Hi Pyro and VB Nut - yes I am with you on not spending an arm and a leg...and still getting a quality experience. I have two recommendations: (a) a self-drive safari where you rent a vehicle and drive through national parks and reserves yourself. You can probably do such a trip for $100-$150 day on your own if you camp in parks/reserves. Add another $100 (approx) per day if you stay in some lodges. Southern Africa would be perfect for that - South Africa, Botswana and Namibia; (b) a safari "drive" with a local company in Botswana (best place), Zimbabwe or South Africa. You can do one of these for about $275-$400 day and it would include you and the driver in one car, and a second support vehicle that sets up the tent, cooks, breaks down the camp...does your laundry. You would be camping the entire trip - Botswana companies specialize in this kind of trip - you could do the Kalahari, Okavango, Moremi, Chobe, Savuti and more.
Price depends upon what time of the year (for June-October the price would be the highest (for option (b) figure perhaps $400-$550/day). But shoulder seasons such as November-Dec and March-April the prices should come down to what I've listed for (b). You could cut costs even more by adding a second or third person...or helping with camp set up and break down (and cooking).
You don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get a quality experience. If you can do without alcohol...air con in your tent...three course dinners on fancy plates and some heat (November in a tent in mid-day siesta is hot - so you bring one or two rechargeable 7inch portable fans) - you can indeed save money and get to all the great places people mention (and have them to yourself) in southern Africa at least.
I have a contact in Tanzania who is a bird guide...a Maasai guy who grew up in the national parks there. He works with a friend who has a vehicle. Contact me off-list for his info...Tanzania and Kenya are more expensive.
Tanzania and Kenya are not as easy for the independent traveler. Zambia, Zimbabwe are off the beaten track - but might be cost effective depending upon where you want to go and do. If you stick to one lodge just outside a national park, you might be able to do that park for $100-$150 a day (with two safari drives of three hrs into the park each day) in Zambia, Zimbabwe - and we have not even touched Uganda.
Again, the cost will depend upon what time of the year you go...how many people with you...how frugal you want to travel...will you drive yourself or have a company take you (and others?) places?
Bob
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Can I get recommendations for the "best" place to go for a first (hopefully of many) African photography safari?
I'm interested in pretty much all kinds of animals, although Hyenas and Wild dogs are pretty low on my list. Certainly the cats, elephants, ungulates, and primates are particularly attractive, and I have no objection to birds (that's what I normally shoot most frequently because they are easiest to find).
I'm leaning towards going with Pangolin, which would "limit" me to the locations they go, but if some other place would be much better for the first trip, I'm open to looking for a different operator.
Jan 14, 2025 at 02:23 PM
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Hi VB Nut - yes I am with you on not spending an arm and a leg...and still getting a quality experience. I have two recommendations: (a) a self-drive safari where you rent a vehicle and drive through national parks and reserves yourself. You can probably do such a trip for $100-$150 day on your own if you camp in parks/reserves. Add another $100 (approx) per day if you stay in some lodges. Southern Africa would be perfect for that - South Africa, Botswana and Namibia; (b) a safari "drive" with a local company in Botswana (best place), Zimbabwe or South Africa. You can do one of these for about $275-$400 day and it would include you and the driver in one car, and a second support vehicle that sets up the tent, cooks, breaks down the camp...does your laundry. You would be camping the entire trip - Botswana companies specialize in this kind of trip - you could do the Kalahari, Okavango, Moremi, Chobe, Savuti and more.
Price depends upon what time of the year (for June-October the price would be the highest (for option (b) figure perhaps $400-$550/day). But shoulder seasons such as November-Dec and March-April the prices should come down to what I've listed for (b). You could cut costs even more by adding a second or third person...or helping with camp set up and break down (and cooking).
You don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get a quality experience. If you can do without alcohol...air con in your tent...three course dinners on fancy plates and some heat (November in a tent in mid-day siesta is hot - so you bring one or two rechargeable 7inch portable fans) - you can indeed save money and get to all the great places people mention (and have them to yourself) in southern Africa at least.
I have a contact in Tanzania who is a bird guide...a Maasai guy who grew up in the national parks there. He works with a friend who has a vehicle. Contact me off-list for his info...Tanzania and Kenya are more expensive.
Tanzania and Kenya are not as easy for the independent traveler. Zambia, Zimbabwe are off the beaten track - but might be cost effective depending upon where you want to go and do. If you stick to one lodge just outside a national park, you might be able to do that park for $100-$150 a day (with two safari drives of three hrs into the park each day) in Zambia, Zimbabwe - and we have not even touched Uganda.
Again, the cost will depend upon what time of the year you go...how many people with you...how frugal you want to travel...will you drive yourself or have a company take you (and others?) places?
Bob
========================
Can I get recommendations for the "best" place to go for a first (hopefully of many) African photography safari?
I'm interested in pretty much all kinds of animals, although Hyenas and Wild dogs are pretty low on my list. Certainly the cats, elephants, ungulates, and primates are particularly attractive, and I have no objection to birds (that's what I normally shoot most frequently because they are easiest to find).
I'm leaning towards going with Pangolin, which would "limit" me to the locations they go, but if some other place would be much better for the first trip, I'm open to looking for a different operator.
