When planning your Botswana safari, do not forget to pack your camera.

When planning your Botswana safari, do not forget to pack your camera. If you are serious about your wildlife photography, booking a private vehicle while on your safari may be worthwhile. This gives you the freedom to sit with any game you may like to photograph at your leisure without other guests wanting to move on to something new. You may also consider booking camps in concession areas where the vehicles are permitted off-road to get you up close to a good sighting. These camps also offer night drives, which will give you the opportunity for some nocturnal wildlife photography.

The choice of camera equipment will determine the quality of your trip photographs. A good SLR camera and telephoto lens are necessary for great wildlife photography of birds and animals. The minimum recommended size is 200mm, and a zoom lens can be extremely useful. Also please bring a spare camera battery.

For video cameras, it is possible to recharge batteries at all the camps, but it is wise to bring your own adapters as Botswana works on the 220v system. Bring a spare video battery, as most recharging will be done during the day while you are out on game excursions. Many camps and lodges have generated power that runs during the day, recharging solar batteries, fridges, freezers etc. and are switched off at night. Please also remember to bring your binoculars.

Pack lots of memory cards – Botswana is a once-in-a-lifetime destination. Be sure to bring a battery charger, an adapter for the local electrical outlets and plenty of memory cards (a one-gigabyte card holds about 300 photos). If you can, bring at least two cameras – if you lose one camera, you’ll have a backup. To protect your equipment, be sure to store it in plastic bags (Ziploc bags).

Research Botswana’s culture, history, environment, and geography before departing; the better you understand a subject, the better you can capture it on film. Understand and respect cultures, as not all Africans want their pictures taken. Always ask their permission before you shoot.