Come on a photo safari to Nsefu, South Luangwa

I have just finished a photographic safari in the Nsefu area of South Luangwa with Clive and Sue Ferreira from South Africa, who booked their safari with Africa Geographic Travel. By Edward Selfe (Safari guide and photo safari specialist)

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 about 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 your knowing your territory so well and sharing your intimate knowledge of the Luangwa bush with me. I learnt a lot more about 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 a shaft of light hit 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 in Luangwa that boasts more elephants 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 opportunities to show off the dust cloud they created when tossing sand on their backs. © 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 near the salt pan. 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

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, 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 spend so much time in this magical area, and I am elated to offer unique and affordable photographic safari alternatives to both SADC and international photographers.

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My Nsefu, Luangwa Valley photo safari

Here follows a photographic rundown of the safari: