Tag: wildlife photography

Sabi Sabi Fly-In: Ultimate Big 5 Convenience

Posted on by James

Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, situated in the Sabie Game Reserve in the South-Western section of the Greater Kruger National Park, is a wildlife oasis where you can observe at close quarters the age-old natural relationship between predator and prey.

The accommodation at Sabi Sabi is quite simply stunning. Four completely different lodges dotted about the reserve provide accommodation types for everyone’s taste. Earth Lodge is completely modern; cutting edge architecture merges it with the landscape in an almost subterranean design. It is a breathtakingly original approach to safari lodge design, but those who prefer a throwback to the early days of safari may prefer the other three offerings of Bush Lodge, Little Bush Lodge or Selati Lodge.

Safari at a destination like Sabi Sabi will always go far beyond your expectations. Whilst all visitors arrive in the anticipation of stunning wildlife encounters, delicious meals in a beautiful setting and a comfortable night’s sleep, it is the in-between experiences that ultimately end up as the most trip-defining and memorable.

The shot of Amarula with your coffee, sipped on whilst overlooking an elephant herd at a waterhole. The hyena which comes slinking past while you enjoy a drinks stop under the African stars, or the choir in full foot-stomping harmony around the fire, inviting you to come and dance with them.

These are the moments that settle into your soul, and will stay with you long after safari is over. They are far more than any brochure or website could ever fully capture, and have to be lived to be understood…

Whilst Sabi Sabi is among the best South Africa can offer in terms of safari options, it is the special they are currently offering in conjunction with Federal Air (the local safari carrier) that is really making them a no-brainer for safari vistors, especially those coming in from overseas and looking to have safari as their first stop.

16 hours in the air coupled with hours spent waiting at the airport before you even take off is often met with sighs of despair. When jetlagged, hungry and probably in need of a shower, the last thing you want is to wait even longer before you arrive at your destination.
Jumping on a Federal Air Flight from OR Tambo International (South Africa’s main airport hub) can see you on the ground in the South African bush in less than an hour.
A few minutes road transfer from the international terminal to the private FedAir Lounge sees you waiting in comfort for your Sabi Sabi connection. Then it’s onto the ‘plane, 50 minutes flight, quite possibly some elephants from the air as you come in to land, and straight into your Game Viewer for the short safari drive to the lodge, with the very high probability of encountering wildlife on the way.

Three packages are on offer:

  • Return flights from Johannesburg to Sabi Sabi and a three-night stay
  • One-way flights either to SS from Johannesburg or the other way round, with a three night stay.
  • Flights to Sabi Sabi from Johannesburg and then out of Sabi Sabi to Nelspruit (a great jump-off point for a Mozambique beach adventure) or the other way around (Nelspruit – SS – JHB). This also includes three nights on Safari.

Rates vary depending on which Sabi Sabi Lodge you elect to stay at, so get hold of us through info@iconicafrica.com to enquire about availability and the costs of the respective lodges.

This fly-in rate is on offer until February 2025.

Selinda Explorers – Tented Authenticity

Posted on by James

Selinda Explorers Camp is a delightful little camp, perfect for travellers looking for a genuine “old world” safari in simple but elegant style.
Unpretentious yet refined, this camp of just four tents offers a special safari experience with a focus on walking and 4×4 drives. The camp lies on the Selinda Spillway, embracing the natural riverine forest, in the heart of the vast and varied 130,000 hectare Selinda reserve. A truly remote and peaceful safari.

In the style of the early explorer, Selinda Explorers Camp is furnished with traditional and vintage pieces – reminiscent of the expedition pioneers. This is especially evident in the central area, positioned beneath towering Jackalberry and Mangosteen trees. The overall feel of Selinda Explorers Camp is bohemian with stylish bare-foot luxury. This is an intimate camp, with just four tents, and being such a popular camp it books up very quickly.

Each of the tents at Selinda Explorers Camp are designed to offer a classic safari experience in an intimate bush environment. Ensuite “al fresco” showers and toilet area create an authentic wilderness feel and the copper vanities and large pouring jugs are reminiscent of a vintage expedition and make an original touch. All tents at Selinda Explorers Camp enjoy the shady canopies of the forest on slightly raised viewing decks.

The focus at Selinda Explorers Camp is the appreciation of the reserve’s environment and the creatures who live here, with minimal divide in-between and as such walking is offered allowing for a slower pace safari. 4×4 game drives will be included to complete the experience.

Exploring this remote area on foot allows for guides to share their intimate knowledge of the tracks and signs in the bush. Finding animals this way is exhilarating and fascinating. A huge variety of Africa’s iconic animals and plentiful birds reside here and can often be found, whilst exploring this way. The famed large herds of Elephant and Buffalo frequent the area, with numerous antelope and plains game species including Giraffe, Zebra, Impala, Kudu, Red Lechwe and Reedbuck. Predators are always around and sightings of Lion, Leopard or African Wild Dog are not unheard of! 4×4 game drives at Selinda Explorers Camp are also available when sightings require a little more infrastructure!

Selinda Explorers Camp lies on the exclusive Selinda Reserve,  especially well known through various National Geographic films made by the camp’s film-maker owners Beverley and Derek Joubert and watching one of their films, such as the “Birth of a Pride” is a wonderful way to build anticipation of your forthcoming safari to this wonderful reserve.

Selinda Explorers Camp is Great Plains Conservation’s wildest experience. Perched on the banks of the ever changing Selinda Spillway, it is the very essence of pioneering, 19th century African exploration under canvas – but in sublime comfort.
Selinda Explorers Camp

What Camera Do I Need on Safari?

Posted on by James

This question is as broad as safari options on the continent.
Camera bodies marketed with a huge pixel count, 96 000 focal points for auto-focus, this-and-this sensor with some kind of tracking you’ve never even heard of.

Then a lens with nitrogen filled glass systems, nano AR coating and an 11-blade circular diaphragm… is it all just designed to confuse you so you buy?

Maybe.

But choosing a camera is usually easier than you think, and doesn’t have to break the bank.

The first thing to remember, is that the best camera is always the one you have with you. No camera? No picture.

An iPhone can take great photos for memories (although they are limited in their capabilities, which we’ll get on to just now).

The main questions to consider when it comes to choosing a camera to buy (or to rent, as lots of lodges offer on-site rental options these days) is: what are you going to do with the pictures?

If you are simply going to be taking a few snaps to show your friends or send to them via Watsapp, or post on Instagram, then an iPhone – or Android – is probably more than enough to capture some memories (which is really the whole point).
But if you are going to look to print anything, make it your computer background, use it as a presentation, or anything that might require a slightly more professional approach, you’ll need to think beyond a simple phone.

The reality is that photography is about storytelling, and you need to consider how best to tell the story in front of you.
If you are sitting with a pride of lions, don’t try to get a photo of a single lioness, rather zoom out and capture the whole pride. That’ll give people a far better sense of your experience.

So what do we need for the wide-angle vs zoomed shot in terms of lens?

Well, versatility for one thing.
The most versatile lens we favour when starting out in safari photography is the Canon 28-300mm. It’s really the ultimate tool for photographers looking for the ultimate solution. Kind of like an all-in one shop. Sure there are lenses that allow you to shoot at a wider angle, or zooms that allow for a wider aperture (and more light), but for sheer number of options, there is no better than this beauty for starting out:

As one gets into more advanced photography, maybe a two lens setup (one wide-angle and one zoom) would be better, but when starting out, versatility is your friend.

Then in terms of camera bodies, you are essentially spoiled for choice.

Don’t be fooled by the big numbers presented to you in a camera’s specifications. You probably don’t want the 54 megapixels offered to you in the latest body to hit the shelves; your file size is going to be huge, you will need a bigger (and more expensive) memory card, the camera’s processor won’t be able to handle the files quite as quickly without a decent memory card, slowing your frame rate, and unless you are planning to print your photo to go on a billboard or to fill the size of a house, the megapixel count is completely unnecessary.
The camera picture below is the Canon R10. It’s a third of the price of the more professional bodies, but has more than enough processing power to get you the shots you need.
The beauty of most mirrorless cameras now (swiftly becoming the norm in photography circles) is that most of them offer a handy video component as well…

Stick around the 20 megapixel range for your first camera and you’ll be absolutely fine. Sure you might not be able to crop in as much when editing, but if you literally have to crop out half of your photo, you probably got something wrong whilst taking it in the first place.

A high frame rate can be handy when capturing action, but the difference between 11 fps (frames per second) and 20 is negligible when it comes to real-world situations. With 11 photos in one second, you will capture more than enough when there’s action happening, believe me!

Photography should be enjoyable, yet wildlife photography can be so frustrating, largely due to the unpredictability of the animals themselves. This is where a good guide comes in handy; he or she will understand behaviour to the point where they can position the vehicle in the right place in order to capture the moment, as well as being able to advise you on what settings to use when taking your pictures in what situations.

Whatever camera set-up you go for, remember to practice with it before going on safari,. You don’t want to be stuck fiddling with buttons and settings whilst the leopard is about to launch into the tree with its kill.

Any questions about photography, be sure to get hold of us at info@iconicafrica.com…

Lodges of Legacy

Posted on by James

Dotted amongst the myriad of safari offerings out there are a few camps who have truly stood the test of time.
Tracing their roots back to the early days of safari in their particular areas of operation, these gems have refined their offerings to the utmost degree, understanding their environments and their guests’ needs superbly. Some offer luxury, some offer a quaint rustic charm, but all of them are steeped in history and have already left a legacy within their chosen corner.

Here are three of our favourites, from South Africa, Kenya and Botswana…

Londolozi

Family-run Londolozi has been around since 1926, although technically only as a commercial safari operation since the early 70’s.

Bought by the Varty family as a bankrupt cattle farm almost 100 years ago, the land was slowly regenerated and rewilded, until it turned into the thriving ecosystem guests enjoy today, with some of the best wildlife viewing on the planet, the highest density of leopards yet recorded in Africa, and a percentage of repeat guests that most lodges only dream about, so loyal to this unique brand do its visitors become.

With its progressive approach to the safari space, Londolozi has been at the forefront of many innovations in the industry, setting the tone for how the bush can – and should – be so much more than simply a place to view animals. Instead, they have recognized it as a place of healing and connection, and this ethos has tailored their whole safari and lodge offering to reflect that.

Londolozi was the training ground for many big names across the industry. The head of Kruger Park anti-poaching, a world authority on the Okavango Delta, CEOs of big lodge portfolios, award-winning wildlife cameramen, internationally-renowned public speakers… all former rangers at Londolozi who have gone on and continue to go on to shape the industry across the continent.

The legacy of Londolozi has not only been the mark it has left on the many guests who have passed through its gates, but the ripple effect out across African safaris in general…

Cottar’s 1920 Camp

The award-winning Cottar’s 1920s Camp is situated in the 7608-acre private Olderkesi Conservancy bordering the famous ‘seventh’ natural wonder of the world, the Maasai Mara in Kenya and the Tanzania Serengeti game reserve. Owned and managed by the oldest established and continuing safari family in Africa it extends an era of luxury and quality and returns to the original spirit and essence of ‘safari’.

Cottar’s Safari Service was founded in 1919, which means over 100 years of experience in the industry.

The Cottar family was renowned amongst the British administration for being rebellious and anti-establishment, preferring long stints with African tribes in wildest Africa. The Cottars’ were the first to import American vehicles for safaris, the first to reach new areas such as Lake Paradise, the first to obtain never before seen wildlife footage. In this family it was normal to have lions, leopards, wild dogs and chimpanzees as family pets. Mike’s son Glen, with his wife Pat, continued the family business and pioneered hunting and explorations expeditions into remote parts of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Zaire and Botswana.

Having established and run photographic safari camps since their first one erected in Tsavo National Park in the 60s, the Cottars’ legacy has long been established, only furthered by the building of Cottar’s 1920 Lodge in the 1990s by Calvin Cottar, the great-grandson of Charles Cottar, who founded the business all those years ago.

The camp itself provides the romance of safari under cream canvas tents, the style of the bygone era of the twenties, while at the same time supplying the amenities required by today’s modern world travellers. It has two main mess tent areas for fine dining, drinking, reading and relaxing, and an amazing pool and spa where guests can relax after a game drive. Guests can also enjoy a traditional canvas safari bath, a genuinely unique way of bathing specifically set up on the tent’s verandah, with views out over the plains. The location of the camp provides easy access for day and night wildlife drives in the Maasai Mara National Reserve and the Olderkesi Conservancy, wildlife walks, and cultural interactions with the Maasai community.

The professional guiding team that will handle your safari rank among the most qualified in Africa.

Nxamaseri Island Lodge

Nxamaseri Island Lodge is one of the oldest camps in the Okavango Delta. It was established in the early 1980s by PJ and Barney Bestelink. PJ, an experienced guide, spent months exploring the permanent water channels of the delta in search of a perfect location for his home and camp. He favoured the Nxamaseri Channel for its beauty and seclusion, and eventually elected to build his lodge on a large shady island hidden in the Nxamaseri waterways.

The lodge is best summed up in the video below:


These are just three of our favourite picks, each offering their own unique insight into the wild ways of Africa.

Get in touch with us through info@iconicafrica.com to find out about some other gems who have left their indelible mark on the industry…

Celebrating 10 Years of Iconic Africa

Posted on by James

When Londolozi Ranger John Holley picked up guest Terri Abadi from the Londolozi airstrip to host her and her family for their safari, little did he know that over a decade later they would be business partners in a venture revolving around the ruling passion in both their lives; safari.

Although having moved to Atlanta from Johannesburg in the 90’s, Terri’s love for her home continent of Africa led her to begin her own boutique travel agency in 2013. John, having a solid business pedigree and loving the safari industry himself, was looking to get involved in his own way too, largely with the aim of using travel to help promote and fund conservation initiatives.

John Holley as a young ranger at Londolozi in 2011.

And so in December of 2014, Terri and John joined forces to turn a traditional travel agency into a world-beating online travel platform that showcases the African destinations which best represent Iconic Africa’s values of opulent luxury, world-beating African hospitality, delectable contemporary cuisine and most importantly an authentic commitment to wilderness conservation.

 

Fast forward ten years, and Iconic Africa has introduced hundreds of guests from across the world to the wonders of Africa.
From the Okavango Delta to Cape Town’s foreshore to the majestic plains of the Serengeti, Iconic has left no stone unturned in their continued search for the best options for their bespoke safaris.
Each guest has a highly experienced travel specialist work through their whole itinerary with them from beginning to end, answering any questions no matter what time of day. Although Iconic works with hundreds of lodges, the preference is and always will be for those that have a heavy focus on community upliftment and conservation initiatives, whilst reducing their environmental impact at the same time through a shift to green energy and systems that reduce their carbon footprint.

Now with an office in the safari town of Hoedspruit, bordering South Africa’s Kruger National Park, Iconic Africa keep their pulse on the latest safari trends, new lodges, flight specials, and anything else that might contribute towards making a guest’s trip that much more memorable.

It’s been an amazing decade of fun, adventure, learning and making safari dreams come true.

Here’s to the next 10…

 

 

Where to Safari This Winter

Posted on by James

(Note: Winter in this post refers to the Southern Hemisphere winter; roughly May through to September)

The word “winter” doesn’t always conjour up exciting images of travel. More like pictures of cold, overcast days, likely some rain, not much happening, everyone sitting indoors reading a book.
Yet for those who know safari, winter sends ripples of excitement up and down their skin. It’s a time of clear skies in the southern hemisphere safari circuit, jackets and beanies at night, and action, action, action from the wildlife!

Ultimately winter is about water.

It’s the dry season over most of the African safari circuit, so any surface water becomes of prime importance in wildlife movement, be it in the form of a river, a pan left over from the rains or even an artificially pumped damn.

Almost all wildlife needs to drink every day, and so understanding what ecosystems have what water availability at different times of the year will certainly aid you in planning a world-class safari.

Here are three areas we absolutely love when the winter months settle in…

The Okavango Delta, Botswana

The Okavango can seem quite topsy-turvy when it comes to water, in that when the rains have stopped, the water levels rise. This is because the rain that feeds the Delta’s annual inundation don’t fall locally, but far away in the Angolan highlands. It takes these rains a good few months to flow downstream, so it is only in May that they are properly reaching the Delta itself, and the channels start to spill over into the floodplains.

The rains are quite variable which means the inundation itself is variable, but for those who are interested in water-based activities like dugout canoe excursions, fishing trips or water transfers between camps, winter is the time for you.

It’s also a fascinating time to see how the local wildlife adapts to very different conditions.
Elephants swim across channels to reach better grazing, lions use the waterways to hunt buffalo, chasing the big bovines into the deeper water to slow them down, then moving in en masse to finish the job, and everywhere you look you see shimmering signs of life-sustaining water.
There is magic to be found in the Okavango all year round, but to truly understand the ecosystem, the months of flood are our favourite.

Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

The south-eastern corner of this, one of Africa’s oldest national parks, is particularly productive. The Wilderness-run Linkwasha concession boasts four stunning camps – Makololo, Little Makololo, Davison’s and Linkwasha Camp itself – all of which offer exclusive access to some of the best game-viewing the dry season can offer south of the Zambezi.
The closest permanent water is the Zambezi River, over 100 kilometres to the north, so Hwange choose to maintain some surface water through a series of pumped waterholes, evenly spaced across the reserve.

This prevents the wildlife – most notably elephants – dispersing outside of the park and into neighbouring community lands. Prime game viewing is therefore maintained for visitors and human-wildlife conflict in buffer zones is mitigated against.

The dry season also means shorter grass, so spotting animals is easier, and there is far less vegetation to get in the way of a potentially award-winning photo.

Things can get chilly though, here in what is essentially still part of the Kalahari basin, so make sure to bring a warm jacket to protect against the chill of the evening. Upon return to camp you’ll be greeted by a warm drink or a crisp glass of wine, and can gather round the fireside as the hyenas start to call.
Then it’ll be back out again before sunrise, checking the waterholes to see what has happened during the evening.

Hwange in the dry season is not to be missed!

North-west Namibia

The rolling gravel plains, stark mountains and seemingly barren wilderness of north-west Namibia may appear to be lifeless, but in fact is one of the most fascinating ecosystems on the planet.

Desert-adapted black-rhino, desert elephants, lions who almost never drink, giraffes that stand alone in an area that looks somewhat like the surface of Mars… all these and much, much more are to be found here, somehow eking out an existence where it hardly ever rains.

Given that water is still necessary for life, animals must still drink, and secreted in this vast wilderness are secret springs and seepages that the animals know of. Visit any one of them and you will find a myriad of tracks showing all kind of visitors; hyenas and kudus and mongoose and jackals and the elephants themselves.
Ancient pathways lead many kilometres between these hidden lifesprings, but the ancient knowledge the wildlife possesses leads them unfailingly to these points.

A number of stunning camps are tucked away in remote valleys in the wildlife concessions here, which allow unfettered access to this, one of the most remarkable ecosystems in the world. The winter months mean cooler temperatures in an area that can be scorchingly hot in summer, and clear skies and a panoply of stars come standard.

   

Both the Damaraland region and Kaokaveld to the north are cut through by ephemeral rivers that wind their sandy way down to the harsh but appropriately named Skeleton Coast, and theses river systems serve almost as oases, harbouring subterranean water for much of the year, which the elephants know to dig for, and the giant pachyderms can often be found along the watercourses as a result.
Seeing a herd emerge from a riverbed onto the gravel plains in a landscape that you would never imagine could support such creatures, is a sight you will never forget.

The southern hemisphere Winter is a magical time to be on safari, and we feel strongly that the three areas above will offer some of the most spectacular experiences out there.

If you want to know more about what’s available, reach out on info@iconicafrica.com, and let’s start planning your winter journey to Africa…

‘Phones in the Bush: Dos and Don’ts

Posted on by James

(Disclaimer: We know not everyone is on an iPhone specifically, so if we use the term iPhone we are meaning it generically – it can be both iPhone or Android)

Phones rule our lives these days.
From communication to social media to direction finding to taking photographs – you name it, they’ve got it.
But whilst these seemingly indispensable little gadgets can be exceptionally convenient in an urban environment, they have the potential to distract you from the real beauty of your safari, so we thought we’d run through a couple of Do’s and Don’ts that might help you know when or when not to pull your phone out of your pocket..

Do: Have your phone with you

We are torn when it comes to the above, since we are very much in favour of the fully disconnected bush immersion, but given that not everyone will have a mirrorless camera and big lens with them, a phone is a fantastic way of capturing images of your safari, and with camera technology improving almost daily, one can have some stunning photos to take home, but…

Don’t: Have it connected to the network

Rid yourself of messages, emails, newsfeeds or anything that might cause you to be looking needlessly at your screen, at least until you’re back at the lodge. Who knows; that split-second when you glance down to check your inbox might have been when the leopard appeared briefly in your peripheral, but you missed it. Have your phone with you, but leave the signal for after drive.

Do: Take photos

Don’t: Post them straight away

You want the record of your safari. You want to be able tho show people what you saw, what it did, how quickly the leopard climbed the tree, how close the elephants came to your safari vehicle… But there’s no need to post any of the content you capture until you’re back in your room (many safari lodges only provide wifi in the rooms, and not on deck – this encourages guests to be off their phones and present).
Posting takes time; picking the right filter, cropping, editing, maybe selecting a nice song for a reel.. all this serves to do is distract further from the magic of what’s around you. Take the photo, record the video, but once you’ve got it, put the phone away again. Save the posting for later…

Do: Use reference apps.

Don’t: Forget to ask your ranger first.

There is an untold number of apps out there providing detailed information from anything from tree longevity to frog mating calls. Most places in the world have some sot of reference for that particular area.
The Roberts’ Bird App for Southern Africa is amazingly detailed and provides a wealth of information on bird plumage, calls, distribution, mating habits and everything else that go with their life history.
Star apps can help you identify individual constellations at any time of the year. There are many wonderfully useful tools that are highly applicable in the African bush.

However, too-heavy a reliance on these apps does exactly what we’re constantly trying to discourage when out there: screen-time.

Don’t forget that your ranger (and/or tracker) are highly qualified guides into this world, and they are there for a reason. They will know the answer to most questions you might throw at them.
If the whole vehicle is stuck identifying a specific bird, by all means delve into the app, but see how fun it is trying to work it out with your guide to work it out beforehand…

Do: Keep the phone in your pocket

Don’t: Keep it on the seat next to you

We’ll end here so that we don’t end up sounding like we’re completely against the use of phones in the bush, but the best way to not be distracted by something is to limit your exposure to it. Out of sight, out of mind is very applicable in this case, and by simply keeping the phone in your seat pocket or in the pocket of your pants, you won’t be wondering who tried to call you or how many likes your latest post got. You will be left to bask in the magnificence of nature all around you, soaking in every glorious moment.

More and more phones are becoming a part of being in the bush, whether to photograph, reference or (and hopefully not) find your way home.

We’re simply saying to remember why you journeyed there in the first place; it wasn’t to look at a screen…

Iconic Africa Wins Another Award

Posted on by James

For the 5th year in a row, Iconic Africa has scooped top spot in a LuxLife Travel Awards category, this year being declared Best Luxury Africa Travel Agent – USA.

We could not be more proud to once again be recognised for the experiences we keep aspiring to deliver for our guests, and the continent we keep aspiring to promote.

To quote the LuxLife Website:

LUXlife Magazine is a premium lifestyle publication which was founded in 2015. Distributed to a circulation of 94,000 globally, LUXlife focuses on a range of topics within the luxury lifestyle industry, featuring articles on fashion, beauty, fine dining, travel, luxury real estate and much more.
The LUXlife awards honour the extraordinary achievements of those shaping the luxury industry. These prestigious awards are a testament to the relentless pursuit of brilliance, recognizing those who are shining with excellence.

The travel and tourism industries have made a strong comeback! After enduring the effects of previous years, 2023 finally brought back a sense of normalcy. It is predicted that 2024 will continue this upwards trend in travel bookings and build upon it. Economic struggles and doubts about industry recovery are now a thing of the past. The travel industry is operating at full capacity and surpassing expectations!

Iconic Africa has been revelling in this upward trend in travel, and we have never been busier. With new sales agents joining our team and new guests from all over the world travelling with us, we continue to refine our offering, seeking out only the best destinations for our bespoke safaris.

A crucial aspect of Iconic Africa’s philosophy is that the destinations we represent must demonstrate a genuine commitment to the conservation of Africa’s last great wilderness areas and the rural people who live around them. Terri Abadi and John Holley, our founders,  have both personally been extensively involved in education and social upliftment in rural Africa.

When you travel with Iconic Africa,  a portion of the money you spend on your life-changing African vacation will be put to wilderness conservation and social enterprise development. Our destinations contribute to the protection of rhino, innovative green energy, valuable ecological research, education, lion conservation and community involvment.

Iconic Africa creates exclusive luxury African safari and adventure holidays for couples and families in southern and East Africa. Our gorgeous destinations are all hand-picked and visited by Terri and John and are as varied as Africa is large; from Cape Town to Kilimanjaro, along the Zambezi River and through the Kruger Park to Mozambique’s tropical coastline and everything in between…

With five years entering the LuxLife Tourism Awards and 5 awards to our name already, we can’t wait to see what 2024 will bring for Iconic Africa, our guests, and the magnificent continent we call home…

Get in touch with us through info@iconicafrica.com, and let’s start planning your safari…

The Luangwa Valley: the Best of Time & Tide

Posted on by James

Spoiled for choice is a wonderful term with which to associate with safari, and it is certainly the case when looking into lodge options within the South Luangwa Time & Tide portfolio.
Stunning camps – some of which are set along the banks of the Luangwa River while the others are further west on the seasonal Luwi Riverbed – provide access to a wide diversity of habitats, ensuring maximum game viewing opportunities in one of Africa’s greatest wildlife areas.

Time & Tide camps are currently available at 35% off, but this limited-time offer is set to expire in a couple of months, so this is the time to book!

Essentially what you are looking at is a wonderful spectrum that takes you from the heart of one of the core game viewing areas out into the true wilderness areas of the park where there are far fewer operators; you will work a bit harder for your major sightings in the more remote camps, but whatever you find you will likely have all to yourself.

Our personal recommendation would be to combine two of the camps in your trip; either Chinzombo or Kakuli at which the chances of seeing excellent game are exceptionally high, and then moving on to a Luwi or Nsolo camp where you will get a true sense of wilderness. Apart from dusty roads there will be almost no other evidence of human presence. The stars will be more brilliant than you could imagine and you will feel like you are a part of the community

The beauty of Luangwa is its seasonality. Cool dry winters give way to a hot dusty spring, with the promise of rain threatening more and more each day. Wildlife congregates around the river and permanent waterholes during the dry times, but when the rains unleash during the summer months the entire landscape transforms into one of vibrant greens, with ephemeral pans topped up, frogs calling throughout the night, and the dambos (dry floodplains) turning into boggy ground that is difficult to negotiate with even the hardiest of vehicles. It’s all part of the adventure, and for photographers in particular this is a time of plenty. The migrant birds have returned, baby impalas are all over the place and everything is clean and colourful.

Some of the more remote camps shut down over the rainy season due to the logistical difficulty of getting supplies in during muddy periods, but Chinzombo remains open due to its still-navigable road network.

One of the main reasons to visit South Luangwa is the leopards. There are plenty of them. Plenty. The dry season in particular is an amazing time to visit as the leopards alter their behaviour to suit the terrain. As the grass dies through the winter, cover becomes sparse and the hunting becomes difficult. The leopards then take to the trees, in particular the heavily foliated sausage and mahogany trees. With ample cover up in the branches, they have shady refuges from which to scan for hunting opportunities, often only waiting until darkness has descended before descending to attempt a stalk.
On rare occasions they will even drop straight from a tree onto unsuspecting prey down below.

Zambia, and South Luangwa in particular is swiftly emerging as front-runner in Africa’s wildlife real estate; a place to compete with the Okavango Delta to the south or the East African grasslands.

With the amazing 35% special currently running with Time & Tide, there could be no better time to book, so you can see for yourself…

Get in touch through info@iconicafrica.com to find out more about the special, camp rates and availability…

 

 

Summer vs. Winter: When to Safari

Posted on by James

When is the best time to go on safari?

This is ultimate question.

But at the risk of sounding non-commital, there’s no such thing as a “best time”. Or maybe “it depends” would be a better way to put it. The question should really be “When is the best time for ME to go on safari?”.
SO much depends on what you want to see, do or photograph, so the simplest way to get to grips with it is probably to look at three of the main components that safari is based upon – wildlife, weather and photography – and look at all three from a seasonal point of view, even thought all three are inextricably linked.

Weather

Winter

Dress warmly in the mornings and evenings, because it can be really cold. The uninitiated may not view Africa as a cold continent, but sitting on the back of an open game viewer in -10° is no joke! Granted that is an extreme, but even the low single digit mornings can be very uncomfortable if you aren’t prepared.
Cold mornings give way to wonderfully temperate days however (shorts and t-shirt weather), and given that this is the dry season, clouds are a rare sight.
As soon as the sun goes down the temperature drops quickly, so make sure you have a couple of extra layers with you on drive!

Summer

Summer is a time of contrasts; it can get very hot on safari, but it can also be wonderfully cool during a week of overcast weather. This is the rainy season after all, so a few downpours here and there should not be unexpected, but often it will simply bucket down for an hour and then clear into the most magnificent sunset.
It’s unlikely you’ll need any clothing for really cold weather during this time of year, but rain jackets are definitely a good idea. Most lodges will offer their guests ponchos in case of precipitation.

The main thing in using weather as a determining factor in your safari decisions is consistency. In winter you are likely to get weeks on end of cool, dry weather, with barely a cloud in the sky, whereas in summer it’s a bit more of a lucky dip. It might not rain for three weeks, but it could also set in and drizzle for three days. It’s hard to predict, but that also makes it kind of exciting…

Wildlife

Winter

When it’s cooler, things tend to be more active. Understand this and you won’t go too far wrong. The winter months in Southern Africa in particular have lower temperatures than the countries closer to the equator, and morning and even temperatures in particular can actually be pretty frigid. This is the time of the year when you are likely to see a bit more action later in the day. It’s not too energy-sapping for lions to be moving around in the late morning, and in fact a significantly high number of lion hunts on buffalo take place around midday (although this can be very much dependent on the area).

Winter is also the dry season so activity tends to be focused around perennial water sources.

Summer

Animals are just like us when the sun is high and hot; they tend to retreat into the shade.
Summer months on safari will often see one returning to camp by mid-morning as temperatures soar, and most of the wildlife starts clustering under trees and bushes to conserve energy.
Having said this, the sheer variety of things you are likely to see rises significantly in summer, as this is the birthing season.
Impala lambs, warthog piglets and wildebeest calves seem to be everywhere, which offers excellent hunting opportunities for predators.

The rains usher in a time of plenty, so summer is when all the fascinating small fauna emerge to take centre stage. Termites, tortoises, migratory birds… it’s hard to drive for 500m without coming across something new and interesting that you wouldn’t have seen during the winter months.

In brief, the idea is generally if you want to see a bit more action, plan your safari for winter, but if you want abundance and diversity, come in summer.

Photography

Winter

Long golden hours define the winter months, and the brown and gold hues match perfectly with the evening and early morning glows.
Less vegetation means more unobstructed views of whatever you might be photographing, and finding things to photograph in the first place is a little simpler with the bush not so thick.
There is quite a bit more dust around in winter so be careful when changing lenses out in the field, but you can use it to your advantage by creating some lovely back-lit images.
Photography tends to be a bit more forgiving in winter as the light tends to be consistently better, and of course the animals are usually more active.

Summer

The verdant greens of the rainy season create a wonderful palette against which to photograph wildlife. The golden hours tend to be quite a bit shorter during summer than in winter, but this is offset by the higher chances of overcast days, which keeps the light softer, meaning you can photograph happily all day, without worrying about too much harsh contrast during the hours when the sun is high.

The variety you will encounter is also astounding, from nesting birds to chameleons crossing the road; you’ll need a decent lens kit to be able to handle the incredible array of photographic opportunities which will likely come your way…

There’s no “best” time to come on safari. It is always magnificent.
Simply do the research, decide what it is you most want to get out of your trip, and plan accordingly.

If you would like more info, don’t hesitate to get in touch through info@iconicafrica.com…

Where to View Leopards in 2023

Posted on by James

In many ways, the leopard represents the African continent best.

Whilst the regal lion may hold the title of King of the Beasts, and the elephant’s great size render it the most impressive African mammal, it is the enigmatic nature of the leopard, and the mystery that surrounds it, that most adds to its allure as an animal to see on safari, and captures the essence of the African continent most effectively.

In large portions of Africa – and particularly in areas where human wildlife conflict has been a factor over the years – leopards can be hard to find. They are there, but remain invisible. Although they occupy almost every habitat from the mountains just outside Cape Town to the open deserts of the Sahara way to the north, for the most part they are unobserved creatures of the night.

Yet in a few wildlife reserves, leopards are eminently viewable. The big cats there have long realised that the game viewing vehicles do not represent a threat to them, and so allow them and the guests they contain into their daily lives.
Although there is no such thing as a guaranteed sighting, these are a few places that will give you your best chance of viewing leopards in the wild:

Sabi Sand Reserve, South Africa

Long-viewed as the epicentre of wildlife viewing in Southern Africa, a recent camera-trap survey by the Panthera Organisation firmly established this iconic reserve as containing the densest leopard population yet recorded on the African continent.
With a high availability of natural prey species and perfect habitat in which to hunt and raise cubs, the area boasts leopard numbers that around 12 per hundred square kilometres in the centre of the park.


A number of world-class lodges like Londolozi, Singita and Mala Mala have decades of experience showing guests the wonders of the area, and in particular the leopards. Experienced rangers are well versed in the habits and territorial movements of the resident individuals, and so it is in the Sabi Sands that we feel you have THE best chance of viewing leopards in the wild.

South Luangwa, Zambia

Although not as lauded as other contemporary reserves, the South Luangwa National Park has in fact been providing phenomenal game viewing for years. With the Luangwa River delivering a much-needed source of water during the dry season, the area is able to sustain healthy general game populations, and it is these antelope species  – particularly puku and impala – that the local leopard population favours.

Riparian vegetation along the river and its many tributaries provides the perfect habitat for the leopards to slink through, and large evergreen trees provide safe refuges in which to hoist kills to keep them out of reach of hyenas.

Serengeti, Tanzania

Whilst better known for boasting the largest populations of lions and cheetahs in Africa, the Serengeti/Masai Mara ecosystem in East Africa has no shortage of leopards. Although sightings won’t be quite as regular as in other reserves, it is the setting here that creates the appeal around leopard viewing.


Wide open spaces, unimpeded Acacia woodland; wherever you see a leopard – and in particular photograph it – you are likely to get the sense of space that the greater habitat brings. Vistas like you can’t believe, with the seemingly endless plains of Africa stretched out around you. If you happen to be there during the migration, you will also have the background accompaniment of a million snorting wildebeest throughout the day.
Leopard or no leopard though, the East African grasslands are a wildlife experience like no other.

Laikipia, Kenya

Our final recommended leopard-viewing destination is not what one would normally expect to be included in a list like this.
In fact until recently, it wasn’t really on the international radar as a place to see these beautiful cats.
But over the last couple of years, one or two leopards in particular in a small area called Laikipia in central Kenya, have captured the broader imagination of the safari community.
These are the mythical black leopards.

Photographer: Will Burard-Lucas

A rare recessive gene that codes for an excess of melanin – a dark pigment – results in an animal that is much darker than a normal individual. This is the black panther of legend. Black panthers can be any big cat from the Panthera genus – although they are essentially either leopards or jaguars – and contrary to popular belief they are not all black. One can still see the rosettes in their coats if you look closely.
A few individuals have been born recently in the Laikipia district, and although most of them are skittish and very hard to find, one or two individuals that inhabit the area near Laikipia Wilderness Camp have become accustomed to the presence of game drive vehicles, and spectacular photos like the above one by Will Burrard-Lucas are now possible.

Even without the viewing of this most special of leopards, Laikipia is a spectacular area to safari with its high number of unique species.

Leopards capture the idea of safari beautifully. They are on many safari-goers’ bucket lists, but many visitors to Africa entertain little hope of actually seeing them.

If they are an animal which you really to want to see though, we have a number of lodges we recommend highly to give you your best chance.

Get in touch through info@iconicafrica.com, and let’s start planning your safari…

 

Tanda Tula Plains Camp: True Magic in the Timbavati

Posted on by James

“Tanda Tula” means to enjoy the quiet, and if there is a place where serenity lives, Tanda Tula Plains Camp is it.

With spectacular views of the northern reaches of the Drakensberg Mountains to the west, a spectacular open grassland in front of the camp, and wildlife in constant attendance, this is a place where you can disconnect from the rush of modern living and reconnect with yourself and loved ones.

The Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is one of a contiguous series of wildlife areas that lie up against the western border of the Kruger National Park, South Africa’s – and indeed one of the world’s – most iconic. The lack of fences between the reserves allows for the free movement of wildlife, and the extended protected area is roughly 6 million hectares in size – larger than some small European countries!

Tanda Tula Safari Camp was previously the centrepiece of the Tanda Tula experience, but with an upgrade in progress to create a more ecologically sensitive camp with a lighter footprint in the wake of 2020 and 2021, Plains Camp has now arisen as the new hottest camp in the area.
With 6 luxury suites for up to 12 guests and 2 family suites which sleep 4 each, air-conditioners and fans in each room, as well as private plunge pools, the camp is well equipped to handle any weather conditions in any season.

Some of the Timbavati’s most experienced guides are based here, who are well versed in the natural history of the area, its cultural significance, wildlife photography, and pretty much anything related to the bush.

The best safari camps have a family feel to them, and Tanda Tula Plains Camp falls firmly into this category. As soon as you arrive you feel as if you are returning to a place that is completely familiar, whether you’ve actually been here or not. The welcoming smiles and warm demeanour of all who work here will make you incredibly sad to leave when that time eventually rolls around.

The Tanda Tula family has a passion for wildlife conservation, for the community of which they are a part, and for creating magical experiences. And a magical experience is what Tanda Tula is.

Game Drives are filled with some of the best wildlife in Southern Africa, and close encounters with the Big 5 almost come standard.

Plains Camp is about so much more than just the wildlife. It’s a true example of a lodge that has got it right. It is a place that understands that safari is about people – both guests and staff -just as much as it is about wildlife.

We are currently running specials to this wonderful little corner of Africa, so get in touch to find out more…

 

Life Changing Gorilla Encounters

Posted on by James

For many, the film Gorillas in the Mist sits in the fantasy bracket of what is actually possible in terms of wildlife encounters in the modern world.
It just seems too surreal that encountering the most majestic of the world’s great apes in the flesh would be an actual possibility. Yet Wilderness Safari’s Bisate Lodge in Rwanda was constructed to craft this exact experience for its guests.

Perched on the slopes of an extinct volcano in the Virunga Range, the lodge looks out over an incredible view of two more volcanoes, Bisoke and Karisimbi, whose days of eruptions have long been consigned to the pages of history. The former of the two rises above where Diane Fossey herself situated her research centre (the name of the centre, “Karisoke” came from combining the two names).
The coming of morning reveals the tendrils of mist made so famous in Fossey’s book, weaving their sinuous way through the treetops before eventually being burnt off by the African sun. Exotic birds flit through the camp and announce the arrival of the day, and you know it’s time to head up into the mountains on your gorilla trek.

Family gorilla troops are known to the rangers and their whereabouts tracked, meaning that encounters are close to a sure thing, although the distance required to hike each day might vary considerably based on the gorillas’ movements. Due to the gorillas’ susceptibility to human diseases, the time allowed for encounters is limited to an hour per day, but the intensity of the experience is such that these 60 minutes can feel like you’ve fitted a lifetime into them!
Infants play around barely an arm’s length from you, whilst adults move slowly by, feeding as they go. If you are lucky the dominant silverback might be in attendance; imagine looking into the eyes of a 150kg ape at only two metres distance.
The intimacy of these gorilla encounters is what blows peoples’ minds. When you look at them, you know they are looking back at you for the same reasons. There are hidden depths behind their eyes; you can tell that they are working you out just as surely as you are working them out.

While Gorilla trekking is the star attraction of Bisate lodge, it is certainly not the only reason to visit. The nearby Volcanoes National Park offers multiple other adventures: golden monkey trekking; the Fossey hike or even scaling Mount Bisoke itself.
On the property of the lodge itself, explore nature trails where local and unique bird species proliferate and where recent camera trap footage even recorded a discreet visit by a silverback! Get involved in Bisate’s reforestation project by planting a tree, thus helping to lure wildlife back to the area. Or follow the hum rising from the local villages below, and integrate into the community whose lives are so integral to the lodge.

With fewer than 1000 mountain gorillas left in the wild, there are very few places where one can have such a moving, potentially life-altering experience as this. Being on foot with an animal that is so similar yet so different to us is utterly profound, and one is left pondering one’s place in the grand scheme of things long after the adrenalin of the encounter has worn off.

If this sounds like the experience you are after, get hold of our sales team now at info@iconicafrica.com.

There are some unbeatable specials currently running, so don’t wait to get in touch…

Photography Tips: Understanding Exposure

Posted on by James

Exposure is simply a matter of how dark or light a photograph is.
Too dark is termed underexposed, too light and it’s referred to as overexposed. Just right and it’s called even or neutral exposure.

Left to right: Underexposed, correct exposure, overexposed.

In its simplest form, exposure is a function of three factors: shutter speed, aperture and ISO. We’ll go into these in more detail in a future post, but for now just know the following: 

Shutter speed is how long light is able to enter the camera for.

Aperture is the size of the opening through which light enters the camera; the wider the opening the more light that can come in.

ISO is the camera’s sensitivity to that light. Making it more sensitive without changing either of the other two factors will result in lighter image.

Leaving out ISO for the moment, let’s just look at the combination of shutter speed and aperture.

The way I lie to think of it is to imagine I’m trying to fill a bucket with water. The tap I’m pouring the water out of is how I control the water. The wider the diameter of the hole the water is coming out of (Aperture) the more water can come out in a set period of time, and the longer that set period of time is (shutter speed), the more water will come out as well.

Fast shutter speeds are used to freeze action; very helpful for wildlife photography in which animals are often moving fast.

The next step is to set a specific amount of water I want (exposure). Let’s say we set that level to the middle of the bucket, and we’ll call this even exposure.
If I have a very narrow apertured tap, only a thin stream will emerge, and I will need to run the tap for longer to get the level to the middle, ie. I will need a slower shutter speed.

If, however, the tap’s aperture is very wide, I will literally only need to open and close the tap and a large volume of water will come out, thus reaching the desired level in a much shorter time, ie. a faster shutter speed.

A faster shutter speed is used to underexpose the photo in silhouette photography, resulting in the colours of the sunset popping out more.

I hope this is making sense so far.

If you’re following, it should be becoming evident that the same exposure level (water in the bucket) can be achieved in different ways; a slow shutter speed and narrower aperture or a fast shutter speed and wider aperture. Many combinations of the two will give the same end result.

In photography however, photographs are going to look very different depending on which option you select to achieve your desired exposure level.
A faster shutter speed will freeze the action, while a slower one will result in motion blur. Both are great, so long as you understand which is going to do what.
Most of the time in wildlife photography you are wanting to freeze action, so the wider aperture/faster shutter speed combination is best.

A slower shutter speed can result in motion blur, which can be useful in creative photography, but it’s not always what you want.

Lenses have a limit to just how wide their apertures can open though, which brings us to the third and final part of what is known as the Exposure Triangle: ISO.

ISO is a measure of your camera’s sensitivity to light. More sensitive means it can achieve higher shutter speeds. The trade-off is that the image quality will degrade slightly as the ISO is increased, but this is a price you have to pay to achieve fast enough shutter speeds to not have a blurry image.

“Trade-off” is the key thing to remember here, as the Exposure triangle – comprised of shutter speed, aperture and ISO – is a constant compromise between the three, in which one or the other is generally prioritised to achieve the desired result. 

We’ll delve a little deeper into Shutter Speed, ISO and Aperture do in future posts.

Please comment down below if you have any questions about the subject, or would like to hear about any specific photography topic that is particularly relevant to safari.

The NEW Dulini Moya

Posted on by James

The Sabi Sand Game Reserve in South Africa is world-famous for its wildlife viewing – particularly of leopards – and there is now a new jewel in its crown; Dulini Moya, tucked away on the banks of the Mabrak River in the western sector of the park.

Whether it’s a luxury escape you’re after, tranquility, time in nature, or some of the most exciting game viewing on the planet, Dulini Moya has it all.

The boutique lodge, with only six beautifully appointed chalets, blends so seamlessly with its surroundings that at no point do you feel as if you’re removed from the wilderness in which you find yourself. Leopards are known to wander right through the camp, elephants are regular features in front of your room, and with each suite having its own private viewing space, you may well feel as if it’s just you, the wildlife, and no one else for miles around.

Private plunge pools on the deck of each suite allow for a cool refuge in the summer, and romantic room interiors are the perfect place to snuggle up in the chill of a winter evening, with the Scops owls calling from the canopy of an overhanging leadwood tree and the southern skies shining overhead in all their glory.

Game drives of course, are one of the main reasons of anyone’s visit to the bush, and Dulini will deliver. With one of the highest recorded leopard densities in the world, the Sabi Sand reserve is the place to view these big cats, and their Big 5 brethren are never far away. Lions, elephants, buffalo and rhino are all regularly encountered, with a myriad of other mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians completing the ensemble.
And when arriving back at the lodge after drive you will be greeted by warm smiles and laughter.
As Dulini say themselves:

The safari may be at the epicentre of Dulini offering, but care and the touch of personal relationship are at its heart.

The leopard viewing at Dulini is nothing short of spectacular.
A lioness closes an eye to avoid a wayward tail from one of her cubs.

Dulini Moya promises to break new grounds in the luxury boutique lodge space. Their emphasis on sustainable conservation, local community empowerment and ethical tourism is fast becoming the new normal in the safari industry, and this is certainly one property that does it with aplomb.

Feel free to get in touch if you want to know more about Dulini Moya, or indeed the rest of the Dulini Collection.
There are some spectacular specials on offer right now, so don’t wait too long…