Pierre's October 2017 Safari

October is a warm time in southern Africa and, being at the very end of the dry season, can produce outstanding game-viewing – animals are stressed by the heat and lack of water, causing them to concentrate at the few remaining drinking sources, where predators lie in wait.

I was fortunate enough to visit three of the region’s most prolific wildlife destinations – South Africa's Kruger Park, and the Chobe Park and Okavango Delta in Botswana. As expected, the wildlife experience was exquisite, and I had excellent photographic encounters with all the high profile species, including rarities like cheetah, wild dogs, and black rhinos.

Two major conservation victories that caught my attention during the course of my travels were the success of Botswana’s rhino reintroduction program, and the growing wild dog population in South Africa and Botswana. With all the bad news about rhino poaching in South Africa, it was great to encounter some conservation bright spots and infectious optimism among the guides.

EQUIPMENT LIST

Camera bodies:

Canon 1Dx
Canon 5dMkIII

Lenses:

500mm (f/4.0) USM
24-105mm (f/4.0) USM

Accessories

Lowepro Vertex 300AW camera bag
Two batteries per camera

Filters

Tiffen Circular Polarizer

Singh-Ray Vari-ND