Zimbabwe; Raw and Wild 2023

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13 Days in Authentic Africa!!
September 2023

This safari is a rare opportunity to experience real, raw, and wild Africa; reminiscent of the days of Hemmingway. Known as one of the last great true African wilderness areas, Zimbabwe has remained an untamed and unspoiled environment. We will walk in the wild, mix in game drives in a private concession, and stay on the shores of Lake Kariba with the unique backdrop of dead trees and breathtaking sunsets. Beyond all the unique photographic opportunities you will live this ultimate wild experience like non-other offered across the Africa continent. You will leave feeling you have traveled back in time, free of human encroachment, underdeveloped, and the Africa of your dreams.

Each Spectacular Destinations offers something dynamic

Mana Pools

Walk in the Wild! Nestled within the Zambezi Valley, along the river, with a stunning forest that fills with dappling magical orange light, Mana Pools offers the most astonishing wildlife experiences in Africa. The ambiance is incomparable. You will be exiting the safari vehicles! You will have the rare opportunity to have an intimate, on foot encounter, with the wilds of the African bush; Elephants, impala, lions, wild dogs, and all the free roaming wildlife. On foot, a photographer has more freedom in positioning their frame and angle. One of Zimbabwe’s top professional guides will accompany us to ensure our safety. As the secret of this magical place gets out, the photographers will begin to flock to it.

Matusadona

One immediately visualizes the ionic images of Elephants along the Kariba shores, with the stunning backdrop of dead trees rising from the lake. A remote rugged wilderness treasure, Matusadona is home to the big five; lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and black rhino. Hippo, crocodile and a wide variety of water birds make use of the lake. Kudu, Warthog, Zebra, Bushbuck, Impala, and numerous antelope species including over 350 documented bird species call this area home.

More than the unique photographic encounters this safari will present is the magical adventure in the traditional African bush.

Hwange National Park

In Hwange, the most renowned park in Zimbabwe, wildlife still roams free; not prohibited by fences or any other man-made boundaries. The region is home to many predators, including cheetahs and many lions, the most well known being Cecil’s Pride. Hwange also has 2 rarely seen antelope species – Roan & Sable. During the dry season, wildlife are reluctantly drawn to many of the park’s perennial waterholes. Predators use the waterholes as daily ambush sites during the driest time of the year – the exact time of year we’ll be visiting! Our camp in one of the best locations in the park and is in a private concession, which grants us extra freedoms. In addition to having immediate access to the park, in the concession we will have off-road access, be able to alight from the vehicle for the best perspective, and have the opportunity for night games drive in search of nocturnal species.

This ultimate unspoiled safari experience will be limited to ONLY 6 guests!

Two expert photographic leaders in Mana Pools: 

To ensure the best possible photographic experience while walking in the wilds of Mana Pools, award-winning photographer Carole Deschumer will be joining us. Two leaders in this area will offer twice the support, instruction, knowledge, assistance, laughter, and genuine concern for your success.

  • Piper Mackay – has over 15 years’ experience photographing throughout the African continent and spent several years living in Kenya. She is a seasoned expert in guiding photographic safaris in Africa for the past 9 years. In 2017, she won the prestigious African wildlife category for Natures Best Photography. Her work has been widely published in numerous internationally known magazines and she is an inspirational speaker for Nikon. Her caring approach and sincere care for her clients’ satisfaction and success is palpable!
  • Carole Deschuymer –For the last 7 years, Carole has visited Mana Pools every year at least once. She knows the park like the back of her hand the the behaviour of the animals very well, and she knows exactly where to go for the right light to get the best pictures. Her photography style meshes well with Piper’s, making them a dynamic team. She has won several awards and her has been work published in several magazines.Carole is a natural teacher. Zimbabwe is her second home and she loves to help others photograph its beauty.

Beyond the unique photographic encounters this safari will present is the magical adventure in the traditional African bush. This ultimate, unspoiled safari experience will be limited to ONLY 6 guests with two leaders. You will have a professional photographic leader on every game drive. 

This safari ends at Victoria Falls. Therefore, you could easily extend your safari to explore yet another highlight on the African Continent or join us on the Chobe River extension in Botswana.

Itinerary

Day 1 – September 24 , 2023

Upon your arrival (at any time), at the international airport in Harare Zimbabwe, you will be met by a member of our ground team and transferred by private vehicle to the Armadale Guest Lodge.

Accommodation in a beautiful tradition African guest lodge

Day 2 – September 25, 2023

Rise early. We will have breakfast and a safari briefing before our private transfer to the airport for our scenic private charter flight to Mana Pools.

Our exclusive camp in Mana Pools is nestled amongst Trichilia (Natal Mahogany) trees on the banks of the river and is completely unfenced, merging comfort with the natural environment, a wonderful mix of simplicity and classic family hospitality.

This afternoon we will drive out, jump out of the safari vehicles, and walk in the wild! Beyond the ultimate safari experience is the unique dappling magical orange light that fills the forest – one does not have to look at a caption to instantly recognize images was captured in Mana Pools.

Accommodation – Private safari camp  (B, L, D)

Day 3 – 6  September 26-29, 2023

You will adventure through this magical pristine African wildlife wilderness for the next 5 days.

Accommodation – Private safari camp  (B, L, D)

Day 7 – September 30, 2023

We will have one more magical morning in the stunning forest of Mana pools and take our breakfast along the Zambezi river as we wait for our water taxi. The Zambeze is he lower part of the Chobe River coming from Victoria Falls. We will have a beautiful boat ride upriver and of coarse we will stop for any great photographic opportunities. We then head over the hills to Lake Kariba.

In the afternoon we will set out on an afternoon game drive.

Accommodation along the shore of Lake Kariba (B, L, D)

Day 8 – October 1, 2023

Morning and afternoon game drive

Accommodation along the shore of Lake Kariba (B, L, D)

Day 9 – October 2, 2023

Morning game drive, breakfast, and transport to airstrip for our Charter flight to Hwange.

Afternoon game drive

Accommodation luxury tent camp (B, L, D)

Day 10 – 12 October 3-5, 2023

Morning and afternoon game drive

Accommodation luxury tent camp (B, L, D)

Day 12  October 6, 2023

Morning game drive, breakfast, transport to vic falls.

End of Safari (B)

***International flights can be booked after 5PM

DON’T WANT YOUR SAFARI TO END

Join us on the Chobe River in Botswana for 3 more days of incredible photography! The Chobe River is one of the most incredible wildlife experiences offered on the continent, where animals congregate along the river to drink and to feed on the lush greenery.  The custom photo boat we use has a shallow draught, enabling us to access shallow water to make near-silent, drifting approaches to our subjects, getting eye-level perspectives that are much more difficult to achieve on land. Don’t be surprised when you are face to face with battling hippos and elephants swimming!

Elephants will not only come to drink from the river but will also swim across it; if we are lucky, they will stop in the middle to play, which is an unbelievable sight. This is also a birder’s paradise with a wide variety of species, including African fish eagles, colorful Malachite Kingfisher, the largest heron in the world – the goliath, skinners, kingfishers, and colorful bee-eaters. With our custom photo boats, these birds are more approachable on the Chobe River than anywhere else in Africa.  Contact Piper for further details.

Is this safari for you?

Photographers of ALL levels, who are passionate about wildlife and nature photography, are welcome. This safari is timed during the dry season, which is the best time for animal viewing. Our focus will be on producing quality images. We will waken before sunrise for the best early morning light. During this safari, we will see a variety of exotic wildlife; however, some special subjects may require watching their behavior and waiting for those special moments. This is when patience pays off, rewarding you with extraordinary photographs. We will spend a good deal of our time and effort in the field. When it becomes quiet, and the light is too harsh we will return to our camp/lodge for a midday break.

Unlike some safari workshops that emphasize such a heavily ridged instructional structure that you miss key opportunities and the enjoyment of the safari experience, our safari prioritizes photographic moments and memories in the field, rather than lectures back in camp. We will provide timely guidance, support, and instructional tips based on the action happening in front of us.  When we are back in camp, only because the light becomes too harsh and it has grown quiet in the warmth of the day, we will review images and discuss image techniques. Our goal is to ensure maximizing every photographic opportunity we can deliver during your safari.

This is an outdoor wildlife safari, so being fit and in good health will allow you to maximize your enjoyment of the safari. While in Mana Pools we will use the safari vehicles for sighting wildlife. We can get close, but once sighted we will have the opportunity to exit the safari vehicle and walk to get closer to the wildlife. To take advantage of this unique photographic opportunity, guest should be in good walking condition and be able to carry at least one camera and lens. The terrain is flat, so there is no hiking or trekking. However, guest can choose to stay and photograph from the safari vehicle.

If you have any concerns, please email Piper at any time.

Important Details

The Price

The price of this unique photographic safari experience is based on double occupancy (two people sharing a room) is $13,995.00

The price of this unique photographic safari based on single occupancy (one person in a private room) is $15,290.00 for private accommodations **Single accommodations are limited.

Due to the limited number of spaces available, if a solo guest is willing to share and we can match with another guest of the same gender, we will do so. If a solo guest is unwilling to share, then a single supplement will be charged. If we are unable to match a solo guest with another guest of the same gender, then the single supplement of $1,295.00 will be charged.

**The cost of this safari is based on a minimum of 6-5 participants. If there are less than 5 participants a small supplement fee of $595.00 will apply.

A USD $3,500.00 Non-refundable deposit is due at the time of registration to secure your spot. We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance to cover your deposit. Many travel insurance companies will allow you to purchase insurance to cover your deposit and then increase the amount as you make payments.

Payment Terms

    • USD $4,000.00 non-refundable deposit to confirm your place on this safari
    • 2nd payment of USD $5,000.00 + single supplement (if applicable), is due November 30, 2022
    • Final payment/Balance is due May 15, 2023
    • We STRONGLY recommend trip and cancellation insurance. You never know what surprises life can bring that may cause you to cancel your trip so it is EXTREMELY important to protect your investment!

Included

    • Private transport from Harare International airport to Armadale guest lodge
    • Private transport from Hwange to Vic Falls
    • All transportation as listed on the itinerary from Sept 1 – Oct 12, 2023
    • 2 Charter flights with 35KG weight allowance per person
    • Mana pools/Matusadona/Hwange – 2 private safari vehicles 3 full rows of seats in each, each clients will have their own row, tour guides will sit up front with the driver/guide
    • Unlimited game drives in all the above mentioned parks
    • Park entrance fees and taxes for all guides, guest, and drivers
    • All taxes, vat, and fees – accommodation, tourism, airport, reserves, food, beverages, etc
    • 1 night bed & breakfast accommodation at Armadale Lodge
    • 5 nights full board accommodation Mobile tent camp Mana Pools including local spirits, South African wine and beer, soft drinks tea, coffee, and laundry
    • 2 nights full board accommodation Rhino Safari Camp
    • 3 nights full board accommodation The Hide including local spirits and laundry
    • Proper filtered or bottled water at all meals and while on safari
    • Emergency evacuation to Harae – Cost of hospitalization payable direct
    • Arrangement of covid testing and test results – Cost of test payable direct

Not Included:

    • Visas
    • Travel Insurance
    • Personal purchases (such as curios, spirit liquors, telephone calls, internet, laundry…)
    • Gratuities for the guides, staff at accommodations, and airport transfers ($30 -$40 per day)
    • Optional extra activities
    • Pre- and post-safari tours
    • Meals and accommodations before or after the safari
    • Transportation before or after the dates of the safari
    • International flights to and from the African continent
    • REGISTRATION AND DEPOSIT

      If you are excited to join this safari now is the time to secure your spot.  Use the buttons below to fill out your online e-registration form and to make your deposit. We must receive both your completed registration form and your deposit/s to confirm your spot.

      Registration form
      Please complete all the required fields. At the end of the form you will be asked to confirm your email address, which will complete the registration. A copy of your registration will be emailed to you and to Piper Mackay Photo Safaris.

      Deposit
      Click the deposit button, under the registration button,  to make your deposit. You do not need to have a Paypal account to use this payment service. You may make more than one deposit at a time by changing the quantity on the purchase details that will come up once you click the deposit button.

Sold Out - Wait List

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    Dates & Prices

  • Date(s): Sep 24th - Oct 6th, 2023
  • Price: $13,995.00 USD
  • Tour Deposit: $4,000.00 USD
  • Participants: 6
Trip Leader: Piper Mackay
Trip Leader: Carole Deschuymer

Accommodations

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