I've been on 5 safaris so far (Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia and Botswana twice), and I've been to luxury lodges and mobile camping including Wilderness, &Beyond... All are great, but I think my preference goes for mobile camp, with a great guide, cook and camp attendant and my own tent. This is essentially basic plus from a lodging standpoint, but this allows me to go more often (and keep the wife happy !). I'm going back to Botswana in April with the same guide I went with last time and can't recommend more:
This time, I am going to the Kalahari and Okavango for 11 days.
2. Two body FF camera setup: Nikon Z9, Z7II, along with 70-200 S w/ 1.4TC, and 500/5.6 PF. I am also bring along my 24-120/4 S (98% of shots will be done with the telephotos)
3. Not sure, but these make alot of noise and probably a no for wildlife
4. 1 extra for Z9 and 2 extra for Z7 II
5. just bring a few pairs of shorts, 2 pants, a bunch of shirts for day (can wear twice), underwear and socks, and something warm, along with something to cover neck / dust, plus a hat. Good walking shoes. Sunglasses, binoculars. Headlamp, some good books (or Kindle)
6. Inoculations: DT Polio, Yellow fever, Malaria if wet season
7. Tony above
8. My 11trip with Tony is less than $4000, excluding intl trip, drinks beyond water and tips ($10/day)
If interested in going with Tony, happy to discuss offline.
Very cool. This is a very affordable way to go. Is Tony available to schedule in any region? With the mobile tents, do they have a gas generator for charging batteries?
mobile camping in Botswana is very cool indeed; I've done a group trip with a photo tour in 2017 and it was pretty amazing. The operator our tour leaders used is called Unlimited Safari. Top class guides, excellent food, etc.
If you go around July in Bots, I would strongly suggest bringing clothes for just a few degrees above (celcius) temperatures for the morning; it can get very cold during the night or even freeze. On open vehicles you'll need more than you think to stay warm. I usually layer up with fleeces and shell jacket or puffer. Gloves and a beanie are in the bag too
Check out his website, but I believe he only covers Botswana. You can charge anything from the Land Rover at anytime
If anyone is interested, we have one spot for our trip in April (group of 3 that should be max 5 in a vehicle that takes 9)
artsupreme wrote:
Very cool. This is a very affordable way to go. Is Tony available to schedule in any region? With the mobile tents, do they have a gas generator for charging batteries?
evertdoorn wrote:
If you go around July in Bots, I would strongly suggest bringing clothes for just a few degrees above (celcius) temperatures for the morning; it can get very cold during the night or even freeze. On open vehicles you'll need more than you think to stay warm. I usually layer up with fleeces and shell jacket or puffer. Gloves and a beanie are in the bag too
seaninsa wrote:
Wrong. You can buy a pass for off-roading. It is $300 a week. It will say DO NOT FOLLOW FILM CREW. When you say the place needs much stricter management, have you been to the Triangle? There is a different person that manages the Mara Triangle from the National Park. In the Triangle, they are very strict. You cannot go off roading at all.
I have personally seen where the rangers have fined people. The times I have been off-roading there either there was no rangers around or my guide knows the rangers. My guide is very well connected in the Masai community. There used to be the Cheetah Project. The guide I use his brother was one of the top dogs in it and another guide at our camp one of his sisters was married to someone in the Project.
When it comes to payment there are two ways of doing it. The normal fine is about 10,000KS. What you do is tell them you need a receipt. They will then say only the supervisor has the receipt book and will then lower it down to 5000KS. Then it is off the books per say and is Tusker money for them. ...Show more →
What is wrong with you, don't bribe the locals, just get a permit or stay on the road. Permits are there for a reason - to limit the numbers.
It is really not that hard, that way there might actually be something left for your kids !
Sean I haven't been in the Triangle but you are damn right it's managed much better. Not by a person btw, but a Kenian non-profit organisation called Mara Conservancy. National Reserve is managed by the county of Narok. And this is where the problem lies.
There's no long term strategic vision, not enough enforcement of park rules and as you say, a problem because a lot of what can be done there is based on 'knowing some guy' or paying them off. One camp owner I know who has been around for a very long time sees the issues of the park becoming bigger and bigger. He believes that in 10 years time if things continue, the national park will have ceased to exists in its current form. Willdife will move to quieter area's such as conservancies or triangle; all that might be left is just a few corridors for willdife to migrate from Sand River and/or triangle to the north.
I stil love the place (and getting back next year to the National Reserve, along with a few days conservancy), but I do hope that someone will step in (perhaps KWS can take over management), drastically cull the number of camps located within the reserve and put the wildlife back at the #1 spot there. Just as an example, read the research of dr Femke Broekhuis from a few years back; she studies cheetah populations in the Mara and pressure of vehicles getting too close or with too many vehicles at a sighting (actually blocking the view from threats such as lions) factually impacts birth and survival rates of the cheetah population there.
btw you can go off-road in the Triangle in low-use zones for big cat sightings. Also, they have a rule of maximum 5 vehicles per sighting, and have a thing they call 'cheetah vehicles' who monitor and regulate visitor traffic at cheetah sightings, for the reasons in the mentioned reserach
evertdoorn wrote:
Sean I haven't been in the Triangle but you are damn right it's managed much better. Not by a person btw, but a Kenian non-profit organisation called Mara Conservancy. National Reserve is managed by the county of Narok. And this is where the problem lies.
There's no long term strategic vision, not enough enforcement of park rules and as you say, a problem because a lot of what can be done there is based on 'knowing some guy' or paying them off. One camp owner I know who has been around for a very long time sees the issues of the park becoming bigger and bigger. He believes that in 10 years time if things continue, the national park will have ceased to exists in its current form. Willdife will move to quieter area's such as conservancies or triangle; all that might be left is just a few corridors for willdife to migrate from Sand River and/or triangle to the north.
I stil love the place (and getting back next year to the National Reserve, along with a few days conservancy), but I do hope that someone will step in (perhaps KWS can take over management), drastically cull the number of camps located within the reserve and put the wildlife back at the #1 spot there. Just as an example, read the research of dr Femke Broekhuis from a few years back; she studies cheetah populations in the Mara and pressure of vehicles getting too close or with too many vehicles at a sighting (actually blocking the view from threats such as lions) factually impacts birth and survival rates of the cheetah population there.
btw you can go off-road in the Triangle in low-use zones for big cat sightings. Also, they have a rule of maximum 5 vehicles per sighting, and have a thing they call 'cheetah vehicles' who monitor and regulate visitor traffic at cheetah sightings, for the reasons in the mentioned reserach...Show more →
I think we have all noted the decline in the density of animals in the Mara. Between my first visit in 2007 and the next one in 2020, I was shocked to see the change. It seemed that the density of animals is inversely proportional to the density of the tourists. There were over 25 cars jostling for position at a leopard sighting. This time, it was only the pandemic that prevented a similar scenario.
It is a difficult situation. On the one hand you have more and more people aspiring to see these animals before they disappear. These people often cannot afford expensive, exclusive camps. So you have tons of inexpensive lodges and camps, many outside the park (in Talek for example) popping up to cater to these tourists. Then there is an increasing number of people who can now afford high-end camera gear and have been waiting on the sidelines to be able to travel the world and see these sights previously only in the grasp of a privileged few Westerners. Indians and Chinese for example.
In the end, this means a lot more people fighting for an ever-decreasing number of sightings, crowded and stressed animals, damaged environment (every time a vehicle passes over a muddy, wet track it makes it worse for the next one), frustrated group of photographers who have paid dearly for a seat at the feeding trough. It is a vicious cycle. Perhaps the only remedy is to limit the number of visitors into the park itself, not just at a sighting. Problem is, if you make this even more expensive, then you are back to an elitist situation where only the very rich can afford it. Maybe a limited number of permits on a first come first served basis- you reserve yours as far back in advance as you can. That opens up another can of worms - corruption and favoritism etc.
Primus wrote:
I think we have all noted the decline in the density of animals in the Mara. Between my first visit in 2007 and the next one in 2020, I was shocked to see the change. It seemed that the density of animals is inversely proportional to the density of the tourists. There were over 25 cars jostling for position at a leopard sighting. This time, it was only the pandemic that prevented a similar scenario.
It is a difficult situation. On the one hand you have more and more people aspiring to see these animals before they disappear. These people often cannot afford expensive, exclusive camps. So you have tons of inexpensive lodges and camps, many outside the park (in Talek for example) popping up to cater to these tourists. Then there is an increasing number of people who can now afford high-end camera gear and have been waiting on the sidelines to be able to travel the world and see these sights previously only in the grasp of a privileged few Westerners. Indians and Chinese for example.
In the end, this means a lot more people fighting for an ever-decreasing number of sightings, crowded and stressed animals, damaged environment (every time a vehicle passes over a muddy, wet track it makes it worse for the next one), frustrated group of photographers who have paid dearly for a seat at the feeding trough. It is a vicious cycle. Perhaps the only remedy is to limit the number of visitors into the park itself, not just at a sighting. Problem is, if you make this even more expensive, then you are back to an elitist situation where only the very rich can afford it. Maybe a limited number of permits on a first come first served basis- you reserve yours as far back in advance as you can. That opens up another can of worms - corruption and favoritism etc.
You are very correct in a lot of your points. For example, I know the Masai really hate what we call Nairobi drivers. These are non Masai that bring guests from Nairobi on to the Mara. They are a pain in the butt to deal with as they do not know the etiquettes usually. One year, we were at a crossing. A Nairobi driver had Chinese guests in his vehicle. We were at a crossing. These guests got out of their vehicle during a crossing and the crossing stopped. I thought we were going to see people get killed that day. Oh boy oh hell broke out.
Yes about numbering the guests would be something but again that would drive the prices up more. There are a lot of vans that come into the park . I know Masia drivers won't help them if they get stuck haha.
Well, to be honest, there are plenty of great non-Masai guides too. Yes there are a few from cheap operators carrying tourists with, say, less etiquette, but it's not that every guide from out of town isn't capable. The guide I had last november did work in the Mara for years but is not Masai.
He's certainly among the best guide I've had. He does know quite a lot of the Masai guys so although he's not on their radio channel (just on the general one and the one camp uses), he calls some of them now and then, and also has good contacts with the local guides in the camp we stayed at. Result: one amazing Mara trip.
And I've seen some Masai drives disobeying rules too. Getting in front of other vehicles at sightings, way too close at cheetah sightings, etc. So it's a common responsibility and the problems are not necessarily solely because of out of town drivers. As Primus mentions, it's a complex problem, and my opinion it's because of lack of proper management by the county.
evertdoorn wrote: Well, to be honest, there are plenty of great non-Masai guides too. Yes there are a few from cheap operators carrying tourists with, say, less etiquette, but it's not that every guide from out of town isn't capable. The guide I had last november did work in the Mara for years but is not Masai.
He's certainly among the best guide I've had. He does know quite a lot of the Masai guys so although he's not on their radio channel (just on the general one and the one camp uses), he calls some of them now and then, and also has good contacts with the local guides in the camp we stayed at. Result: one amazing Mara trip.
And I've seen some Masai drives disobeying rules too. Getting in front of other vehicles at sightings, way too close at cheetah sightings, etc. So it's a common responsibility and the problems are not necessarily solely because of out of town drivers. As Primus mentions, it's a complex problem, and my opinion it's because of lack of proper management by the county. ...Show more →
Agree. I've seen plenty of great guides who are not Maasai. I think the problem is the guests, some of them 'incentivize' the guides to break the rules and human nature being what it is, the guides get carried away with the promise of a larger tip for 'better sighting', thus driving dangerously and being more aggressive than needed.
We as photographers need to be cognizant of the needs of the animals and the environment, there will always be another day and another opportunity, let it go. Hard to do so, almost like pushing away from the table when the tasty dessert is served.......
Does anyone have any recommendations for good maps of these areas? I am so visual, I need to put all these sights on a map to help make decisions. Thanks!
Primus wrote:
I think the problem is the guests, some of them 'incentivize' the guides to break the rules and human nature being what it is, the guides get carried away with the promise of a larger tip for 'better sighting', thus driving dangerously and being more aggressive than needed.
We as photographers need to be cognizant of the needs of the animals and the environment, there will always be another day and another opportunity, let it go. Hard to do so, almost like pushing away from the table when the tasty dessert is served.......
100% true. I'm going to host two weeks in the Mara next year with another photographer, and we're going to make this very clear to our guests as well, in the hopes that when they go by themselves a next time, they know that wildlife always should be the #1 priority and our behaviour really can have an impact.
@kimmeisinger what exactly do you mean? A regular map of all these reserves? Or where sightings can be found? (which is quite impossible since this a very dynamic affair)
evertdoorn wrote:
100% true. I'm going to host two weeks in the Mara next year with another photographer, and we're going to make this very clear to our guests as well, in the hopes that when they go by themselves a next time, they know that wildlife always should be the #1 priority and our behaviour really can have an impact.
@kimmeisinger@ what exactly do you mean? A regular map of all these reserves? Or where sightings can be found? (which is quite impossible since this a very dynamic affair)
I just want a map that would have all the preserves/conservancies etc. so I can get a big picture of where everything is that people have mentioned. That way I could maybe put together a trip with a few of them of interest to me. Or a good map I can put all the locations on. Thanks!
kimmeisinger wrote:
Does anyone have any recommendations for good maps of these areas? I am so visual, I need to put all these sights on a map to help make decisions. Thanks!
Kim there are areas that the guide will know and some will be more active then others. What camp you staying at? For example, Kabosa, who is a leopard she is in the Kabosa area. Now finding her at times is a challenge. The Marsh Pride has been active quite a bit lately.
Personally I use Big Cats of the Mara on FB for intel when I go there. You have to understand it is a fluid situation. I spend a lot of hours playing Words with Friends or other things on my phone when there waiting for action.
kimmeisinger wrote:
I just want a map that would have all the preserves/conservancies etc. so I can get a big picture of where everything is that people have mentioned. That way I could maybe put together a trip with a few of them of interest to me. Thanks!
I did this all with google maps. For example, I picked Kenya because it seems easy and has a diverse landscape. You would likely be flying into Nairobi. From there, there's tons of regions you can select. For example, just google Maasai Mara and click on the map and you will see all the camps.
seaninsa wrote:
I would hate to be hosting a group of photographers haha!! Good luck to you!!!
Thanks!
Well, I'm with another host; we have a ratio of one host to three guests, so not too bad. Besides being a pro photog, I'm a photo teacher back at home so I love teaching as well. My co-host has been a tour leader of overland camping trips in Southern Africa for almost three years non-stop, so this is a walk in the park for her
artsupreme wrote:
I did this all with google maps. For example, I picked Kenya because it seems easy and has a diverse landscape. You would likely be flying into Nairobi. From there, there's tons of regions you can select. For example, just google Maasai Mara and click on the map and you will see all the camps.
Thank you! I am at this point just trying to get a sense of where everything is and all the choices that going to that part of the world offers. I am so visual, it will help me make sense of where I might want to go and what might be practical for say a month etc.
seaninsa wrote:
Kim there are areas that the guide will know and some will be more active then others. What camp you staying at? For example, Kabosa, who is a leopard she is in the Kabosa area. Now finding her at times is a challenge. The Marsh Pride has been active quite a bit lately.
Personally I use Big Cats of the Mara on FB for intel when I go there. You have to understand it is a fluid situation. I spend a lot of hours playing Words with Friends or other things on my phone when there waiting for action.
Thank you! I am at this point just trying to get a sense of where everything is and all the choices that going to that part of the world offers. I am so visual, it will help me make sense of where I might want to go and what might be practical for say a month etc. Not really fond of 24+ hours of travel so hoping to be there for extended time and take advantage of different types of opportunities. It's a little over-whelming to see these 10 pages of options without knowing where it all fits on the map...
