Photographic safari in Tanzania, Tanzania located in East Africa, is one of the top safari destinations on the continent, not just in East Africa. Tanzania is best known for Tanzania wildlife safaris, cultural safaris, hiking safaris, and beach safaris. Tanzania is home to some of the best and most distinctive sights, landscapes, and scenery in Africa, making it one of the best photo safari destinations on the continent. There are unique landscapes and attractions such as Mount Kilimanjaro, the endless plains of Serengeti, the Ngorongoro crater, Mount Meru, the great wildebeest migrations, the local peoples such as Hadzabe, Maasai, and Datoga, as well as some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet, all of which contribute to Tanzania’s being one of the best photographic safari destinations.
Photographic safaris are not as well-known as other safari tours in Tanzania, such as wildlife safaris in the Serengeti, big five safaris in Ngorongoro, hiking safaris on Mount Kilimanjaro, cultural tours, and so on, but it is one of the tourist products that is truly amazing to participate in or take in, particularly in Tanzania, because there is everything or every reason to make this safari exceptional. The plains, wildlife, and birds present in Tanzania, combined with the green pasture, will create a stunning backdrop that will make you want to shoot as many photos as possible.
Tanzania should undoubtedly be one of your photographic safari destinations on your backlist or safari itinerary when considering an African safari. Anyone considering an African safari should include a Tanzania photography safari in their itinerary because you will have access to more amazing photographic sites and will be able to capture as many shots as you need without being exhausted because there is so much to photograph. Tanzania has everything a photographer could want, from scenery to wild animals to birds, and everything in between.
A photographic safari in Tanzania is similar to any other safari, with the exception that the major focus is on the camera. To put it another way, a photographic safari is a trip when people go on adventure adventures and get to photograph wildlife. In Tanzania a photographic safari is conducted in an open-top van to allow you to see and shoot the animals of Tanzania. However, you may need to stroll, hike, or hide in the bushes to capture that clear snap.
When is the best time to go on a photographic safari in Tanzania?
Tanzania is an excellent destination for photographic safaris at any time of year. When it comes to photographic safaris, Tanzania has two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. Each season has its own character and beauty for photographers.
The dry season, which lasts from June to October, is the best time for photographers who need to photograph a lot of wildlife as it is the best time for wildlife viewing because the grasses and habitats in the park are dry and short, making it easy to see animals and take photos from a long distance. Expect spectacular migration images in Tanzania during the dry season, especially during river crossings at the Grumeti River and Mara river, where the most fantastic photos and films that are trending on social media are taken. Expect to see big fives during the dry season, but keep in mind that most of Tanzania’s national parks are highly busy with tourist safari vehicles, which may disrupt or make you uncomfortable when photographing.
The rainy season in Tanzania lasts from November to April, and this is another excellent time to go on a photographic safari. Many animals calve during the rainy season, and predators such as lions are most visible, making it simple to photograph during your photographic safari in Tanzania. It is also the best time for bird viewing, so if you want to go on a photography safari in Tanzania to capture birds, this is the best time to go because migratory birds fly into the nation to join the indigenous birds.
What to Expect On a Photographic Safari in Tanzania
A Tanzania photographic safari is generally more expensive, owing to the fact that there are usually fewer people on a photographic safari than on a Tanzania game drive safari. Regardless of how much the safari costs, you will have a great time moving from one destination to the next. However, you must be prepared for dust during the dry season and rain during the rainy season, so bring some protective gear for your cameras.
Tanzanian photographic safari you do not need to be a professional photographer to participate in this safari since the sights in Tanzania that you will be photographing are stunning enough that even if you are not a professional photographer, the beauty of the shot you take will still be there.
Expect and plan to shoot as many images as possible on your Tanzania photography safari. Therefore, bring a powerful camera, charger, extra memory card with the capacity to save as many photos as possible, and an extra battery. Expect to photograph a variety of landscapes, wild animals, and historical buildings in Zanzibar, Stone Town, Mt. Kilimanjaro, and native Bushmen, among other things.
What to pack for a photographic safari in Tanzania: a packing list for a photographic safari in Tanzania
The most crucial item to remember while packing for your photographic safari in Tanzania is your high-quality camera. The camera is the main focus of a photographic safari in Tanzania. You can forget about anything else, including clothes and other items, but never forget your camera.
Other packing list for photographic safari in Tanzania includes Rain and Dust Protection, Lenses, Memory Cards and Storage, Batteries, Filters, Flash, Camera and Lens-Cleaning Kit, Stabilizing Equipment-For stabilizing cameras.
Those are the main important packing list for Tanzania photographic safari, however don’t also forget to bring your safari boots, shorts and long pants, short and long shirts, t-shirts, safari hats, a compact bag to store some of your important photographic equipment, snacks, and so on.
What kind of camera should you use on a photographic safari in Tanzania?
Cameras are one of the most necessary items for photographic safaris, and without them, there would be no photographic safari. Therefore, the camera is the most significant and crucial item to consider when preparing for any photographic safari. So, which camera is ideal for a photographic safari? Although having the most up-to-date camera for your trip is not mandatory, it is only reasonable that you look for a respectable camera that will preserve your memories for those back home. The cameras that you can use on your Tanzania photographic safari are listed below.
Fujifilm X-T3
- Weatherproof, APS-C mirrorless, excellent color, and a 26.1MP sensor
Nikon D7500
- Weatherproof, DSLR, and a 20.1MP sensor
Sony Alpha a6000
- 3MP, interchangeable lenses, APS-C mirrorless
So, if you want to be prepared for a photo safari, you will need a mirrorless camera, a bean bag for carrying your cameras, a waterproof camera, extra batteries, and a telephoto zoom lens.
Where to go for a photographic safari in Tanzania
Based on your interests and what you want to photograph or appear on your camera, there are a variety of top photographic safari places in Tanzania. Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Nyerere National Park, and Tarangire National Park are the best places to photograph wildlife. Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, the Rift Valley, Lake Victoria, and other spectacular landscapes and vistas another best place for photographic safari in Tanzania. Dar es Salaam city, Mwanza city, Arusha city, Zanzibar city, especially Stone Town, are the greatest destinations for the best historical and amazing architecture.
Photographic safari in mikumi national park.
Mikumi National Park was founded in 1964 and is a well-known park in Tanzania’s southern circuit. It is bounded by the Udzungwa and Uluguru Mountains and is noted for having few visitors every year, making it the ideal photographic safari destination in Tanzania because there are no other tourists to interfere with your photography. Expect to photograph a variety of animals such as zebras, warthogs, wildebeests, hippos, waterbucks, lions, elands, crocodiles, and elephants during your photographic safari in Mikumi, which is best done early in the morning and late in the evening when the sun rays are not as harsh.
Photographic Safari in Ngorongoro Conservation Area
The Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is another ideal location for a photographic s safari in Tanzania. Expect to see and photograph a variety of wildlife in Ngorongoro, including elephants, lions, gazelles, spotted hyenas, black jackals, wildebeests, elands, buffalos, hippos, zebras, and antelopes, to name a few. You will also photograph a variety of bird species, including Tawny eagles, Kori bustards, ostriches, Augur bustards, black kites, and crested cranes, to mention but a few.
In Ngorongoro, there are some of the best landscapes to be photographed, such as the Olduvai Gorge, where the fossils of the first humans were discovered by archeologists, the Oldonyo Lengai Mountain, the Empakai crater, the Olmoti crater, the Ngorongoro crater, and also expect to photograph Maasai people in Maasai boma within Ngorongoro.
Photographic Safari in Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park is one of the most popular parks on Tanzania’s Northern Circuit, famous for the yearly wildebeest migration. Because of the high concentration of animals that are usually seen near the Seronera River seeking to cool off in the dry season, the Central Serengeti, also known as Seronera, is the most frequented and one of the best place for photographic safari in Serengeti, Tanzania. Over 500 bird species, including Egyptian geese, Kori bustards, and crowned cranes, can be observed in the park during the rainy season, which spans from November to April.
Zebras, elephants, black rhinos, leopards, elephants, wildebeests, buffalos, hippos, lions, hyenas, elands, antelopes, warthogs, and many other creatures can be seen and photographed during a Serengeti photographic safari. Don’t forget to shoot the great wildebeest migration, particularly during the crossings of the Mara and Grumeti rivers.
A photographic safari in Stone Town
Stone Town in Zanzibar is the best place if you want to photograph some of the best historical buildings such as The Old Fort, House of Wonders, The Old Dispensary, Sultan’s Palace, The Anglican Cathedral of Christ, Prison Island, David Livingstone’s House, and Tippu Tip’s House, etc.
Also, in your Tanzania photographic safari, expect to see the beautiful scenery of the snowcapped largest mountain in Africa—Mount Kilimanjaro—and the fifth largest mountain in Africa—Mount Meru.
Conclusion, looking for a new location to photograph with your camera? A Tanzanian photographic safari could be just what you’re looking for. With all the magnificent settings, ranging from national parks like Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to historical landmarks and culturally significant areas, you’ll have plenty of possibilities to explore with your camera. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned photographer, whether you want to photograph people, animals, or art, Tanzania has something for you.
Tanzania has to be one of the best places on earth for photographers. Tanzania is embracing its newfound image as an extremely hot photographic tourism destination, with snow-capped mountain peaks, “Big Five” safaris, and lovely tropical islands. A Tanzania photographic safari is unquestionably one of the safaris you should not overlook when organizing your African vacation. There’s plenty more to photograph to spice up your adventure.
