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My Luangwa Valley photo safari

Posted on September 8, 2017 by teamAG

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Written, and photographs, by Edward Selfe (Safari guide and photo safari specialist)

I have just finished a photographic safari in South Luangwa with Clive and Sue Ferreira from South Africa who booked their safari with Africa Geographic Travel.

They were looking forward to great wildlife sightings and the remote seclusion offered by the Nsefu Sector, and I believe that Luangwa delivered on both! It was a pleasure to take them on safari and show them around South Luangwa National Park in Zambia.

Here’s what Clive had to say of the trip:

“I had a good and instructive time and you certainly have a good eye and know the Canon 1DX well. This was a huge unexpected bonus in addition to you knowing your territory so well and sharing with me your intimate knowledge of the Luangwa bush. I learnt a lot more of my camera and clearly need to practise my fingers with all the new sets of skills. That was a huge bonus and I am eternally grateful.”

Here follows a photographic rundown of the safari:

photographic safari, wildlife photography, Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia — Leaving camp on our first morning, I spotted the back end of a large antelope heading away from us in the mopane woodland. Hoping that it might be an eland, I drove the long route around and tried to intercept it! Luckily enough I guessed correctly and it crossed the road right where I stopped the vehicle. I managed one shot of it running with long-legged strides through the forest before it was gone. © Edward Selfe

baboon, photographic safari, wildlife photography, Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia — Heading back along the Kauluzi floodplain, I saw that a shaft of light was hitting the edge of a drainage channel, and the nearby baboons were illuminated in a very special way. I suggested to my guests to underexpose heavily and we managed to capture rim-lit primates in an interesting way – these are some of my favourite photos from the trip. © Edward Selfe

elephant, photographic safari, wildlife photography, Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia — There is nowhere that boasts more elephants in Luangwa than the Nsefu Sector. We found breeding herds and bull groups around almost every corner. Lunga Lagoon is one of the best areas of all, and on this particular afternoon, herds were streaming past and through the lagoon on all sides. This backlit group gave us excellent chances to show off the dust cloud that they made when tossing sand on their backs. © Edward Selfe

elephant, photographic safari, wildlife photography, Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia — One of the bulls’ colleagues pursued him down the bank to the water, momentarily framing himself under the branches of a sausage tree. © Edward Selfe

zebra, photographic safari, wildlife photography, Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia — And some wary zebra who refused to approach the water while we were watching nearby! © Edward Selfe

bird, photographic safari, wildlife photography, Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia — But the biggest highlight for me was the daily arrival of hundreds of crowned cranes, flocking in from the surrounding grassland to feed on the insects and seeds of the salt pan surroundings. Choosing to turn this shot into a moody monochrome is a new departure for me. © Edward Selfe

kudu, photographic safari, wildlife photography, Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia — Heading out in the area around Zikomo that afternoon, we found a family of greater kudu who looked very striking in the sharp afternoon light. Some animals which have soft contrasting coats can be photographed when the light is bright, for example, a kudu – but this is not possible for an elephant! © Edward Selfe

lion, photographic safari, wildlife photography, Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia — But as the light fell, they rose, stretched and began to hunt more seriously. As darkness arrived, we followed their hunt (with a red filter on our spotlight) and watched as a female launched herself onto the back of a hippo that had just emerged from the water. The rest of the pride clearly thought she was mad as they made no attempt to join! Later, they fanned out and surrounded a puku but narrowly missed catching it. © Edward Selfe

warthog, photographic safari, wildlife photography, Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia — We also observed a rarely seen moment of tenderness between a female warthog and her piglet. © Edward Selfe

giraffe, photographic safari, wildlife photography, Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia — The stunning light continued in the afternoon, giving us diffused sunshine for this giraffe under a sausage tree canopy. © Edward Selfe

elephant, photographic safari, wildlife photography, Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia — Elephants often cross the river towards Kasikizi Lagoon in the afternoons. The light was poor at this stage, but we managed to get in a good position to watch the crossing and hear the splashing of their legs in the water! © Edward Selfe

leopard, photographic safari, wildlife photography, Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia — …And a tree-climbing leopard who momentarily looked out over the bush behind us before climbing down and wandering off into the bush. © Edward Selfe

I will be back in the Nsefu Sector in a couple of weeks’ time running several private photographic safaris with new and returning Africa Geographic Travel clients and once more based out of Zikomo.

It is a privilege and a joy to be able to spend so much time in this magical area, and I am elated to be able to offer this unique and affordable photographic safari alternatives to both SADC and international photographers.

For accommodation options at the best prices visit our collection of camps and lodges: private travel & conservation club. If you are not yet a member, see how to JOIN below this story.

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