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Natural Habitats and the Extremes of Nature Photo Safari

 

AFRICA 2022


BOTSWANA and NAMIBIA

Chobe River, Okavango Delta, Namib Desert and Etosha N.P.

(with optional excursion to Victoria Falls)

15 September - 1 October, 2022
 
SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS
  • Cruise the Chobe River in Namibia on a houseboat - exclusive to our group - with morning and afternoon game safaris on a smaller, especially designed photography boat that gets you close to the action. 
  • Marvel at the wealth of wildlife in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, one of Africa's Seven Natural Wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy game safaris by Landcruiser and/or local mokoro (dugout) canoes.
  • Photograph the oldest desert and climb one of the highest sand dunes in the world in scenic Namibia, spectacular backdrops to the country's abundant wildlife and the world-renown Etosha National Park.
  • Partake in an optional 2-day Zimbabwe excursion to Victoria Falls, one of the world's largest and best known waterfalls.
You can't find more natural diversity in an African photo safari than this one!
Dear Fellow Photographers,

It's never too late to wish everyone a healthy Happy New Year!  We have a lot to be thankful for.

One of the things I'm most thankful for is that, despite the ever-changing rules, regulations and travel restrictions, SPOTLIGHT PHOTO SAFARIS still managed to travel at home and abroad with small groups of photographers. Of the ten safaris that were scheduled for 2021, nine of them went ahead and everyone returned home safe and sound. The tenth was deferred to this year. Everyone had an extraordinary time despite the obligatory COVID test between countries, a small inconvenience compared to the exceptional photo opportunities and abundant wildlife we witnessed. 

I can't stress enough the safety of our safaris.  Small group travel has its advantages, and being on safari with SPOTLIGHT PHOTO SAFARIS offers the best of them. You'll be with the same group of photographers throughout the duration of the safari - sharing vehicles (three photographers per vehicle, each with their own row of seats), meals and accommodations - and can be comforted knowing everyone in our group has been pre-screened and immunized - including our driver/guides.  That and the fact that we're traveling in wide open spaces while using privately chartered transport and staying in small, intimate lodges, camps and guest-houses with enhanced cleaning practices makes being on safari, in our opinion, safer than shopping at the local supermarket back home.

In addition to our other safaris in Africa and Alaska, I'm excited to offer a make-over of one of last year's popular safaris to Botswana and Namibia.  Talk about variety!  This safari commences with three days on the Botswana/Namibia border where we'll explore the Chobe River on our exclusive houseboat accompanied by a dedicated photo boat - complete with 360-degree swivel seats and affixed camera mounts - for daily g           ame safaris. During our time in Botswana we'll spend another three days in the Okavango Delta with its myriad of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

From the Delta we fly to Namibia for another 8 days beginning with Etosha National Park, famous for its waterholes where the wildlife amass in huge numbers to quench their thirst.  Namibia is unique for its landscape, and we'll witness the extremes from the granite peaks of Spitzkoppen to the wild shores of Swakopmund to the clay pan of ancient Deadvlei to some of the world's tallest sand dunes in Sossusvlei.  En route we'll also spend time with the Himba tribe, the last of Nimibia's nomadic tribes.

This is a rare opportunity to get an intimate glimpse of a relatively unknown country.  As you'll see below, the photo ops are as varied as they are incredible!

For those wanting to arrive early and spend a few days acclimating to the time change, we also offer an optional 2-day unguided stay Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe prior to the safari. Besides the awe-inspiring falls, Victoria Falls is the adventure capital of Zimbabwe.

I'm looking forward to 2022 and hope that you'll join us on safari. 

All the best for 2022.

Rick

rick@spotlightphotosafaris.com

https://spotlightphotosafaris.com
"Over the past few years I have been fortunate to have Rick as my guide while photographing brown bears in Alaska. His professionalism, sense of humor and understanding of animal behavior rank him among the best guides anywhere. The only thing that may outshine his own images is his ability to get the best out of each photographer he guides."  Andrew C

 

EXPLORE SOUTHERN AFRICA IN A

UNIQUE PHOTO WORKSHOP


The African continent is as big as it is varied in countries, cultures and wildlife.  Join seven photographers and wildlife photography guide, RICK COLLINS, as they explore the highlights and wildlife habitats of three dynamic destinations in Southern Africa: Botswana and Namibia.  

 


    

CHOBE HOTEL: September 15, 2022


Our safari begins in Kasane, Botswana, where we'll congregate at the Chobe Hotel for our first night on safari. The arrival day will include an afternoon photo boat game float on the Chobe River where we'll experience the abundant wildlife coming to quench their thirst at the end of the day.  We'll be joining them with our first sundowners (cocktails) during the golden hours of sunset before returning to our hotel for a delicious African-style BBQ. 

Chobe National Park has one of the highest concentrations of game in Africa. It's estimated that the park has over 50,000 Kalahari elephants, the largest elephants in existence. Here we'll also find lions, giraffe families, sable, cape buffalo, and a myriad of other mammals and birds. 

CHOBE RIVER: September 16 - 19, 2022 

Following an early morning snack, we'll have another chance to float the Chobe before returning to the hotel for a casual brunch before crossing into Namibia and heading to our new home on the Chobe River, the Pangolin Voyager - a 5 berth, 9 passenger houseboat that will be ours exclusively for the next 4 days/3 nights.


 
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Early morning and late afternoon, we'll board our especially designed photo boat with 360 degree swivel seats and attached camera mounts on river safaris to capture the myriad of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians that call the Chobe home.  During breaks you can sit up on the viewing deck, read and top up your tan or process photos in the communal lounge room below.


THE BIRDS OF CHOBE

The Chobe River is phenomenal for birds - 450 species in fact. Here are just a few......
 
 
 
"Your trips are constantly great. Thanks."  Corky and Evelyn D. - 2016 & 2017 Great Migration Safari and the upcoming 2019 Natural Wonders of the World Photo Workshop


 

 
OKAVANGO DELTA: September 19 - 22, 2022

The morning of 19 September, after an early morning float on the Chobe, we'll cross back into Botswana to board a private charter plane to Bushman Plains, an exclusive area owned and managed by the Bukakwe Clan, in the Okavango Delta. Their superior guiding skills add a whole new dimension to the safari experience.
 
The Okavango Delta, unlike most river deltas whose water flows into an ocean, is created by the Okavango River spilling onto the open savanna, creating an inland delta that covers over 5 million acres. The flooding coincides with the dry season elsewhere, attracting wildlife from afar. During this time records show 530 species of birds, 160 species of mammals, 155 species of reptiles, 35 species of amphibians and 1500 species of flowering plants.  Bring plenty of memory cards! This place is extraordinary and on any serious wildlife photographer's Bucket List. 

Our accommodation for the three nights is a small private camp (12 guests max) with ensuite tents. 
 
TRANSIT DAY: September 22, 2022
After an early morning game drive in the Okavango Delta, we'll board the charter plane from Bushman Plains Reserve to Maun, international gateway to the Delta. From Maun we'll catch a commercial flight to Johannesburg, South Africa where we'll overnight before flying to Windhoek, Namibia early morning on the 23rd.
ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK: 23 - 25 September, 2022

      

We arrive in Windhoek from Johannesburg at 8:45am and will shortly thereafter catch a charter flight to Etosha National Park.

Nowhere else in the world will you find the density of animals sharing a waterhole that you'll see in Etosha National Park!  Thanks to the desolate pan and the low-cut landscape surrounding the waterholes, it is some of the easiest and most productive wildlife viewing on the continent.  Camera in hand, watch the drama unfold when predator and prey unite in thirst. 
 
Our accommodation is luxury rock and thatch roof ensuite chalets on a hillside overlooking a well-frequented waterhole and the plains beyond in a private reserve. The waterhole also has a nearby hide for photographers (third photo below).

         
HIGHLIGHTS: Etosha Pan, Ongava Private Reserve
 
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SPITZKOPPE: September 25, 2022



Early the morning of September 25th, we'll depart for Spitzkoppe. Situated in Namibia’s desolate, awe-inspiring Namib Desert, between Usakos and Swakopmund and about two hours’ drive from Swakopmund, the Spitzkoppe are a group of bald granite peaks forming one of Namibia’s most recognizable and dramatic landmarks. These enormous towering domes are a mecca for hikers and mountaineers, from beginners interested in guided historic walks to professional climbers seeking an adrenaline boost. Numerous ancient rock paintings can be visited as part of a guided walking tour. The extreme, barren landscapes and striking rock formations create an excellent setting for photography.


Our accommodation is nestled amongst the rocks: SPITZKOPPEN LODGE


HIGHLIGHTS: Sunset and sunrise on the Spitzkoppe rock formations. Great night photography!
 
THE HIMBA TRIBE
September 25, 2022

 
      

The Himba are the last of Nimibia's nomadic tribes.  Himba women cover themselves in otiize paste, a mixture of butterfat and ochre pigment to cleanse the skin due to water scarcity, giving their skin and hair plaits a distinctive orange color as well as texture and style, a sign of beauty. We will have the opportunity to photograph in a Himba village en route to Spitzkoppen on September 25.
_____________________________________________________

SWAKOPMUND: September 26 - 28, 2022


Surrounded by the Namib Desert on three sides and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Swakopmund, built in 1892, was the main harbor for German South West Africa.  Today it is a beach resort with fine examples of German architecture and is considered the adventure capital of Namibia. The town has retained much of its German culture and is said to be 'more German than Germany'. The outlying areas of the town offer some photographic gems such as the pastel colors of the the salt works (middle photo above) and flamingo habitats, seal colonies, and over 1000 shipwrecks along the Skeleton Coast.  


Swakopmund is also our oasis for 2 nights of luxury where we can refresh from the heat and bask in comforts we haven't experienced in a while.

HIGHLIGHTS: Cape Cross Seal Colony, Zeila Shipwreck, Tommy's Desert Tours
 
 
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NAMIB DESERT: September 28 - 30, 2022

After a casual breakfast at our hotel in Swakopmund, we'll depart for the local airport and our charter flight to Sossusvlei, the heart of the Namib Desert.

Namibia is as much about the stunning landscape as it is the intense concentration of wildlife at its waterholes. It is a land of vast contrasts where the world's oldest desert meets the untamed Atlantic coast.  The Namib Desert contains some of the world's driest regions, and the sand dunes, some of which are 980 feet high and span 20 miles long, are the second largest in the world after the Badain Jaran Desert dunes in China.



The region is home to a variety of desert wildlife including oryx, springbok, ostrich and a variety of reptiles. We'll also be exploring Deadvlei (large photo above), an ancient clay pan that was once an oasis studded with acacia trees and fed by a river that suddenly changed course, leaving the earth to dry up along with the trees it previously supported. So dry were the climatic conditions that the trees never decomposed – instead they were entirely leached of moisture so that today, 900 years later, they remain as desiccated, blackened sentinels dotting the pan’s cracked surface. 



We will be staying within the scenic Namib-Naukluft National Park - the largest national park in Africa - where we'll benefit from being able to reach the Sossusvlei dunes before sunrise, and stay until after sunset when the lighting is best. If you're adventurous, you can climb 'Big Daddy', one of Sossusvlei's tallest dunes or, if you're not so athletic, you might be tempted by a hot air balloon safari or scenic flight over the dunes.

HIGHLIGHTS: Sossusvlei, Dead Vlei, Dune 45 and Sesreim Canyon.
 
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WINDHOEK:  September 30, 2022

Our last day take us back to Windhoek. We will drive this day and the landscape is just amazing as it changes.

Situated in Central Namibia, the cosmopolitan city of Windhoek serves as the capital of the country. It is home to a plethora of restaurants, shops, entertainment venues and accommodation options. The city is clean, safe and well-organized, with a colonial legacy that is reflected in its many German eateries and shops, and the widespread use of the German language.


We will be staying at the Am Weinberg Estate, a winery on the outskirts of town.  Aside from the location and spectacular views, hotel guests also have access to facilities including the Estate’s Soulstice Day Spa, Be Hair Salon, five upmarket restaurants and the Conference Centre. Now the time to pamper yourself before the long flight home!

We will have our Farewell Dinner at one of the local restaurants.
 
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DEPARTURE: October 1, 2022

Today is departure day. As there are any number of travel options for those returning to the States or wishing to stay longer in Africa or travel onwards to Europe, you will need to make your own departure plans from Windhoek.  Breakfast will be in your own time at your own expense.

Thank you for joining us on safari, and I look forward to seeing you again and photos of your Botswana/Namibia experience.

Safari njema!  (Safe journey!)
 
 “When everything goes off without a hitch (or minor adjustments/problems handled easily) it means that a ‘LOT’ of work was done ahead of time.  You were excellent!   Jeanne O.
OPTIONAL EXCURSION 


While you're in the area, why not rest up from your international flights while enjoying sublime views and photo ops of the magnificent falls from various vantage points throughout Victoria Falls National Park. You can cross the bridge into Zambia for another perspective as well as experience the falls from the air by helicopter, microlight or hot air balloon. Other activities include a sunset cruise or whitewater rafting on the Zambezi river. Did someone say 'rest'? We've arranged a package, including your airport transfer and a 4-star hotel close to the falls that will surely appeal to everyone. We're also including your transfer from Victoria Falls on September 15 to Kasane, Botswana for the start of the safari.
 

  A magnificent start to a magical safari!

2022 AFRICAN PHOTO SAFARI
Natural Habitats and the Extremes of Nature

COST AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE




DATES:  15 September - 1 October, 2022

INCLUSIONS
  • Maximum of eight participants plus one photo guide
  • 17 days 
  • 16 nights accommodation in 3***+ hotels, tent camps, and house boat (based on double occupancy; single supplements subject to availability)
  • All meals, bottled water and soft drinks, safari snacks, limited house wine and beer (where indicated on Itinerary-in-brief)
  • All internal flights
  • Guide/driver/boat captain service  
  • All hotel transfers and road transport (4 photographers per safari vehicle in the Okavango Delta; 3 in Namibia)
  • Unlimited infield and classroom photography training
  • All taxes and Park Fees
  • All Gratuities for accommodation staff, guides and drivers
EXCLUSIONS
  • Visas
  • Return flights between domicile and Kasane/Windhoek
  • Excess luggage charges on internal flights
  • Mandatory travel and health insurance
  • Inoculations and all COVID testing (pre-safari and en route)
  • Laundry and items of a personal nature
  • Spirit alcohol
COST (17 DAYS / 16 NIGHTS): $13,100/pp*
VICTORIA FALLS Excursion (2 DAYS / 2  NIGHTS): $900/pp*


A deposit of $1500 is required upon registration with two equal payments of $5800 due on May 15, 2022 and July 30, 2022.

ALL PRICES QUOTED ARE BASED ON 8 PARTICIPANTS AND DOUBLE-OCCUPANCY.  SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY.

PRICING IS GUARANTEED AS DESCRIBED AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION. PRICE FLUCTUATION CANNOT BE CONTROLLED SPECIFIC TO PARK FEES, ACCOMMODATIONS AND TRANSPORT. ANY DIFFERENCE IN TERMS, IN THE UNLIKELIHOOD THEY SHOULD OCCUR, WILL BE PASSED THROUGH TO THE CLIENT.

SPOTLIGHT PHOTO SAFARIS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ADJUST THE ITINERARY OR REPLACE LODGES WITH SIMILAR FACILITIES IF A CHANGE IS NECESSARY AND DEEMED BENEFICIAL FOR THE SAFETY AND COMFORT OF THE PARTICIPANTS. 
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