Top Three Photographic Safari Operators

A photographic safari to Africa has some very special requirements as opposed to the run of the mill trip and as such the operator that you choose needs to be a lot more specialized.

It can be done with a conventional company but if you are really serious about photography then you will benefit tremendously by choosing a specialized operator. Here's why...

A maximum of three people allowed per vehicle which gives you a guaranteed window seat and camera charging socket (not always likely on a conventional trip with up to 10 people in the vehicle) and lots of space for all your photo gear.

Pacing to suit your photography needs. Patience is a pre-requisite in wildlife photograpy and once you have found a suitable subject you need to stick with it for awhile to get the best results which is impossible on a conventional trip because the other passengers become impatient.

You get input, suggestions, informal instruction and workshops from the tour guide who is an expert in the field.

So once you have decided to choose a dedicated company the next question is which one.

Listed below are the top three photographic safari operators in Africa as ranked by me based on over twenty years of personal wildlife photography experience, lots of trip reports and testimonials, opinions in forums and photo magazines and consensus in the safari travel industry...

1. Andy Biggs Photographic Safari

You need to book very early to get a place on an Andy Biggs trip because they are so popular. Covers Tanzania's famed Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara National Parks.

2. Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris

Lemurs and chameleons in Madagascar, Gorilla and chimpanzee in Rwanda, lion and leopard in Kenya are some of the mouth-watering destinations you can expect to visit with Joseph Van Os.

3. Eyes On Africa Safaris

Led by David Cardinal you get to visit the Makgadikgadi Pans and the Okavango Delta in Botswana. You also spend time at the Selinda reserve in northern Botswana's Linyanti region.

To get some compositional ideas about photographing African wildlife, take a look at this amazing National Geographic book by world renowned wildlife photographers Derrick and Beverly Joubert: Relentless Enemies