26 October 2014
7 Wildlife Photography essentials on African safari
30/10/14 19:25 Filed in: African Safari Holiday
An African safari holiday is the best opportunity to fall in love with wildlife photography, even when photography wasn’t really a hobby beforehand. Many guests arrive with a small point and shoot camera or even with an iPad and go home keen to get the real gear for better pictures.
No matter with which camera you start off your African safari adventure, there are some essentials to keep in mind.
- Make sure your camera has a good zoom, either a built in zoom or at least a 400mm zoom lens (for full frame SLRs).
- Bring something to stabilize your camera while photographing wildlife. That can be a beanbag, a tripod or a monopod. Beanbags are the most flexible tool.
- Bring backup batteries and memory cards with you on safari.
- Bring a small cleaning kit with a microfiber cloth and some cleaning fluid.
- A rain cover is very helpful when being on open game drive vehicles. There is still something to photograph, even when it rains.
- Dress, that you feel comfortable with any weather. Discomfort will disturb your wildlife photography or you might not photograph at all while feeling cold or wet.
- Bring a laptop to upload your images after every game drive. That will make sure you have always memory card space no matter what amazing unexpected sightings you will encounter.
Geared up like that for your African safari tour will make sure you are ready for any great Big Five sighting without any stress about your camera equipment. Don’t come with loads of gear; keep it simple and essential. That will make sure, you have an incredible wildlife experience and come home with amazing pictures.
Ute Sonnenberg for Roho Ya Chui, Travel Africa
5 Reasons to visit Zimbabwe
29/10/14 18:45 Filed in: African Safari Holiday
Zimbabwe is a gem under the African safari countries. It is an off the beaten track safari destination with magnificent national parks, landscape and wildlife wise. It is mostly visited by experienced safari guests and not really the first time Africa visitor’s destination, yet it could be.
Zimbabwe is a must see safari destinations for at least 5 good reasons:
You will be away from the safari crowds, enjoying a more private African bush experience.
You can combine it with the “Out of Africa” feeling of the famous Rovos Rail to experience a safari of the old times.
Zimbabwe’s national parks are rich in wildlife and stunning landscapes.
It is said, that the Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side are more beautiful than on the Zambian side.
There is only one magical Mana Pools UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is in Zimbabwe, created by the mighty Zambezi River.
Safari tours can be organized as self-drive safaris, drive-in and fly-in safaris. African safari accommodations of all price ranges are available, from budget to high end and tours can be tailored to match individual expectations. More and more people discover the beauty of Zimbabwe and it might be a good idea to visit soon, before it isn’t anymore an off the beaten track destination.
Ute Sonnenberg for Roho Ya Chui, Travel Africa
Top South Africa safari tour: Kruger, Sabi Sand & Panorama Route
27/10/14 19:34 Filed in: African Safari Holiday
This African safari tour is a compact 4-day safari package, combining South Africa’s top safari destination with stunning landscapes. The Panorama Route, the outstanding safari destination Sabi Sands and the world famous Kruger Park are what the guests of this tour will visit.
For an excellent value for money safari package, the accommodation is just outside the park; close enough to enjoy full-days on game drives with plenty of opportunities to spot the Big Five. The game drives are in open 4x4 safari vehicles with a maximum of 8 guests per vehicle. That makes sure the guests have a good safari experience and have space for their wildlife photography gear as well.
The highlight of the African safari tour is the game drive on the private game reserve in the Sabi Sands including a boma dinner in the bush. A stay at a private game reserve in the Sabi Sands is more costly than a safari in the public part of Kruger Park. By joining a game drive on a private game reserve guests have the opportunity to take part in this very special experience without the costs of an overnight at the reserve. The dinner under the stars is an absolute delight and maybe even a lion will roar in the distance.
View and download the itinerary here.
Ute Sonnenberg for Roho Ya Chui, Travel Africa