If you want to capture amazing photos of wild predators in action, head over to South Africa. The favorite filming destination for wildlife photographers, the southern regions of the Dark Continent are home to some of the world’s rarest animal species such as cheetahs, leopards and rhinos and if you are daring enough, you may get a chance to see them during a safari in one of the continent’s picturesque national parks. But before you close the door and set out on your wild African adventure, make sure you have all the essentials for the trip safely packed and ready for use. Here are top five tips on how to capture Africa’s wildlife during a safari and create pictures worthy of the title of a photography masterpiece.

Bring along tons of digital storage

As you will probably be busy filming fascinating creatures during the safari, ample storage space for your images is a must-have. Africa is known for sluggish internet service, so do not rely on cloud storage or fast network posting, and pack multiple microSD cards which you will be able to swap on the fly. Or better still, bring along an external storage device with a fail-safe backup system that will enable you to transfer the files without the need for a PC and minimize card replacement hassle. Another option is to have your laptop always at hand as it will allow you to transfer images faster, organize them on the spot, upload them to an online photography platform such as EyeEm and minimize the risk of data loss.

Go for long lens shots

When filming animals on a safari, you probably will not always be able to get close enough for a good shot. This is why bringing along a set of different lens is not only recommendable but also necessary for capturing quality pictures. If you intend to use prime lens only, go for 300mm lens and above – but if you want sheer photography eye candy, bring along a 100mm telephoto zoom lens just to be on the safe side.

Pack lots of power

An often neglected aspect on photography tours, additional power for your electronics can be a major problem in wild Africa. To avoid battery drain on the go, pack a power inverter or solar panel to charge your gear in areas with no stable electricity supply. Also, make sure you bring along tons of extra batteries – a hefty power brick stock will have all your bases covered in case other charging options go awry.

Make notes at the end of the day

In order to keep you pictures organized and remember every detail of the trip, take notes about the experience at the end of each day or during breaks of the safari. A notebook and a pen are a convenient way to capture the names of animals, locations and other details about the trip you consider important – and the good old-fashioned ink and paper also allow you to capture your own thoughts and emotions about the adventure.

Hire a pop-top vehicle

Though roll-tops are a great ride for people looking to film birds and sky, most photographers prefer pop-tops for filming animals and the surrounding scenery. Pop-tops do have a limited filming area, but they provide ample shade during the ride, and this can be a precious asset on a long safari day of a hot African summer. Check with your operator which types of vehicles they have on offer, compare the prices and pick the one that suits your budget and photography style best.

Africa’s national parks are the best destination for an exciting photography tour. If you want to capture fascinating wild creatures on film, consider embarking on a safari across the untamed landscapes of South Africa – it is an experience you will remember for the rest of your life.

Author bio:

Oliver Hyde is an experienced business consultant from the UK. His job allows him to travel, which also happens to be one of his greatest passions. Recently, he discovered the truth behind the saying “The only man I truly envy is the one who has not yet been to Africa… he has so much to look forward to.” Being a wanderer, he rarely stays at the same place for a long time, but Africa stole his heart. He had been travelling through the continent for more than a year. You can follow his travel adventures on Twitter.

Tenerife is the largest of the seven Canary Islands; it has an area of roughly two thousand kilometers and about nine hundred thousand inhabitants, making it Spain’s most populous island. It’s also a renowned tourist destination, with millions of tourists visiting each year; people love its beaches, attractions and natural beauties.

Most of Tenerife’s accommodation is located in the south. Resorts like Costa Adeye, Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas host the large majority of those who visit. Each of the resorts has a somewhat different reputation: Los Cristianos is for those who prefer a quiet holiday, mostly older visitors. Playa de la Americas, on the other hand, is the center of Tenerife nightlife; the party never ends in its numerous night clubs and beach bars. Costa Adeye is a new resort, known for artificial beaches, luxurious hotels and prestige restaurants.

Tenerife also hosts the second largest festival in the world, the Carnival of Santa Cruz. That’s when the streets of Santa Cruz, the island’s capital, brim with people dancing and partying all day and night until Ash Wednesday, when the ritual of the “burial of the sardine” marks the end of the festival. But the partying starts all over again next weekend, known as the weekend of the piñata.

There are also many natural attractions. A visit to the highest mountain in Spain, the majestic Mount Teide is a must; take the cable car and enjoy the panoramic view of the island. Teide is actually an active volcano; the last eruption happened in 1909. Its lava flows produced the mineral-rich soils which support a great number of plant species; 33 of them endemic. The volcano’s unique environmental conditions and geological features earned it the status of a National Park and it was named an UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the towns in the vicinity of Teide is Garachico, a tourist favorite, known for its beautiful plaza and lava-hewn rock pools.

Many come to Tenerife for its hiking possibilities; Macizo de Anaga, a mountain range in the northeast of the island, is the most popular hiking destination. Its humid laurel forests and archeological sites made it a source of many local legends. The clear and warm waters around the island are suitable for diving; places like Las Galletas and Puerto de la Cruz will amaze you with their underwater volcanic column and the richness and diversity of underwater life. Almost thirty species of whales and dolphins often feed in these waters and sightseeing tours are frequent, especially from Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes.

The peak of the tourist season in Tenerife is from mid-January to Easter, although, due to the island’s subtropical climate, the island is worthy of a visit the entire year; some rain is possible during March and November, but only in the island’s northeast. One thing is certain; whatever your preferences on how you want to spend your holiday, Tenerife has it all – interesting events, plenty of exciting urban centers, cultural landmarks, the warm sea and unique natural attractions – what more can you possibly ask for?

Where is Enfidha?

Enfidha is ideally located between the popular travel destinations of Sousse and Hammamet in the north, east region of Tunisia and on the Gulf of Hammamet. Sousse and Hammamet are two of the prime holiday destinations in Tunisia, making Enfidha a great access point to both.

Both Sousse and Hammamet are great examples of old meets new Tunisia. Sousse still retains its large and interesting walled souk and there are often more tourists than locals! You will also find beautiful beaches making it an ideal holiday hotspot offering watersports galore. Hammamet is known to be the first tourist destination in Tunisia and the 3km stretch of sandy beach offers plenty of opportunity to relax and enjoy the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Tunisia

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TravelTipsPlus Google Map of Enfidha

One Great Reason to Visit Enfidha

One great reason to visit this travel destination is its easy access to nearby Sousse and Hammamet.

Visit Sousse in Tunisia

For More Information

• Wikipedia
• Nearby Sousse

Where is Mount Mabu?

I watched a documentary about this rainforest and it caught my imagination. Fancy using today’s technology ‘Google Earth’ and discovering a forgotten rainforest deep in the mountainous north of Mozambique! The video below is an interview with Dr Julian Bayliss about the discovery back in 2005 and further links to news articles from the time. Extraordinary stuff!

Mount Mabu and its surrounding virgin rainforest in northern Mozambique covers approximately 7,000 hectares. Mount Mabu is approximately 1,700 m (5,600 ft) high. Although it was known locally, the Mount Mabu forest and its extremely diverse wildlife were unknown to plant and animal scientists until 2005. It was ‘discovered’ by scientists from Kew Royal Botanic Gardens by browsing Google Earth’s satellite view to look for potential unknown wildlife hotspots in Africa. It is frequently referred to as the ‘Google Forest’ and the ‘Butterfly Forest’.

Lonely Planet Zambia Mozambique & Malawi

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TravelTipsPlus Google Map of Mount Mabu

One Great Reason to Visit Mount Mabu

One great reason to visit this travel destination is because no one else rarely does!

Dr. Julian Bayliss: The Lost Forest of Mount Mabu

For More Information

• Wikipedia
• Related Article about the discovery