Lions, rhino, cheetah, ele, leopard, buffalo & many more
Zimanga, South Africa, June, 2024
When you arrive at the reserve gate you are transferred to a safari vehicle and treated to a drive through the reserve to the lodge, giving you a preview of the wildlife and experience to come.
The main lodge is stunning, the accommodation easily 4 star quality. The staff are superb, looking after us throughout the trip and the food was to die for with options for any dietary requirements. The perfect place to relax between activities.
Like most safari trips the photo activities occur early morning and late afternoon to avoid being out in the midday heat. Most of the animals are not active during the middle of the day either and the light can be a bit harsh so works out well. At Zimanga you also have access to several hides to break up the game drives, giving options for wading birds, kingfishers, vultures, jackals and of course the overnight hides (more on them later).
There are too many specific moments to call them all out, but here are four that really stood out.
Game drives & the drivers
Being a private reserve brings two great advantages, firstly there are only 3 vehicles out at anyone time so there is no overcrowding of the animals or the experience, many times it's just you and the wildlife. Secondly you are not limited to being on the marked tracks, this is when having a driver that is also a wildlife photographer really comes into play, they know the terrain, animals, light and distance to get you that perfect opportunity.
Overnight hides
Zimanga is famous for its underground hides that you get to occupy over night. Being sat at eye level with a watering hole when a Rhino appears for a drink at 1am is not something you will ever forget. The setup is spot on, beds, kitchen, toilet all make for a comfortable stay, the only challenge being staying awake to not miss that once in a lifetime shot!
Walking with the Cheetah
One thing Zimanga enables is the chance to walk with the wild Cheetah's out on the reserve. It's quite well known that a Cheetah has no interest in a human so it presents a unique opportunity to get out of the game vehicle and photo these majestic animals from ground level. When one walks right towards you and then passes within arms length for the first time it's an unforgettable experience.
Ele Crossings
Elephants (ele) might be my favorite animal from Africa and I can never get enough of being around them. Each one has such character and personality that something new is always happening. They can be a challenge to photograph, mainly due to their size and not being able to get a great low perspective. One afternoon we got very lucky to catch the herd heading to cross the river, getting to the far side of the river we spent an amazing few mins sat on the river bank watching the herd come down, drink and then cross right in front of us, very special.
I wanted to finish with a massive thanks to all the staff and guides at Zimanga an amazing crew. To everyone that joined the trip to make the experience such good fun and finally to Tracey from Wild Aperture for arranging such an amazing trip.
