What is the Big Five?

These are the five most dangerous animals to hunt: buffalo, rhino, elephant, lion, and leopard. Spotting each of them on a safari has become the goal most visitors.

Will we see elephants?

While there are no guarantees with wild animals, we can almost guarantee several very good encounters with elephants

Which big cats will we see?

Cheetahs are not common in South Africa, but we do see them quite often. We go to reserves with lions and usually find several groups. Leopards and the smaller cats are found by chance and keen spotting skills by guides and guests

Safari Photo Tips: Awareness

Watch for secondary predators and other species that are attracted to or congregate with the species you are photographing. Some of the best action may be in the background or the periphery.

Safari Photo Tips: Creativity

A shot with lighting or other technical problems can be salvaged with some creativity either at the shoot or in post processing. Use of black and white conversion to hide exposure problems or an interesting crop or zoom can make mediocrity something special.

Safari Photo Tips: Patience

Taking the time to wait and see what happens even after the action is apparently over can be rewarding. A safari should be about learning about the animal through observation (and of course capturing these behaviors) and getting a feel for its pace, how it interacts, and spends it day rather than ticking off the sighting on a list and rushing off to find the next on the list.