The wildlife photographic expedition of a lifetime: crocodiles, gorillas, lions, leopards, cheetahs, cape buffalo, and elephants
ON THIS EXPEDITION, we take twenty eights to dry out a bit (but not completely). After half a dozen trips to South Africa to dive with great white sharks, whale sharks, and billions of sardines (the phenomenal annual Sardine Run), Amos realized there was an incredible wealth of Big Animals right up there on the other side of the beach.
This, of course, is not a new observation. Visitors to Africa have been marveling at the rich diversity of its wildlife for centuries. At the turn of the last century, they even had a name for the most important animals to see (and hunt): the ‘Big 5.’ Well, we can improve on their concept: we are proud to present to you our African photography safari: the ‘Big 7.’ Elephants? Naturally. Lions? Absolutely. Tigers? Nope, wrong continent. Mountain gorillas, cheetahs, leopards, cape buffalo, giraffes, zebras, countless antelopes, plus Nile crocodiles! Hey, nobody else throws in crocodiles!
Fortunately, it’s possible to see all these animals in one trip because travel today is so much more doable than it was 100 years ago. Unfortunately, now really is the time to see these animals because the pressures on their survival are greater than ever.
In search of world-class photographic opportunities, we’ll range over savannah and river delta, through open grassland and dense forest. We’ll stay at established safari camps and set up our own mobile camps. And of course, making some time for the fantastic Nile crocodiles in Botswana, we’ll be out on the water as well.
Four lucky people who can dedicate a full month to their passion for nature will join Amos on this iconic safari. A small group of fellow adventurers who will come to share a deep understanding of Africa — and themselves — on this photographic expedition of a lifetime.
General Itinerary
Day 1: DEPART home for Kigali, Rwanda.
Day 2: ARRIVE in Kigali. After clearing customs and immigration, our representative will meet you at the airport. You’ll transfer to the Mountain Gorilla Lodge (a 3-4 hour drive from the airport) and get situated in our private B&B.
Day 3 – 5: We begin three days of walking safari into the gorilla’s habitat, and of course, coached photo sessions. The walk to the gorilla passes through mild mountainous terrain covered by bamboo forest, which may be sunny or misty, depending on the day. We will be in a group of no more than eight people. As soon as we meet the gorillas, we will have only one hours’ stay with them, to avoid dependency between wildlife and humans. After our encounter with the gorilla, we will return to our hotel, and set out again for the same trip the next day.
Three days with the mountain gorillas of the Parc National des Volcans. Early each morning, we’ll head out with our guides, who are actually members of a specially-trained military unit with the mission of protecting Rwanda’s gorillas from poachers. By the time we hit the trail, our military escort has already located the gorillas we’ll be observing for the day, and will stay with them until we arrive. Our gorilla family groups (typically one dominant silverback male, his harem of three or four mates, several younger adults and juveniles of both sexes, and a few infants) will spend the day foraging, playing, basking in the sun, and generally providing amazing poses for your camera. Pretty good for non-professional models.
Day 5: RETURN to the hotel, regroup, and prepare for our return drive to Kigali for an overnight stay.
Day 6: Drive to the airport and fly from Kigali to Johannesburg. Overnight in Johannesburg hotel before our flight the next morning to Botswana.
Day 7: Early morning flight from Johannesburg to Maun, Botswana. Connect with our charter flight to the Nxmaseri Lodge.
Day 8 – 13: Six fulls days of searching the Okavango Delta for clear water and encounters with the mighty crocs. In the wintertime when we will be visiting, crocs will be sunbathing to keep warm. Upon our approach, they will immediately run into the water in hiding, which is our cue to also hop in the water. Only one guest will be permitted in the water at a time with your expedition leaders to provide a safe and fantastic photo opportunity.
Day 14 – 23: DEPART Nxmaseri, meet our private safari vehicle and our expert guide. We commence ten days of private safari, searching for the classic cats: lion, cheetahs, leopards. We will also make efforts to visit area specific to two dens of the rare wild dog of Africa. Along the way, we will see elephants, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, and various species of antelope.
Accommodations during this safari may be a completely-tented safari or a luxurious mix of tented safari and selected lodges. We will decide on which option is best for your trip prior to your departure that will best accommodate your party.
Wildlife viewing in the Khwai River Area, one of the Okavango Delta’s furthest reaches of water. The surrounding woodlands, open floodplains, and a fluctuating river make this area different from others in Botswana. Wildlife along the river include hippos, reedbucks, and plentiful water birds while the floodplains attract zebra, tsessebe antelope, impala, and warthogs. In the woodland areas we’ll see elephant, giraffe, kudu, roan and sable antelope. This is another good area for leopard sightings as well as prides of lion and packs of African Wild Dog.
Viewing will continue along the tail-end of the Khwai River, over the sand-ridge into the Mababe Depression, and on to the Savuti area of the Chobe National Park, arriving in time for lunch. After lunch we’ll continue our wildlife viewing, ending the day watching the sunset at one of the waterholes so vital to the wildlife of this dry area. We’ll spend the next three nights based at another of our exclusive campsites.
Full days of wildlife viewing in the Savuti area, famous for its prides of lion, and also cheetah, hyenas, and wild dog. It’s also the best place to see, photograph, and learn about the large number of bull elephants that are special to this area.
Our wildlife viewing will take us out of the Savuti area and on through thick Kalahari sands and beautiful teak woodlands. After a short stretch driving through villages (where we can buy traditional hand-made baskets and crafts from the local village co-operative), we’ll come to the Chobe River area of the Chobe National Park, with its own wildlife populations, ending by sunset at another of our exclusive campsites.
Full days of wildlife viewing in the Chobe National Park. This area has good year-round wildlife viewing thanks to the permanent waters of the Chobe River. The mornings are best spent in search of lions and other exotic animals and birds. This river attracts a huge variety of wildlife and is the only place in Southern Africa where the puku antelope can be seen. The afternoon highlight is viewing the breeding herds of elephant and buffalo that come down to the river to drink. One afternoon we’ll take a boat trip on the river to view the animals from a different perspective.
Our last morning of wildlife viewing in Botswana, followed by a picnic lunch before heading to Victoria Falls. In the afternoon we’ll visit the world-famous Victoria Falls itself. One will soon see where it gets its traditional name — “Mosi oa Tunya” — the smoke that thunders. We’ll have dinner at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge and overnight at Lokuthula Lodges. Lokuthula Lodges is a beautiful brick and thatched building compound that overlooks the Zambezi National Park. Warthogs, monkeys, and baboons are frequent visitors to the grounds, and elephant and buffalo can often be seen in the valley below. There’s a swimming pool on the grounds and a floodlit waterhole enabling you to watch the animals coming for a drink at night.
An early breakfast followed by another chance to view the Falls in a different light, or to walk upstream from the Falls along a winding, twisting path among beautiful riverside vegetation. You may prefer to wander around the curio markets of the town and pick up mementos in the form of stone and woodcarvings (Zimbabweans have a reputation as Africa’s best carvers). DEPART Victoria Falls Airport to Johannesburg, where we’ll stay overnight.
Day 24: DEPART Maun for home, your adventure quotient now off the charts. With our Big 7 tour under your safari belt, you’re now an old Africa ‘hand’ with enough stories to last a lifetime of cocktail parties. And when you read Hemingway or Burton, you’ll recognize that they’re writing about you.
Accomodations
Our mobile camp is your full service residence in the bush, with comfortable 10 x 10 foot walk-in dome tents that are insect-proof and furnished with camp beds, mattresses, duvets, pillows, and a few other items for your personal comfort. Washstands, toilets, and hot showers are also provided. Our camp can be thought of a scaled-down version of a permanent tented camp, but without losing any of the standards and comforts. Freshly prepared meals of a high standard fit around the game-driving schedule, so as not to be a detriment to possible wildlife viewing experiences and opportunities. You will have exclusive use of our specialized open safari vehicle, which is designed for maximum wildlife viewing and comfort, and is ideal if you are interested in photography. This enables us to concentrate on your special interests.
The exclusive campsites that we use are for the use of members of HATAB (Hotel and Tourism Association of Botswana) only, and only one company is allowed in each site at any one time. This means that only our group will be in the sites for a totally exclusive safari. All these sites are set within the prime wildlife areas of the National Parks and Game Reserves, and are set away from the public campsites and the permanent camps and lodges. There are no fences and so animals can wander freely through the camp. The hyena is a regular night time visitor, with elephant and buffalo occasionally wandering through. When in these sites you feel as though you have Africa to yourself, and it is an experience that cannot be forgotten. The vehicle used and the mobile safari camp will be for your exclusive use, with Amos on hand as your personal guide and photo expert.
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Tour price includes:
- 23 nights on expedition
- All meals except dinners while in South Africa (diving program)
- Three days gorilla permits in Rwanda
- Botswana filming permits
- Six days’ crocodile diving services, weights, private charter vessel in Botswana
- Ten-day safari in Botswana
- Private safari vehicles, tents and guides
- All entries fees, park and special permits
- Photography seminar/photo coaching by Amos Nachoum
- Only four guests
- All local taxes
Not included in Tour Price:
- International and domestic airfare and charter flight during the safari
- Overweight luggage or excess baggage
- Overnight stays in Johannesburg and transfers
- Meals which aren’t specified, drinks and dinners in South Africa
- Personal charges such as laundry, bar, and telecommunication charges
- Insurance – we strongly recommend you buy your own travel, health, and diving insurance
- Loss of dive gear and equipment
- Gratuities
- Additional costs incurred due to independent travel arrangements
Payment Policy & Deposit:
When we receive your deposit, with your confirmation we will send you a comprehensive and detailed Trip Preparation Bulletin about the experience and the destination. All trip costs are subject to change without prior notice until your reservation is confirmed.
- A non-refundable deposit of is required to secure a place on the trip.
- Trip deposit $11,200 per person for gorilla, crocs, and only tented safari. (Full trip price: $33,700.)
- Trip deposit $14,700 per person for gorilla, crocs, and tented safari + lodges. (Full trip price: $44,100.)
- Full payment is due no later than 90 days before departure.
- We reserve the right to sell any space that is not paid in full 60 days before departure.
- A refund will be made if the space can be filled in time, less unrecoverable costs of sales, administration, or special promotion.
- Cancellation must be made in writing. Deposits are non-refundable if cancellation is made 180 days or less before departure.
- No refunds for unused part of the itinerary.
For payment, please mail your check to:
Big Animals Expeditions
2000 Broadway, Suite #1204
San Francisco, CA 94115
A note on preparation
We’ll be in South Africa, Botswana, and Rwanda during the Southern Hemisphere’s fall season. Outside temperatures can range from 50 – 65 degrees, so bring warm clothes – Polartec jacket, raincoat, and windbreaker are recommended. Casual clothing is fine throughout South Africa. Jeans and/or khakis, and layering options are a traveler’s best choice. Also recommended are a hat, sun glasses, sunscreen, etc. Please remember all of your medical requirements, and consult your doctor for any medication or inoculations necessary for this part of the world. Malaria preventative measures are highly recommended. Phone cards and credit cards are widely accepted throughout the country.Visitors are required to have a valid passport and roundtrip air ticket.
On safari
Botswana is at the northern border of South Africa and inland, therefore the safari portion of the expedition is not affected as much by the winter season as the diving program. Days will be warm, perhaps even hot when the sun is up. Nights are cool to cold.
Layers of clothing are best during the safari. Keep colors muted — khakis and whites work best to keep us camouflaged, and also reflect the heat of the sun. Dark colors absorb the heat which will make you uncomfortable.
Colorful clothing is easily spotted by wild animals and will scare them away. No aftershave, colognes, or perfume while on the safari since the animals have a very keen sense of smell. Bring a hat, good sunglasses which block UV and glare. Sunblock, at least 30SPF.
Diving equipment
You must bring your own exposure suit. We strongly recommend that you bring a dry suit. If you decide to use a dry suit, it is required that you have at least 50 dives with the the suit. If you do not have experience in dry suit diving you must take a course and/or a refresher course. Bring a Polartec undergarment for your dry suit, dry gloves, and sweat shirt and pants. Regulator, mask (bring spare mask), fins, BC and snorkel. Weight belt, (weights will be provided) and ankle weights. Diving gloves and diving hood. Spare parts and tools.
A general note
Although we’re confident about what you’ll experience in Africa, we’d like to remind you that we’re in the wilderness and despite all our careful preparation, Mother Nature may not cooperate with us exactly as we’d wish. Remember, the wild animals are not on contract with us. When we’re at sea, we’re not at Sea World, and the Okavango Delta is not the zoo. We trust our previous experiences, and so far our record is excellent. We believe that with good planning and a realistic approach, you’ll have a wonderful time with us in Africa as we seek out photographic encounters with ‘the Big 7.’
For payment, please mail your check to:
Big Animals Expeditions
2000 Broadway, Suite #1204
San Francisco, CA 94115
All information is current as of November 2011. Dates and prices are subject to change without prior notice.
For Booking and/or further questions, please contact Amos:
Phone: (415) 923-9865
Toll free: 877-229-4253
Email: phototrips@biganimals.com
amos@biganimals.com
We look forward to your joining us on this adventure of a lifetime!
To join us, please complete the Registration Form
