What style of Africa trip will suit my photographic goals

The How

The how means how will you experience Africa, how will you get the shots you desire.

The how can be influenced by a number of factors.

• Location
• Time
• Budget
• Comfort Level /Style of travel/ Security

Lets delve into these in more detail.

Location:   So how can your choice of trip location affect you.  Some countries restrict the types of travel available within them, ie Libya means no independent travel, tour groups only.  Thankfully none of these restrictions really apply in the prime wildlife areas.  That said some of the prime areas charge alot, which may blow your budget or mean less time onsite. All of which can drastically alter your chances of getting the shot. So check out your choice of country and its options fully before booking.

Time:   No doubt you are fully aware that for wildlife photography the more time you can spend with the critters the better your chances of getting the shot. Obviously when the critter is in your backyard this is not an issue but in Africa you could be spending $500-1000 a day. As a photographer you cannot go by the standard tourist brochures "Allow 2-3 days on safari to make the most of it". Yeah right for us this is the bare minimum. You have paid alot in airfares and greenhouses gases to get to Africa so make the most of it; maximise your time on the ground with camera in hand!

Budget :  This controls how long you can spend with the critters. Most Africa countries have a wide array of options available for the traveller. Some of which are not really suitable for serious photography. ie Overlanding is a great cheap way to get around  but you can be guaranteed that the best action will happen at the waterhole while you are on kitchen duty!! (I speak from experience on this!). Self Drive is great in alot of Southern Africa but finding the game is not always easy. Still this is a good mid range option if you have time.  Lodge based offers the best option for photographers on a time limit. You get a guide who knows where to find the animals. Don't be fooled into thinking the $1000 a lodge has the best wildlife. There maybe other cheaper options in the very near vicinity.

Comfort level:  No where near as important as the others but you have to think about it. The $1000 a day place will be offering good wildlife but its main draw card is the luxury and pampering. I cannot speak for you but I am there to spend time in the wild taking photos not to get a massage. The flip side of this is that the back packers is no place for your uber expensive zoom lenses!! I prefer a mid range lodge in a good area. Another facet to this point is security, how comfortable are you travelling in 3rd world countries. There is no pint going to Africa if you are going to be to worried by street crime to go outside the hotel.

As you can see these are all linked together, one affects the other. So have a think about these points and next time I will have a closer look at the styles of trips available and their pros and cons.

As always fell free to comment.