It’s the best accolade to have guests return for a second visit, as well as being a treat to see them again. I was so pleased when I could finally run a much postponed trip for a group of 4, including Sharon and Don, which would give us 3 weeks in the best National Parks of Zambia.
During the pandemic, the mirrorless camera systems have moved forward dramatically, and both Sharon and Don came with Canon R5s and RF 100-500mm lenses. I was excited to see the results and I’m thrilled to share them with you below. Sharon, thank you for taking the time to write up a report for me….over to you.
There are so many memorable moments experienced during a three-week photographic safari, it’s hard to describe them all. There is sound of lions roaring outside your tent most nights, some so close that you find yourself looking out into the darkness to try to glimpse them, others far in the distance. Then there is always the hilarious sound of the hippos or the hyenas calling. The smell of a fresh kill or a slightly older one, the perfume of the white acacia blossoms, the sausage tree flowers or the smell of honey from the wild honey bees. Above all, it is being with a small group of people watching incredible nature in all its wildness unfolding right in front of you.
Kafue National Park
Musekese Camp (Guided by Phil Jeffrey).
1/320s, f7.1, ISO 8000, 500mm. The first game drive, especially after the enforced Covid travel restrictions, is all about getting accustomed to our surroundings, game vehicle, camera etc. I was pleasantly surprised to find this image of a serval when we returned home. I had never imaged that I would actually see one in the wild.1/500s, f7.1, ISO 2000, 500mm. After listening to roar of lions outside our tent most of the night, we spent several hours with this lioness nicknamed tripod – she lost the lower part of her right hind leg in a snare several years ago. It was a cold morning and our assignment was to capture her roar. Not the best photograph as I shot in too tight but I did capture the vapour of her roar in the morning light.1/2000s, f7.1, ISO 1250, 400mm, -1 1/3EV. While boating on the Kafue River, we just drifted by this Malachite kingfisher, getting so close we had to zoom right out. We also hoped it might dive into the river for an “action shot” but it totally ignored us.1/1000s, f7.1, ISO 3200, 500mm. Another kingfisher about 30metres away from the previous image, beautifully framed in the undergrowth.1/500s, F8.0, ISO 800, 500mm -2/3EV. Our fourth day at Musekese, we headed south looking for the lions that we heard the previous evening. We tracked them all the way to the southern lagoon. There was no sight of the lions so we stopped by the lagoon for morning tea. Heading back towards camp always looking for photo opportunities along the way, alerted by alarm calls, we spotted this beautiful female leopard on its way back from the river.
Ntemwa-Busanga Camp (Guided by Tyrone McKeith)
We enjoyed an afternoon transfer from Musekese Camp to Ntwemwa-Busanga Camp, which involved a short boat road across the Kafue River then overland to Ntemwa Camp, appreciating the enclosed vehicle as tsetse flies reign supreme in the forested areas. Upon arrival at the camp, our vehicle barely came to a stop before our guide Tyrone leaped out the transfer vehicle and quicky had us all into the open game viewing vehicle. It was right on sunset and he had spotted a young male leopard just outside the camp. The following three images were taken within a minute of each other as the leopard moved left to right, through the grass toward a drainage channel, which it leapt, had a drink and walked off behind the puku into the scrub to continue its evening activities.
1/500s, f7.1, ISO 2500, 500mm1/500s, f7.1, ISO 3200, 500mm1/1250s, f7.1, ISO 6400, 500mm1/1250s, f8, ISO 3200, 200mm. Another photo assignment was at the hippo pools in the late afternoon light as the hippos become active. I was fortunate to capture this hippo as it surfaced with huge snort!
Busanga Bush Camp (Guided by Isaac Kalio)
Our transfer from Ntemwa Camp to Busanga Bush camp was via a morning game drive. We left early hoping to catch the serval again, sadly she didn’t oblige, however were treated to the sights and sounds of a leopard hunting. The sounds also drew the interest of the cheetah we spotted the previous evening, thankfully he kept clear of the leopard.
1/1250s, f7.1, ISO 800, 500mm. A rare sighting a cheetah, we spent some time watching this old boy.
Closer to the Busanga Bush Camp (BCC) we came across vultures feasting upon a carcass. Our photography challenge here was to try to tell a story of the scene in front of us. I became distracted by the way the vultures strutted to visually enhance their size – called mantling.
1/2500s, f7.1, ISO 1000, 500mm, +2/3EV. Lappet faced vulture “mantling”.
Each night we were treated to the roar of lions which we able to find on several occasions. One morning in particular, the lionesses Princess, Nala and her two daughters played in the early morning light before lounging about in the shade of our vehicle.
1/800s, f6.3, ISO 320, 400mm. Princess (with the collar) approaches her daughter Nala. Nala in a playful mood, Princess not so much.
We spent a morning watching the “Bad Boys”. There was a fresh kill in the distance that caught their attention, the younger of the two investigated further and then he spent the next two plus hours devouring an entire lechwe on its own.
1/500s, f7.1, ISO 2000, 200mm. The Bad Boys taking the easy path along the game viewing road.1/2500s, f6.3, ISO 800, 200mm +1/3EV. We watched this guy for several hours while he devoured a whole lechwe – he occasionally chased off the vultures and repositioned his meal away from the hippos that also became curious. Our aim was to capture him crossing one of the several water channels as he made his way across the plains to re-join his coalition partner. Out on the plains it was a cold and windy wait but, in the end, we were rewarded with his failed attempts at jumping across several channels. Check out the size of his tummy.1/2500s, f6.3, ISO 640, 128mm. Eventually he made his away across the plains in the general direction of his collation partner, finding a place in the shade to spend the day digesting his meal.
South Luangwa National Park
Chindeni Bush Camp (Guided by Fannuel Banda)
Another very comfortable bush camp, well run and great hospitality!
1/2000s f7.1 ISO 1250, 500mm +2/3EV. Brown hooded kingfisher.1/800s f5.6 ISO 640 270mm. Chilled leopard – resting in the shade on the cool sand.1/800s f7.1 ISO 640 300mm. We waited for the this giraffe to slowly make his way across the edge of a clearing until he was nicely framed by the surrounding trees.
A pride of eight lionesses (plus five cubs) made a hippo kill during the night. They all had their fill by the time we photographed them in the afternoon.
1/640s f5.6 ISO2500 176mm. Sometimes you just cannot eat anymore!1/400s, f5.6 ISO2000 176mm. But you have this Aunt that can!
The following morning they were still at it, having made a fair dent in the carcass overnight.
Bilimungwe Bushcamp (Guided by Fannuel Banda)
Another stunning bush camp, each grass thatched chalet had views over one of the several waterholes which were frequently visited by game.
So many highlights – the wild dog pups and one of my favourite images of an elephant crossing the Kapamba River at sunset.
1/500s, f7.1 ISO 5000, 500mm. A wild dog pup at the entrance of the den.1/640s, f7.1 ISO 8000, 500mm. Pups playing.1/1250s, f4.5 ISO 100, 100mm -1 1/3EV. Kapamba River sunset.
Lower Zambezi National Park
Anabezi Luxury Tented Camp (Guided by Lawrence Mazele)
For the last leg of our Pan-Zambian safari we treated ourselves and stayed at the Anabezi Lodge. I must say we enjoyed the plunge pool after returning from a morning game drive. What an amazing area! A variety of game relatively habituated to vehicles, opportunity for boating along the Zambezi and wonderful light in the winterthorn forest.
1/2000, f7.1 ISO 2000, 500mm, +2 2/3 EV. My first successful high key photograph, taken from a boat on the Zambezi.1/800, f5.6 ISO 1250, 100mm, +2/3 EV Elephants snorkelling across the river.
We came across these leopards, a female and her two sub-adult female cubs, several times while staying at the Anabezi. The cubs were hunting independently but could often been seen in the same general area as their mother.
1/160s, f6.3 ISO 2000, 100mm. The mother showing her sub adult cub some “tough” love.1/500s, f6.3 ISO 1250, 167mm, -2/3 EV. The sub adult female high in a winterthorn tree above a carcass.1/800s, f7.1 ISO 3200, 500mm, – 2/3 EV. Just zooming in a little on the leopard.1/1000s, f6.3 ISO 3200, 223mm. Various alarm calls alerted us to this large male leopard was walking through the winterthorn forest. He eventually jumped onto a log and rested. He had an extremely full belly and a number wounds from his overnight activities.1/1600s, f7.1 ISO 6400, 472mm. A highlight of our time in the LZNP was watching the wild dogs hunt. There was the sport of the hunt – from the pre hunt play, the thrill of the chase and eventually, the not easy to watch, kill. In this photo a warthog evades the dogs by running from its hiding place inside a log, a few laps around the trees before reversing into its burrow.1/200s, f6.3 ISO 6400, 451mm. Three generations of lionesses, well fed and possessive of their kill in the early morning light.1/400s, f5.6 ISO 2000, 300mm. Always ready for an opportunity, they quickly became interested in a kudu passing nearby.1/1000s, f7.1 ISO 2500, 500mm, -1/3 EV. Because you can never have enough leopard photos, one of the sub adult females.1/1000s, f7.1 ISO 800, 500mm, -2/3 EV. And again.1/50s, f7.1 ISO 4000, 500mm. Late afternoon the same day we managed position ourselves on the opposite side of a waterhole as the lionesses came down to drink.1/1000s, f7.1 ISO 3200, 472mm. Another superb male leopard, this one with a torn ear. This guy was spotted in a tree not far from our lunch spot on the banks of the Zambezi. He remained in the tree all afternoon and we returned near sunset hoping to get some photos of him backlit by the setting sun. However, a massive bush was right where we needed to be. With some creative manoeuvring of the vehicle we managed to get various angles without disturbing him too much.1/500s, f5.6 ISO 2000, 324mm. He decided to stretch out on a branch and snooze until after dark. The golden sunset shines through the canopy highlighting his stunning colours.1/500s, f5.6 ISO 3200, 167mm. Unable to get our back lit leopard, we used the remaining light to capture this bull elephant reaching for some winterthorn leaves.1/400s, f7.1 ISO 2500, 500mm. One of the sub adult female leopards, this time looking quite comfortable amongst the vines high up in a tree. Her sister was in another tree about 50metres away. We returned at sunset to hopefully photograph them waking and moving about, however they waited until we lost most of the light before they stirred.1/400s, f6.3, ISO 3200, 363, -1EV. Perhaps my favourite photo of the safari. It was an overcast afternoon, so we decided our best opportunities would be in the winterthorn forest and then maybe up on the plains towards sunset. I captured this bull elephant, his tusks lightly lit in a clearing.1/400s, F7.1, ISO 3200, 500mm. It’s not always the big game that takes centre stage. We often just took time for the small things such as this white browed coucal in the undergrowth as we drove towards the plains.
Thank you Sharon for sharing your photos with everyone! They are a fantastic record of the wonderful experience that we enjoyed and you are rightly very proud of them. Congratulations, and I look forward to making more images and memories in Botswana in 2024.
