BOTSWANA & SOUTH AFRICA: Mashatu and Mala Mala Photo Safari

MASHATU & MALAMALA: BOTSWANA & SOUTH AFRICA WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS WITH WILD IMAGES

There are few places more beguiling for wildlife photography than southern Africa.  This celebrated region is renowned for some of the best “Big 5” viewing in Africa. These famous five – Lion, Leopard, Rhinoceros, African Elephant and African (or Cape) Buffalo – were once favourite hunting targets, and while many were hunted nearly to extinction, some reserves have made inspiring strides in bringing them back and making them fantastic photographic subjects.

MASHATU

Located in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve of Botswana, which is situated between the Tuli Safari Area, a national park in Zimbabwe, and the Mapungubwe National Park (a World Heritage Site) in South Africa, Mashatu shares unfenced borders with both the South African and Zimbabwean national parks in the south and north respectively. This vast area forms part of a cross-border wildlife conservation area protecting the substantial biodiversity of the fauna and flora in this region.

Mashatu, ‘Land of Giants’, takes its name from the locally sacrosanct Mashatu or Nyala berry tree (Xanthrocercis zambesiaca) and the giants that roam its terrain. These magnificent dark green trees, which are found along the rivers in the reserve, provide refuge, shade and food to a myriad of wildlife. Mashatu, which is one of the largest privately-owned game reserves in southern Africa, provides a sanctuary for the largest herds of African Elephants on privately owned land on the continent.

In addition to that, the world’s tallest mammal, the Southern Giraffe, the world’s largest antelope, the Common Eland, the world’s largest bird, the Common Ostrich, and the world’s heaviest flying bird, the Kori Bustard are all part of the game drive experience at Mashatu. Add the king of the beasts, the Lion and the iconic baobab tree…and you have Africa’s ‘big seven’ land based giants.

Due to the exceptional diversity of landscapes in the reserve, Mashatu enjoys an ecological biodiversity uncommon in other game reserves. Three members of the Big Five, namely the Leopard, the Lion and the African Elephant, are complimented by some lesser well-known, but interesting species, including Aardwolf, Bat-eared fox, African Wild Cat, Honey Badger, Spotted Hyena and Black-backed Jackal.  For visitors who are interested in birdlife and bird photography, Mashatu is home to more than 350 bird species, including the enchanting Lilac-breasted Roller.

During our time at Mashatu we will explore the wilderness area during morning and afternoon wildlife photography drives in open safari vehicles.

Eye-Level with Elephants

At Mashatu, the Matabole hide has been sunk into the ground in prime elephant habitat. Inside, you are seated so that your head and camera are at ground level, resulting in fantastic low angle images!  There is nothing quite like photographing wild African Elephants from a low-level hide! On many occasions they are completely unaware of your presence and you are sometimes forced to swap your prime or telephoto lens out for a wide angle when they get really close!

We will spend two morning sessions in the underground Matabole photographic hide, which is a unique and thrilling experience for wildlife photographers or indeed any lovers of wildlife.

MALAMALA

Internationally renowned for the quality of its game viewing, MalaMala adjoins the Kruger National Park, with an unfenced border of some 7.5 kilometres (about 4.5 miles), and is the largest private reserve to do so. This celebrated region is renowned for some of the best “Big 5” viewing in Africa.

The MalaMala reserve is especially famous for its fantastic Leopard viewing, and night drives are a highlight, with an array of nocturnal species that include big cats (Lions and Leopards), Spotted Hyenas, Side-striped Jackals, African Civets, Large-spotted Genets and various owl species.

During our time at MalaMala we will be exploring this magnificent wilderness area twice a day during early morning and afternoon/evening wildlife photography drives in a private, open 4-wheel drive vehicle. The 4×4 vehicle enables the guide to leave the road and provide us with close-up game viewing and fantastic photo opportunities.

We will be visiting Mala Mala during the colder winter months, so the savanna bushveld will be dry and more open to spot and photograph the wildlife. The beautiful Sand River flowing through MalaMala from north to south is a big draw card for thirsty animals, especially at the end of winter.

This extraordinary tour will provide an opportunity to photograph the Big 5 and so much more!

Accommodation and Road Transport

Most accommodation on the tour will be in two truly luxury grade lodges with costs to match. There are also two nights in a comfortable hotel near Johannesburg international airport.

An open, safari-style 4×4 vehicle, for our group’s exclusive use, will be used for all game drives. Having our own private vehicle involves high extra cost, but it means that we are not going to have to compromise our photographic needs because of the presence of other lodge guests.  Airport transfers are by minibus/passenger van.

Walking

Walking is minmal and easy.

Climate

During the winter months in the northern parts of South Africa and southern Botswana most days will be warm, dry and sunny, but the early mornings can be cold, especially in the open safari vehicles.

Photographic Equipment

If you use a DSLR for photography you should bring telephotos (and converters) that will (with a full-frame body) cover the range 200-500mm or 600mm or more. You will also find a wide angle lens good for landscapes. There will be only limited opportunities to use a macro lens.

If you bring a good quality bridge camera it will be best if it has an optical zoom of 18-20x or more, combined with a reasonable wide-angle at the other end of the zoom range.

We will have power at all our accommodations, but would recommend having at least one spare battery per camera. Dust is ever-present in Africa, so cleaning your photography equipment is important. A monopod can be helpful if you use a heavy telephoto, as the vehicle sides are low and so often unsuitable for resting on. A beanbag can also be very useful for wildlife photography. If you do not have one yourself, let us know as our lodges can usually provide one. Don’t forget a flash for night-drives.

If you have questions about what equipment you ought to bring, please contact our office.