A Photographic Safari To The Wild West Of Tanzania
Led by Paul Joynson-Hicks & Simon Stafford
12th – 20th November 2014
Join photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Simon Stafford on this unique, authentic and adventurous 7-day photographic safari to the exhilarating and evocative wilds of western Tanzania, arranged exclusively for Nikon Owner.
Description
Your tour will begin in the Katavi National Park; remote and untrammelled, the region is far from the popular safari routes and seldom visited by travellers from outside. Offering an insight to Africa as it would have appeared over a century ago, it is an untouched wilderness packed with exciting opportunities to explore the visually stunning landscape while photographing the abundant and diverse wildlife. Katavi is noted for its dense populations of hippo, elephant, buffalo and crocodile, as well as hippopotami-hunting lions.
Your second location will be Greystoke Mahale, an isolated haven on the shores of Lake Tanganyika and one of Africa’s greatest safari camps. From the base at Greystoke you will trek into the Mahale Mountains, undoubtedly the best place in Africa to photograph chimpanzees in the wild.
Itinerary
Day 1 – Wednesday, 12th November
On arrival into Kilimanjaro International Airport you will be met and transferred by road to Arusha. Accommodation will be at the Arusha Hotel, where Paul and Simon will host a meeting in the evening for everyone to meet each other and discuss the plan for the week ahead.
Day 2 – Thursday, 13th November
In the morning you’ll fly from Arusha down to Katavi National Park, roughly a 3-hour flight with a stop off along the way. On arrival to Katavi your safari guide will meet you and on route to camp you will get a taste of what’s to come. Katavi is a vast wilderness and a photographer’s dream.
After lunch, and when the heat of the day has subsided, you’ll head out on safari, with Paul and Simon on hand to answer any questions you may have. Return to camp for a night around the fire before heading to the comfort and safety of your tent as the sounds of the African bush come alive.
Day 3 – Friday, 14th November
The day will start early to make the most of the golden hour light, and once you have captured some great images, you’ll relax over a stunning bush breakfast. One of the most appealing aspects of Katavi is that you’ll pretty much have the place to yourself (there are only four other camps within the park). During the heat of the day Paul and Simon will hold tutorials in the comfort of a shady tent, while you’ll have ice-cold drinks to hand. In the afternoon you’ll head out on another game drive giving you the opportunity to try new ideas and practice skills discussed during these sessions.
Day 4 – Saturday, 15th November
You’ll have a chance to stretch your legs by going on an exciting walking safari; it’s a great opportunity to photograph some of the smaller wonders of the wild often missed when you are in a vehicle, so bring a macro lens if you have one!
Day 5 – Sunday, 16th November
To extend the variety of photographic opportunities, you’ll visit the local community just outside the national park and learn more about the culture in this region of Tanzania; a prime occasion to take some portrait pictures full of character!
Day 6 – Monday, 17th November
Today you’ll fly 45 minutes west to where the Mahale Mountains meet Lake Tanganyika; there are no roads here so the only way to reach camp is by boat transfer. Your camp sits on a white sandy beach with the Mahale Mountains forming a dramatic background; the remote nature of the location makes it a very special place. You will be able to spend the rest of the day as you please. If you feel adventurous, you can explore the edges of the forest in search of monkeys, baboons, bushbuck, birds and butterflies. Alternatively, you may wish to relax with a drink as you sit in a deck chair enjoying the views across Lake Tanganyika.
Day 7 – Tuesday, 18th November
The main reason for coming down to Mahale is to trek for the chimpanzees that live in the forest directly behind camp. Capturing chimps in their natural habitat is truly one of the most special wildlife events to witness in Africa. Trekking times can vary and you’ll need a good pair of shoes and some long trousers. Once you’ve found the chimps you’ll have an hour to photograph them as they play, fight, eat and sleep. The group will head back down to camp for lunch; during the afternoon there will be a photography tutorial and plenty of time to spend at your own leisure.
Day 8 – Wednesday, 19th November
After another amazing morning with the chimps, there will be an opportunity to try out some of the other activities available, such as fishing on Lake Tanganyika, a nature trail through the forest, bird-watching, kayaking or simply relaxing on the white sandy beach.
Day 9 – Thursday, 20th November
A boat transfer takes you back to Mahale airstrip where you’ll catch a flight back to Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport if you’re flying home that evening. If you want to add on extra nights on safari or at the beach please let us know.
Photographic Tuition
Your tour leaders and photographic tutors, Paul and Simon, will be with you throughout the trip in order to help you learn and gain more from your passion for the photography of wildlife. They will help you acquire the photographs you have come to capture.
Your two tutors have a wealth of knowledge to share, so you will be encouraged to seek instruction and ask questions to ensure you make the most of the photographic opportunities. They will be on hand at all times in the field to offer guidance in a relaxed and informal manner. To support and enhance the field-based tuition, Paul and Simon will also provide further teaching in a more “formal” manner during breaks between game-drives and on some evenings. During these sessions they will discuss the creative processes behind recording exciting images of African wildlife, as well as provide inspiration for new ideas and describe photographic techniques for you to try out.
Feedback on your pictures is crucially important to help you develop and hone your wildlife photography skills; Paul and Simon will be keen to provide this at any time on a one-to-one basis and during the more formal tuition sessions, if you are willing to show your work, within the group.
Price & Booking
£ 4,550 per person (including a £300.00 discount for Gold subscribers to Nikon Owner)
Please note the price is based on twin-room sharing; there is a single person supplement of £1,000.00
A deposit of £1,150.00 is required to confirm a booking. The balance is due 45 days prior to the first day of the trip.
Registration:
Please note the number of places will be limited strictly to just eight to ensure each guest has ample opportunity for photography and time with the tutors.
To register, please email your full name, postal address and postcode, as well as your daytime mobile and landline to Gillian Greenwood.
It is essential you register your interest with Nikon Owner in the first instance to obtain the discounted price. Please register by email rather than by telephone.
If you are also a current Nikon Owner subscriber, please add your user name / subscription number to the email. Due to the very limited number of places do register as soon as you are able to in order to avoid disappointment. If you do not subscribe to Nikon Owner currently, please would you be kind enough to make a note of this in your email – in order to receive the discount, you will be able to join, or re-join Nikon Owner when we call you to acknowledge your booking registration.
What is included: All transport/transfers, domestic flights, emergency medical evacuation cover, full board accommodation and privately guided safaris at Chada Katavi Camp and Greystoke Mahale Camp, plus bed & breakfast accommodation at the Arusha Hotel
What is NOT included: Travel to/from Kilimanjaro International Airport, lunch and dinner at the Arusha Hotel, personal/travel/medical/photographic equipment insurance, drinks, tips, laundry services, all sundry expenses of a personal nature.
This trip has been arranged in association with Capture Safaris, who specialise in photographic safaris to Africa’s best wildlife events and destinations. The company, which holds an ATOL licence (number 10109), has a small team of dedicated and knowledgeable consultants who have travelled extensively through Africa to establish the best guides, camp locations and activities available in addition to accommodation of the highest standard. Capture Safaris will contribute $100 (US) per booking to the ‘Shoot Photos not Animals’ Anti-Poaching Initiative in Africa, for more information please visit the Capture Safaris website.
Please note that further details of the trip, plus the full terms and conditions of booking are available from Capture Safaris. Please contact Tim Golds, quoting: Nikon Owner/Tanzania/Katavi/2014
Contact details for Capture Safaris:
tim@capturesafaris.com
www.capturesafaris.com
Tel: 020 7183 2607
Mob: 07921 059976
Additional note: Currently, there are no direct flights to Tanzania from the UK; however, both British Airways and Kenya Airways offer connecting flights via Nairobi. It is the sole responsibility of each guest to arrange travel to Kilimanjaro International Airport; Capture Safaris will be pleased to assist you in organising your international travel to Tanzania.
About Nikon Owner
Standard Annual subscription – normal price: £69; special price: £59 while registering for this safari
- 1-year Subscription to Nikon Owner + 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
- Nikon Owner magazine, a superb, glossy full-colour 60-page magazine that is 100% Nikon. Each issue delivers benchmark technical reviews of the very latest Nikon equipment, thought-provoking interviews and articles with world-class images
- All back issues are now available on line as PDFs
- Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website
- Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
- 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
- 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
- Special trips and events
- Discounts on events and training sessions
Gold subscription – special price: £231 when registering for this safari
- 3-year subscription to Nikon Owner
- 5-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
- 2-year warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
- Gold Priority waiting list for all new Nikon releases (top of the waiting list)
- A half-hour tutorial on the phone or face to face, by appointment
- A signed copy of Heather Angel’s Wild Kew while stocks last or a Simon Stafford Nikon Magic Lantern Guide of your choice
- Nikon Owner magazine as above
- Private user-name and password to the subscribers-only website which includes a forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events page and use of a photo gallery
- Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
- 15% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
- Special trips and events
- Substantial discounts on training sessions organised by Grays of Westminster, including Mike Maloney’s Workshops, Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture and Macro Training Sessions, Michael Eleftheriades’ panoramic and colour-calibration seminars and Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses
