Big Cat Photographic Safari
Explore the world-renowned Sabi Sand Game Reserve from a different angle, and let your experienced guide get you in position for the perfect photo of the elusive big cats, regardless of the level of photography,
South Africa
Photographic and editing tuition by award-winning photographers
Over 35 hours of game viewing time
Big 5 game viewing in world-renowned game reserve
Exclusive use of lodge
Guests will be taken care of by registered field guides who have over 40 years of experience in photography among them. Guests are briefed on arrival at the lodge, to agree on safari and photography expectations, and to determine the level of photographic experience of each guest.
The photographic guides are available to teach and guide guests throughout the photography process, from start to finish, irrespective of the different levels of experience. They assist the safari vehicle driver and game tracker with vehicle positioning at a sighting so that guests can get the best shot. Guests are required to rotate seats in the vehicle for each safari, to ensure all guests get equal opportunity to sit in front or at the back of the vehicle.
The professional photographers are proficient in the major camera brands, and are able to assist clients with their specific cameras. (The photographers may change – subject to availability at time of booking)
Lance van de Vyver
Lance is from New Zealand, and majored in photography at UCOL New Zealand. He has previously worked as a full time ranger in the Sabi Sand and at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, and for Tusk Photo as a photographic guide for under a year. He has numerous photography accolades – a finalist in the Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017, was highly commended in Nature’s Best 2018 and has Gold and Silver distinctions in the NZIPP awards (New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography). He is a trained, registered guide by profession, and has been a professional photographer since 2005.
Villiers Steyn
Villiers has been a professional photographer since 2008, previously worked at Mashatu in Botswana as a leopard researcher. He is also an online lecturer for Udemy.com, one of the world’s largest and most popular online universities, is a registered guide, and worked for Tusk Photo as a photographic guide for 2 years.
LODGE HOST
The dedicated host at the lodge is there to ensure the group has a relaxed stay and superb dining experience, allowing the photographic guide to tend to the group’s safari or photographic needs.
TOUR DETAILS
Tour Classification Comfort
Duration 5 days | 4 nights
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- 4 nights Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve
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Start Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng
End Location: Eastgate Airport, Hoedspruit, Limpopo
Johannesburg to Sabi Sand Game Reserve via Hoedspruit (±470km)
Guests enjoy breakfast (own arrangements and for own account) at the hotel. They then board a shared transfer from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit (included) via Dullstroom.
Lunch is enjoyed en route (own account). Guests arrive at Hoedspruit/Eastgate Airport in the afternoon, and will be transferred to the lodge within the Sabi Sand Wildtuin.
Photographic safari guests will have exclusive use of the lodge, which allows for flexibility of meal times, and time spent at sightings. Djuma Private Game Reserve enjoys a wealth of diverse wildlife, treating guests to some of the best game viewing opportunities in Africa. The team at Djuma are long-serving, and dedicated to providing friendly and professional service.
Guest will receive a briefing on arrival at the lodge in the late afternoon. The briefing will assist both guides and guests to meet expectations, and explain how the game drives are run. There are 2 vehicles, with up to 6 guests per vehicle, so that everyone gets a ‘window seat’. The 2 vehicles also allows the professionals to put the less experienced photographers together, On each drive, the guests will rotate to different seats, allowing everyone to get a new perspective, from either the front of the back of the vehicle. The photographers also rotate vehicles (group number dependent), allowing guests the opportunity to gain experience from both professionals.
Guests will head out on game drive on an open safari vehicle in search of big cats and the other animals that call Sabi Sand home. A stop for sundowners is included, if sightings allow. Return from the game drive for dinner which is a superb fine-dining experience.
Overnight at Djuma Private Game Lodge – Dinner, lunch, breakfast, and activities
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Guests are woken up early, and coffee is provided on the deck before heading out on the morning game drive. Guests are able to spend as much time on a sighting as they like, as the drives are not set to a strict schedule. The photographic guide is able to help the game ranger position the vehicle in such a way so that guests can get the best photo possible. A coffee stop in the bush breaks up the morning.
The Sabi Sand Wildtuin is the oldest private game reserve in South Africa and is adjacent to the Kruger National Park, with no fences along the eastern and northern boundaries. The reserve is unparalleled for its ‘Big 5’ game viewing and diversity.
Guests return to the lodge for breakfast. They will then have the opportunity to interact with their photographic guides for a training group session (1-2 hours), which includes assistance from the basics up to post-processing techniques. Guests will also have the opportunity for one-on-one sessions if required.
Guests will have the opportunity to visit the SafariLive headquarters during their stay. This includes a tour of the Final Control room, meeting the presenters and crew, as well as watching the countdown to the live drive and photo opportunities with the presenters.
After a light lunch, guests board their open safari vehicles for the late afternoon/evening game drive. Both vehicles have two-way radios so that they can communicate between them. This also allows the vehicles to help each other by providing backlighting for each other when on the same sighting after sunset.
Return to the lodge for dinner.
Overnight at Djuma Private Game Lodge – Dinner, lunch, breakfast, and activities
Sabi Sand Game Reserve – Day of departure
Guests are woken up early, and coffee is provided on the deck before heading out on the morning game drive for their last opportunity to photograph the wildlife of Sabi Sand.
They return to camp for breakfast, before checking out and connecting with their transfer back to Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport. Guests may select one of the four complimentary online photography courses to apply their newly acquired knowledge at Djuma, or to learn a new skill at their own leisure.
Selected Wednesdays and Saturdays
Guest Value Adds
Special gifting
Visit to Safari Live headquarters
Certificate of completion
Complimentary online photographic course per guest – to be selected before the last day of their tour:
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- Digital Photography for beginners
- Advanced Digital Photograph
- Lightroom CC
How to sell your images on Shutterstock
Day by day breakdown:
Day 1
Johannesburg to Sabi Sand Game Reserve via Hoedspruit (±470km)
Breakfast (own arrangements and for own account)
Transfer from hotel to O.R. Tambo International Bus Terminal (included)
Scheduled shared transfer from O.R Tambo International Airport Bus Terminal to Eastgate Airport (included)
Lunch stop en route (own account)
Transfer from Eastgate Airport to the lodge between 13h15 and 13h45 (included)
Arrive at the lodge in the late afternoon
Safari and photographic briefing
Afternoon open safari vehicle game drive including sundowners in the bush (included)
Dinner at the lodge (included)
Djuma Private Game Lodge – Dinner, lunch, breakfast, and activities (4-star)
Day 2 to 4
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Morning game viewing and wildlife/nature photography (included)
Breakfast at the lodge (included)
Optional post-processing photographic training session (included)
Optional visit the SafariLive headquarters (included)
Light lunch (included)
Afternoon game viewing and wildlife/nature photography (included)
Dinner at the lodge (included)
Djuma Private Game Lodge – Dinner, lunch, breakfast, and activities (4-star)
Day 5
Sabi Sand Game Reserve – Day of departure
Morning game viewing and wildlife/nature photography (included)
Breakfast at the lodge (included)
Transfer to Hoedspruit (included)
Tour Classification Comfort
Duration 5 days | 4 nights
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- 4 nights Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve
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Start Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng
End Location: Eastgate Airport, Hoedspruit, Limpopo
Participants: 2 – 12 guests
Departure Time: Rosebank hotels ±05h00
Sandton hotels ±05h30
O.R Tambo Airport Bus Terminal Building 06h45
Language: English
Accommodation: 4-star private game lodge
Vehicle: Luxury minibus (for shared transfer services) and open safari vehicle
Baggage Allowed: One suitcase, one shoulder bag and photographic equipment bag
Tour Guide: Services of FGASA accredited nature tour guide, and specialist photographic guide (transfers excluded)
Fitness level required: Moderate
Visa / Passports: Not applicable
Flights Summary: TDM Air can assist with domestic flights
Meals: 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 4 dinners
Beverages: Tea, coffee, juice, mineral water at the lodge
Entrance Fees: Sabi Sand Wildtuin gate and GCC fee
Transfers: Johannesburg to Hoedspruit English shared transfer
Hoedspruit to Sabi Sand English shared return transfer
Excursions: 2 open safari vehicle game drives per day
Green Seat: SANParks Honorary Rangers, Endangered Wildlife Trust, Trees for Tourism
Photographic Services: Specialist photographic guiding, group or one-on-one photographic
training sessions
Photographic equipment hire, travel insurance, flights, transfer back to Johannesburg, 2 lunches, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, gratuities and personal expenses
Suitable for ages 18 to 80