Category: Sabi Sands

Many who love to travel jump at the chance to take a safari trip, but photographers especially love going because it’s a chance to take pictures unlike anything else they’ve ever done. This is particularly true of photographers who are in the range where they’re not quite amateurs, but not quite professionals either. They might get paid to take photos at weddings, but they still have a day job. Looking for the best photographic safari lodges in Sabi Sands is a common activity when trying to come up with a dream vacation. There’s a lot that goes into arranging such a trip, so the following 10 questions don’t cover everything, but they cover quite a bit.

1) Will the change in hemisphere affect me?

If you’re coming from the United States or Canada, then you are going to be changing hemisphere’s twice actually. You’ll switch from Western to Eastern, which is not really going to impact things that much, but you’ll also be switching from Northern to Southern, which can change things a bit. When it’s your winter, it’s going to be their summer. The climate in South Africa is typically mild, but you’ll need to pack appropriate clothing. Remember that temperatures will be measured in Celsius instead of Fahrenheit.

2) Will they speak my language?

English is an official language of South Africa, but there’s also a dozen others. It’s a common occurrence among tourist facilities for English to be spoken, but check in advance to make sure.

3) How far will my currency go?

The exchange rates between your nation and South Africa will fluctuate daily, but checking long-term trends can help you plan.

4) How much are airfare and transportation going to be?

Getting to Sabi Sands might take more than one flight, so see how things are going to add up, and be prepared to stay overnight along the way.

5) What animals are likely to be seen?

Many of the Sabi Sands possibilities have access to their own ‘big 5‘, but if you’ve got particular species you want to see or take photos of, verify their availability and the likelihood of seeing them.

6) How much does it cost to stay there?

Your stay at a safari lodge will be one of your two biggest expenses, alongside your airfare. How long you stay and what time of year you stay will impact the price the most.

7) How much time zone difference will there be?

South Africa is all one time zone, without daylight savings time. It’s generally five to ten hours ahead of locations in the continental United States. Flying back is just a long day, but flying there is short enough of a hop given the time zones advanced that jet lag is going to be a real possibility your first few days.

8) Is there a safe where I can store my camera?

Your camera is likely your pride and joy. Make sure there is someplace safe to store it in your room.

9) Do the guides have advice on picture taking?

You won’t be the first photographer that comes looking to shoot images instead of animals. Your guides should have plenty of helpful advice about when and how to get great shots.

10) Will I need certain shots or immunizations before going?

This is a question best asked of your doctor, because it’s a good idea to make sure you are properly vaccinated against everything possible before you go overseas and into strange and wonderful environments your body is not familiar with.

Photographic safari lodges in Sabi Sands are quite popular given the relative political stability of South Africa. Despite its history of apartheid and racial tension, it has a history of election successions going back a century and is notably the one country on the continent to never suffer a coup d’etat. Use these 10 questions to find the best Sabi Sands photographic safari for the trip of your dreams.

The Sabi sands is a fantastic place for photographic safari and we can recommend any of the top lodges there including Londolozi, Kirkmans Camp, Lion Sands and Singita to name a few.