Greetings from Tanzania

I am on safari for the better part of 3 weeks, and I will be running 2 separate safaris during that time. On my first safari I will be leading a group to the Ngorongoro Crater and two locations in the greater Serengeti ecosystem. After that I will head across the border to run a private safari to the Masai Mara. It’s been more than a few months since I was last in Africa (September!) and I cannot wait to get back out there.

2012 is going to be a very busy year for me, as I have 8 (yes, eight) safaris planned. A typical year for me is that I spend the early part of the year in Tanzania, and then I move down to southern Africa for the second half of the year. The reasoning has to do with rainfall and when the best months to be out on safari for each country are. So the second half of 2012 is when 6 of my safaris will happen, which is going to put some miles in my airline frequent flier account, for sure. Every now and then I wonder if I should just live in Africa full time, because the travel back and forth can be a bit of a burden. I will lose 8 to 10 days this year due to international travel alone. Oh well.

As far as my 2012 schedule goes, you will notice that most of my safaris are already booked up or only have 1 or 2 spaces left. I am in the process of planning my 2013 year, and I will have them listed on my web page in the coming month or so. I am honored to have safaris that are in high demand, and work tirelessly to exceed expectations that my travelers have of me and my services. If you are on the fence about a safari in your future, please know that my safaris do book up early, especially if you are looking for discounts for significant others. I offer 25% to 50% discounts on some of my safaris to those who wish to bring along their significant others and who are willing to share their row with him/her. These discounts are usually limited to certain Botswana safaris, due to how my cost structure works. So if you are thinking about a 2013 safari, take a look at my 2012 schedule to get an idea of what type of safari meets your luxury level and budget.

Take a Photo Adventure on the Wild Side - with Andy Biggs and Laurie Rubin

Laurie Rubin and I recently co-ran a webinar, featuring Nik Software products. Laurie and I processed some images from our safari together in Kenya last fall, and we had a few laughs during the 1-hour presentation. Take a peek and hopefully a few nuggets of information will be of use to you.

Take a Photo Adventure on the Wild Side - with Andy Biggs and Laurie Rubin

Remember that you can earn a 15% discount on all Nik Software products by using ABIGGS as your code when checking out.

Photo of the Day - Lion in the Sabi Sands

Lion Stare

Sabi Sands, South Africa

Nikon D3x, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR1, 1/200 @ f/4.5, ISO 800

This is one of the members of the famed Mapogo group of male lions. The Mapogo can adequately be described as one of the most badass group of male lions, and have enjoyed photographing them when I am in the Sabi Sands. With this image we sat next to him off to the side of our Land Rover, as he was relaxed but alert. You can tell he has been in many altercations, due to the amount of scars on his face. I used a 70-200mm lens on a D3x to capture this image, which indicates just how close we were to each other. His stare just went right through me, which is an envigorating feeling. Do a Google search on the Mapogo Lions or Mapogo Males if you get a chance. Some fascinating reading, to say the least.

I will be running two back-to-back safaris to Singita Sabi Sands in June, which is part of the historical territory of the Mapogo males. For more information on these South Africa Photo Safaris, here are two links:

Singita Sabi Sands Photo Safari, June 2-11, 2012 (only 2 spaces available)

Singita Sabi Sands Photo Safari, June 10-19, 2012 with Marc Muench and Andy Williams (only 4 spaces available)

Photo of the Day - Botswana Safari Group

Our Safari Group - July 2011

I love to take group photographs from each safari, and this one was no exception. It’s great to look back at so many happy faces after some amazing experiences out in the bush. On this particular safari we visited 2 camps in northern Botswana, Chitabe and Savuti, and came home with some stellar photographs.

Nikon D800 and D800E Pre-Order

The world’s worst kept secrets, the new Nikon D800 and D800E, are now available fro pre-order over at B&H. I think the D800E has my name on it. :-)

Nikon D800 available for pre-order

Nikon D800E available for pre-order