Raw Africa Photo Safari
Embark on the adventure of a lifetime with our all-inclusive Raw Africa photo safari through Tanzania.
Over ten extraordinary days, you will traverse the diverse landscapes of this East African gem, capturing its abundant wildlife and breathtaking scenery. From the iconic Serengeti plains to the pristine Ngorongoro Crater – a wildlife wonderland, the magnificent savannahs of Arusha, and the hidden gems of Lake Manyara, our expert guides will ensure you are in the right place at the right time to capture incredible shots.
Under the guidance of award-winning photo guides, you will go on the hunt to capture the elusive Big 5 and more – lions, elephants, leopards, buffalo, rhinos, giraffes, wildebeests, cheetahs, baboons, and hyenas, to name a few!
This workshop is also timed for the pinnacle event of the annual Great Migration – the treacherous Mara River crossing. Each August and September in the Serengeti, countless wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles risk it all as they face crocodile-infested waters in their relentless pursuit of greener pastures. This heart-stopping, exhilarating, awe-inspiring spectacle of nature will be an experience you will never forget!
This unique photo safari offers a packed, well-planned itinerary with only five clients per guide.
Full lodging, meals, transport, drivers, and airport transfers are included.
Whether you’re a seasoned wildlife photographer or an enthusiast wanting to hone your skills, our immersive photo safari promises unparalleled moments and incredible experiences that will forever etch the beauty of Raw Africa into your memory and camera roll.
Dates
6 - 15 August, 2026
Group Size
Maximum of 8 participants
Price (USD)
$6,990 (Double Occupancy)
$7,490 (Single Occupancy)
Workshop Highlights
- Improving your Wildlife and Landscape photography skills with our expert photography guides, who will ensure you are at the right place at the right time for that perfect shot (while respecting the wildlife and their habitats).
- All-inclusive workshop – accommodation, meals, transportation, and transfers are included in the price.
- Going on the (photography) hunt of a lifetime to encounter the Big 5 in their native habitats – lions, elephants, leopards, African buffalo, and the elusive black rhino – plus many more!
- Receiving support and mentoring that is personalized to your photography skills and journey.
- Witnessing the exhilarating and awe-inspiring spectacle of the Great Migration as thousands of wildebeest and zebras cross the Serengeti plains, including the treacherous Mara River!
- Experiencing the Serengeti’s legendary sunsets, painting the sky in vibrant hues as the wildlife comes alive in the golden hour.
- A birdwatcher’s paradise for avid bird photographers – from the flamingos of Lake Manyara to the raptors of the Serengeti.
- Capturing the rich and colorful Maasai culture with their distinctive clothing, dances, and way of life.
- Only 4 participants (and their dedicated Guide) per Safari vehicle to ensure everyone has good space to maneuver.
- Learning new wildlife photography skills and composition techniques to transform your photos into compelling, creative, and engaging images.
Included
- 10 day workshop with 9 nights of accommodation
- Full board (all meals), with packed lunch daily
- Bottled water, snacks, and coffee
- Award-winning, professional Photo Guides who will provide a combination of instruction, masterclasses, and in-field guidance
- 4 clients per Guide (per vehicle)
- Dedicated local drivers/wildlife spotters who will stay with us during the workshop
- Transportation in 4WD, off-road Landcruisers that have been specially modified for photography safaris
- Entrance fees and permits to the parks and protected areas
- Transfers to and from Kilimanjaro and Arusha airports
- Post-processing sessions with Photo Guides
Excluded
- Flights to and from Tanzania
- Alcoholic beverages
- Medical expenses relating to compulsory vaccinations/immunizations required to enter Tanzania
- Items of a personal nature, including (but not limited to) laundry services, clothing, Wi-Fi, email, or phone charges
- Personal Travel, Medical, Equipment or Trip Cancellation Insurance
- Entrance Visas (applied for online or at the airport on arrival)
- Gratuities for local guides, and/or drivers (tipping is customary)
Book Now
To secure your spot on this workshop, select from the below to either pay a deposit or in full.
Completing your payment confirms acceptance of the Terms and Conditions as outlined.
A 4% charge is added using this service. Please contact us if you prefer other payment options.
Occupancy Type is subject to availability - please refer to Your Accommodation Selection in the Important Workshop Information section below.
Itinerary
You can find more information about what to expect during this workshop below. However, this itinerary will be flexible to allow you to capture the best images possible.
On a typical day, you can expect long hours. We will be up early for sunrise to take advantage of the best golden light. More importantly, early morning hours are generally the best time for spotting wildlife before the temperatures warm up, as the animals are very active. It is also an excellent opportunity for spotting the big cats as they return from their night of hunting.
Daylight hours will be spent on photo safari and/or traveling to the next destination. In the heat of the day, when the animals are more likely to be at rest, we will enjoy a packed lunch on location. The wildlife will become particularly active again as golden hour starts and throughout dusk, as the predatory animals begin to stir from their daytime slumber.
We’ll return to our accommodation in time for dinner.
Our goal is to put you in the best locations at the right time with the best light so you can capture fantastic images.
Day 1: Arrival
Welcome to Tanzania!
Your Photography Guides and Drivers will greet you at the airport. After your long trip to Africa, they will transfer you to your hotel in Arusha, where you can rest and relax for the afternoon.
The group will meet at around p.m. to get to know each other over dinner and discuss your upcoming adventure. Your Guides will go through the itinerary/orientation and run a wildlife photography presentation with gear review to ensure everybody is ready for their first chance at capturing incredible images of the wildlife in the morning.
Accommodations: Arusha
Day 2: Arusha National Park
We’ll have our first opportunity to capture incredible wildlife images this morning during the walking safari of a lifetime!
With a walking safari, we’ll be able to immerse ourselves in the park’s natural beauty, photographing the animals in a more intimate setting without the noise and barrier of a safari vehicle. For our safety, we will be accompanied by an armed ranger.
We then embark on our first traditional photo safari.
We will travel in a special 4-wheel drive vehicle, making our way to the foot of Mount Meru and the brim of the Ngurdoto Crater, which offers breathtaking views of the area!
Arusha National Park is home to a wide variety of animals, including giraffes, buffalos, zebras, and even the elusive colobus monkey.
Throughout our day, with the guidance of our expert photography guides, we will have the chance to capture stunning images of these animals in their natural habitat, as well as the park’s breathtaking landscapes.
The park is particularly impressive when it comes to photographing the gentle giants of Africa – the giraffes. It´s the perfect place to get up close and personal with these incredible creatures, capturing epic shots with the majestic Mt. Kilimanjaro in the background.
Accommodations: Arusha
Day 3: Lake Manyara National Park
Today, we will experience the wonders of Lake Manyara National Park.
From lush forests to open savannah, this enchanting park offers a diverse range of stunning landscapes, with the towering cliffs of the Great Rift Valley escarpment providing a dramatic background. It will be an unforgettable adventure for nature enthusiasts and wildlife lovers alike!
At the park’s centerpiece, the shimmering Lake Manyara stretches out across the horizon, often adorned with flocks of vibrantly pink flamingos, graceful herons, and pelicans wading along the shoreline. Surrounding the lake, lush groundwater forests create a verdant canopy, providing shade and a sanctuary for the infamous tree-climbing lions as they survey their territory from above.
As we venture further from the lake edge into the grassy floodplains, woodlands, and savannah, we’ll have the chance to spot large herds of elephants, giraffes, countless baboons, monkeys, buffalo, wildebeest, cheetahs, and zebras. Our expert guides will always be on hand to help with camera settings.
Accommodations: Lake Manyara area
Days 4 - 5: The Great Migration in Serengeti National Park
Today, we will travel to the Kenyan border where the Serengeti National Park meets the Masai Mara Park. Here, we will experience The Great Migration – the highlight of our workshop and an experience to remember for a lifetime!
The Great Migration is considered one of the greatest natural spectacles on earth, with the highlight of the event taking center stage during August and September as millions of wildebeests, zebra, and gazelles attempt to cross the treacherous Mara River in the relentless pursuit of greener pastures. This annual phenomenon is a testament to the unrelenting instincts of these animals as they risk it all, facing crocodile-infested waters and treacherous currents. It is the epitome of the eternal and inescapable struggle between predator and prey – both animated by a longing to survive that drives them to face the most daunting challenge.
This breathtaking event, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the circle of life unfold in the wilderness, is truly Raw Africa! We will spend two days here, capturing these heart-stopping river crossings.
To top it all, be prepared to capture the stunning sunsets of Serengeti two nights in a row! We will have the chance to photograph the breathtaking landscapes of the Northern Serengeti, with its vast savannas, rocky hills, and winding rivers, all bathed in the warm glow of the setting African sun.
Accommodations: Northern Serengeti
Days 6 - 8: Central Serengeti National Park
We will rise early to catch a fantastic sunrise before making our way to Central Serengeti. The sheer number and variety of animals that call this area home make it an incredible place to explore and the reason why we will stay here for two days.
As we travel through the vast expanses of this breathtaking landscape, we’ll have ample opportunities to capture stunning images of iconic African wildlife in their natural habitat. Regal lions lounging under acacia trees, majestic elephants grazing gracefully in the savannah, and giraffes silhouetted against the endless horizon.
On the afternoon of our second day, we will depart Central Serengeti for the Ngorongoro Conservation area. We will arrive at the rim of the crater, greeted with breathtaking views of the caldera, in time for golden hour.
After capturing the magical sunset, we’ll head to our nearby accommodation. If time permits after the dinner, our guides will run post-processing training. Whether you are brand new to editing or have extensive experience, you are sure to learn new techniques to help you return home with great images of Africa.
Day 9: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Sadly, today will be our final day of shooting. However, it will be a day of wonder as we embark on a photo safari to the Ngorongoro Crater, often dubbed the ‘African Eden.’
Nestled within the walls of this ancient volcanic crater, this natural wonder teems with an astonishing concentration of wildlife against a backdrop of lush greenery. We’ll descend into the crater’s depths, journeying through this ecological haven on the lookout for the Big 5 – lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, land, and the elusive black rhino.
After a full day of shooting, we’ll stop by a Maasai Village to explore their way of living and culture, including enjoying the traditional dances, crafts and daily activities. Afterwards, we’ll return to Arusha, where we will share one last dinner, telling stories and reflecting on our incredible journey through Tanzania.
Accommodations: Arusha
Day 10: Departure Day
On the last day of our photography workshop, we will enjoy breakfast at our accommodation in Arusha before checking out and saying our goodbyes to our fellow photographers and guides. We will then head to the airport for our flights home, filled with unforgettable memories and stunning photos from our adventure in Tanzania’s most iconic national parks.
Important Workshop Information
Our workshop’s itinerary is subject to change at the discretion of our Photo Guides depending on factors including but not limited to weather, road conditions, transportation delays, and other factors beyond our control. We will check the weather forecasts and road conditions and plan our day to optimize shooting conditions.
We cannot guarantee that we will be able to visit all the locations on the itinerary.
A mild to moderate level of fitness is required for this workshop.
When not shooting from the safari vehicles, all shooting locations are easily accessible via a short hike.
Participants should also be able to carry their own camera gear while hiking.
We may remain in a location shooting for a few hours. Participants should be comfortable outdoors for extended periods of time in various weather conditions such as wind, sun, and extremes of temperature.
All participants should be in good physical shape with no mobility issues. If you have any concerns about your suitability, then reach out to us and we will be happy to discuss the particular location details of the workshop with you.
You must advise Viking International Phototours in advance and in writing to info@vip-llc.com of any illness, injury, or pre-existing medical conditions that might reasonably be expected to affect your participation during the workshop.
Accommodation options on our photography workshops may include:
• Double Occupancy where you will share a room with your traveling companion;
• Double Occupancy where you are paired with another workshop participant of the same gender; and/or
• Single Occupancy in your own room.
Your accommodation selection is made when you book the workshop.
During this workshop, we will be staying in clean, comfortable accommodations that include hotels, lodges, guesthouses, and tents.
Please note that if you select Single Occupancy, this may include your own bedroom within a multi-room apartment or Guesthouse (shared bathroom/kitchenette).
Solo Participants wanting Double Occupancy
Solo participants are welcome to select the Double Occupancy rate at the time of booking. If Viking International Phototours is unable to pair you with a roommate of the same gender from the workshop group, we will notify you ahead of the workshop and request you to pay the supplementary cost for a Single Occupancy room.
Single Room Availability
On some photography workshops, Single Occupancy rooms may be limited. If this is the case, single rooms will be assigned on a first-booked, first-served basis. If you booked a photography workshop at the Single Occupancy rate and we are unable to provide you with a single room, we will notify you ahead of the workshop, place you into a Double Occupancy room paired with a workshop participant of the same gender, and refund you the difference.
Our workshops require a minimum number of participants to proceed.
We will confirm if your photography workshop will be proceeding 90 days before the start date, at which point full payment of any remaining balance will be required.
Viking International Phototours reserves the right to reschedule or cancel workshops due to low participant numbers.
We will do our best to reschedule the workshop within two years of the original date.
If this happens, we will offer you the choice between:
- Retaining your spot on the rescheduled workshop;
- Transferring to the same workshop on a different date if there is availability; or
- Canceling your spot on the rescheduled workshop: No refund – your funds will be held as credit which can be transferred or used towards our other photography workshops, self-drive packages, or tours for up to 2 years from the date of cancellation.
In the improbable event that a workshop is canceled altogether rather than rescheduled, we will offer you the choice between:
- Applying your funds towards a different workshop, tour or self-drive experience; or
- Receiving a full refund minus a $300 USD fee and any non-refundable fees paid to third parties.
Please note that Viking International Phototours are not liable for travel expenses incurred to reach the workshop destination or any other personal expenses incurred in preparing for your workshop. For this reason, we require that you obtain Trip Cancellation & Travel Insurance after booking with us.
We also recommend you do not book travel or make any trip-related purchases before the workshop has been confirmed.
You can schedule your flights to arrive on the first day of the workshop – preferably by early afternoon.
We cannot delay or change a workshop in the event of travel disruptions that cause a participant to arrive late.
No refunds will be made for any time missed on a workshop due to the late arrival by the participant.
We know that plans can change, and unforeseen circumstances can happen.
You need to advise us in writing via email to info@vip-llc.com as soon as possible if you need to cancel your workshop. Your cancellation is not official until you have received a return email confirmation acknowledging your cancellation.
If you cancel and we can fill your spot on the workshop, you will receive a full refund minus a $300 USD fee.
If you cancel and the workshop does not fill, cancellation requests and refunds will be processed according to the following:
- More than 90 days from the start date of the workshop: Full refund minus $300 USD fee*
- Less than 90 days: No refund – your funds will be held as a credit which can be transferred or used towards our other self-drive packages, tours, or photography workshops for up to 2 years from the date of cancellation*.
*Please note that some of our workshops with partner companies/third parties may have non-refundable deposits, which will not be refunded or credited to you.
Currently, there are no compulsory vaccinations required to visit Tanzania.
However, vaccination against Yellow Fever becomes obligatory if you’re coming from, or have simply passed through endemic countries (Uganda, Kenya, etc.).
Vaccination is not necessary for those travelers who have only passed through an African airport for a connection flight (except in endemic countries where, as just said, vaccination is absolutely necessary independently of the amount of time spent there).
As to malaria, hereunder is some advice to avoid getting the disease, which is caused by the bite of the anopheles mosquito:
- Wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts in neutral, bright colors
- Use repellents on clothes and all exposed parts of the body
- Spray mosquito repellent in the room
- Use mosquito nets in the room for protection during sleep
- Before departure, consider malaria prophylaxis by seeing a specialist in travel medicine. Side effects and strength of the vaccine are to be carefully considered, since they may vary greatly from person to person. In this respect, refer to one’s local public health unit for advice.
Advisable, but not obligatory, are vaccinations against Hepatitis B and trivalent vaccine against polio, tetanus, and diphtheria.
Here is some general information that can come in handy but by no means replace medical advice:
- Always carry the necessary medicines in their original packages, in a double amount than needed in order to allow for losses of theft
- If you carry needles or syringes, keep at hand the medical prescription of the drug you need so that you can prove the necessity
- If you suffer from heart disorders, it is advisable to carry a copy of your latest electrocardiogram (ECG) done before departure.
In addition, we recommend carrying a small First-Aid box containing:
- Paracetamol, aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs (Anvil)
- Antihistamines to treat allergies
- Airsick, carsick and seasick pills
- Broad-spectrum antibiotics
- Medication for diarrhea
- Anti-vomit medicine
- Antispasmodic pills against abdominal pain
- Antiacid pills for the treatment of heartburn and acid belching
- Intestinal antibiotics
- Antihistamine cream to alleviate skin rash and itching from insect bites
- High-concentration KBR or DEET-based insect repellents (low-concentration ones for children)
- Digital thermometer
- High protection sunscreen
As a general rule, hands should be washed frequently and only bottled water should be drunk, checking the integrity of the bottles first.
All our cars are fitted with a first-aid cabinet and the lodges we have selected have all western-like health and hygiene standards.
If you are traveling with a partner/friend who is interested in joining you on this workshop but they are NOT a photographer, we may be able to accommodate them. In some instances, this may be at a reduced price.
Please note that this will be at the discretion of Viking International Phototours – contact us at info@vip-llc.com for information.
Your companion would need to understand that this is a photography workshop and not a typical ‘tourist’ tour – long hours will be spent photographing locations outdoors rather than visiting attractions.
If you are interested in this workshop but would prefer a private experience or to attend with your own group of people, we can arrange that for you – contact us at info@vip-llc.com to discuss.
Please refer to the Terms and Conditions.
Booking with Viking International Phototours indicates acceptance of the Booking Terms and Conditions as outlined.
If you have any questions about this workshop, please get in touch with us at info@vip-llc.com.
