The game-rich area of Mpumalanga in the Kruger National Park area is “Big Five” country and the home of many conservation-minded private Game Reserves. These reserves are home to buffalo, rhino, elephant, lion, and leopard along with a wide variety of plains game and bird life. The photographic opportunities are numerous and there is ample time in each reserve to give you an opportunity to scout out the best location for that “perfect” image.

Our safari will also visit a private game reserve in Botswana.

The number of photographers per Land Rover will be limited to four on game drives with the photographer leader rotating between Land Rovers!

Accommodation will be in hotels, lodges, and camps featured in the book, On Safari.

We transfer to the airport this morning for our flight to Polokwane, Botswana and then continue by light aircraft to the private Mashatu Game Reserve. Mashatu is located in the remote eastern corner of Botswana, an unspoiled wilderness of arid savannah, riverine forests, marshland, open plains and beautiful sandstone outcrops. This 30,000-hectare wilderness offers some of the best game viewing in Africa offering superb viewing of lion, cheetah and leopard. Along the river courses, huge mashatu trees provide shade for eland, impala, wildebeest, giraffe and zebra, whilst at night creatures such as bat-eared fox, and African wildcat can be found. Mashatu is a birding hotspot with 366 recorded bird species – many are unique to this arid west area. Mashatu Game Reserve is also a proud refuge for the largest, single population of elephant on privately-owned land in Africa. Known as “the relic herds of Shashe,” these pachyderms are the last living testament to the great herds that once populated the Limpopo Valley.

Drive from Mashatu to Pafuri Camp in one of the most remote parts of the well known Kruger National Park. The bountiful biodiversity of the Pafuri area (a result of being the meeting point of several vegetation types) means that a fascinating variety of wildlife can be found here, along with more than 400 bird species.

Habitats range from enchanting fever tree forests, stands of ancient baobab trees and hills swathed in mopane woodland. The Limpopo River floodplain and the Luvuvhu River provide an interesting wetland component to the area’s varied ecology. In the winter months the Luvuvhu River attracts large numbers of wildlife, including elephant, buffalo and excellent general game. Lion and leopard are attracted to this riverine belt in search of their abundant prey. Tracking white rhino on foot is another exciting activity here. In summer, Pafuri celebrates with a profusion of new animal life, colorful flowers and the birdlife is boosted substantially by migratory bird species.

Pafuri is not all big game however, as the Thulamela archaeological site with its remains of a powerful ancient civilization, is situated only 5km from camp. Crooks’ Corner is evocative of bygone days and the place where three countries – South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique meet.