a leopard walking through brush, Botswana
an elephant eating a tree, Botswana
Clothes: Skip the Photographer Vest, Bring a Poncho
Chapman's Tree at sunrise, Botswana
zebras at dusk in the Kalahari Desert, Botswana
Aerial picture of elephants near a watering hole, Okavango Delta, Botswana
Cape buffalo seen from the interior of a safari vehicle, Mombo, Botswana
a campfire at dusk in the Kalahari Desert, Botswana
a kingfisher bird resting on a reed, Botswana
a man sitting near a campfire, Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana
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Leopard

Have you had an African massage? That’s what many safari guides in Botswana affectionately call the bumpy bush roads they drive along, searching for wild animals and experiences visitors will never forget.

Near the southern tip of Africa, toward the bottom of the Earth, Botswana is teeming with one of the most diverse ecological systems on the planet. Each year travelers carefully pack their gear and head out on safari here, experiencing the largest elephant population in Africa, the glistening waterways of the Okavango Delta, and the vast skies above the stark salt pans of the Kalahari Desert.

Here we’ll share tips for making your first photo safari in Botswana as easy as a leopard snagging lunch.

This piece was written by Sarah Polger. Follow her on Instagram.

Photograph by Sarah Polger

Safari Photography: 10 Tips for Capturing Wildlife

Join a National Geographic photo editor in the wilds of Botswana and get her tips for snapping the best images of African safari animals.

January 22, 2016

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