Nature Travel Southern Africa: Photo Workshop Wildlife
The wildlife photography course gives you the opportunity to get up close and personal with the unique wilderness of Southern Africa and take the best possible shot of unrepeatable moments.
You and your group will be led by an experienced nature photographer. You will be provided with technical background information which can help you with the practical implementation of your ideas. Professional guidance will be provided to help you find motifs in the natural environment and capture them creatively.
You will discuss the photos that you take on your excursions in the group and receive constructive feedback which will help you improve your work.
Your EcoTraining Adventure – Why book with Natucate
As long-term partners of EcoTraining, we have a trusting relationship with the team on site and visit the camps ourselves each year. When booking your EcoTraining adventure with Natucate, you will benefit from expert advice, comprehensive travel preparation, 24/7 support and German travel law advantages. When booking with Natucate, you won’t have any extra costs.
On our EcoTraining info page you can learn more about why to book your nature travel programme with Natucate.
Highlights
- Broaden your photography knowledge in the midst of the African wilderness
- Get to know Southern Africa’s nature from a whole new perspective
- Receive instructions by an experienced wildlife photographer
- Meet people from all over the world
- Experience the fascinating flora and fauna from up close
Locations
Camp Makuleke
Camp Selati
Camp Karongwe
Camp Pridelands
Camp Pongola
Camp Mashatu
Plan your trip
-
Included in the programme fee
- Placement in the programme
- Assistance with travel arrangements
- Assistance with selecting travel insurance
- Assistance with booking flights
- Risk coverage certificate
Terry, your travel agent for Southern Africa
You would like to learn more about this trip? Don't hesitate to contact me! Our service doesn't end with your departure: I answer all of your questions and support you before, during and after your stay abroad.
Note: The price stated above is an approximate value. Due to sharp fluctuations in the exchange rate of the South African Rand, the final price for this trip will be calculated at the time of enquiry based on the latest exchange rate.
Wildlife photography in Southern Africa
As a participant in our wildlife photography course you acquire, surrounded by Southern Africa’s wild nature, essential techniques in animal observation, identification and navigation in the wild.
Arrival and orientation in Southern Africa
You will arrive in Johannesburg one day before the course begins, and spend the night there. You will be picked up and brought to the course on the following day. You will be brought back to Johannesburg at the end of your course before continuing your travels or returning home.
Activities during the photography workshop in Africa
The day will begin in the early morning with your first trip to the African wilderness where you and your group will get your first practical experience alongside an experienced nature photographer taking photos of wild animals in their natural environment. Theoretical units will be provided just before midday after you returned to the camp, along with a discussion of what you have done that morning and the photos that were taken.
The group and the group leader will provide all participants with constructive criticism, suggestions, and useful tips or inspiration for your next photographs. The group will set off on their second trip of the day as soon as the temperature starts to drop in the afternoon to find additional motifs and apply what it has beenlearned. This will allow you to become familiar with the wildlife in this unique natural environment and practice capturing the animals or the wonders of the African wilderness with creativity and technical expertise. In-depth knowledge about your particular motif can be helpful and will allow you to make a proper assessment of an animal so that you can take the best possible picture of it.
Accommodation in South Africa and Botswana
You will share a two-man tent with another member of the group, and use the camp’s shared sanitary facilities. The camp also has a large common room where the theoretical teaching units are provided.
You will be provided with approx. three to four meals. The camp's electricity comes from generators, because it has no connection to the power grid. The camp also has solar lamps and satellite telephones, as mobile reception is generally quite poor.
Leisure time as a photography student
While the day is filled with lots of activities, the evening is usually free. The group will return to camp before sunset to eat dinner together and spend a few hours in the common room or around the campfire.
-
Arrival
Arrival in South Africa
-
Course
Wildlife photography in South Africa: A typical day
-
Departure
Last day in the photography course and departure
-
1. Camp Makuleke
Camp Makuleke is located in the Pafuri region in the northern part of South Africa's Kruger National Park. A multitude of fascinating wild animals can be observed in this area and impressive areas can be admired.
If you opt for nature-oriented further education with a stay in Makuleke, you will gain insights into the breathtaking nature of Kruger National Park and if you are lucky you can maybe spot the "Big Five": African elephant, rhino, African buffalo, lion and leopard. Hikes and game drives in open off-road vehicles enable you to experience a superb diversity of flora and fauna – a true enrichment.
-
2. Camp Selati
Camp Selati is located west of the world-famous Kruger National Park. Situated directly on the banks of the Selati River, it is a wonderful observation point for numerous wild animals that cool off from the South African heat in the water of the river.
By participating in an advanced training course in the wilderness of the Selati Game Reserve, you are choosing one of the most interesting regions on the African continent. 33,000 hectares offer plenty of space for a species-rich fauna and flora which you can immerse yourself into during daily game drives and bush walks. -
3. Camp Karongwe
The South African camp Karongwe is situated at the mostly dried out riverbed of the Karongwe River, in the middle of an area of about 9000 hectares, which will impress you by its biodiversity as well as its picturesque landscapes.
Nearby you can find the breathtaking Kruger National Park, well-known as one of the largest protected areas in South Africa. Immerse yourself into the spectacular natural landscapes during daily game drives and bush walks, experience the biodiversity of the Karongwe Game Reserve up close and expand your knowledge of the region’s unique flora and fauna under the guidance of experienced field guides.
-
4. Camp Pridelands
Camp Pridelands is located in South Africa's Limpopo province and has been part of the world-famous Kruger National Park since September 2017. In Pridelands a wealth of fascinating wildlife observations can be made – from animals like elephants and lions to hyenas and if you are lucky even the African wild dog.
As part of your educational nature adventure, you and your team will set off into the wilderness every day under the guidance of an experienced guide to acquire valuable knowledge about the flora and fauna of the region and to learn more about nature and species conservation as well as current measures and initiatives to preserve biodiversity.
-
5. Camp Pongola
Camp Pongola is nestled into the wilderness of Pongola Game Reserve in the north-east of South Africa, near the Swaziland border. Endless green expanses and a diverse animal world are characteristic of the region. Four of the Big Five are at home at Pongola – elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino – as well as hippos, crocodiles, hyaenas, giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, warthogs, twelve antelope species and more than 350 bird species.
Every day, you and your team will set out into the beautiful Pongola wilderness to learn more about the unique flora and fauna and to acquire more in-depth knowledge about guiding as well as nature and species conservation.
-
6. Camp Mashatu
The breathtaking Camp Mashatu is located in the Mashatu Game Reserve, part of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve in Botswana – one of the most beautiful areas in the country. The unique flora and fauna of the region promises countless unforgettable nature experiences. Here you can experience the wilderness by staying in Meru-style tents.
As part of your advanced training adventure with Natucate, you will complete an intensive and enriching nature training course that will bring you closer to the magnificent flora and fauna of this special area every day. In particular, the Limpopo, one of Botswana's largest rivers near the Mashatu Game Reserve, has a major influence on the vegetation and occurrence of native wildlife.
Background of the photo workshop in Southern Africa
As participants in our photography workshop in Southern Africa you immerse yourself into the African wilderness day by day, observing fascinating wildlife and looking out for unique subjects to photograph. The African savannah is home to a number of wild animals, including the impressive "Big 5". But it’s not just the animals which will amaze you and keep you clicking, but also the physical aspects of the landscape. This course will give you an up close and personal experience of nature and enable you to see it from completely new angles.
Conscious Travel with Natucate
Supporting real conservation projects worldwide through individual wilderness adventures – our ambitions, our values, our service.
