Kenya Uganda Tanzania Photographic Safari Information

African safaris and Adventures have operated all sorts of safaris in Kenya Tanzania Uganda and Zanzibar Island with activities that range from honeymoon vacation, camping adventures, bird watching tours, wildebeest migration safaris, lodge safari and family travel but the most challenging safari activities are serious photographers who are always searching for that safari perfect shot.

If you are taking a Safari holiday in Africa and your main interest is in wildlife photography, rather than just relaxing and enjoying the savannah, you will have precise needs that could make or break your safari. Here are some safari tips to ensure that you get the most out of the experience, your safari is "photographer friendly" and that you return with the best photographs possible. This article assumes that you already have the right camera for safaris and that you know how to use it.

When to go on Safari

If you are traveling to Kenya Tanzania Uganda, remember that the northern hemisphere's summer is Africa's winter. In many places, this can be a great time to go on safari as it is their dry season, the grass will be shorter, making it easier to spot and photograph wildlife. Temperatures will also probably be more comfortable during the day, but beware it can get very cold at night in some places.

Because it is the dry season, the sky in Tanzania Kenya Uganda is often cloudless during winter, giving you plenty of light for photography, we find this particularly useful for bird photography as you can often get better photographs of birds with a clear blue background. Another advantage of the dry season is that there is less water out in the bush and so water dependant animals tend to congregate at or not travel too far from water holes, dams and rivers, making them much easier to find and photograph.

The most significant thing to do is to talk to the safari guide on a Kenya Tanzania Uganda travel and explain your interest, the kind of photographs you want.

Explain to your safari guide about your expectations before tour safari starts, as there are people in your group that may get uncomfortable waiting for you whilst you are taking loads of photographs, it can make it unpleasant for everyone involved. If the lodge or safari tented camp has adequate resources, this includes guides as well as vehicles and there is a definite split between casual wildlife observers or children that may get bored quickly and people who would like to spend longer at sightings to enable them to get great photographs they may even split you up into different game drives.

Safari Vehicles

Safaris in Masai Mara and Serengeti are famous for having loads of people crammed into "mini vans", which are not appropriate as a safari vehicle especially for photography safaris. Even if you were the only traveler, the enclosed space makes it difficult to take decent photographs, but when it is full of other people it can make it really difficult and sometimes almost impossible. So make sure that the safari lodge that you being accommodated uses open top safari vehicles specifically designed for game viewing and safari holidays. Also ask about their maximum passenger policy as this can make the difference between an enjoyable 4 hour game drive and a uncomfortable, hot and sticky 4 hour mission!

Decide for yourself which vehicle you would rather go on safari in!

Number of People at a Sighting

Many Game reserves and national parks in Kenya and Tanzania don't have a maximum vehicle at a sighting policy, many are the times you witness over 10 vehicles at popular sightings, and this really annoys wildlife and is against the principal of viewing that you shouldn't intrude on the natural behavior of wildlife that you are observing.

It can also ruin the experience for you of having loads of vehicles all crowding around a lion and for the wildlife photographer it can completely destroy your shot, by having a safari vehicle in the background, you may as well go to the zoo and have a fence in your photos.

If you are sharing a safari drive with non photographing tourists talk to them, let them understand what you like. As long as you remain polite many people will happily swap their position with you.