Driving in the Kruger National Park is always an adventure. Yes, you can see the big five without looking through a bino, but can you really tell people about the emotion in an elephant’s eye or the small tufts of hair on its tail? The spots on a leopard paint a unique black-and-white image, but you need to capture that moment on camera to print and relive it daily. We have compiled a guide for you with some essentials for your next trip.

Kruger-leopard

Animals are designed to survive specific environments, some can control how the climate affects them and more than often an animal’s camouflage is what makes them the perfect hunter, or survivor. Predators are made to blend in with their environment – that’s what makes them successful hunters. It also makes them dangerous. 

Your ideal companion

Having a pair of binoculars at your side can greatly improve your wildlife viewing experience. Spotting wildlife to photograph takes time. It’s very much a waiting game, which is why peering through binoculars for extended periods of time is less heavy on the arms than peering through your camera and lens. For this reason, we recommend investing in lightweight pocketable 8x or 10x magnification binoculars as these allow you to see and experience more. When considering which binoculars to buy, note that numbers represent the specifications: The first number is for magnification and the second is the size of the objective lens in mm. A larger lens lets in more light which allows for a brighter view (but is often pricier). Here are a few of our favourites.

Canon 10×42 L IS WP Image Stabilised Binoculars
Nikon Prostaff P3 10×42 Binoculars
Zeiss Victory SF 8×42 Binoculars
Swarovski 8×42 NL Pure Binoculars

Leopard-in-grass-sitting

Unlock your creativity

Capture holiday memories and closeup wildlife photos while keeping your kit lightweight and portable with a Super Zoom bridge camera. Looking for speed and a more professional approach? We have a wide range of mirrorless cameras that you can browse through. We have selected a few bridge camera favourites for you to have a look at.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera
Nikon COOLPIX P1000 Digital Bridge Camera
Canon PowerShot SX70 HS Digital Bridge Camera Body

Wildlife photography is all about capturing a unique moment and having that photo tell its own story. In the Kruger National Park, you will either be photographing from the safety of your car or a hide, which means that having a telephoto lens to bring distant subjects closer to you, is crucial. Budget, weight, and photographic style will guide you in selecting the perfect companion.

Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM Lens
Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E AF-S ED VR Lens
Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens for Sony E
Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD Lens for Sony E

A sturdy camera setup is very important so ensure your photos are as sharp as possible. Using a tripod is efficient when you’re not shooting from a vehicle, but to optimise your setup we have door brackets and over-the-door bean bags to keep your lens stable. 

Badger Gear Snuggfit Bean Bag Mini
StediLens Window Set
Gimpro Door Mount MKII

telephoto-lens

A telephoto lens allows you to capture the entire sighting, like above, and closeups of the lions eating.

Comfort is key

Walkstool is a lightweight folding chair for travelling photographers. It’s easy to carry around and lets you sit comfortably for extended periods.

Pack it up

Packing and checking all your gear for the holiday is essential, you don’t want to miss a moment because your memory card is full or your camera’s battery is dead. Make sure you pack all your spares and that your batteries are fully charged. We have a large variety of bags for every occasion, but these 2 are favourites for safari, they are protective and easy to use. There are separate pockets for small essentials and a large interior with customisable interior pads, so you can shape it perfect for your kit.

Lowepro Pro Trekker BP 350 AW II Backpack
Gitzo Adventury 45L Camera Backpack

Nice to haves:

The Kruger is packed with different species of birds, reptiles, mammals and trees. It’s amiable to know which bird makes a particular sound especially if you hear it every morning and you’re camping for a week. Here are a few of our top picks for books to pack on your next safari.

Everyone loves a GoPro, not to mention the newest edition, the GoPro HERO11 – a great addition to any kit, action ready so you never miss a moment. With 5.3K video and 27MP photos, the HERO11 can help you relive your best moments in stunning detail.

Nature is full of surprises and you never know what you might find or hear. A small shotgun microphone gives your video clear sound and elevates your video.

Darkness is not your friend when you are out in the wild, a small LED light is great for low-light video situations at camp and doubles up as a camp light. The Beamo is a super compact mini LED light that is rugged and travel-friendly and even has a magnetic clip for easy mounting.

With these essentials, your trip will be even more remarkable. Make sure to check out our rentals department if you want to try before you buy and when posting tag us @outdoorphotoshop and #odpshutters so we can see your amazing work.