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The Essentials for a Successful African Safari

When I take off on an African Safari, I “carry-on” almost all of my Cameras and Lenses so I have to pack it properly to get it all into my luggage and onto the plane. Be sure to take a pack with shoulder straps that meets international airline carry-on restrictions. You can use small-bubble bubble wrap to protect each camera body or lens. Carry your laptop computer and other small personal stuff in a soft briefcase.

As far as the gear you should take, I suggest taking at least a couple camera bodies and an assortment of lenses including your 500mm or 600mm f/4 if you can get it into your carry-on.

On my latest African Safari, my gear consisted of three camera bodies: the Canon 1D Mark 4 was my primary body, the Canon 5D Mark II I took for scenic and HD video, plus I had a Canon EOS 50D as an extra.

The lenses I take are all Canon: a 600mm L IS f/4 for small animals and birds, or closeups of the bigger wildlife; a 70-200mm L IS f/2.8 for the bigger wildlife when we’re up close to them; a 24-105mm L f/4 for people shots; and the 1.4X and 2X teleconverters and a couple extension rings to extend the capabilities of each of the lenses. In addition, I took a bunch of assorted equipment, including a Canon 580EX II Flash and a cable release. Tripods and monopods are not needed and get in the way. Get a big bean bag such as the Molar Bag that can be filled with sand as we stand and shoot from the Land Rover 99% of the time. Unload the beanbag prior to flying home. The empty bean bag can be used for padding your equipment in your luggage.