Private vehicles configured for cameras, guides who position for the light rather than the sighting, and itineraries that stay put long enough for the picture to happen.
A photographic safari is planned differently. You leave camp before sunrise and come back after dark, you stay in one area rather than ticking off parks, and you keep the vehicle low, quiet and steady while the light does the work. Our photographic itineraries give every guest a full row of seats, beanbags on the window rails, charging points for every body and battery, and guides trained to approach animals on the sun side and hold position while you work the frame.
Every itinerary is fully customisable - change dates, duration, lodges or pace.
Time it right for the dramatic Mara River crossings.
Six days timed for the great calving on the southern Serengeti plains.
Our most exclusive private safari, five-star camps and premium guiding.
Fly into the heart of the Serengeti and witness the Mara River crossings.
Maximum four photographers per Land Cruiser so everyone has a full bench and both window rails. Every rail carries a beanbag; a clamp mount or gimbal can be fitted on request. Roof hatches open fully for standing shots, and the engine is cut whenever we are on a sighting.
Inside: 12V and USB charging for camera batteries and laptops, a dust-sealed storage box, cleaning kit, and a cooler for the long days when we skip lunch back at camp.
The pictures happen in the first and last ninety minutes of the day. We buy full-day park permits and pack breakfast and lunch so you are never driving back to camp in golden light. In the Serengeti we also arrange sunrise balloon flights for aerial frames, and night drives in the concession areas outside the national parks for genets, aardwolf and hunting lions.
July-October: Mara River crossings in the northern Serengeti - dust, chaos and crocodiles, best shot from Kogatende with a 100-400 and a second body.
January-March: calving on the southern plains and at Ndutu - newborns, cheetah hunts and clean low-angle backgrounds.
April-May: green season - dramatic storm light, empty roads and the strongest skies of the year.
Year-round: Ngorongoro Crater for black rhino and dense predator action, Tarangire for elephants and baobabs, Lake Manyara for flamingos and birds in flight.
Two bodies so you are not changing lenses in dust: a 100-400 or 200-600 for wildlife and a 24-70 for landscapes and camp life. A 1.4x teleconverter helps at Ndutu. Bring more cards and batteries than you think, a rocket blower and microfibre cloths, and a soft bag - internal flights limit you to 15 kg of soft luggage. We supply the beanbags.
Our photographic guides are chosen for patience and positioning: approaching from the sun side, anticipating where the cheetah will walk, cutting the engine early, and holding position for twenty minutes instead of moving on. If you want a dedicated professional photo host travelling with the group, we can arrange that for an additional daily fee.
Tell us your target subjects, your season and your kit, and we will build the route around them - which usually means fewer parks and more nights in each. Most photographers settle on 8-10 days: three or four nights in the Serengeti sector where the herds are, two on the crater rim, and the rest in Tarangire or Ndutu.
Per person, per day, sharing a twin/double room. Park fees included. Quotes are built to your exact dates and party size.
Budget / camping
From $245
per person / day
Mid-range
From $395
per person / day
Luxury
From $1,150
per person / day
Every park on this itinerary plotted across Tanzania's Northern Circuit.
All destinations
"A totally fantastic trip of a lifetime - Tarangire, Manyara, Olduvai, Serengeti, Ndutu and the Crater. Our guide Tumsifu was the best we met."
"Wakanda built the trip around our pace. The Land Cruiser was immaculate, the camps were perfectly chosen, and we never once felt rushed."
"From the bush plunge pool to the dhow sunset on Zanzibar, every detail was nailed. We'd book them again tomorrow."
Free, no-obligation quote within 24 hours. We'll match the itinerary to your dates, budget and the wildlife you most want to see.
Related destinations
Four at most, so everybody has a full bench and both window rails. Couples often take a vehicle for two.
Tell us your dates, group size and what you'd love to see. A senior planner replies personally within 24 hours with a tailored proposal - no obligation.
