Join Aperture Academy Professional Photographers Scott Donschikowski and Stephen Oachs as they invite you to explore and photograph within some of the best wildlife reserves and parks Tanzania has to offer, with special emphasis on Serengeti National Park. Aperture Academy has put together an ultimate wildlife photography and post-processing instruction workshop for photographers serious about getting the best possible wildlife images.

For the wildlife photographer, few places on the planet compare to Africa. And in Africa, the Serengeti ecosystem is perhaps the most famous wildlife sanctuary in the world. There's a reason for this well deserved fame. With its seemingly endless grass savannahs, acacia studded landscapes, well-developed park infra-structure, upscale accommodations and most importantly, the sheer abundance of wild animals found with relative ease, wildlife photographers are virtually guaranteed an amazing portfolio of images.

Written words do little to adequately describe the grandeur but suffice to say, Africa and its raw untamed beauty will stay with you long after you return home, and most likely inspire you to figure out when your next visit will occur. Just ask anyone who's been with us.

Tour Leaders and professional nature photographers Scott Donschikowski and Stephen Oachs have designed a comprehensive itinerary that allows extensive time in the field at two of their favorite wildlife parks in Tanzania. Each park has its own unique ecosystem and as a result, different landscapes and assemblages of animals. Most importantly, all the parks we visit provide unparalleled wildlife photography opportunities.

Whether you're an avid birder, a big cat lover looking for the perfect lion shot, or in search of the "Big 5," Tanzania and its world-class parks provide ample opportunities for the photographer with a taste for refined adventure.

Tanzania is a large and varied country. To get a good sense of this diversity, we will be visiting three of the most outstanding as well as our favorite wildlife parks. Each is unique and together help represent the amazing diversity found in Tanzania.

• Day 1 - Depart USA.
• Day 2 - Arrive JRO, (Kilimanjaro International Airport) meet and greet at the airport and transfer to Lake Duluti lodge for overnight.
• Day 3 - Drive to Tarangire with evening game drive and overnight at Ndovu Camp.
• Day 4 - Morning and evening game drives, with overnight at Ndovu Camp.
• Day 5 - Explore Tarangire with morning and evening game drives, with overnight at Ndovu Camp.
• Day 6 - Early morning game drive, and back to camp for a full breakfast/check-out. Proceed to Ngorongoro conservation area, arriving in time for lunch. We'll then visit the Maasai cultural village, with an overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge.
• Day 7 - Morning and afternoon game drives, overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge.
• Day 8 - Breakfast depart for Arusha. Day room Deluti Lodge. Airport transfer. (If you will be continuing on to Kenya with us, you will stay overnight at the Lake Duluti Lodge)

A Final Note.

We have personally put together an African Wildlife Photo Tour designed with the specific needs of the serious photographer in mind. Stephen and Scott are highly experienced wildlife photographers and tour leaders and are intimately familiar with the often-complex logistics associated with travel in Africa. Working in conjunction with trusted local operators and outstanding guides who have a proven history of success, we have assembled a cohesive team that we believe surpasses the other options that are available to the discerning client. Utilizing in-field shooting techniques and suggestions, and in-depth Photoshop and Lightroom discussion, tips and techniques, we seek to elevate your photography to the next level. Through personal service and attention to detail, our ultimate goal is to provide you with an experience that ensures not only a trip of a lifetime, but also one that allows you to capture the best wildlife images possible.

Accommodations

For this wildlife photography safari, we have chosen to create a wonderful atmosphere reminiscent of Karen Blixen's "Out of Africa" days and the Golden Age of Exploration, long before large tourist lodges and hotels came upon the scene. For many, Africa is a once in a lifetime destination and we feel to truly experience life on the Serengeti, one must experience its sights, sounds, and smells at the grass level, literally. For this reason we will be staying almost exclusively in private upscale tented camps.

Our camps are chosen for a combination of their strategic and beautiful locations, extreme privacy, easy access to wildlife assemblages as well as for their luxurious standards. But fear not if you think camping in the bush might not be your cup of tea. Just because we are spending our time out in the bush doesn't mean we have to rough it. Far from it as Tanzania has taken bush camping to a high art form. Our sublime tented camps are first class and have a range of modern conveniences.

A word of clarification regarding the tent camps: these are not the standard tents you grew up with while on family vacations. Perhaps the only similarity is that they are made of canvas but that's where it stops. The interiors are impeccably clean and huge with plenty of room. Ceilings are over 7 feet in height. One sleeps in a large full-sized bed with fresh linens. Each tent has its own private bathroom with toilet and hot water shower, and solar charged lights.

A short walk to the main dining and social tent with its comfy couches, throw pillows, and tasty snacks provides a relaxing oasis to convene over a freshly prepared cocktail, glass of wine or any of drink of your choice. Gathering around the warm evening campfire sharing the day's events is a time-honored tradition. Scrumptious meals are prepared by expert chefs and served in a fine dining type atmosphere. Following a full day of shooting, within the confines of your luxury tent relaxing in a toasty warm bed while listening to the wild sounds of the savannah under a clear starlit night is an experience that comes close to true bliss.

Vehicles

As photographers, we cringe every time we see a photo safari vehicle loaded with multiple passengers per row attempting to get good shots of wildlife. Nothing could be more frustrating than sharing your row of seats with someone else while the action is happening on the other side of the vehicle. Either you have to routinely switch places with your seat mates to snap off a few shots or you sit and helplessly watch the action take place, unable to get in a position to get the image. Talk about a maddening exercise in frustration!

For this reason, we limit our client numbers to allow every shooter his or her own row of seating every time we go out to photograph. Not only does this allow ample room to spread out all your needed equipment for easy access but it allows you the freedom to quickly change positions should the action change position.

The vehicles we use are all stretch Land Cruisers with 7 window seats, but we will only be placing 3 participants per vehicle. They are rigorously maintained, inspected, cleaned, and tested before and after every safari. All vehicles are equipped with 2 spare tires, camera battery charging outlets, a First Aid kit, and a radio to communicate with each other, the main office, park rangers, base camp, Flying Doctors, and the Tanzanian police. They are spacious, comfortable vehicles capable of challenging off-road terrain while large enough to provide an ideal mobile photo platform.

A word of warning: This photo workshop is not for the person interested in frantically rushing around from spot to spot grabbing as many "happy snaps" of animals as they can, but rather, it is designed with the serious photographer in mind in search of award-winning images. This is a photo safari designed by photographers for photographers.

Along with Stephen and Scott, you will be guided by highly experienced local wildlife guides who know the parks and the animal behavior like the back of their hands. Working with them, our goal is to put you in the optimum spot for getting the perfect shot and this can often take time. You will also be among other like-minded photographers who are willing to patiently wait for those unique moments that make the difference between a mere snap-shot and a great image.

Great effort will be made to help ensure we are shooting our subject matter from the best angles with the best light possible. Patience and maximum time in the field is necessary. Of course, individuals will always have the option of bypassing the daily game drives, perhaps choosing to sleep in followed by a leisurely breakfast, or simply choosing to spend the afternoon reading a book or writing in their journal while viewing the sweeping African savannahs from the comfort of their well appointed tented camp. However, our primary goal is to get amazing images that you'll be proud to have in your portfolio, and that requires starting our days well before sunrise.

During mid-day sun when the animals tend to take their naps, we'll return to our base for a lunch break where you are free to choose a variety of options including siesta time, downloading of images, image review and critiques, Photoshop and Lightroom lecture and teaching sessions before continuing again with our afternoon game drives. We will stay out until sunset thus ensuring we are out during the best light of day. There will be ample freedom to deviate from this schedule if we come upon an event in the making while in the field, such as a cheetah or lion hunt in progress.

→ Group Size

We have designed this trip with superb comfort and quality in mind. For these reasons, we have purposely limited this trip to only 10 photographers and 2 instructors (3 persons per vehicle). Having a small group allows us to be highly efficient while ensuring personal attention and the ultimate intimate safari experience. An added benefit to having multiple vehicles is that it greatly increases our ability to locate and photograph elusive subject matter. These parks are huge and though the wildlife is abundant, it can also be spread out over large distances, especially the prime subject matter like hunting events. Our strategy will be to fan out thereby increasing our search radius but staying close enough to quickly respond to radio communication if one vehicle happens upon a special or rare event i.e., lion hunt or feeding, leopard sighting, cheetahs with cubs, etc. From experience, we know that having multiple vehicles spread out with numerous sets of eyes searching is far better than a single group closely clumped together. Afterall, this once in a lifetime trip is about getting amazing images!!

→ Price Per Person (based on double occupancy)

Photographer Price: $7,495
(Single Supplement Charge, add $1,800)

Price includes: Luxury Accommodations (single room supplement is an additional fee), all meals, all park fees, all game drives, water on the game drives, Photography, Photoshop and Lightroom Instruction, transportation costs while in-country, Serengeti charter flight back to Arusha, and all local guides and drivers.

Price does not include: International Airfare to/from Arusha (Kilimanjaro International Airport), optional activities such as local village photo excursions, alcoholic beverages, driver, local guide and instructor gratuities, additional days beyond trip dates, trip and medical evacuation insurance, and your Tanzania Visa.

Payment Schedule: To secure your spot, a non-refundable deposit of $2,000 is required.

→ Getting to Africa

A wide variety of national and international airlines are available that regularly fly into Arusha, TZ. Examples include: KLM, United Airlines, Continental Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, US Airways, Virgin America, Emirates Airlines, Swiss International and Iberia. It is best to compare the flights and pick one that best suits your individual preferences or if applicable, accepts your personal mileage credits if you're interested in cashing in frequent flyer miles.

Depending on how far in advance you purchase your tickets and which carrier, ticket prices from San Francisco are ranging from $2,000 on up (at the time of this posting (September 2015); always check for current prices).

Flight durations from the west coast of the US range from 20 hours on up depending on carriers plus connecting time so plan accordingly in order to arrive on the scheduled safari Arusha departure date.

Also of note, each airline tends to have specific baggage allowances. We personally like KLM Royal Dutch Airlines due to their relatively generous baggage allowance policy (as of this writing on September 9, 2015, 2 bags per person are included in the ticket price). Additionally, there is an approximate 8-hour layover in Amsterdam, which breaks up the flight nicely and allows a brief exploration of this fascinating city if you so choose. There are lockable storage lockers at the airport to secure your bags and gear while you explore, and a short train ride from the Amsterdam Airport drops you off in the city center from where walking and water ferries can get you to many places of interest.

→ Visa Requirements

Currently, for US citizens arriving in Tanzania, a travel Visa is required. As of this writing (September 9, 2015), a single Visa is $100. Visas currently can be purchased on arrival into Arusha or secured through the Tanzanian Embassy in Washington DC before trip departure. If securing your Visa before US departure, we would recommend doing so at least 2-3 months in advance to avoid any unforeseen delays. If not a US citizen, please contact the Tanzania Embassy to determine your specific requirements. For more information on Visa requirements, go to: http://tanzaniaembassy-us.org/?page_id=76l

→ Vaccination and Medicine Recommendations

We recommend you contact your travel physician or health care provider for the most up to date recommendations. More information can be found at: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/tanzania.htm

Meet our master instructors and learn what qualifies them to give you a great experience during your workshops! While you're joining us, you will receive comprehensive digital photography instruction and tutoring by our team of award-winning photographers.

Scott Donschikowski is a professional photographer, speaker and instructor of photographic arts and digital darkroom techniques. He is a master of the digital workflow, is an Adobe Certified Expert and has taught and lectured all over California about the benefits of becoming proficient in the digital darkroom.

Scott is a versatile photographer, specializing in architecture, lifestyle and landscapes but also having completed work in weddings, editorials, events and product photography. He has worked extensively covering events for the City of San Jose and has contracted his work out to a number of local businesses providing them with his own unique style of photographic imagery.

A tech geek at heart, when Scott is not out taking pictures in his native California, he spends his time writing for numerous blogs, maintaining several websites, reviewing photography gear, and refining his digital darkroom craft. He is also an avid astrophotographer and when the available light runs out, he brings out his telescope and captures images of the heavens above.

The workshop fee is $7,495. A $2,000 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your space. On February 1st, 2018, 50% of the remaining balance will be due. The remaining balance is due in full on or before April 1st, 2018. Due to the exclusivity of this trip, and the limited number of seats available, refunds are as follows:

• 100% refundable: 150 days (five months) or greater (not including deposit)
• 50% refundable: 149-121 days (not including deposit)
• No refund within 120 days or less of the start date
• Seats are transferrable

Please Note: Returning student discounts are not applicable to Sojourn Series workshops.

The workshop/tour price includes:

• Lodging single supplement, add $1,800
• All in-country transportation
• All in-country airport transfers
• Park fees
• Meals
• Water on game drives

The workshop/tour price DOES NOT include:

• Transportation to/from Africa
• Soda and Alcoholic beverages
• Driver/local staff gratuities
• Instructor gratuities
• Travel insurance
• Tanzania Visa
• Additional/optional excursions such as cultural village visits, etc.

• Kenya Wildlife Workshop - August 2019
• Kenya Wildlife Workshop - August 2018
• Tanzania Wildlife Workshop - August 2018
• Tanzania Wildlife Workshop - April 30th - May 11th 2017
• Tanzania Wildlife Workshop - April 19-30th 2017
• Kenya Wildlife Workshop - August 2015
• Kenya Wildlife Workshop - August 2014
• Tanzania Wildlife Workshop - September 3th, 2013
• Kenya Wildlife Workshop - August 2013
• Kenya Wildlife Workshop - August 1-14th 2012
• Rwanda Gorilla Workshop - August 15-18th 2012
• Kenya Wildlife Workshop - August 18-31st 2012