This is kind of a big deal ...

While the centerpiece of this photographic adventure is the Xtreme Into Africa Field Trip, the journey starts much closer to home. On past adventures, we have learned that there are 3 parts in making sure that everyone can maximize their opportunities for stunning photography and getting the kind of photos they're really hoping for. Part 1 is getting ready, part 2 is leveraging a local specialist to make sure we get to the really good spots, and part 3 is knowing what to do with all your stunning photos after. All of  this is included:

Part 1: Prior to the trip, we're offering the first part of the 7-week Wildlife Photography course. We'll do a quick brush-up on basic camera handling and then dive into the details of capturing wildlife images. It's a different style of photography that calls for some special skills. While attending the course isn't required for the trip, taking part in it will help make sure that you're as prepared as you can be for whatever opportunities Africa offers. The last thing you want is to be fumbling with your equipment when you're eye-to-eye with an elephant. When your subject is wild, your window of opportunity can be fleeting, and if you miss the shot, you can't ask the elephant to hold its pose.

Part 2: We'll be going on several trips on a photo boat on the Chobe river, on which everyone will have their own swivel seat with a gimbal to hold your camera. We'll be riding on photo safari trucks where everyone will have their own "window" seat to guarantee unobstructed photo opportunities. Check the details below. There will be multiple opportunities to photograph wild animals in the African sunset and sunrise. And because the southern hemisphere affords stunning views of the Milky Way, we'll do a photo shoot for that as well. You'll have lots of opportunities to capture stunning photos and memories that'll last for a lifetime.

Part 3: Because this Xtreme trip is all about capturing stunning photos, after we get back we have some work to do. The last 3 classes of the Wildlife Photography course will help you edit and get your photos ready for print. Surely some of the photos we're coming back with deserve to be printed big. And we'll help you in getting yours ready and printed.

Think of this as a three-part odyssey:

• Class 1 through 4 of our Wildlife Photography course (in-person and on zoom) to prepare for the ultimate field trip

• Into Africa Xtreme photo safari (in-person only)

• Class 5 through 7 of our Wildlife Photography course editing and printing your photos (in-person and on zoom)

All photos courtesy of Pangolin Photo Safaris

Our 2022 trip is fully booked. If you'd like to get your name on the list for our next Into Africa trip, please scroll down and leave your contact info below.

The flights to and from Africa are not included in the price of this trip. You need to get yourself to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe for Day 1, and back from Maun in Botswana on Day 8.

Day 1:

Arrive at Victoria Falls and start our adventure. We'll have time to explore and photograph this Wonder of the World, and we'll spend the night at the family-run Ilala Lodge. Close enough to view the spray of the Falls from its terrace

Day 2:

We'll travel by road from Victoria Falls to Chobe, departing around 11:30 AM. Who knows what sights we might encounter on this 2.5 hour overland journey?  Expecting to be on the water photographing by 3 PM. The Pangolin Chobe Hotel, offers all-inclusive meals and drinks, as well as amenities such as the sunken fire pit, the eco pool, and the Pangolin Bar, which offers stunning views of the Chobe River and Caprivi Floodplain.

Day 3:

Twice daily photo safaris on Photo Boat and Land Cruiser. The Photo Boat is equipped with dedicated gimbals, so everyone on the boat has a spot that will afford them excellent views, ample photo opportunities, and a secure place to rest a camera so you can keep it at the ready without having to hold it up through the entire tour. (Your biceps will thank you.) Refreshments and park fees are included.

Day 4:

A repeat of Day 3 - at least as far as the itinerary is concerned. But in this majestic and untamed place, no two photo safaris will be the same. The Pangolin Chobe Hotel also boasts an editing suite - located at the end of its inspiring photo gallery - for post-production photo work. Even before you're home, you can begin tweaking your images to make them as breathtaking as they can possibly be.

Day 5:

Transfer to Kasane Airport for a charter flight into the Okovango Delta. We'll be lodging in the Pangolin Delta Photo Camp, which is situated to take maximum advantage of this world heritage site. It is a mobile camp, meaning it can adapt to seasonal variances and the movement of the wildlife. "Mobile" doesn't mean lacking in amenities, though. The beds will be comfortable, the tents include shower and bathroom facilities, and again, meals and drinks - served in the communal lounge/dining tent - are included. Night 5 will be our first chance for a breathtaking Milky Way shoot.

Day 6:

in addition to photo drives and editing sessions as we desire, this will be our alternate date for a Milky Way shoot. The southern hemisphere provides a clearer and more expansive view of the Milky Way than we get in the northern hemisphere. Not only that, but we will be timing our shoot for the new moon, meaning the stars will have no competition to outshine in the night sky.

Day 7:

Like the Pangolin Chobe Hotel, the Pangolin Delta Photo Camp offers facilities for photo review and editing in the afternoons. Their game viewers can accommodate four guests and are outfitted with adjustable height bean bag mounts - again, allowing you to keep your camera at the ready at all times without exhausting your muscles. You can put all your effort into scanning for elephants and hippos and lions - oh my!

Day 8:

We'll fly you from the Delta Camp by charter plane to Maun airport in central Botswana. From there you start your travel back home, with an SD card full of breathtaking wildlife images and a head full of once-in-a-lifetime memories - and, hopefully, a heart full of appreciation for wildlife you may have only seen in a zoo or a picture book until now. (Or, if your thirst for adventure isn't quite satisfied, you may want to consider extending your stay and exploring Madikwe. See below for details and pricing.)