Private vehicle · Positioned for light

Photography Safaris

A photography safari is a private safari run to a photographer's clock: out at first light, patient at a sighting, and a guide who thinks about which side of the animal the sun is on.

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Private 4x4 — every seat a window seat
Out at first light, back in the last
Open roof hatch for the whole drive

Safari vehicle crossing a flooded stretch of track

Wildebeest herd with young calves on green grassland

Overview

How We Set It Up

Photography safaris in Tanzania — a private 4x4 set up for cameras, dawn departures and guides who position the vehicle for the light, not just the sighting.

Start planning 9 sample itineraries

The vehicle is yours

A private 4x4 means you can ask the guide to reposition for the light without a vehicle full of people waiting on you.

Room to work

Our safari vehicles are large enough that every guest gets a window seat, with the roof hatch open throughout — space for a long lens and a beanbag.

Timed to the light

Dawn departures and late returns, so you are shooting in the hour that matters rather than driving through it.

Patience at a sighting

The difference between a record shot and a good one is usually twenty more minutes. On a private vehicle, that is your call.

9 itineraries

Itineraries That Suit Photographers

Start with one of these, or tell us what you have in mind and we will build the route from scratch.

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Serengeti · Tarangire · Ngorongoro 10 Days Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari 10 days from $3,440 per person Explore

Ndutu · Serengeti · Ngorongoro 5 Days Ndutu Safari Calving Season 5 days from $1,690 per person Explore

Lion walking down the road past a line of safari vehicles

Tarangire · Serengeti · Ngorongoro 8-Day Great Wildebeest Migration Safari 8 days from $2,510 per person Explore

Serengeti · Kilimanjaro · Lake Manyara · Ngorongoro 9 Days Serengeti Safari During Calving Season 9 days from $2,670 per person Explore

Lappet Faced Safaris vehicle driving away along an open track

Ndutu · Serengeti · Ngorongoro 5-Day Tanzania Migration Safari: Ndutu, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater Adventure 5 days from $1,690 per person Explore

Aerial view of a lodge deck set among dense bush

Serengeti · Lake Manyara · Masai Mara · Ngorongoro 5 Days Serengeti Migration Safari | Lodge Safari 5 days from $1,500 per person Explore

7 Days North Serengeti Migration - Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater

Serengeti · Tarangire · Ngorongoro 7 Days North Serengeti 7 days from $2,410 per person Explore

Tarangire · Ndutu · Serengeti · Ngorongoro 8-Day Tanzania Great Migration Safari: Tarangire, Ndutu, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater 8 days from $3,810 per person Explore

Lion pride sprawled asleep in the shade of a tree

Tarangire · Serengeti · Ngorongoro 8-Day Tanzania Migration Safari: Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater Adventure 8 days from $2,710 per person Explore

Talk to us

Tell us what you want in the frame

Send us your dates and your shot list — crossings, big cats, birds in flight — and we will build the route and the timings around it.

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or call us on +255 755 625 994

“We did a custom made safari tour for seven nights in Tanzania using the guide Myk Walcott from this company. It was an amazing experience. Myk is a fantastic guide,…”

philo04 Wonderful Safari experience with Myk as our g… Tripadvisor

At a glance

When to Come for What

Rainfall shifts these windows year to year — tell us what you want to photograph and we will match the dates.

Window	Where	What you can photograph
Jan – Mar	Ndutu & southern Serengeti	Calving season, newborns and predators close in
Apr – May	Central Serengeti	Green season, dramatic skies, fewer vehicles
Jun – Jul	Western Corridor	Grumeti crossings and dust light
Aug – Oct	Northern Serengeti	Mara River crossings
Nov – Dec	Central & southern	Short rains, big skies, herds moving south

How to shoot it

What Actually Improves Safari Photographs

Shoot from the seat, not the hatch

The instinct is to stand up through the roof hatch. Resist it for anything on the ground. Shooting through the window puts your lens close to the animal's eye level, and eye-level images look immediate in a way that downward-angled ones never do. Use the hatch for elephants, giraffe and anything in a tree.

A beanbag beats a tripod

Tripods are close to useless in a safari vehicle. A beanbag rested on the window frame or the roof edge is faster, steadier and does not need setting up while the moment passes. Bring an empty one and fill it with rice or beans in Arusha.

Ask the guide to reposition

This is the single biggest advantage of a private vehicle. Guides are used to being asked to move for the light — a metre or two forward, or turning so the sun is behind you rather than behind the animal, transforms a frame. Say what you want; they will know how to get it without disturbing the sighting.

Dust is the real enemy

Changing lenses in an open vehicle on a dry track is how sensors get ruined. Bring two bodies if you have them, so you can leave a wide lens on one and a long lens on the other, and change lenses only when the vehicle is stopped and still.

Kit

What to Bring

Bring less than you think, and make sure what you bring is charged.

A long lens Something reaching 400mm covers most game viewing. Longer is better for birds and distant cats.
A second body or a mid-range zoom For the wide, in-context shots — a vehicle under an acacia, a herd against the sky — and to avoid lens changes in dust.
A beanbag Bring it empty and fill it locally.
More cards and batteries than you expect Charging is possible at most camps but not always overnight, and cold mornings drain batteries faster.
A dust blower and cloths Daily sensor and lens care matters more here than the extra stop of aperture.
A soft bag you can hold on your lap Hard cases slide around; you want the camera to hand, not in the footwell.

Questions

Photography Safari Questions

Do I need a private vehicle to photograph properly?

You do not need one, but it is the difference that matters most. On a private vehicle you can ask to reposition for the light and stay at a sighting as long as it is productive. On a shared departure both of those are group decisions.

When is the best light?

The first and last ninety minutes of the day, as everywhere. What is specific to safari is that this is also when predators are most active, so the good light and the good behaviour arrive together. It is worth being out for both.

Which month is best for photography?

It depends on the subject. January to March on the Ndutu plains gives newborn wildebeest and constant predator activity on open, uncluttered ground. August to October gives the Mara River crossings. The green season from April brings dramatic skies and far fewer vehicles in the frame.

Can I bring a drone?

Drone use in Tanzania's national parks requires permits and is generally not permitted for tourists. Do not plan on flying one, and do not bring one without asking us first.

Is there room for a long lens in the vehicle?

Yes. Our safari vehicles are large enough that every guest has a window seat, which is exactly what a long lens needs — a window frame to rest on and nobody leaning across you.

Will the guide understand what I am trying to do?

Tell them at the start of the trip that you are there to photograph rather than to tick off species. It changes how they drive: slower approaches, better angles, and a willingness to sit still and wait.

Reviews

What Travellers Say

363 reviews across 3 platforms

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Ying / Aug 2026

The guide was very experienced

It was a very enjoyable trip! We were always lucky, and our wishes always came true. We had great travel companions and a great guide, and a…

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catchatter2016

Best custom Private Small Group Safari Experience by Lappet Faced Safaris

Francisco was amazing at organizing exactly the trip we wanted. He took the time to answer all our questions and custom made our trip with a great price. We chose the luxury tented lodges but the mid-priced accommodations looked good too. We saw so many animals up close, right by our Land Rovers, on our custom private 10 day safari (Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro). He also arranged a three night get away on Zanzibar at the Zuri Zanzibar resort. It was fabulous! All of the accommodations were fabulous and the food was delicious. You can trust Francisco to organize your safari and make it the trip of your lifetime! This trip exceeded our expectations and that is saying a lot for our group! Our guides, Ukadi & Alfred, were also amazing, they have a lot of experience as a safari guides and have vast knowledge on the animals, plants, trees and the culture. They spotted so many animals and birds for us, and were patient while we photographed everything. We even got to see all of the Big 5! We saw huge pools of hippos, leopards, cheetahs, lions, elephants, rhinos, Cape buffalos, zebras, wildebeest, ostriches, baboons, hyenas and much, much more! We really recommend going with Lappet Faced Safari tour company, they are the best! Thank you for sharing your beautiful world with us.

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Kiki / Aug 2026

A truly unforgettable trip, the local tour guide was very responsible!

Overall, our trip to Kenya was fantastic. The itinerary was excellent, and they handled a few hotel issues very promptly and efficiently. Our…

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Yixin D

Lappet Faced Safari Forever!

Francisco and his team have done a very good job. Francisco has arranged everything in Tanzania and kept an eye on our trip. Francisco's response speed is very fast. He arranged a photographer for our Safari The photographer recorded all the animals we saw and the wonderful moments. Our driver Noel is like my big brother. He has eagle eyes and finds animals at any time. He knows time management, and we have nothing to worry about with him. We saw rhinoceros and even baby rhinoceros six times in Ngorongoro, and on the third day we had seen all the Big Five and their babys.This is a Great Safari.Francisco and his team are very reliable. We paid the full amount when we were in China. Francisco completed all our hotel reservation requirements and sent us a hotel reservation form.Francisco is very honest. Their profits are not high, but they take their customers very seriously, even if their company is small.Their prices are detailed and transparent, and all details will be sent. Choosing them will make you have an unforgettable trip!弗朗西斯科和他的团队非常好，弗朗西斯科为我们安排好了一切，所有酒店没有任何更改，他安排了摄影师记录了我们的游猎时光，我们在第三天的时候已经看到了Big Five 和他们的babys.

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xiang / Jul 2026

A very reliable travel agency

Driving an off-road vehicle bumpily on the vast grassland, the dust raised seems to be a filter of time, instantly pulling people back to the…

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philo04

Wonderful Safari experience with Myk as our guide

We did a custom made safari tour for seven nights in Tanzania using the guide Myk Walcott from this company. It was an amazing experience. Myk is a fantastic guide, he is calm, supportive, knowledgeable, is a very safe driver, and is an excellent game driver, he tended to our every need. We stayed in four different hotels and all were excellent, the good was excellent, every detail was well organized. We had fantastic packed lunches on the go, we always had cold bottled water at our disposal. We felt very safe and like we were in good hands. We highly recommend this safari company and especially Myk as your guide. He went above and beyond for us, taking us to a local market in Arusha per our request and we even stopped at a local orphange to drop off supplies near the Tarangire National Park which was a wonderful experience. We only wish we could have stayed for longer and we hope to return in the future. Highly recommended

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