South Luangwa National Park

The South Luangwa is one of the most incredible National Parks in Africa and our 5 days spend here was without a doubt for both Ralf, Perdita and myself the highlight of the 2 week Zambia Photographic Safari.

Experts have dubbed South Luangwa one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, and not without reason. The concentration of game around the Luangwa River and its ox bow lagoons is among the most intense in Africa.

Our base was the legendary Kaingo Camp and after my visit I now completely understand why it is rated as an absolute wildlife photographic paradise. The first 2 nights we stayed at Kaingo’s Bush Camp, Mwamba. The camp provided an incredible opportunity to explore the heartland of the South Luangwa.

On our first full day we had an incredible "day time" sighting of a female leopard stalking a small herd of impala, unfortunately she did not have any luck on this occasion. Over a period of 5 days we saw no less than 6 individual leopards, with a mating pair the highlight.

Sightings were incredible and various members of the 33 strong Mwamba Pride of lions were seen frequently. We decided to spend our first 2 days scanning the Luangwa River and surrounds and were rewarded with incredible sightings of the pride.




South Luangwa is home to 3 endemic species of mammals and we were very fortunate to see and photograph them all, Cookson’s Wildebeest, Thornicroft’s Giraffe and sub-specie of Burchell’s Zebra, Crawshaw’s Zebra. Various species of antelope were seen around every corner and include Impala, Puku, Greater Kudu and bushbuck.

We were sad to leave the “rustic” charm of Mwamba Bush Camp but what followed over the next 3 days at Kaingo Camp can only be described as pure magic. On arrival Ralf came storming into my room, a huge crocodile caught a Puku right in front them. We watched in awe as this massive reptile fought of 7 more crocodiles to claim what was rightfully his.


The days that followed were pure photographic bliss as we saw and photographed huge herds of elephant. We spend countless hours with the beautiful Hollywood Pride of lions (this famous pride has been the subject of numerous National Geographic and other renowned documentaries). The highlight of observing the “Hollywood’s” was seeing them interacting with a herd of elephants and shortly after sundowners (an ice cold Mosi Lager) we watched them catching and killing a large Puku ram.

The photographic opportunities at Kaingo are endless mainly due to the numerous photographic hides that are constructed all around the reserve; these hides most certainly optimize close encounters with various species of birds and mammals. The bulk of our “Hide Photography” was done from the Hippo Hide, where you get so close to the action that you feel you are part of the pod.


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Our hides have certainly turned the heads of the professionals. We have been visited by world renowned wildlife photographer Frans Lanting (multiple times, this year Frans Lanting and National Geographic returned for a month, cancelling all other camps in the valley to extend their stay with us again and again) of National Geographic. BBC used our hippo hide in the filming of the Wild Africa Series.” We have featured in both National Geographic and National Geographic magazine in 2006.” Kaingo Camp




My favourite hide was the “Carmine bee – eater” hide. The hide is especially put up every year, once the Carmines are established at the nesting site. The brightly colored Carmines build their nests in huge colonies into the river bank. Getting to the hide itself is a great adventure as you walk (with an armed scout) to the edge of the river and then by canoe (with owner Derek Shenton) cross the water to reach the hide, a remarkable photographic experience in deed.

Other birding highlights for me include seeing and ticking Three-banded Courser, Lillian’s Lovebird, Bohm’s Spinetail and Red-necked Falcon. Huge flocks of Yellow-billed Storks provided us with great bird photography opportunities.

Another highlight was viewing no less than 9 Spotted Hyena's fighting over the remains of a dead hippo.


The South Luangwa is truly a wildlife photographic mega and I can without a doubt recommend Kaingo Camp to anybody interested in photographing “The Valley”.

Kafue National Park

I just returned from leading a 2 week photographic safari to the amazing African country of Zambia. My clients, Ralf and Perdita, and I had an incredible wildlife experience and we saw no less than 48 species of mammals and 203 species of birds on the safari. Photographic opportunities were endless and over the next month I will explain this remarkable safari in detail.

At 22 500 square kilometres, Kafue National Park is one of the largest National Parks in Africa. It is fed by three rivers, the Lufupa in the north-west and the Lunga and Kafue in the north-east. The Lufupa River floods in the summer,creating a large floodplain delta system that attracts thousands of waterbirds.

The Park has the largest mammal species diversity in Zambia due to an interesting habitat mix which includes miombo woodland and seasonal open grassy areas called dambos. The Park boasts 55 large mammal species - including 20 ungulate and 6 cat species.

In the extreme north of the Kafue lies the Busanga Plains - one of Zambia's most significant wetland resources and one of the few areas in the world that remain untouched by development and human activity. Considered the jewel in the Kafue crown, these plains cover an area of approximately 750 square kilometres. The Plains are home to hundreds of red lechwe, puku, roan and the diminutive oribi.




Cape Buffalo were ever present and herds of Elephants were seen almost daily.


This wealth of game on the plains is also a big attraction for predators and we saw and photographed a coalition of 3 male Cheetahs (hunting Blue Wildebeest for more than 2 hours) and 3 different prides of Lion. We were also very fortunate to 2 see two different Leopards, one a young male on the bank of the Kafue River and a second large territorial male lying on top of a termite mount.

We also saw an incredible diversity of smaller mammals and sighting included Caracal, Serval, Civet Cat and Marsh Mongoose. On a morning safari Ralf and I even saw and photographed a Bush Pig in the day light.

The birdlife is certainly an attraction for many photographers visiting the Busanga Plains and Kafue boasts 491 species.

The Busanga plays host to elegant Wattled Cranes, Crowned Cranes and Rosy-throated Longclaws in great numbers. Birding habitats are diverse and include vast floodplains, broadleaved woodland (mopane and miombo), open water and riverine fringe.


Key species we saw around the Lufupa and Kafue Rivers included Ross's Turaco, Schalow's Turaco and Half-collared Kingfisher. My birding highlight was without a doubt seeing and “ticking” both Red-throated Twinspot and Böhm's Bee-eater in Musanza Camp.

Other amazing attractions include hot air balloon and helicopter flights and this provide the photographer with an incredible aerial photographic experience.


Kafue National Park is without a doubt one of my favourite National Parks in Africa, it is a true wilderness experience and we were astonished at the great diversity on every one of our drives.