Overview

This special boat-based Botswana photo safari offers a first-rate experience and an unbelievable value.

Join award-winning wildlife photographer Johan Greyling on Botswana’s spectacular Chobe River for this exciting all-inclusive boat-based safari for a small group of six participants. Johan has a distinct, recognized talent in story telling photography, exhibiting excellent quality and personal passion in capturing candid wildlife behavior, particularly from the waters of the Chobe River.

Set in one of Africa’s finest wildlife destinations at an ideal time of year, this safari focuses on the incredible biodiversity accessible via the Chobe River’s various channels, islands, and wetlands, where animals congregate along the river in the dry season to drink and feed on the lush greenery on the banks and flood plain. In addition to Chobe’s population of over 50,000 Kalahari elephants, opportunities include hippos (with young at this time of year), Nile crocodiles, leopards, buffalo, waterbuck, kudu, impala, giraffes, fish eagles, lions, hyenas, baboons, and countless bird species. In fact, this safari is a bird photographer’s dream, featuring the tiny and colorful Malachite Kingfisher, the largest heron in the world – the Goliath, several species of Bee-Eater, African Jacanas, and an endless array of water birds.  The concentrated displays of mammalian wildlife behavior, from battling hippos to leopards drinking at water’s edge and herds of elephants looming overhead on the riverbank, ensure you will capture peak moments of exceptional behavior. The quality of light in morning and evening is wonderful on the Chobe, as the wide, open floodplain enables low-angle light at sunrise and sunset to skim over the water and bathe the animals in golden illumination.

• Includes loan of big telephotos – 600mm f/4 and 500mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor Lenses – so you don’t have to travel with them. Full-frame Nikon DSLR bodies available for free loan as well.

• The best boat-based photo safari set-up in the business, complete with photographer’s chairs featuring fully adjustable 360-degree revolving Wimberley camera mounts, makes it a breeze to work with big lenses and photograph dynamic wildlife behavior.

This very competitively-priced package is designed to deliver a superb overall experience, and includes excellent accommodations, all meals, beverages (including fine wine or beer at dinners), snacks and soft drinks during photography sessions, expert guides, photographic instruction, loaner Nikon telephotos and cameras, park entry fees, ground transfers, and in-Africa flights during the itinerary.

We have arranged use of Lou Coetzer’s custom-built photo boats with innovative features that deliver an optimal photographic experience. Each photographer will have his or her own rotating photographer’s chair with fully adjustable revolving Wimberley-equiped telephoto lens mount.  Included at no additional cost is loan of Nikon super-telephoto lenses (600mm f/4 and 500mm f/4) and pro camera bodies, so there is no need to carry big glass to Africa.

Click “read more” below right for the itinerary and more information…

Our itinerary makes the most of the incredible photographic opportunities, and offers attentive hands-on photographic instruction and expert guiding throughout:

June 30th

Arrive at O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) near Johannesburg, South Africa. You will be met at the airport and transferred to Chez Coetzer Guest House in Pretoria to rest and de-jetlag after flight.

AV presentation on Chobe safari. Dinner and Overnight at Guest House.

July 1st

Early morning breakfast at Guest House before transfer to O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) for a South African Airways flight to Kasane Airport (BBK) near Kasane, Botswana. Quick transfer from Kasane Airport to Chobe Safari Lodge – Chobe Bush Lodge. Afternoon photography session in custom-built photography boats on the Chobe River. Return to Lodge. Dinner and overnight at Chobe Safari Lodge – Chobe Bush Lodge.

July 2nd – 7th

6 am meet up for coffee, before departing for photography session on Chobe River until 10:00. Return to Lodge for a well-deserved brunch. Thereafter, we’ll meet in the classroom for downloading, editing, and constructive critique of images with an eye toward improving your wildlife photography technique and optimizing your camera setup so it works best for you. At 14:30 we return to the Chobe River for an afternoon photography session until 18:00.

After freshening up, meet for sundowners and dinner. Dinner and overnight at Chobe Safari Lodge – Chobe Bush Lodge.

July 8th

6 am meet up for coffee, and depart for photography session on Chobe River until 10:00. Return to Lodge for a well-deserved brunch. Last debriefing on Chobe Safari and relaxing. Meet at reception for transfer to Kasane Airport for afternoon South African Airways flight back to O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) near Johannesburg, South Africa. Connect to international flight back home.

The single-occupancy rate for this deluxe all-inclusive package is $4,975.00. Double-occupancy is $4,725.00 per person. 50% deposit is required upon booking, and balance is due by April 1st, 2016.

For more information, please contact Justin Black at justin@visionarywild.com or 202-302-9030.

Excluded: International round-trip flights from your point of origin to O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) near Johannesburg, South Africa (currently between $1,000 to $1,800 for economy class from the U.S.), incidental personal expenses, and gratuities.

TRAVEL NOTE: A passport with at least six months of validity remaining is required. Citizens of the United States of America do not require a visa to enter Botswana. If you are not a citizen of the United States, please refer to website for the Embassy of the Republic of Botswana for additional information in case you are required to obtain a visa before entry into Botswana.

If you will have been traveling recently in areas where Yellow Fever is present, you must have a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate. Visitors to the Chobe National Park areas should be aware that it is considered a low-risk malaria zone, and malaria prophylaxis is recommended. Otherwise, no other immunizations are required, though it would be wise to have an updated TPD (tetanus, polio, diphtheria) vaccine, and a Hepatitis A vaccine.