greeneggs wrote:
Any tips for solo photographer travelers? Especially for those on a budget? I'd like to avoid the Disneyland mob scene (e.g., dozens of cars circling a lion, as someone linked to above), and would rather spend as much time as possible taking photos (versus relaxing in camp).
But I'm willing to make some compromises to save money. (For example, going solo, I guess I'll probably have to live with whatever the other guests in the vehicle want. One of the camps quoted $500/day for my own vehicle, and that is too much.)
Is something like Sabi Sands a bad idea? They have the lowest price options that I have seen so far. Any other budget options with a photography focus?
By the way, I have read through every post here, taking notes. THANK YOU for sharing your advice. ...Show more →
You can go fairly inexpensively depending on how willing you are to rough it a bit. A professionally run camping Safari is easy to find sub $200 per day.
Another option is in cities like Nairobi there are places where solo travelers congregate and arrange to do trips to together with private camping. I haven't done this myself in decades. But it was possible back then to do it sub $25/day. I would think it still possible to do around $100/day.
Back in the day there was the Thorn Tree Cafe in the New Stanley Hotel Nairobi where "travelers" could post messages on the thorn tree looking to meet people to organize these private Safari. Not sure where the spots are these days, but they must be around. The Thorn Tree Message board is still active I hear.
greeneggs wrote:
Any tips for solo photographer travelers? Especially for those on a budget? I'd like to avoid the Disneyland mob scene (e.g., dozens of cars circling a lion, as someone linked to above), and would rather spend as much time as possible taking photos (versus relaxing in camp).
But I'm willing to make some compromises to save money. (For example, going solo, I guess I'll probably have to live with whatever the other guests in the vehicle want. One of the camps quoted $500/day for my own vehicle, and that is too much.)
Is something like Sabi Sands a bad idea? They have the lowest price options that I have seen so far. Any other budget options with a photography focus?
By the way, I have read through every post here, taking notes. THANK YOU for sharing your advice. ...Show more →
Sabi Sands is fantastic. You really can't go wrong there. Easy 5 hour drive from Johannesburg and you'll see everything there. Probably the best place in the world to photograph Leopards. There will also never be more than 3 vehicles per sighting.
1bwana1 wrote:
For me the best times were the early 1970s. You could even be alone in the Mara back then. Mostly Bush tent camping back then. You could drive anywhere off road. Adventures and amazing experiences. In many places we carried our own long guns for protection back then. Privat walking and horseback Trips along the still fully wild Tana River and Tsavo.no roads no cars wild animals. Real big, real red, real wild, elephants, huge herds.even lots of Rhino. I am blessed to have been able to experience it as a young man. Magic.
These days the parks are mostly reverse zoos. ...Show more →
I envy you your experience 1b1. I wish I had been able to do that. My own observation is that even in the 15 yrs I've been going to Kenya, the density of animals has reduced while that of the tourists has increased. Back then, we were a group of 15, in 5 vehicles and at many places there was nobody else other than us, including with Cheetah cubs and a fresh lion kill. This is the Mara main reserve. At Samburu there was a feeding frenzy at a leopard sighting with 20 plus vehicles, most of the others were 'matatus'.
I sometimes wonder what it must have been like a hundred years ago, living in a tent with the usual assortment of mosquitos, flies, lack of wash/toilet facilities, but boy, the big elephant herds and tuskers would have been phenomenal. We have exchanged unbelievable animal sightings for comfort and convenience. Not to mention the pressure from so many more human beings eager to see it all. No easy way around that.
MattAxel wrote:
Sabi Sands is fantastic. You really can't go wrong there. Easy 5 hour drive from Johannesburg and you'll see everything there. Probably the best place in the world to photograph Leopards. There will also never be more than 3 vehicles per sighting.
It is almost an oxymoron, saving money and going solo with good sightings in Africa. Anywhere you have cheaper accommodation you also have more people. The least expensive options are to stay in hotels/lodges and tent camps outside the main reserve (talking about the Masai Mara for example). But then you will probably be stuffed with at least 6-8 people in either a minivan or a vehicle with sliding glass windows, neither situation ideal for photography.
Sabi Sands is great, I've been there, both at the high-end Londolozzi type place and the budget camp like Arathusa. The sightings are similar but in the cheaper option you are put in a vehicle with 12 people in total. There are four rows of seats, each carrying 3 people. It is great for somebody looking to just see animals in their natural habitat, but not good for photography. They also have very short game drives. Having said that, the density of animals is quite high. The guides are also secretive, will not let you know what they are chasing until you get there, to create drama and suspense.
Londolozzi is amazingly good, perhaps the best food I've ever had in Africa, great sightings, great guiding, only 3-4 persons per vehicle at most. Very good for leopards as has been said, but boy is it expensive! Solo travelers will end up paying $1800 or more per night, especially if you want the vehicle to yourself.
A somewhat less expensive option for solo use of tent and vehicle is the Conservancies in the Masai Mara. Will still be $1000 per night at least, but the experience is great, you will still see lions/leopards easily. You could do a 'group' tour of the Mara and then stay at one of the private concessions for 2-3 nights. The best ones are the Kicheche camps but others are also good and maybe slightly cheaper too.
One other thing about South Africa/Botswana/Namibia. If you are traveling from the US, it is a much longer and therefore more expensive trip just to get there. Kenya Airways flies non-stop to Nairobi from New York these days and is a very good option. You can also go to Tanzania easily from there. Which is what I am doing next month. East Africa is definitely cheaper overall. And a better value for money in the end.
So, if I don't really care about food nor accommodation and want to have great photo opportunities, where should I go with a limited budget? Traveling solo in Botswana and sleeping in a car?
Uarctos wrote:
So, if I don't really care about food nor accommodation and want to have great photo opportunities, where should I go with a limited budget? Traveling solo in Botswana and sleeping in a car?
Botswana is probably the most expensive safari destination. My belief is the cheapest is Kenya, then Tanzania and then the Southern African destinations - SA, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Possibly Zimbabwe may be cheaper, on par with Kenya, but to get there is not as easy, most flights have to go through JoBurg. Mozambique I have not personal knowledge of.
Yes, the cheapest way would be to stay in a tented camp outside the Mara, then drive into the reserve in your own rental car. Problem with this approach is unless you are able to rent a 4x4, you may get stuck in the many potholes on the roads after rains - which nobody knows the timing of these days. If you do not know the area well, driving on those roads, traversing the often flooded rivers is not easy.
BTW, most of these reserves do not permit staying after sunset, there are severe penalties for it. We paid $100 fine for returning to our camp 15 mts late in the Mara triangle this past Sept. So, sarcasm aside, you really cannot sleep in your car.
One other option may be to find a guide who is now freelancing. These days many Maasai and others who used to be guides for big outfits have set up their own business, offering much cheaper vehicle and guiding. You still have to stay in one of the camps but the rest will be taken care of for you. You may find somebody through google, I don't have info on this.
Uarctos wrote:
So, if I don't really care about food nor accommodation and want to have great photo opportunities, where should I go with a limited budget? Traveling solo in Botswana and sleeping in a car?
I don't think there's a free lunch with Safari unless you had a chance to go during Covid. With my limited experience, in order to have the best photographic experience you need to be in the conservancies and in your own vehicle. Otherwise, you will be packed in like sardines in a vehicle and there will be tons of land cruisers jockeying for position which will is a nightmare from a photography perspective.
Like Primus said, I'm sure there are some independent guys who have their own vehicles that would drive you in and this would be the most affordable option if you can find them. Maybe someone here knows one of those guys they can refer? Rob the Ranger on Youtube might be a good resource to contact:
But for staying at a decent camp in a conservancy with a private vehicle I don't see it being less than $1500 per night. Primus mentioned Kicheche, here's their 2023 pricing for the Mara:
Let me ask the opposite question. Do folks have recommendations if cost is not a major issue, but one doesn't need the most luxurious accommodations, but doesn't mind paying what it takes to get the most/best wildlife viewing and photography opportunities?
PS: I've been following this thread from the beginning. It is fantastic, with an unbelievable amount of valuable information. Thanks everyone.
vbnut wrote:
Let me ask the opposite question. Do folks have recommendations if cost is not a major issue, but one doesn't need the most luxurious accommodations, but doesn't mind paying what it takes to get the most/best wildlife viewing and photography opportunities?
PS: I've been following this thread from the beginning. It is fantastic, with an unbelievable amount of valuable information. Thanks everyone.
My recent Safari was perfect for me but I spent almost a year researching and planning for it. If you want a no brainer 5 star Safari where you'll see everything, I would suggest staying at places like Kicheche or Elewana camps. if you spent 4 days Tortillis Amboseli, then 5 days at Kicheche Mara, and then head to Rwanda for a Gorilla trek (Virunga Lodge) you would have an amazing experience:
For conservancies in the Mara, also take a look at Porini Camps; maybe a bit more affordable than Kicheche.
In Kenya you could try WOW Safaris which can offer you private trips with your own vehicle and guide. Even in busier national parks/reserves this gives you the opp to do whatever you want. Samburu is a great place too in Kenya.
If you want a bit more adventure, try self driving in Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park in SA. Need to book accommodation in advance thru SAN parks though.
Joining a photo trip can surely be a nice meet-in-the-middle solution; you are surrounded with people who think like-wise, you have more space in the vehicle than you normally would when sharing a car and it's nice to have a chat with ppl now and then too
These trips are done everywhere on the continent.
I have utilized Singita owned lodges in multiple destinations in Africa and they meet all the criteria for a five star experience. Nothing is left wanting with a Singita experience. I would suggest a visit to their website for a more informative explanation.
Since Evertdoorn mentioned Porini, I searched and found a great resource page that lists many camps and their pricing. Scroll down and you will see a long list of camps listed with rates:
artsupreme wrote:
Since Evertdoorn mentioned Porini, I searched and found a great resource page that lists many camps and their pricing. Scroll down and you will see a long list of camps listed with rates:
didn't know this one; that's great! Ol Pejeta in Kenya; lovely too - Porini Rhino is very small and in a private part. Had lionesses stalking buffalo about 60 metres away from the camp fire at night
I should mention Mashatu too in Botswana, fabulous experience. The rates for the tented camp are about 500 usd pppn
evertdoorn wrote:
didn't know this one; that's great! Ol Pejeta in Kenya; lovely too - Porini Rhino is very small and in a private part. Had lionesses stalking buffalo about 60 metres away from the camp fire at night
I should mention Mashatu too in Botswana, fabulous experience. The rates for the tented camp are about 500 usd pppn
It seems the private vehicle is where many people on a budget would break the bank. Looks like most camps charge $300-$500 per day for your own vehicle. For me, I could never go back and share a vehicle. I was out every morning before sunrise, sometimes ate out in the bush or back to camp for a lunch break, and then back out to the bush early evening and returned after sunset. My longest day was 13hrs spent in a vehicle, but it was all worth it to see a cheetah kill.
Primus wrote:
I sometimes wonder what it must have been like a hundred years ago, living in a tent with the usual assortment of mosquitos, flies, lack of wash/toilet facilities, but boy, the big elephant herds and tuskers would have been phenomenal. We have exchanged unbelievable animal sightings for comfort and convenience. Not to mention the pressure from so many more human beings eager to see it all. No easy way around that.
A hundred years ago it would have been very tough. Safari was an exercise in survival more that tourism.
In the 70s we would build our own safari. We would take a couple of bush vehicles, and a truck loaded with supplies and staff. We would circle a spot on the map ( mostly known and recommended by other locals). The truck would go to the spot, set up camp, and start cooking that evenings meal. We would drive around often off road, and even on foot many times. We were primarily exploring the geology, but also enjoying the scenery and wildlife. We would go to the camp site before dark. Great meals around the camp fire. If we liked or needed more time in the area we would stay a few days. If nothing seemed interesting, we would pick a new spot and move camp. These trips could last weeks, and we would either be resupplied in a small town, or by bush plane.
My main mine property at the time was just outside a private game reserve called Salt Lick, which was owned and operated as a Hilton lodge. It had a huge population of wildlife. I don't think a day ever went by where I didn't see real wild African animals. I think one survey counted over 300 of the huge Tsavo Elephants on our/Hilton property.
Our "City" home was in Karen outside of Nairobi, and the other side of the fence was Nairobi National Wildlife Park. We had everything but Elephants there. The Elephants had been moved out because they were too destructive. When my kids were young we had a family of 5 young Cheetah living in our backyard. My kids loved following them around and watching them mature.
I am blessed to have gotten to experience Africa the way I have. It is so very different now. I have a very good friend who has a large hunting concession in Western Tanzania. It is still original wild bush out there. When I go it is very much like the old days. No tourists and the animals are real and wild. Of course you can't just drive up to them like you do in the parks. I am anxious to get back out in the bush. Impossible the last few years due to medical issues. I have one more big surgery and hopefully I will be able once again. Or maybe I have had my day, and am now too old. Either way, I am blessed.
vbnut wrote:
Let me ask the opposite question. Do folks have recommendations if cost is not a major issue, but one doesn't need the most luxurious accommodations, but doesn't mind paying what it takes to get the most/best wildlife viewing and photography opportunities?
PS: I've been following this thread from the beginning. It is fantastic, with an unbelievable amount of valuable information. Thanks everyone.
Why not join with someone and rent a 4X4 with roof top tent. The are less than $100/day. Camp in Mara and self dire. rent a local Massai guide with radio to help you find animals and avoid crowds. A affordable great adventure you will never forget.
evertdoorn wrote:
For conservancies in the Mara, also take a look at Porini Camps; maybe a bit more affordable than Kicheche.
In Kenya you could try WOW Safaris which can offer you private trips with your own vehicle and guide. Even in busier national parks/reserves this gives you the opp to do whatever you want. Samburu is a great place too in Kenya.
If you want a bit more adventure, try self driving in Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park in SA. Need to book accommodation in advance thru SAN parks though.
Joining a photo trip can surely be a nice meet-in-the-middle solution; you are surrounded with people who think like-wise, you have more space in the vehicle than you normally would when sharing a car and it's nice to have a chat with ppl now and then too
These trips are done everywhere on the continent. ...Show more →
I agree, the best compromise is to go with a group of like minded people, hopefully your photo buddies and plan a trip together. If you can share a vehicle (3 per vehicle is still very good for photography) it will bring down the costs significantly. You also don't have to pay the professional photographer his fee for taking you - essentially that is how they stay in business and it is very hard work for them, but in the end at least 40% of your costs are going for his livelihood.
Any safari outfit can arrange a complete trip for you. There are also the logistics of flying or driving between places. Air travel even for a short one hour flight from Nairobi to Amboseli in the little bush plane is almost $300 per person.
Safaris have always been quite expensive, and now you also have to deal with increasingly difficult crowds.
artsupreme wrote:
It seems the private vehicle is where many people on a budget would break the bank. Looks like most camps charge $300-$500 per day for your own vehicle. For me, I could never go back and share a vehicle. I was out every morning before sunrise, sometimes ate out in the bush or back to camp for a lunch break, and then back out to the bush early evening and returned after sunset. My longest day was 13hrs spent in a vehicle, but it was all worth it to see a cheetah kill.
I had always done my trips with a pro taking a bunch of us on a trip. However, the first time I extended the safari and took 3 days to stay at Kicheche - with my wife who is not a photographer - was an experience I will never forget. It changed my mind completely about wildlife photography. I would rather spend fewer days but on my own than do a longer time with a group. However, it is not cheap and that is the crux. So now I simply add on a few days before and after a group safari.
Even with your buddies, unless you are absolutely on the same wavelength, it is not the same as being on your own, just you and the guide (the guide has to be good, that is critical) and the wildlife around you.
1bwana1 wrote:
A hundred years ago it would have been very tough. Safari was an exercise in survival more that tourism.
In the 70s we would build our own safari. We would take a couple of bush vehicles, and a truck loaded with supplies and staff. We would circle a spot on the map ( mostly known and recommended by other locals). The truck would go to the spot, set up camp, and start cooking that evenings meal. We would drive around often off road, and even on foot many times. We were primarily exploring the geology, but also enjoying the scenery and wildlife. We would go to the camp site before dark. Great meals around the camp fire. If we liked or needed more time in the area we would stay a few days. If nothing seemed interesting, we would pick a new spot and move camp. These trips could last weeks, and we would either be resupplied in a small town, or by bush plane.
My main mine property at the time was just outside a private game reserve called Salt Lick, which was owned and operated as a Hilton lodge. It had a huge population of wildlife. I don't think a day ever went by where I didn't see real wild African animals. I think one survey counted over 300 of the huge Tsavo Elephants on our/Hilton property.
Our "City" home was in Karen outside of Nairobi, and the other side of the fence was Nairobi National Wildlife Park. We had everything but Elephants there. The Elephants had been moved out because they were too destructive. When my kids were young we had a family of 5 young Cheetah living in our backyard. My kids loved following them around and watching them mature.
I am blessed to have gotten to experience Africa the way I have. It is so very different now. I have a very good friend who has a large hunting concession in Western Tanzania. It is still original wild bush out there. When I go it is very much like the old days. No tourists and the animals are real and wild. Of course you can't just drive up to them like you do in the parks. I am anxious to get back out in the bush. Impossible the last few years due to medical issues. I have one more big surgery and hopefully I will be able once again. Or maybe I have had my day, and am now too old. Either way, I am blessed....Show more →
what a story! You are indeed blessed. I too am getting to have too many medical problems and wonder how much longer I can keep doing this. But it is what I love and nothing beats being out there in the wild with a herd of elephants, watching them watch you. So will carry on until I cannot any more. I too just had surgery again two weeks ago :-)
