As a standard practice, wildlife photographers often achieve superior images of large animals using safari vehicles rather than walking on foot. This method covers more territory and the animals are less likely to be alarmed when approached by the familiar sight of a 4WD vehicle. Photographic hides, however, revolutionize this approach by allowing close and personal encounters with large wildlife such as elephants, buffalo, rhinos, and even big cats, providing opportunities for eye-level or ground-level photography from unique vantage points.

Pioneering Wildlife Observation Hides

Select safari lodges have enhanced the game viewing experience, particularly for photography enthusiasts, by incorporating game viewing hides. These hides offer an unparalleled photographic opportunity to capture extraordinary images of elephants and other large mammals from ground level, ensuring visitors take home distinctive and remarkable photos from unique perspectives.

Intimate Wildlife Photography Encounters

Noteworthy photographic hides are located at Mashatu, King’s Pool, and Hyena Pan camps in Botswana, as well as Singita Pamushana in Zimbabwe. Additionally, the legendary log-pile hides at Savuti Camp in Botswana, Somalisa, Little Makalolo, and The Hide in Zimbabwe, along with Ol Donyo Lodge in Kenya, offer face-to-face encounters with vast herds of elephants and other wildlife, separated only by a stack of thick logs. While not for the faint of heart, these experiences are unforgettable.

Innovative Photographic Opportunities

Kaingo Camp in South Luangwa boasts an array of unique hides, including those specially designed for photographing hippos and carmine bee-eaters, which attract National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and BBC wildlife film crews. Kanga Camp in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools, known for the ‘armchair safari,’ features a main deck overlooking an active waterhole where elephants come within inches, allowing for incredible photography.

Many safari camps and lodges have strategically placed photographic hides near animal frequented areas, enabling guests to observe and photograph wildlife during downtime between game drives.

It’s important to note that hides are not exclusively for photographers; they offer anyone interested in wildlife a discreet and intimate way to watch animals in their natural habitat, enhancing the safari experience with unique insights into the lives of these magnificent creatures.