stacked 24.1 Megapixel Full-frame CMOS Sensor
• DIGIC X Image Processor with an ISO range of 100-102400; Expandable to 204800
• The First EOS Digital camera to feature Eye Control AF
• 5.76-million-dot & 120fps blackout-free EVF with quick response, as well as a Vari-Angle Touchscreen
• Capable of recording 6K 60P RAW or 4K 120p 10-bit (uncropped) with Canon Log 3
• Dual Card Slots for CFexpress and UHS-II SD Memory Cards
• Canon EOS 1DX Mark III
• A new era in autofocus speed and accuracy
• Outstanding stills and video
• High speed camera communications
• Always ready to perform, whatever the situation
• Enhanced DIGIC Processor
• New CMOS Sensor

Considerations When Buying a Canon Camera for Your African Safari:

Focal Length and Lens Compatibility: Ensure the camera is compatible with the lenses you need for wildlife and landscape photography, considering both EF and RF lenses.

Autofocus Performance: Wildlife photography demands reliable autofocus, so look for advanced autofocus systems like Dual Pixel CMOS AF for quick and accurate focusing.

Weather Sealing: Given the varied conditions on safari, having a camera with weather-sealed construction is crucial for durability and protection against the elements.

Portability and Weight: Consider the size and weight of the camera, especially if you plan to carry it for extended periods during safari excursions.

Battery Life: Longer battery life is beneficial for extended periods in the field. Consider having spare batteries for backup.

Video Capabilities: If you plan to document your safari in video format, consider cameras with advanced video features, such as 4K recording and high frame rates.

Low-Light Performance: Given the early morning and late evening safari excursions, good low-light performance is essential for capturing wildlife in natural lighting conditions.

Budget: Determine your budget range and choose a camera that offers the best features within that range. Consider investing in good lenses as well.

• It Is Important To Pay Attention To The Lighting. 

Lighting is a crucial aspect of photography, and when on safari, capturing the vibrant colors, textures, and details of wildlife and landscapes depends significantly on understanding and utilizing available light conditions. Here are considerations and tips for handling lighting while on a safari photography expedition:

• Golden Hours:
• Early Morning and Late Afternoon: The golden hours around sunrise and sunset provide soft, warm, and directional light. This lighting not only enhances the natural colors of the environment but also creates long shadows, adding depth and dimension to your photographs.
• Harsh Daylight:
• Use Shadows Creatively: Embrace the challenges of harsh midday sunlight by incorporating shadows creatively. These shadows can add contrast and drama to your images, especially when capturing textured landscapes or wildlife features.
• Cloudy Days:
• Even and Soft Lighting: Overcast or cloudy days can provide even and soft lighting. This diffuse light reduces harsh shadows and can be advantageous for capturing details and colors without the distraction of strong contrasts.
• Backlighting:
• Silhouettes and Rim Lighting: Experiment with backlighting, especially during sunrise or sunset. This technique can create silhouettes and add a beautiful rim light to your subjects, highlighting their contours against the backdrop.
• Adapt to Changing Conditions:
• Be Flexible: Safari conditions can change rapidly, from bright sunlight to overcast skies. Be prepared to adapt your settings and compositions accordingly. Stay alert to the changing atmosphere and adjust your approach as needed.
• Use Natural Frames:
• Utilize Trees and Vegetation: Take advantage of natural elements like trees or bushes to create frames within your composition. These frames can add interest to your photos and also help control the intensity of sunlight.
• Consider the Animal’s Perspective:
• Capture Catchlights: When photographing animals, pay attention to the catchlights in their eyes. Position yourself so that the light enhances the catchlights, bringing life and sparkle to the subject’s eyes.
• White Balance:
• Adjust for Conditions: Set your camera’s white balance according to the prevailing conditions. Different lighting situations may require adjustments to maintain accurate and natural color tones.
• Avoid Direct Flash:
• Opt for Natural Light: While flash can be useful in certain situations, especially for fill-in light, try to rely on natural light as much as possible. It provides a more authentic and visually appealing look to your safari photographs.
• Patience and Observation:
• Wait for the Right Moments: Patience is key in wildlife photography. Observe the behavior of animals and be ready to capture those magical moments when the lighting is just perfect.
• Silent and Respectful Approach:
• Minimize Disturbance: Approach animals silently and respectfully to avoid disturbing their natural behavior. This not only ensures ethical photography but also allows you to capture them in their most relaxed and authentic state.
• Lens Hoods and Filters:
• Minimize Lens Flare: Use lens hoods to minimize lens flare caused by direct sunlight. Consider using polarizing filters to manage reflections and enhance colors.

Conclusion:

Lighting is a dynamic element in safari photography, and understanding how to adapt to different conditions will significantly impact the quality of your images. Whether you’re capturing the warmth of a sunrise, the drama of a storm, or the soft glow of an overcast day, being attuned to the nuances of lighting will help you create stunning and evocative safari photographs.                                                                                                       

Best Software To Edit Safari Photos

Editing safari photographs requires software that can handle various aspects such as color correction, exposure adjustments, and fine-tuning details to bring out the beauty of wildlife and landscapes. Here, I’ll discuss three popular software options for editing safari photographs: Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, and Luminar Neo.

• Adobe Lightroom: 
• User-friendly interface: Lightroom’s intuitive interface makes it accessible for both beginners and experienced photographers.
• Non-destructive editing: Lightroom preserves the original image, allowing you to experiment with edits without altering the original file.
• Efficient organization: The software offers robust cataloging and organizational tools, helping users manage large collections of safari photographs.
• Synchronization: Edits made in Lightroom can be synchronized across multiple devices, facilitating a seamless editing workflow.
• Key Features: Global and local adjustments: Lightroom enables users to make overall adjustments to the entire image or target specific areas using the Graduated Filter, Radial Filter, and Adjustment Brush tools.
• Presets and profiles: The software includes a variety of presets and profiles, allowing users to apply predefined settings or create their own for consistent editing.                                                                     

Advanced editing capabilities: Photoshop is a powerful software for intricate and detailed edits, making it suitable for tasks like retouching and compositing.

Layers and masks: The ability to work with layers and masks provides a high level of control over specific elements in the image, enhancing flexibility in editing.

• Key Features:
• Retouching tools: Photoshop offers advanced retouching tools, such as the Healing Brush and Clone Stamp, which are useful for removing distractions or imperfections in safari photographs.Advanced color correction: Photoshop provides extensive color correction tools, allowing photographers to fine-tune the color balance and enhance the vibrancy of safari images.

Luminar Neo:

• AI-powered editing: Luminar Neo leverages artificial intelligence to streamline the editing process, making it easier for photographers to achieve impressive results quickly.

One-click enhancements: The software includes AI-driven features like Accent AI, which automatically enhances images with a single click, saving time in the editing workflow.

• Sky replacement and AI filters: Luminar Neo offers creative tools like AI Sky Replacement, allowing photographers to change the sky in their safari photographs easily. Additionally, AI filters enhance specific aspects of the image, such as details and colors.

In conclusion, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, and Luminar Neo are all excellent choices for editing safari photographs, each offering unique features and strengths. Lightroom is ideal for efficient organization and global adjustments, Photoshop excels in detailed editing and retouching, while Luminar Neo stands out with its AI-powered enhancements and creative tools. Choosing the best software depends on the specific needs and preferences of the photographer.

Patient, Observant Wildlife Photography

Wildlife photography is a fascinating and challenging genre of photography. It requires a lot of patience and observation, as well as technical skill and knowledge of animal behavior. In this article, we will discuss some tips for being patient and observant in wildlife photography.

Research and Plan

Before heading out to photograph wildlife, it’s important to research and plan your trip. Research the animal behavior and habitat, as well as the best time of day and season to photograph them. Knowing where and when to find your subject will save you time and increase your chances of getting the shot you want. Planning also involves choosing the right gear, clothing, and accessories for your trip.

Be Quiet and Still

Wild animals are sensitive to noise and movement, so it’s important to be quiet and still while photographing them. Avoid making sudden movements, rustling leaves, or loud noises that could startle or scare the animal away. Move slowly and deliberately, and keep a low profile. Wildlife is more likely to approach you if you look and act non-threatening.

Observe the Animal Behavior

Observing animal behavior is essential to capturing great wildlife photos. Pay attention to their movements, body language, and interactions with other animals. This will give you insight into their behavior and help you anticipate their next move. Knowing when and where to point your camera will increase your chances of getting the shot you want.

Wait for the Right Moment

Wildlife photography requires patience, and waiting for the right moment is key to getting a great shot. Observe the animal and wait for it to do something interesting or unique. Be prepared to wait for hours or even days to get the shot you want. The key is to be patient and ready for when the animal does something interesting.

Be Respectful of the Animals

Respect for the animals and their habitat is crucial in wildlife photography. Avoid disturbing the animal or its environment by keeping a safe distance and avoiding feeding or touching them. Respect their space and be mindful of their safety and well-being. Remember, the animal’s welfare comes first, and photography comes second.

Patience and observation are essential to capturing great wildlife photos. Research and planning, being quiet and still, using a telephoto lens, observing animal behavior, waiting for the right moment, being respectful of the animals, using natural light, and shooting in continuous mode are all important techniques to master. With practice, skill, and a lot of patience, you can capture stunning wildlife photos that will inspire and delight others. Remember, the key to great wildlife photography is to be patient, observant, and have fun with creativity.

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The 25 Best Safari Guides

By Graham Boynton

Safari guides hold it in their hands to make or break dreams, yet finding a good one can be vexing for the uninitiated. As a native Zimbabwean, Graham Boynton has spent decades on safari, and, most recently, 18 months traveling through the bush with guides in 6 countries to come up with this list of his 25 top safari guides. The guides listed with an asterisk (*) are affiliated with safari camps and may be requested as personal guides if you're staying at that particular camp (there's usually no additional fee involved, though generous tips would be expected). The other guides all work independently, and though some may be able to arrange your entire safari, it's usually simpler to book your trip—and the guide—through a tour operator (see "Your Guide to the Guides"). Rates below represent the cost per person per day.

15 Legendary Guides

1. *keraetswe bosigo (madala k).

Little Vumbura Camp, Botswana

Bosigo's nickname is Madala K, which, translated, means Old K. He arrived in the Okavango Delta by mokoro , a type of canoe, with his grandfather as a 15-year-old, and started out as a tracker for a hunting company before breaking away to guide photography safaris. Now in his mid-50s, he's acquired vast experience in the Okavango's Vumbura area. A Wilderness Safaris guide for almost 20 years, he is dry, laconic, and dead smart . He's also very involved in training the next generation of Botswanan guides ([email protected]; $450).

2. Gregg Hughes

SAFARI FOOTPRINTS, BOTSWANA

A biology graduate and former Wilderness Safaris guide, Hughes now freelances mainly in Botswana. He is a superb walking guide, a fact this author can testify to as he once saved my life and that of my daughter's when we were caught up in the aforementioned elephant stampede in the middle of an open plain. He combines academic expertise with immense charm , and although he often guides out of luxury camps such as Jao and Mombo, he enjoys trips closer to the soil. As proof, he's recently completed a three-month motorbike safari through southern Africa ([email protected]; $650).

3. *James "007" Pisetu

DUBA PLAINS, BOTSWANA

Pisetu began guiding at Duba Plains as the camp's first and only guide in 1996. He did all the game drives, nature walks, mokoro trips, and village tours, which gave him a unique and comprehensive knowledge of the area and its inhabitants, both wild and human. When new safari companies took over the camp—first Wilderness Safaris, then Great Plains—Pisetu served as mediator between the local communities and the companies. Perhaps his greatest skill is knowing the habits and behavior of Duba's large lion prides and buffalo herds , the dramatic, operatic interactions of which are the main reason for coming here ([email protected]; $550).

4. Paul Kiprono Kirui

MASAI MARA, KENYA

Probably Kenya's most distinguished guide, Kirui is chairman of the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association (KPSGA), and one of only ten Gold standard guides (the highest ranking) in the country, not to mention a witty and cosmopolitan companion in the bush. He grew up in the Mara as a Masai herder and knows the ecosystem, flora, and fauna intimately . With the travel company CC Africa (now &Beyond), he established East Africa's first guiding school in the Serengeti. He remains an active Mara guide and is a major activist on vulture conservation ([email protected]; $200 plus shared $290 vehicle cost).

5. Saigilu "Jackson" Ole Looseyia

ReKERO NABOISHO CAMP, KENYA

Thanks to his appearances as a presenter on the British television wildlife program Big Cat Diary, Jackson is Kenya's best-known guide, and his charm and easygoing nature are underpinned by an intimate knowledge of his Masai homeland. As a boy, he hunted animals here with his father, a hunter-gatherer, and by the 1980s he was working as a spotter for his mentor, the safari operator/conservationist Ron Beaton. Now in his mid-40s, Jackson is a partner with the Beaton family in Masai Mara safaris, and remains an active and compelling guide ([email protected]; $500).

6. Bill Winter

Bill Winter Safaris, Kenya

A charming, urbane man, Winter grew up in Kenya and was educated in the United Kingdom and at university in South Africa. He specializes in mobile tented safaris in Ol Pejeta and the Masai Mara and is now taking clients into southern Africa. He says there is nothing better than parking his vehicle in a remote piece of wilderness, brewing up a pot of tea, "and just absorbing the smells and sights of what's going on around you . That's wilderness." ([email protected]; $1,650, including accommodations)

7. Christiaan Bakkes

PALMWAG CONSERVANCY, NAMIBIA

Bakkes is an author, novelist, and guide extraordinaire who, as a game ranger in Kruger National Park, lost his left arm when he was attacked by two crocodiles. He has a biologist's knowledge of the flora and fauna, and a poet's eye for the landscape (one of the highlights of a safari with him is his recitals of epic poems around the campfire). He is passionate about this remote desert wilderness, and although he's now the warden of Palmwag conservancy and not a day-to-day guide, he's always looking for excuses to take guests into the wilderness ([email protected]; $450).

One of the great pleasures of a safari is an early-morning game drive followed by a breakfast feast in the bush. Here, a picnic on Masai land in southeastern Kenya.

8. Pokkie Benadie

SAMARA GAME RESERVE, KAROO, SOUTH AFRICA

Shannon McMahon

Mark Ellwood

Chris Schalkx

Emily Saladino

One of South Africa's three Master Trackers, Benadie is a Khoi (bushman) who grew up in the Great Karoo, joined South African National Parks at the age of 14, and helped in the creation of Karoo National Park. What he lacks in formal education he more than makes up for with his personal knowledge of this particular ecosystem and the wildlife. Mentored by Louis Liebenberg, the godfather of the science of tracking, Benadie became a Master Tracker at the age of 40. He is not a registered guide, but visitors to South Africa's Samara Game Reserve can sign up for a half-day training session at the Tracker Academy (just three miles from the lodge), where Benadie teaches city folk the art of animal tracking. His lessons are a rare and precious treat ([email protected]; donation based).

9. *Wilson Masiye and Juan Pinto

ROYAL MALEWANE LODGE, KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA

Masiye is another of the three surviving Master Trackers in South Africa. He's from the Shangaan tribe and speaks little English, so he works, almost telepathically, in tandem with Pinto, the erudite, multilingual, highly qualified head ranger at Royal Malewane, safari lodge to the stars. The couple have guided the likes of Elton John, Paul Allen, and Nicholas Sarkozy; Elton John in particular is a repeat guest. Pinto has also been active in fighting the current rhino poaching scourge ([email protected]; $1,245, including accommodations).

10. Richard Knocker

NOMAD SAFARIS, TANZANIA

Kenyan-born, British-educated Knocker is the first Gold-rated KPSGA guide in Tanzania. He's a founder of Nomad Safaris and guides primarily around Lamai Serengeti, his remote camp in the granite kopjes of northwest Serengeti. As with all the veteran guides, his fireside stories would work as great fiction, only they're all true, and his dry wit adds to the experience. A great walking guide—his preferred mode of safari transportation—he is also a formidable animal biologist and an activist in community conservation projects ([email protected]; $460).

11. Robin Pope

LIUWA PLAIN AND LUANGWA, ZAMBIA

Do not be deceived by his bespectacled, accountant-like appearance: Pope is a real man of the bush, and his knowledge of birds, animals, and flora makes him the best guide in his native Zambia . Honing his craft since the 1980s, he is a legendary walking guide who operates from four camps—Nsefu, Tena Tena, Nkwali, and Luangwa River Camp. He has single-handedly put Zambian safaris on the map, and although he's now based in the capital, Lusaka, he still leads walking safaris with the same passion as he did as a young guide. He's a great birder too ([email protected]; $675, including accommodations).

12. Andrew "Stretch" Ferreira

MANA POOLS, ZIMBABWE

Also known as the Elephant Whisperer of Mana Pools, Ferreira can be seen on many YouTube clips standing calmly in front of charging elephants. A tall, bearded, easygoing man of the bush, Ferreira is a former hunter who has lost the desire to kill animals but retains the hunter's bush instincts. Now he runs his own small tented-safari operation, Goliath Safaris, on the banks the Zambezi River, an area he knows so well that he can easily identify individual lions and elephants. Like Pope and Knocker, he too prefers walking safaris ([email protected]; $610, including accommodations).

13. Benson Siyawareva

NGOKO SAFARIS, ZIMBABWE AND BOTSWANA

A fully licensed guide in both countries, Siyawareva has run some of the region's most significant camps (Little Makololo in Hwange, Savuti in Botswana), in addition to helming his own guiding operation for ten years. He reads the bush brilliantly and is thus an expert tracker. His humor and bonhomie are a delight, but he takes community conservation seriously and believes that the education of African children is key to the salvation of the wilderness. He's based in Victoria Falls, where he is helping to build an orphanage ([email protected]; $400).

14. John Stevens

ZIMBABWE, BUT GUIDES IN KENYA AND TANZANIA

One of the standard-bearers of Zimbabwean guiding, Stevens is a former warden of Mana Pools National Park who led anti-poaching efforts throughout the region. He's most at home in the Zambezi Valley, and prefers walking and canoeing to traveling in a vehicle. Stevens has brilliant tracking skills and is noted for his boyish enthusiasm and unaffected, sweet disposition ([email protected]; $1,250).

15. Garth Thompson

Back in 1983, when Thompson gained his license, there were only eight such guides in the country. Today, he's widely regarded as the best African guide —he's certainly one of the most successful—due in large part to his high energy, boundless enthusiasm, and great storytelling. Though based in Zimbabwe, Thompson guides clients throughout seven countries in Africa, including the Central African Republic. He's currently taking bookings for the 2015 season ([email protected]; $1,000).

Botswana's wildlife-rich Vumbura Plains.

10 Next Generation Guides

1. simon byron.

Byron is one of the Safari Footprints triumvirate (with Gregg Hughes and Matt Copham). Born and raised in Botswana, he's another guide who knew his calling from childhood. He's earned a master of science degree in environmental science and is a passionate conservationist who has set up a conservation and education trust in his homeland. During his university days, he guided for Wilderness Safaris during holidays, so he knows their Botswana camps intimately. He's charming and friendly and wears his intellect lightly (info@safarifootprints .com; $450).

2. *Florence Kagiso

KWETSANI CAMP OKAVANGO, BOTSWANA

Kagiso graduated from the Botswana Wildlife Institute at the top of her class--she was also the only woman in her class. Soft-spoken and knowledgeable, she developed a love of wildlife in early childhood (she resisted her parents' urging to pursue a career in fashion design). Her understanding of the mammals of the delta is outstanding, and she can identify every bird that flits past as she drives her boat through waterways of the Jao Concession ([email protected]; $450).

3. *Kitso Lademo

LITTLE VUMBURA, OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA

One of the youngest qualified guides working in the delta, 26-year-old Lademo has spent the past few years guiding at Little Vumbura, an area he knows like the back of his hand. Like many Botswana guides, he is a keen birder, not to mention a quietly impassioned conservationist who passes the message on at local schools ([email protected]; $450).

4. *Charity Jemutai Cheruiyot

KICHWa TEMBo/BATeLEUR CAMP, MASAI MARA, KENYA

Jemutai is one of just four female guides in the Masai Mara. A member of the Kalenjin tribe, she grew up in the Rift Valley wanting to be a travel consultant but was offered the opportunity to train at &Beyond's guide camp in Tanzania. Her passion for wildlife, she says, was learned from Paul Karui (see above). Jemutai reads voraciously and has a fine grasp of animal biology. Her favorite time in the Mara is in the months after the Great Migration when it is quiet and the grasslands are recovering ([email protected]; $600, including accommodations).

5. *Wilson ole Kasaine

PORINI AMBOSELI CAMP, KENYA

Kasaine has a very traditional Masai background: He's one of 24 children, and his father is a distinguished tribal elder who killed lions and leopards to protect his family and property. Sadly, economic circumstances prevented Kasaine from going to university, but his first love was the bush, and today he guides guests in an area that is barely ten miles from village where he was raised. His eyesight, hearing, and tracking ability are second to none —even among his fellow Masai (wilson.kasaine [email protected]; $310, including accommodations).

6. *Johnson Ping'ua ole Nkukuu (Ping)

MARA PLAINS CAMP, KENYA

Ping, who grew up in the Mara herding his father's cattle, has been guiding for 15 years and is head guide at the Mara Plains Camp—a dream come true. As amiable as he is knowledgeable, he has a great affection for hyenas, which he claims are misunderstood and demonized, and rates the Olare Orok Conservancy, where he guides, as the best cat viewing in the Masai Mara. His favorite quote is a line from William Wordsworth: "Nature does not betray the heart that loveth." ([email protected]; $385)

7. Humphrey Gumpo

Widely considered one of Zimbabwe's top young guides, Gumpo grew up in the Kariba area, trained under the brilliant Spike Williamson, and cites Williamson and Garth Thompson (see above) as his inspirations. Gumpo, who passed the exacting Zimbabwe guiding exams with flying colors, also has his river guiding license and led Wilderness Safaris' canoe trails at Mana pools for four years. Listening more carefully to the bush, he says, has made him a better guide (humphrey@ humphreygumpo.com; $600).

8. Paul Hubbard

MATOPOS, ZIMBABWE

Because Hubbard's area of specialty extends far beyond wildlife, he's quite possibly the most left-field inclusion in this listing. The 31-year-old is a polymath who grew up in rural Zimbabwe and graduated with a master of science degree in archaeology. He's immensely knowledgeable in a number of subjects, from the Matabele War and the local architectural history to the San rock art and the archaeology of the spectacular Matopos Hills. This last, a World Heritage Site, is well worth visiting for its dramatic landscape but even more so for the privilege of being guided by this brilliant young man ([email protected]; $300).

9. Ant Kashula

PRIVATE GUIDED SAFARIS, ZIMBABWE

Academic, tracker, and engaging companion, Kashula scored the highest marks ever in Zimbabwe's exacting guiding exams. He holds a master's degree in environmental and geographical science, and believes that getting out in the bush on foot is the best way to embrace the wilderness. He will guide anywhere—his small safari company operates in 12 African countries—but his area of preference is the Zimbabwean lowveld. Kashula is an academic with unique people skills, making him one of the most impressive guides I've traveled with in recent years (ant@private guidedsafaris.com; $400).

10. Beks Ndlovu

HWANGE AND MANA POOLS, ZIMBABWE

Born near Hwange and educated at an elite private school, Ndlovu went straight into guiding as soon as he could. He guided and ran camps for Wilderness Safaris for years both in Botswana and Zimbabwe, and has won many guiding awards, including the full Professional Guides License in 1998. Now the owner of luxury tented camps in Hwange and Mana Pools, he still guides select groups at his camps and is one of the most informed wildlife guides you'll find on the continent. Ndlovu is internationally traveled, yet his soul is still in the bushveld ([email protected]; $1,000).

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How to Photograph Wildlife, According to a Safari Guide

Knowing the fundamentals of your camera and shooting at the right time of day can help yield some professional-level images..

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Shooting in manual, not auto, can help get clear pictures of moving animals.

Courtesy of Sipps Maswanganyi

Sipps Maswanganyi grew up in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, a vast wilderness area largely untouched by humans in South Africa. There, he said, “a lion’s roar, a leopard’s calls, and the trumpets of hyenas and elephants were the only music we could dance to.”

Growing up in that environment gave Maswanganyi a unique appreciation for the wildlife. By the time he was four years old, he’d cultivated a friendship with a male lion who lived on the other side of his fence, often lying on the ground so that he could feel the reverberations of the lion’s powerful roar. After he finished college, Maswanganyi decided to become what he calls “nature’s best representative” as a safari guide and wildlife photographer.

For 20 years, Maswanganyi has been guiding in big five wilderness areas, showing his guests where to find animals, including cheetahs, lions, giraffes, and elephants, while also teaching them how best to photograph them. (He’s currently the head safari guide at Cheetah Plains , an entirely solar-powered lodge in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve in South Africa.)

We asked him for his advice on capturing the best images of wildlife—here are his top tips.

Shooting from below, Maswanganyi said, helps make the animal look more imposing.

Know your camera

Before departing for a safari trip or wildlife-filled getaway, read your camera manual front to back, and ensure you can manage it in manual settings, not auto. Spend time learning about your camera’s buttons and all their functions. New camera models are programmed with more technology to work in your favor, but it’s important that you know the basics.

Learn about the “light triangle” (ISO, aperture, and shutter) and use manual mode to find out how to balance these. On safari, you will need to be able to master these to achieve clarity and exposure while controlling the depth of field. While you can’t control your environment, you can control the output, so learn to adapt these three controls, and you’re in good shape. If you’re entirely new to photography, take a beginner’s photography course or speak to your local camera shop before your safari, as shooting in manual can be challenging.

If you’re not quite ready to shoot manually, your DSLR camera allows you to shoot in program, aperture, or shutter modes, which are semi-automatic and, when used correctly, can also yield a good result. But don’t let manual mode scare you. With some practice, you’ll know how to control the settings for that special shot that is entirely yours.

Get as much practice shooting as possible before your trip. Take your camera out and shoot whatever and wherever to get comfortable with all its settings and the various elements your environment can present, such as harsh or scant lighting.

Get the right camera and lenses

Use a good-quality, full-frame DSLR or mirrorless camera (Maswanganyi uses a Nikon D850 ). If it’s your first safari, and you’re not ready to invest in or decide on one camera, renting your equipment might be better for you. (Companies like Lensrentals and BorrowLenses have solid lending programs.) A full-frame photo sensor—a digital sensor replicating the size of classic 35mm cameras, as opposed to a crop sensor that produces a tighter field of view—is handy for low-light conditions and night shots, so you won’t need to worry when capturing those leopards and lions after dark.

Also, bring a handful of lenses to pair with your camera. A good-quality fish-eye lens , macro lens (for taking photos very close to a small subject), 70–200mm f/2.8 lens (for shooting midrange subjects), and a good zoom lens 200–500mm with at least f/4 (the aperture, which affects the depth of field and amount of light entering the camera) and higher will do.

Get up and out early

The best animal sightings and wildlife shots happen early in the morning, which is why game drives typically start before sunrise. The night before, make sure to have all your camera gear ready to go and charging. Don’t forget your memory card or extra battery pack if your camera comes with one.

Shooting before sunrise offers the bonus of photographing wildlife backlit against the rising sun, which adds depth to your photos. This is the opportunity to capture images that benefit from golden light, side lighting, and direct light. You can gradually experience the effect of blue light, yellow light, golden light, and other types of changing lighting while sitting in the same position, hitting the same subject but getting different results.

Choosing a full-frame photo sensor is helpful for getting crisp shots in low light conditions and at night.

Look for the eyes

When you are eye-to-eye with an animal, your excitement level will rise. It’s an experience you will never forget and is even better when you can capture the wildlife looking directly at you. Taking a portrait of an animal is like taking a portrait of a person. Focus on the eyes.

Be aware of your lighting and where it is coming from. The direction of the light will determine if you’ll need to adjust your settings or ask your guide to reposition your vehicle for the best angle.

Keep your camera focused on the eyes. If your camera has focus tracking or face detection, then it will be easier to focus. You want the eyes to be sharp, for they tell a story and bring your photo to life.

Shoot low, not high

When it comes to angles, low is always better (low to the ground, at an upward angle). Angles can make an animal look bigger and more impressive, enabling a greater silhouette. Considering bringing a monopod (essentially a single-leg tripod)—you can mount your camera to it and lower it to the ground from your seat in the safari vehicle to achieve a leveled shot.

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What To Wear On Safari: My Detailed Safari Packing List With Photos

You’ve all seen the brochure photos: a smiling family is sitting at a camping table in the middle of the African bush. Behind them, the sun is setting, and perhaps a giraffe is crossing the savanna landscape.

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What are they wearing? I’m sure you can picture it: lightweight designer safari gear, all matching, in indistinguishable shades of beige, taupe and camel. Maybe the dad is wearing khaki chinos and the mum has a floppy-brimmed hat (colour: putty) on her head. They all have sand-coloured lace-up boots on, and from head to toe all their clothes are pristine, clean, and crease-free.

If it’s your first time figuring out what to wear on safari, it might feel like this is the model you have to follow. Like, having booked the blindingly expensive trip of a lifetime, you now have to go out and splurge hundreds more on the ‘proper’ kit, otherwise people will laugh at you and you may even get into trouble for not doing it right.

Well I’m here to reassure you: that’s rubbish.

What should you wear on safari?

I’ve been on five safaris (to Kenya , Botswana , Tanzania , Uganda and South Africa) and I still don’t own any ‘official’ safari clothes. I’ve always worn stuff I already own and been just fine.

That said, there are some dos and don’ts about packing for a safari, some things it’s a good idea to make sure you bring with you, and some stuff you should definitely leave at home.

So welcome to my complete safari packing guide. I’m going to go through a few points and FAQs, and then make a handy list at the end. Scroll down if you just want to skip ahead to that.

What happens on a safari?

Days on safari follow a similar schedule. You wake early and head out shortly after sunrise for a morning activity – usually a game drive but sometimes a boat cruise, guided walk, or scenic flight.

You return to the camp mid-morning for brunch and have some hours to relax in the heat of the day before heading out again for another activity later in the afternoon. Your afternoon game drive or boat cruise normally ends with sunset drinks in a beautiful location, before you head back to the camp for dinner.

After dinner you might sit round the campfire or boma enjoying a few drinks with your fellow guests, but most people go to bed fairly early, ready for another dawn start the next day.

Read more: Top 50 African Birds: A Safari Photo Guide

What to wear on safari during the day

The most important thing to note is that a safari is not a fashion show. It can be hot and dusty, or rainy and muddy, so it’s important to dress for comfort and practicality, so leave the designer gear, luxury fabrics and bling jewellery at home. Instead, bring stuff that washes easily, dries quickly and hides the dirt well!

You’ll also be coating yourself daily in suncream and insect repellent, so don’t bring anything that won’t mix well with those!

When I was in Botswana in December, some days reached 40 degrees C (104 F) with high humidity, so think lightweight breathable fabrics like cotton, viscose or sweat-wicking sportswear, or even linen if you don’t mind the creases).

T-shirts and shorts are your friends, but I’d avoid strappy vests for two reasons:

• Many African countries are quite conservative, and it doesn’t do to flash a lot of skin.
• The sun is extremely strong and the more skin you show, the more of you there is to get burned, even in a shaded safari car.

What to wear on a game drive or boat cruise

On wildlife viewing trips you’ll be sitting in a car for several hours, so it’s important to be comfortable. T-shirts and shorts are a great option.

Early mornings in Africa can be chilly, so bring a long-sleeved shirt, light sweater or jacket just in case.

Don’t forget your hat and sunglasses. Safari cars have roofs, but sometimes the roof rolls back so you can stand up, and when the sun is low in the sky it can shine in from the side very strongly. I was surprised by how much I ended up needing my hat.

Since you won’t be walking around much, light sneakers or sandals are fine.  

Safari cars are open-sided, so if it rains you may get a bit wet. Most safari companies carry ponchos in the car, to hand out to guests when it rains, but you might want to bring your own light waterproof raincoat just in case.

What to wear on a walking safari

For a walking safari the principles are the same, but you should wear long trousers to prevent your legs being cut or scratched by branches, and closed-toed shoes to protect you from biting or stinging animals or insects.

Although walking safaris can sometimes last for three or four hours, you don’t actually walk that far because there’s a lot of stopping and looking at stuff. So you don’t need hiking boots; comfortable trainers or walking shoes are fine. If you’re travelling in rainy season you might want to bring waterproof or Gore-Tex ones.

Read more: 46 Amazing African Safari Animals – A Photo Guide

Do I need warm clothes on safari?

We think of Africa as being hot, and it is, but it can also be extremely cold. If you travel during the northern hemisphere summer, that’s winter in most of Africa, and temperatures can drop below freezing especially in desert areas, if you’re at altitude, and the further south you go.

In Botswana and South Africa during the winter, average nighttime temperatures can be 0 or even -2 degrees C (28-32 F), and remember that most safari cabins and tents are not heated!

Even in Kenya, which is much closer to the equator and therefore not as cold, nights and early mornings can definitely be chilly.

Staff in camps will provide you with hot water bottles and blankets both in your tent and on game drives, but you still need to bring warm clothes with you as well.

If you’re travelling to the southern African countries between April and October, I’d recommend bringing at least one pair of long trousers, one long-sleeved top, one jumper, and a packable down jacket.

But remember to dress in layers, as the day quickly warms once the sun’s up, and even if it’s close to freezing during the night, afternoon temperatures can ramp up to high 20s (70+ F) or more.

It’s very important to check the weather forecast before you travel, as different regions’ climates can vary.

What colour should you wear on safari?

It’s recommended that you wear plain designs in neutral, earthy or natural colours, such as shades of beige, grey, brown or natural greens.

Avoid vibrant, bright colours like orange, red and yellow, or vivid patterns. This is for two reasons:

• It helps to make you less noticeable to animals.
• You can get pretty dusty on safari, and natural shades don’t show the dirt so much!

Bright white and full black are also not recommended. This is not only because they show the dust really badly, but because many animals actually only see in black and white, and large gleaming white shapes or dark black ones are very noticeable to them.

With that all said, I wouldn’t worry about it too much, and you certainly don’t need to rush out and buy an entire new wardrobe full of khaki and beige. As I just mentioned, many animals only see in black and white, and when you’re inside the car, most only see the car as one large object, and not the people inside.

It’s more important to stick to the rules when you’re on a walking safari and don’t have the protection of the car.

But in general, if you pack plain, neutral-ish colours, you’ll be fine.

Why not wear blue on safari?

Some people recommend not wearing blue on safari. Apart from being a pretty noticeable bright colour, it’s said to attract tsetse flies, which are prevalent in some areas of southern Africa and can deliver a nasty bite and spread disease. They are also thought to prefer black (another reason not to wear it).

That said, my light down jacket is bright blue, and I also took a blue t-shirt and a pale blue cardigan to Kenya, and I wore all three with no problems.

Read more: An Epic Uganda Itinerary In 2 Weeks

What to wear on safari evenings

Most people like to dress up when they go on holiday, so you might think about throwing a few glamorous dresses, high heels or some party shirts into your suitcase.

But you probably won’t wear them. Even in the luxury camps, most people really don’t dress up for dinner, for four main reasons:

• At night it’s a good idea to cover your arms and legs to avoid insect bites, so floaty skirts and strappy tops are a bad idea.
• It can get quite chilly at night, so you’ll probably be more comfortable in trousers and a fleece anyway.
• You’ll be tired after a long day and an early start; you’ll probably find you can’t be bothered to dress for dinner as you’ll be going to bed soon afterwards anyway.
• Walking round camp after dark you may run into snakes or spiders, and paths can be muddy and uneven, so high-heels are a definite no-no.

When I was in Botswana in December (the height of their summer) it was still 30+ degrees (86 F) in the evening, so I wore lightweight trousers or a long casual dress and then liberally coated myself with insect repellent. In Kenya in September it was a bit cooler, around low 20s (70 F), so I wore trousers, a t-shirt and a light cardigan, and had my jacket handy for later in the evening as the temperature dropped.

Is it OK to wear jeans on safari?

It’s perfectly fine to bring a pair of jeans for the cooler evenings, especially if you’re travelling in winter when you know it will be chilly at night.

However jeans aren’t recommended for game drives as you’ll probably be too hot in them during the day, and if you need to wash them they’ll take ages to dry.

As a general rule I wouldn’t take jeans on safari but instead bring lightweight trousers. The convertible zip-off ones that turn into shorts are especially good as you can have long pants for cold mornings and safari walks, and convert them into shorts once the day’s warmed up.

Pro tip: Whatever you choose to bring, make sure you have some ‘room to grow’! The food on safari is usually really good and you won’t be doing much exercise, so stretchy waistbands are a good idea!

Can you wear leggings on safari?

Yes, absolutely. Leggings are a great thing to bring on safari because they’re lightweight, wash and dry easily, are comfortable, and protect you from bugs and the sun. Just stick to neutral colours and leave the snazzy activewear designs at home!

I always pack a pair of leggings for safari – and if there’s a gym in the hotel then I can also use them for a workout!

What are the best shoes to wear on safari?

As I mentioned above, high heels and smart shoes are definitely not the thing to bring on safari. For game drives it’s fine to wear sandals or light sneakers, and for safari walks you want closed-toed comfortable walking shoes.  You definitely don’t need to buy special safari boots, no matter what the sales people might say.

If your lodge or hotel has a pool, you might want to bring some flipflops (also handy to have for walking around in your tent at night, or for nipping to the bathroom block if you’re staying in a campsite).

Can you wear trainers on safari?

Yes, absolutely. I always pack a pair of Asics Gore-Tex trail trainers that I wear for exercise, when it’s muddy or raining, and for walking or hiking. On game drives and boat cruises, and for walking around the camp in the evening, I have a pair of Skechers Go-Walk sneakers that are super comfortable and easy to slip on and off.

Read more: Kenya Vs Tanzania: Travel Experts Decide

What to pack for the beach in Kenya or Tanzania

Many people like to combine their safari with a few days on the beach, perhaps in Zanzibar in Tanzania, or at Diani or Vipingo in Kenya .

Here’s where you will get the chance to dress up a bit – as if you’re staying in a nice hotel or beach resort destination, there will definitely be opportunities to put on a strappy dress, holiday shirt, or some sparkly sandals.

If you’re planning to hit the beach for a few days at the end of your trip, you’ll definitely want to throw in one or two nice evening outfits. And don’t forget swimwear and a beach cover-up too!

Can you wash clothes on safari?

This is a very important question, and the answer is yes! Almost all safari lodges and camps offer a laundry service and most of the time it’s included in the price of your stay. So you can wash your clothes as often as you like at no extra cost – which means you really don’t need to bring huge amounts of luggage as you can wash and re-wear your clothes several times.

Note that in many places the laundry is done by hand by the hotel staff, dried out in the sun, and ironed using an old-fashioned coal iron. This is yet another reason not to bring anything too delicate or precious, as there’s a small chance it may get damaged during the laundry process.

What sort of underwear should I bring for safari?

Ladies: remember that you may spend many hours bouncing around over unsealed and bumpy roads in the back of a safari car. Being quite an athletic build, this is not something that’s ever bothered me, but I’ve been reliably informed by more curvy girls that a sports bra can be a life-saver in this situation. So if you’re particularly susceptible to bouncing, bring sports bras!

It’s also important to note that the people who handwash your clothes are usually male, and for cultural and hygiene reasons they won’t wash women’s underwear. Ladies will need to bring a small amount of hand wash (though sometimes laundry soap is provided) and wash your own pants and bras in the basin. For this reason it’s a good idea not to bring anything too fancy or delicate: lightweight, quick-drying microfibre underwear is best.

Read more: Chimpanzee Trekking In Uganda: A Breathtaking Wildlife Adventure

Other things to pack for safari

Of course, packing is not all about clothes. Here are a few other things you won’t want to forget (more in the complete packing list below):

Camera, spare batteries, chargers, plug adapters

Can you imagine going all that way on safari on the trip of a lifetime and then forgetting your phone charger or camera? I know, I’d die!

So definitely make sure you pack all your gadgets, and all the cables and plugs you’ll need to make them work! And then bring spares!

Often hotel rooms and safari tents only have a limited number of plug sockets, so if you have loads of gadgets, it’s a good idea to bring a multi-socket splitter. I recommend one with surge protection : power cuts can happen frequently and if there’s a surge when the power comes back, your devices can get fried. This happened to me the night before my Tanzania safari , so now I’m extra careful!

Medication and toiletries

Most of the places you’ll be staying will be out in the bush, with limited access to shops. Make sure you bring all the toiletries, medicines and personal items you’ll need, as once you leave the airport, opportunities to replace anything that’s missing will be very limited.

Do you need malaria tablets for safari?

Large parts of Africa have malaria, including popular safari countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe, so it’s very likely that you may need to take malaria tables on safari. I usually take doxycycline which is cheaper than malarone, but may not be suitable for everyone so speak to your pharmacist or travel clinic.

You can check the malaria risk for the country you’re visiting, as well as any other vaccine requirements at the Travel Health Pro website here .

Some countries also require you to have a proof of yellow fever vaccination – you can check if this is needed on the website above as well. For example, places like Kenya and Tanzania won’t let you in without proof of vaccination if you’ve spent time in a yellow-fever-risk country before arriving. If you have already had your yellow fever jab, make sure you pack the certificate!

What to wear for safari in Tanzania

If you’re planning your safari in Tanzania or Kenya as part of a trip that also involves climbing Kilimanjaro (or any other mountain), then check out my essential Kilimanjaro packing list here .

Best suitcase for safari

This is important, so pay attention! Many safaris involve internal transfers by tiny plane or even helicopter. They all have pretty strict packing rules, with a maximum of 15 kg weight per person and no hard-shelled suitcases allowed. Luggage must be soft sided, and don’t overpack! You shouldn’t need to anyway, since you can wash everything when you’re there.

Wheels are OK as long as it’s a soft bag, so I recommend a soft holdall with or without wheels, or a wheely backpack like the one I have and love . This one came to Kenya and Botswana with me with no trouble at all.

Read more: Nature Vacations: 25 Amazing Places For An Outdoors Adventure

Packing for safari for photographers

If, like me, you’re travelling with 15 kg of camera gear, don’t stress. The little internal plane operators are used to photographers and will let you put your backpack of gear at the back of the plane. I travelled with 15 kg of hold luggage and another 15 kg of camera gear around Botswana and Kenya, and it was never an issue.

There’ll be more on safari camera gear in a separate post, coming soon!

Meanwhile, for safari photography tips, check out 40 Safari Photography Tips For Stunning Wildlife Photos .

What should you NOT take on safari?

Now I’ve told you all the things you should bring on safari, here are a few things it’s a good idea to leave at home.

Perfume: No one in your safari car will thank you for dosing yourself liberally with Eau de Whatever, and if you wear a very strong scent it may even allow animals to detect you sooner and run away faster.

Hairdryer: Many safari camps run on solar power and cannot support a hairdryer. Those that can (if they’re on the grid, or running off a generator), will usually provide one that’s suited to the electricity supply. As I said, no one really worries too much about their appearance or cares about what your hair looks like on safari anyway.

Camouflage clothing: This might surprise you, but wearing military-style camo print clothing is a no-no in many African countries, where it’s associated with the military. It’s actually illegal to wear camo gear in Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Plastic bags: Disposable plastic bags are banned in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. You should be fine with the little zip-lock one for your liquids on the plane, and I’ve used reusable plastic packing bags many times with no problems, but try to keep plastic bags to a minimum or you may get a fine.

A drone: Unless you have special permission, drones are not allowed in most lodges and African National Parks.

Expensive watches, jewellery, and other valuable items: This doesn’t just apply to African safaris but to all travel. Jewellery can easily get lost, damaged or stolen, so if you care about it, leave it at home.

A hard-shelled suitcase: As mentioned above, all safari companies ask you to bring a soft bag or at most a wheeled soft holdall , as these are much easier to pack into the small luggage spaces on planes and in cars. You will not be thanked if you bring rigid-sided luggage.

Where to buy safari clothing

For the most part, you don’t need any specialist clothing for safari. You can wear your own normal clothes. However, there are some great companies that do excellent clothes for travel, in suitable colours, and made from practical fabrics that are sweat-wicking, comfortable and don’t crease.

My favourite brands for travel clothes are The North Face , Patagonia , Rab , Mountain Equipment , Arc’teryx and Craghoppers , and my favourite places to shop in the UK are Ellis Brigham and Cotswold Outdoor , which stock all these brands at competitive prices, have high-street stores where you can get advice and try stuff on, and often have good end-of-season sales too.

What to wear on safari: my Africa packing list

So now we’ve gone through the details, here’s what I would pack for a 10-day or two-week safari in Africa.

What to wear on safari: Clothes

• T-shirts in neutral or earthy colours x 5. The green t-shirt in the photo above is by Mountain Equipment . I love it so much I bought three!
• Long trousers x 1 pair. I really like my lightweight ones from The North Face .
• Shorts x 1 pair.
• Convertible trousers that zip-off into shorts, or a second pair of shorts . North Face and Craghoppers both do good convertible trousers for men and women .
• Leggings . I’m a big fan of Sweaty Betty.
• Long-sleeved shirt for covering up in bright sunshine.
• Lightweight jumper or cardigan for chilly evenings.
• Lightweight jacket , fleece or mid layer for cold nights. I have a fleece from Arc’teryx and a mine is a Nano puff from  Patagonia .
• Waterproof jacket . I have two, a lovely Zeta LT by  Arc’teryx  and a packable Meridien jacket by  Rab .
• Dress or smart shirt for the evening if you’re going to a city or the beach (x2). For packable jersey or lightweight viscose dresses I love Boden , Sugarhill Brighton and Joanie Clothing .
• Gym kit – if you think you’ll need or use it. But many safari camps don’t have fitness equipment and you can’t go for a run in the bush or you might get chased by a predator!
• Sports bras or comfortable wireless bralettes x 3.
• Underwear x 7. If you’re staying for longer you’ll need to handwash. I recommend something quick-drying and non-delicate like these microfibre ones from M&S .
• Swimwear . I get cute bikinis and swimwear from M&S , Next , or Pour Moi .
• Sarong or cover up (if you’re spending time on the beach)
• Sandals or flip flops . I love my walking sandals by Teva .
• Trainers or walking shoes for exercise and walking safaris. Mine are Gore-Tex trail trainers from Asics .
• Soft sneakers for walking round the camp, game drives and boat cruises. I’m a big fan of Skechers Go Walks .

Pro tip: if you’re going to the beach and plan to do a lot of snorkelling, pack a rash vest or t-shirt to swim in. The sun is super strong and we all got very burnt even though we were wearing Factor 50!

What to pack for safari in winter

If the forecast is for cold weather, I would add:

• Another long-sleeved top or baselayer .
• A warmer, packable insulated jacket .
• A pair of jeans.
• Beanie hat.

What to pack for safari: Accessories

• Baseball cap or hat. My cap is this one this one by Buff and I really like it.
• Scarf or buff to keep dust off (and you can dip it in water to cool you down on very hot days)
• Headphones or ear buds (for the plane), you won’t need them on the actual safari! I have these ones which are pretty good and much cheaper than Apple ones.
• Eye mask and ear plugs (if you’re a light sleeper).
• Camera, batteries, memory cards and charger
• Charger cables for all your devices
• Portable phone charger. Mine is this one from Anker .
• Plug adapter for the country you’re going to, or a universal plug adapter
• Plug splitter or 3-way adapter with surge protection
• Refillable water bottle (though some safari companies provide them, so check). An insulated water bottle will keep your water colder for longer on hot days.
• A padlock for your luggage to protect you from airport thieves

Safari packing list: Toiletries

As well as all your usual toiletries and medications, don’t forget:

• Suncream. I swear by  Riemann P20  because it’s hard wearing and you only need to apply it once a day. Or for the best face SPF you will ever find, that’s non-greasy and non-orange (!), I love  this one from the Body Shop .
• Insect repellant (though this is often provided in camp).
• Malaria tablets ( check to see if these are required in your destination )

Pro tip: Luggage goes missing more and more frequently these days, so pack your medication or anything else vital in your hand luggage.

Where to next?

If you liked this post, why not try some of my other safari and Africa posts?

• Leroo La Tau In Botswana: See The Incredible Zebra Migration
• Uganda Animals: The Amazing Wildlife of Uganda
• Ol Doinyo Lengai Tanzania – Climb the Terrifying Mountain of God
• Entebbe Zoo – Uganda’s Wildlife Education Centre
• An Epic Uganda Itinerary In 2 Weeks

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Bella is a multi-award-winning travel writer, wildlife photographer and science and history documentary director from London. Among many awards and nominations she won Blogger of the Year at the British Guild of Travel Writers’ Awards 2023 and Best Photography at the Travel Media Awards 2020. Her work has been published by National Geographic, Wanderlust, and BBC Travel among others. Her films have been shown around the world including on the BBC, Discovery and PBS.

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What Makes Great Safari Guides and Why Are They Important?

Heather Richardson is an award-winning travel writer, based in South Africa. She is interested in conservation stories, emerging destinations and adventure travel.

The safari guide is arguably the most important part of the whole safari experience. Get a great guide and you’ll have an incredible time – regardless of the wildlife, the weather or the lodge. Here’s why they are so important.

1. Great Safari Guides Know the Facts

First things first: a great safari guide will fill your head with information. Especially if it’s your first safari , there’s so much to learn and a guide with an encyclopedic knowledge of the bush will be able to answer all your questions – from the obvious to the obscure. Not only this, but they’ll supply the information readily, without waiting for questions.

Crucially, a great guide will also be able to admit when they don’t know – and then find out the answer later; a thirst for knowledge is a big part of being an excellent safari guide.

Beyond the facts and figures, good guides are great storytellers and can bring their wealth of information to life; using real-life examples helps guests to retain knowledge and it’s exciting for them to know what kind of things they might witness for themselves.

African Safari Tours

2. great safari guides are able to relate to people.

A good guide will have the same skills as a great host or anyone in hospitality: they will be able to read their guests and adapt accordingly.

For example, if guests arrive exhausted after a long journey, a guide will know to not overwhelm them on their first drive, easing the guests into bush life instead. If guests are a little nervous, a guide or ranger should make them feel comfortable and safe, and likewise, if a guest has been on a hundred safaris before, a guide will be able to keep it exciting for them. The most important thing to this end? Communication. The best guides make sure they know what guests want out of their trip: whether they are desperate to see their first lions, fascinated by the smaller creatures, or keen birders.

One of the other perks of having a guide with a good read on people is reducing potential friction between guests. There’s no knowing who you will end up with in a safari vehicle or at a communal dining table – and sometimes personalities clash. Guides are there to quickly alleviate tension before it becomes awkward and, if necessary, subtly reduce the amount of contact guests have with each other.

3. Great Safari Guides Are Great at Making Conversation

It’s often up to a guide to keep conversation flowing – whether that’s during sundowners (unless of course it’s clear people are happy gazing off into the bush and enjoying the peacefulness) or at dinner. Knowing which topics to pursue is also something an experienced guide will be sensitive to, based on the personalities, ages, cultures, nationalities, etc. of the guests. If politics come up and it’s clear some guests are uncomfortable, it’s up to the guide to skillfully steer the conversation in a different direction.

4. Great Safari Guides Make Sure You Stay Safe

Of course, having a good guide or ranger is not only important for making guests feel safe. A great guide will genuinely keep guests safe by knowing how to interpret animal signals. This is particularly important when on foot, especially if you unexpectedly encounter a potentially aggressive animal, such as a black rhino or buffalo. As well as theoretical knowledge, experience is very important in these situations.

They’ll also know how to drive safely and responsibly, reducing the likelihood of getting stuck – though sometimes it’s unavoidable, even for the best drivers! When it does, at least they’ll know how to quickly fix the problem and not panic guests.

5. Great Safari Guides Make It Interesting Even in Cases of Wildlife No-shows

What happens when things just don’t work out? When you can’t find any of the big, iconic animals or when it pours with rain? That’s when a great safari guide really makes all the difference. They’ll switch tack and focus on the small things – how the trees let elephants know it’s time to stop browsing, inside the world of termites, birdlife, chameleons, dung beetles… Guides can keep the bush fascinating when the famous faces miss their cue.

6. Great Safari Guides Manage Expectations

Guides should know better than to tell guests what they might see or what was spotted that morning – there’s too much possibility of disappointment. Instead, a good safari guide will keep expectations reasonably low and promise nothing. That way, guests are thrilled with what they do find and not downcast when they don’t happen across a pack of wild dogs .

7. Great Safari Guides Know How to Keep Young Children Interested

Having young children on safari can be a challenge, but a good safari guide will know how to engage kids of any age – by finding out what interests them, asking questions and running the odd pop quiz on fun animal facts. If all else fails, guides know that kids of a certain age tend to love examining animal poop – and there’s plenty of that on safari!

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$2,255 pp (USD)

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Best African safari books – Wildlife & travel guides

Looking for the best safari guidebooks to inspire your next vacation? The following compilation features some of the top African safari books and travel guides that’ll help you level up your safari experience. 

This list of safari guidebooks was handpicked by the Africa Freak community and our experienced editorial team.

All you need to do is pick the best African wildlife books for your trip and remember to add them to your African safari packing list .

Let’s dive in!

Top African Animal Books

• Larger Animals of East Africa (Collins Safari Guides) (Paperback) by David Hosking & Martin B. Withers .

This is one of the first safari guidebooks I ever bought. The classic African safari field guide to large African wildlife is a great starting point for budding safari enthusiasts.

Larger Animals of East Africa was written by two wildlife experts with over 20 years of experience leading safaris in East Africa . It covers an impressive 76 species and boasts around 200 color photographs.

– What I love about the book : Great illustrations, key facts, distribution, habits, conservation, and status. Very easy to use.

– Criticism : The edition is considerably outdated as it was published in 1997. A refresher could only be beneficial to this quality item.

NB : For a similar but more up-to-date animal guide, consider buying Wildlife of East Africa by Martin B. Withers & David Hosking .

• The Behavior Guide to African Mammals (Paperback) by Richard D. Estes .

This African animals book is a popular favorite amongst the Africa Freak editorial team, and it’s perfect for anyone who wants to learn more than the physical characteristics of African mammals.

The unique African safari guide compiles many years of fieldwork and research into the behavior of African mammals .

Whether you’re an amateur naturalist or closer to an expert, you’re sure to find this safari guide informative and handy. This guide, beautifully illustrated by Daniel Otte , delves deep into animal behavior and much more.

– What we love about the book : It’s very informative and features detailed illustrations. This safari guidebook is a great African safari companion for amateurs and experts.

– Criticism : This safari guide is harder to read than most guides due to its academic nature.

• Serengeti: Natural Order on the African Plain (Hardcover) by Mitsuaki Iwago .

I will always remember the day I first got this book from my parents. I was only 5 or 6 at the time, but it is perhaps the one book that truly made me fall in love with Africa and its extraordinary wildlife.

Mitsuaki Iwago is more than just a photographer. He is an artist. While this isn’t exactly a guide, it’s a fantastic book to have for every African safari enthusiast.

Serengeti by Mitsuaki Iwago is a compilation of stunning photography that makes for the perfect coffee table read and conversation starter.

– What I love about the book : Published in 1987, it’s a classic compilation of brilliant photography. 

– Criticism : This animals of Africa book doesn’t offer much more than wildlife and landscape imagery, as well as photographic inspiration.

• Signs of the Wild (Paperback) by Clive Walker .

Signs of the Wild: A Field Guide to the Spoor & Signs of the Mammals of Southern Africa is my “bible” when it comes to field guides for Southern Africa.

Anyone who has spent some time in the African wilderness knows that animal sightings often start with spoor , tracks , and small signs .

This handy guide contains insightful information on animal identification , distribution maps , and color photographs of Southern African mammals.

Here are some of the features that make this guide absolutely special:

– The environmental glossary for key terms and definitions.

– Stunning illustrations for each species.

– Concise descriptions and distribution maps.

–  Animal names translation into the main local languages: Afrikaans, Shona, Ndebele, Zulu, Siswati, Venda, Tswana/Sotho, and Nama/Damara.

– What I particularly like about the book : feces and spoor sections (illustrated) + comparative spoor illustrations.

• The Safari Companion: A Guide to Watching African Animals (Paperback) by Richard D. Estes .

The most complete guide to watching African mammals. This incredible guide has it all, including behavioral displays of species (territorial marking, aggression, courtship rituals), illustrations , extensive maps , wildlife photography tips , and vegetation zones .

It is one of the best African safari guides for anyone who wants to understand a little more about African mammals. Safari experts will love the black-and-white illustrations and detailed information.

– What I love about the book : The beautiful illustrations and comprehensive information.

– Criticism : This volume can get a little too technical and lacks color photography. It’s also fairly robust and isn’t easy to travel with.

• Game Ranger in Your Backpack (Paperback) by Megan Emmett & Sean Pattrick .

If you’re going on an African wilderness excursion without a safari tour guide, this is a fantastic safari guide book to take with you. Game Ranger in Your Backpack is a practical and interpretive identification guide for wildlife in South Africa’s Lowveld. 

Our editorial team loves this book for its valuable information on mammals , reptiles , birds , amphibians , plants and flowers , and more. If you’re planning an African self-drive safari , this guide is worth getting.

– What we love about this book : Game Ranger in Your Backpack is easy to read, and it includes color-coded chapters and hundreds of stunning pictures.

– Criticism : The book was published in 2011 and could use a revision only because it’s such a great African tour guide substitute. 

• A Photographic Guide to Tracks and Tracking in Southern Africa (Paperback) by Louis Liebenberg .

Everyone from first-time safari-goers to experienced guides could use this African safari field guide on tracking animals in Southern Africa.

This handy photographic guide is filled with insightful images and detailed information that makes tracking easier.

It works well as a reference to pass around on group safaris , a self-drive safari companion , and a refresher for experienced guides.

Like many African wildlife books, the guide comes with distribution maps to illustrate where each species is found in southern Africa. 

– What we love about this book : The photographs of droppings and tracks are handy, and the distribution guide provides valuable information.

– Criticism : While this guide is still valuable to have, we’d love to see an update, especially on the distribution maps. Much has changed since the book’s publication in 2001.

• Tracker Manual (Paperback) by Alex van den Heever , Renias Mhlongo & Karel Benadie .

Tracker Manual is one of the most recently published African wildlife books that focuses on tracking animals in southern Africa.

This safari guidebook provides practical information on tracking around 160 African animals , compiled by industry experts.

Written to be an on-the-go guide, the manual features excellent color photos and simple bulleted text , as well as detailed descriptions for more in-depth information.

– What we love about this book : Tracker Manual is easy to read and offers accessible information for levels of safari fans.

Best Safari Guides on Birding

• Roberts Bird Guide (Paperback) by Hugh Chittenden , Greg Davies & Ingrid Weiersbye .

Roberts Bird Guide is the ultimate compilation of information on birds in southern Africa. This African guide covers 1000 bird species through photographs and illustrations accompanied by detailed information to make identification easy.

– What we love about this book : It is one of the best African safari books on birding, and is suited for both amateurs and experts.

• Larger Illustrated Guide to Birds of Southern Africa (Paperback) by Norman Arlott (Author), Phil Hockey (Author), Ian Sinclair (Author) & Peter Hayman (Illustrator).

This book is similar to one of the earlier versions (which I have) but is completely revised and updated to include bird species name changes , distribution maps , and revised bird taxonomy .

– Criticism : It is fairly large and hard to carry around when birding in the wilderness.

• Birds of Southern Africa (Princeton Field Guides) (Paperback) by Ian Sinclair (Author), Phil Hockey (Author), Warwick Tarboton (Author), Peter Hayman (Illustrator) & Norman Arlott (Illustrator).

This impressive guide features around 950 beautiful species of African birds  and over 4000 illustrations by experts. While it’s a fairly old publication (2002), it’s still a great reference for birding in southern Africa.

– What we love about this book : The guide is written by ornithologists and beautifully illustrated. It’s also easy to carry around and has a glossy cover to resist water splashes.

NB : For birds of East Africa, the fully revised and updated new edition (2020) is worth checking out too.

Trees, Plants & Flowers – African Safari Books

• Trees and Shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park (Paperback) by Ernst Schmidt , Mervyn Lotter & Warren McCleland .

If you’re traveling through South Africa’s Mpumalanga province and Kruger National Park , this guide to the region’s trees and shrubs is one of the best safari books to take along with you. 

With easy-to-read information and beautiful illustrations and photographs, it’s great for both beginner naturalists and seasoned botanists.

• Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Paperback) by Braam van Wyk & Piet van Wyk .

The ideal read for beginner tree enthusiasts , this field guide is simply written and illustrated by two of southern Africa’s leading tree experts.

The paperback includes detailed information and wonderful color photographs of around 900 tree species in southern Africa, making it one of the best safari books.

General Africa Travel Books

• East Africa (Multi-country African travel guide) (Paperback) by Mary Fitzpatrick , Tim Bewer & Matthew Firestone .

‘Best for curious and independent-minded travelers’ — Wall Street Journal

• Southern Africa (Multi-country African travel guide) (Paperback) by Alan Murphy , Kate Armstrong , Matthew Firestone , Mary Fitzpatrick , Michael Grosberg , Nana Luckham & Andy Rebold .

‘For sheer global reach and dogged research, attention must be paid to Lonely Planet…’ — Los Angeles Times

Safari Tales

• Don’t Look Behind You! : A Safari Guide’s Encounters with Ravenous Lions, Stampeding Elephants, and Lovesick Rhinos by Peter Allison .

“The best compliment you can pay a travel writer is to read his work and feel like you’re right there with him. For more than two hundred pages, I felt like I was in Africa, up to my neck in danger. I don’t even know this guy, but more than once I lay awake at night, worrying for his safety. Enough adventure, action, life lessons, and laughs to fill a movie and four sequels. The fact that Allison survived to write any of this down is a miracle in itself.” — Cash Peters, author of “Gullible’s Travels”.

• Whatever You Do, Don’t Run : True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide (Paperback) by Peter Allison .

“His misadventures make Whatever You Do, Don’t Run an absorbing read… The material is rich, and Allison is a gifted storyteller. And the only thing stranger than African fiction is African truth.” — National Geographic Adventure “After reading this entrancing memoir, an African safari may move to No. 1 on your travel wish list. The only catch is you’ll want the author as your guide.” — Chicago Sun-Times

Electronic African Wildlife Books

• Mammals of Southern Africa by Lee Gutteridge .
• 100 Bushveld Trees by Megan Emmett Parker .
• First Field Guide to Grasses of Southern Africa by Gideon Smith .
• Sasol Birds of Southern Africa by Ian Sinclair , Phil Hockey , Warwick Tarboton , Peter Ryan & Niall Perrins .
• Snakes of Southern Africa by Johan Marais .

Still Looking for More?

Claim your FREE copy of the Practical A to Z Guide to Going On Safari . In it, you’ll find helpful tips and tricks for your African safari.

About The Author

Michael Theys

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How To Remove The Background From A Picture On iPhone

So you need an ID photo but don't have time to go to CVS or Walmart. No worries, you can do everything right from your iPhone. Its camera is powerful enough to provide you with a high-quality image for your ID, and it also comes complete with a convenient background remover feature. Yes, unlike Android, where you need third-party tools to erase the background in your images, iPhones running  iOS 16 or higher include a Photo Cutout feature . This lets you grab the subject from a photo and convert it into a new image with no background, all without installing new apps. This simplifies the process of creating a clean and professional-looking image for your ID photos, brochures, or webpages.

Aside from this native feature, there are also several third-party apps you can use for removing the background of your photos. These apps often provide additional photo editing tools that may come in handy for different uses. If you're looking to erase your image background on iPhone, here are six ways to do so with built-in and third-party apps.

Photos is a go-to app for removing backgrounds

Your iPhone's Photos app comes complete with a host of nifty features that make not only  media storage more convenient but also photo editing. One such feature is its background removal tool. Here's how to use it:

• In the Photos app, open the photo in which you want to remove the background.
• Tap and hold the subject. For instance, if it's a photo of a plant in a garden and you want to retain the plant, tap and hold the plant itself.
• Drag the subject around to make sure it's the object you want to keep; otherwise, crop your image first to ensure no other significant subjects are around it.
• To save the new photo without a background directly to your Photos library, select Share and tap on Save Image.
• To save the new image in your Files app instead, navigate to Share > Save to Files. Then, choose the folder where you want to store the picture. Tap Save at the top right to finish. Alternatively, select Copy from the floating menu to copy the subject to your clipboard. Then, open your Files app, go to the Browse tab, and open or create a folder. Finally, long-press on an empty space inside the folder and select Paste to paste your background-less image.
• To send the background-less image to any of your communication apps (e.g., Mail, Teams, Messenger), choose Share from the floating menu. Tap on your preferred messaging platform to send the edited photo.

The Files app can remove backgrounds of multiple pictures

If you typically only remove the background of pictures you take with your iPhone, then the Photos app is all you need. However, you might encounter instances when you have to erase the background of pictures downloaded from the internet (which are normally saved in the Files app). Thankfully, Files also includes a background remover tool, so you won't need to go through the hassle of saving the images to your Photos library. Another nifty advantage of this app is its batch processing feature, allowing you to remove the background of multiple images at the same time. Here's how to erase the background of your photos using Files on iPhone:

• In the Files app, locate the photo in which you want to remove the background.
• Long-press on the image (make sure not to open it).
• Select Quick Actions from the contextual menu.
• Tap Remove Background. Your image will automatically be saved as a new background-less photo in the same folder as the original image.
• For convenience, add all your photos to the same folder. To move a photo from a different folder, long-press on it, select Move, and choose your designated folder.
• Open the folder containing your images.
• Press the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner.
• Tap Select.
• Mark all the photos where you need to remove the background.
• Tap the three-dot menu in the bottom-right corner.
• Select Remove Background from the menu. The app will then process all your photos and save them to your folder.

Safari is great for removing backgrounds on online images

Photos and Files may be your go-to apps for erasing the background of images already found on your device. But if you need to remove the background of an online image, perhaps you have a stock image you want to use for a presentation or a selfie uploaded to your cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox that you need as an ID picture, you can turn to Safari instead. The app lets you erase image backgrounds without downloading the pictures first, making the process much faster. Follow this quick step-by-step guide to do so:

• Launch Safari.
• Search for the photo you need or open the webpage where your photo is found.
• Long-press on the image. If it's on a cloud storage like Google Drive, don't open the photo; simply tap and hold it.
• Select Copy Subject from the floating menu.
• Launch your Files app.
• Open a folder in your Files app. Alternatively, create a new folder by selecting the three-dot menu at the top-right and tapping New Folder.
• Long-press on an empty space inside the folder.
• Select Paste from the menu. Your background-less photo should now appear in the Files app.

Try Adobe Creative Cloud for removing image backgrounds

When it comes to photo editing, many folks use Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. However, you actually don't need complex and expensive apps just to remove the backgrounds of images on your iPhone. Adobe Creative Cloud can do the job just fine without the burden of overly complicated interfaces or a hefty price tag. To use Creative Cloud to erase the background of an image, here's what you need to do:

• Install Adobe Creative Cloud from the App Store. 
• Open the app. 
• At the top of the homepage, select Remove background. 
• Scroll through the Photos or Albums tab to find your image. Alternatively, enter a keyword in the search bar to locate your image quickly. 
• Tap on the photo to select it. 
• On the pop-up, tap Proceed. This will upload the image to Creative Cloud, where the background will be automatically erased. 
• If you like the edited photo, press Continue; otherwise, select Discard to scrap the edit. 
• To save the background-less image, tap on Save to camera roll and give Creative Cloud access to your photos. 
• To share the edited image, press Share and select where you want to send it. Other options here include Create Watch Face, Add to Shared Album, and Save to Files. 
• To delete the image from Creative Cloud, select Discard.  

A quick disclaimer: While Adobe Creative Cloud is free to use and download, you do need to sign in or create a free account, as the background remover tool (and any of the other quick actions) can only be used up to 10 times without an account. 

Use PhotoRoom to remove image backgrounds

PhotoRoom is one of the most popular photo editors on iPhone,  as evidenced by its #21 rank in the Photo & Video category and over 100,000 ratings on the App Store. But unlike your typical photo editor loaded with a bunch of functionalities, PhotoRoom specializes in removing and replacing the background of your photos. Here's how to use the app:

• Get PhotoRoom from the App Store.
• Launch the app.
• Go to the Create tab at the bottom of the screen.
• Tap on Remove background at the top of the screen.
• Allow the app access to your photo library.
• Select your image from your camera roll or files. Alternatively, take a new picture.
• Wait for PhotoRoom to finish scanning your picture and removing its background.
• Confirm that the cutout selected is the subject you want to keep.
• If it contains areas you don't want to include, tap the cutout to enter the edit screen, select Erase, and brush over the areas you need to remove. Tap Done to save your selection.
• If the selected cutout is missing some parts you want to retain, tap the cutout to enter the edit screen, choose Restore, and mark the areas you want to include in the final photo. Tap Done to save.
• In the background selection page, tap on Transparent.
• (Optional) Tap the cutout and resize it by zooming in and out.
• (Optional) Edit the image as needed using PhotoRoom's editing tools like Text, Shadows, and Insert (new image).
• Save the photo by tapping Export > Save Image (or Save to Files).
• Select the Batch Mode tab at the bottom.
• Tap Start Batch.
• Choose all your images.
• Hit Add at the top-right corner.
• Select Transparent as the background.
• Tap Export images to save all your photos.