Travel guide: Making the most of Africa

By Michael Snedic | 26 May 2026

Until you’ve experienced it for yourself, it’s hard to fully describe how remarkable Africa is for wildlife photography. The sheer range of opportunities, from wildlife encounters to landscape scenes, is unlike anywhere else.

Add to that the warmth and generosity of the people, and the experience of visiting the mother continent becomes about far more than photography alone. It’s also a place everyone should experience at least once, if they can.

Made up of dozens of countries, Africa offers an extraordinary variety of environments, each with its own unique wildlife and photographic possibilities. But at the same time, making the most of a trip requires careful research and planning.

In this guide I can’t even begin to delve into all the countries in Africa that you should visit in any great detail, but I can share some of my own experiences of photographing throughout the continent over the past 12 years that may help you plan your own trip. So, let’s dive in.

After quite a number of mornings patiently waiting, I was rewarded by this leopard climbing a tree, turning around and looking directly at my camera. I chose to create a high key image and create a black and white image in post-processing for a more striking effect. Nikon Z9, 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 lens @ 600mm. 1/800s @ f8, ISO 100.

Putting photography first

To put it simply, the best way to visit Africa with the aim of photographing wildlife is to seek out experienced operators and guides first. You can use specialised safari companies, but if you are specifically after getting the best images out of your bucket-list trip, then a photography business that takes photo safaris is, in my opinion, the way to go.

Always look for operators who partner with local companies too – you simply can’t beat local expertise when it comes to Africa.

I really encourage you to consider what you want out of your trip before you go. For example, you’ll want to consider whether you should stay in one location for a longer period or visit various locations in different countries for variety. You may want to choose to visit National Parks, or private conservancies, or a mix of both. And you may also want to photograph certain species.

After being submerged in a pond, a hippo comes up for air. It looked quite comical, with watercress on its head forming a headpiece. I always try to look for more interesting elements to ‘add’ to the final shot. Nikon D850, 500mm f/4 lens. 1/1600s @ f4.5, ISO 200.

Many companies specialise in the ‘Big Five’ (African elephant, Cape buffalo, African lion, leopard and rhinoceros), but the thrill of photographing the less common species, including the vast array of birds found throughout Africa, can be just as exciting.

And of course, the time of year you wish to travel can make a huge difference to your overall experience, as well as the photos you capture.

What Gear Should I Take?

This is always a tricky one, and a question that’s been debated for decades. I’ll start with camera gear. When traveling for photography, I always take two camera bodies — one as my primary camera and one as a backup.

While it’s easy to get gear serviced and repaired in major centres, much of your photography in Africa is likely to be in the backcountry. The often dusty and hot environment is hard on gear and having a backup gives you options if something does go wrong.

I use a double-sided camera harness, with a long focal length zoom on one body and a wide-angle lens on the other. My main body is a Nikon Z9, paired with the longer lens for wildlife, while the second body, a Nikon Z6 III, is set up with a wide-angle for animals in their environment, as well as landscapes, sunrises and sunsets.

The other advantage of this is it means less lens changes in the field – something that can create all sorts of problems with dust.

To touch on it briefly, many photographers gravitate towards long prime lenses for Africa. And while 500mm, 600mm and longer primes certainly have their place, I generally find zoom lenses to be the more practical choice. They’re lighter, often more affordable, and offer far greater versatility in the field.

It's always a treat to see and photograph wildlife behaviour, and in many ways capturing these traits are what helps elevate your photography beyond mere captures. Here, I was able to capture an image of this cute youngster ‘practicing’ beating his chest, just like his dad. Nikon D850, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 175mm. 1/800s @ f4.5, ISO 400.

Both of my lenses are covered with camouflaged coverings (Lenscoat being one example) and I always use lens hoods on each lens to minimise glare and flare. I also bring with me a couple of rain covers for each camera and lens combination, just in case I’m caught out in the elements.

One of the many advantages of travelling with a dedicated photography company is the access you get to the little things that improve your photographic experience. For example, many safari vehicles are fitted out with photographers in mind.

They may have permanently affixed gimbals which you can attach a heavy lens and camera to, or access to beanbags which you can use to stabilise your gear while shooting. That said, I do find a monopod is also a useful accessory, especially in low light. I wouldn’t travel to Africa without one.

Finally, as far as clothing is concerned, I suggest breathable layers using earthy colours such as brown, green or khaki. These colours blend into the environment and there is less chance of you attracting insects. Long-sleeved shirts and trousers are also good for sun and insect protection. As the mornings can get quite cold, a jacket of some sort is always a necessity. I also use a wide-brimmed material hat, and sunglasses for those glarey days.

On photography

I encourage anyone photographing in Africa to do their best to capture a diverse range of imagery. It can be overwhelming at first, but there’s so much more to see and photograph than just tight close-up shots of animals. The landscapes are majestic, and the people and cultural experiences incredible. Try to make as much of any opportunities to photograph these as you can.

In many ways, it’s the things you can’t control that make being on safari so exciting for photography.

Chance animal encounters, unexpected weather, and the time of day can all have a big impact on your imagery.

While much of the best photography happens at the peak times of early morning and early evening, there’s no reason why you can’t capture great images at any time of day.

For example, in the middle of the day is when I try and capture high key images in the harsh light. You can see an example of this style of photography below.

These two cheetah siblings were relaxing on an earth mound. As the sun was behind them and the background quite bright, I could visualise that a silhouetted image would be quite effective, especially as the subjects were defined against the clear sky. By over-exposing 2.3 stops, I was able to ‘whiten’ the background (a high key effect). Nikon Z9, 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 lens @ 540mm. 1/6400s @ f7.1, ISO 160.

When bad weather or moody skies roll in, this is when I love to look a bit wider to introduce these elements into my frame. Elephants on the plains or walking along the horizon while storm clouds are forming is one of the iconic African images, or pre-sunset, with a beautiful glow in the sky.

Personally, I’ve always loved focusing on getting sharp shots first and then thinking about different ways to creatively capture my subjects.

Having just caught a locust, a Red-billed Hornbill tosses it in the air before swallowing it. These are the sort of moments that can elevate your images from just another bird-on-a-branch shot. Nikon D850, 500mm f/4 lens. 1/800s @ f5.6, ISO 800.

Using Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) is a classic technique. With longer exposures of around 1/30s or slower, panning alongside a moving mammal or a flying bird can create a sense of motion and give your images a distinctive, dynamic feel.

Or, focus on an animal for half a second, then use the remaining exposure time to move your camera left and right, or up and down, to create stunning, pastel-like images. Depending on the light, you may need a Neutral Density (ND) filter to help.

Finally, your greatest chance of coming away from a trip to any country in Africa with photos you can be proud of is down to one simple thing – patience. Often, I have sat in one spot, waiting for a particular animal behaviour or for the light to change.

At the same time, remember to drink it all in. Just being out on safari, surrounded by a wonderful array of wildlife set against beautiful landscapes with your camera on your lap, can be just as enjoyable as taking photos. And when it all comes together, it feels all the more special.

Great African wildlife spots to visit

Kenya

Why you should go: Kenya is a premier travel and wildlife destination. It is known for its incredible array of wildlife, both in numbers and species.

It is also the ‘hotspot’ for seeing and photographing the Great Wildebeest Migration in the Maasai Mara. If I had to sum up which location and country in Africa has given me the most amazing wildlife experiences, I can’t go past the Maasai Mara.

When to visit: The best time to visit Kenya for a photo safari is during the dry season from June to October, offering fantastic wildlife viewing as animals congregate around waterholes.

Botswana

Why you should go: Botswana is a premier safari destination due to huge wildlife populations, especially in the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. It offers high end luxury adventures, including the famous mokoro canoe trips.

When to visit: The best time to visit Botswana is during the dry winter months from May to October. The Okavango Delta also floods during June to August, which is a great time to do any water-based safaris.

Tanzania

Why you should go: Tanzania offers top-class wildlife safaris, including the Serengeti's Great Migration, the famous Ngorongoro Crater, as well as landmarks like Mount Kilimanjaro.

When to visit: The best time to visit Tanzania is during the dry season from late June to October, especially if your goal is to photograph wildlife. To experience the wildebeest calving in the southern Serengeti, January to February are recommended.

Uganda

Why you should go: Incredibly, Uganda is home to half of the world's Mountain Gorilla populations. Gorilla treks are also more affordable than Rwanda. It is a great place to see and photograph chimpanzees, with Kibale National Park being a particular ‘hot spot’.

When to visit: The best time to visit Uganda to experience the Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees are during the two dry seasons – June to September and December to February.