Africa photo safaris - any company you can recommend?

x_tan wrote in post #16697221
Seem to me you still have LOTS homework to do

Africa is SO BIG and need to get A Safari park you want to go 1st. Just a link to get you start:

10 Big Game Safari Destinations

If I remember correctly Buddy Eleazer / buddy4344 has been done Safari over 20 times, why just send him a PM?

Good luck!

Hey, just noted this thread as my name (buddy4344) was noted. I will be spending 4 weeks over two trips in southern Africa in 2014. One week in Timbavati (Greater Kruger, two trips (1 week each) to Chobe region and one week near Addo in the south mixed with time near Hermanus (whales, great whites). I'm now lining up my trips in 2015, which should be about 5 weeks worth of travel.

As you've seen, cost are all over the board. A couple of keys. 1) you need to think about specifically WHAT you want to see. Some areas have amazing leopards, other areas have tons of game, but fewer big cats, etc. Also landscape varies from vast pans, to brush to wide rivers.

You also really want to look at group size and specifically how many people per vehicle. For example, in south Africa, the more standard land rover or land cruiser is designed to carry 10 people (3 per row plus someone beside driver). A specific photo safari will typically only have one or two per row so you have room for camera bags and no one is stuck in the middle. Obviously, fewer people per vehicle/guide slightly increase cost, but is worth it for photos of a lifetime. I like smaller lodges and groups of 6 per vehicle (2 vehicles with 6 each).

Feel free to send me a private message and I'll also start watching this thread.

So, Buddy you have already clocked 20 plus trips to Africa

Anyway we book for Namibia next year, our 2nd trip to Africa

x_tan wrote in post #16717747
So, Buddy you have already clocked 20 plus trips to Africa

Anyway we book for Namibia next year, our 2nd trip to Africa

You're a little high on that number. I'm at 14 going into this year. Where in Namibia? I haven't been to Etosha but hope to next year.

buddy4344 wrote in post #16718699
You're a little high on that number. I'm at 14 going into this year. Where in Namibia? I haven't been to Etosha but hope to next year.

Most people only do once of lifetime; so you're doing very well

We'll go to Sossusvlei & Etosha National Park, then finish at Skeleton coast. About 3 weeks this time.

BTW Your flickr is few of those the very BEST for Safari. Keep on the good work. Money well spent just the bonus

I do my photoworkshops in Africa with those two tour operators

1) http://www.sunworld-safari.com/de

2) www.asyoulikeitsafaris​.com

Both are excellent, providing top quality services....and not pricey at all.

Hi you could try these www.wildplacessafaris.​com I dont no much about them but they have a guide Pietro Luraschi fantastic guide, photographer and a realy nice bloke.

http://www.world-tours-safaris.com/

had an amazing trip with these guys, also used this same group to climb Kilimanjaro. Richard Kilonzo was fantastic and made sure everything was perfect. Highly recommended..I can give you more info if your interested...Check my pics from his safari...

We went to Kenya with this guy:-
http://www.africanbig5​safaris.com/
https://www.facebook.c​om/AfricanBig5Safaris

We have booked & going to Kruger with him in July. Great guy, knows Africa, easy to get along with, he does both Photography & none Photography tours.

As some previous have said it's great to know what you want, but if you don't Kenya is a great place to start. We did 5 parks in 14 days. A lot of travelling, but we really enjoyed it.

Flickr shots here:-
https://www.flickr.com …4/sets/72157638​962039265/

You have some great shots there Gbgb well done. I looked at the tour sight but found no price's could you tell us what trip you did and the cost. I also noticed no trips in October, when we like to go?.

Just back from a week in Chobe (Botswana) and a week in Kruger (greater Kruger area). Both were great and each different. In Chobe, I used Pangolin and they are by far the best. Amazing shots from the water. In Timbavati, I stayed at Simbavati River Lodge where the guides did an excellent job and food was over the top. 8,000 photos to process now. It's a lot, but we had a lot of bee eaters and yellow bill storks and bif chew through a lot of shots with limited 'keepers'.

buddy4344 wrote in post #16943750
... 8,000 photos to process now.

Just wonder how much would cost for the 35mm films back to the good old day

cdiver2 wrote in post #16943720
You have some great shots there Gbgb well done. I looked at the tour sight but found no price's could you tell us what trip you did and the cost. I also noticed no trips in October, when we like to go?.

Thanks for the comment. He does tend to have most of his safaris March to August, I have never thought to ask him why.

We did this one:-
http://www.africanbig5​safaris.com.au/?page_i​d=157

The cost on his page is $6300 (AU), but we paid $7,xxx, which included air fare from Perth Au. Note all of his tours are x Western Australia where he lives, but I know other people have joined him in Africa, so the price is just the ground cost, no air fare.

This one:-
http://www.africanbig5​safaris.com.au/?page_i​d=154

is Sept early Oct in Kenya for the Wilde Beest migration.
What I liked about it was all the costs (except souvenirs & drinks are included.

buddy4344 wrote in post #16943750
8,000 photos to process now. It's a lot, but we had a lot of bee eaters and yellow bill storks and bif chew through a lot of shots with limited 'keepers'.

8,000 sounds a lot, but as you say BIF are very low keeper rate (well, mine are !)

I think Safari holidays give you twice the value, first time while you are there & then when you cull the photos!

Gbgb wrote in post #16945285
Thanks for the comment. He does tend to have most of his safaris March to August, I have never thought to ask him why.

We did this one:-
http://www.africanbig5​safaris.com.au/?page_i​d=157

The cost on his page is $6300 (AU), but we paid $7,xxx, which included air fare from Perth Au. Note all of his tours are x Western Australia where he lives, but I know other people have joined him in Africa, so the price is just the ground cost, no air fare.

This one:-
http://www.africanbig5​safaris.com.au/?page_i​d=154

is Sept early Oct in Kenya for the Wilde Beest migration.
What I liked about it was all the costs (except souvenirs & drinks are included.

Thank you again Gbgb we will look into them for our next trip (2015)

Thank you Gbgb, you get two types of safaris one where you just go to enjoy the Wildlife and get back home with lots of " the famous African bum " shots or you can join a tour operator who knows the behaviour of these magnificent animals which will allows you to really get those shots that makes you go WOW !!! I just returned today from a 2 month safari with more then 40 000+ shots. Choosing a destination start with which time of year you can travel and then the next would be if you are after Birds or the Big Cats with the general plains game or are you interested in the Wildebeest Migration? There are so many options but your guide WILL make the difference, my driver in Kenya and identify 2000+ birds and he can mimic about 500 birds both males and females as birds is his passion