Photo Safari with Chags - Royal Zambezi Lodge

Packages

Photo Safari with Amish Chhagan (Chags Photography)

Itinerary Guideline

We have deliberately picked this time of the year to undertake these photo safaris. While sightings are not guaranteed, April/May/June are great times to visit as the weather is cooler and, therefore, more wildlife activity in the day.

A professional guide and the professional photographer, Amish Chhagan will be present throughout, helping you make the most of each photo opportunity. Only three students will participate in each photo safari, allowing ample facetime with the photographer and guide. This is important in the field, enabling the photographer to spend one-on-one time with each student.

Arrive at the beautiful Royal Zambezi by midday, your home for the next four nights!

Briefings, refreshments, and essential technical aspects before we head for lunch overlooking the mighty Zambezi River
Visit Conservation Lower Zambezi, where we will meet the team and learn the importance of their work, the key species in the park, and the role that wildlife photographers can play in supporting conservation.
From CLZ, we will continue onto the first game drive of the trip, with exciting prospects to see some activity in the park, taking advantage of the golden light moments.
Once back at camp, we will have a chance to freshen up before heading to the lounge area for dinner and tales by the fire, discussing the day’s events, learning outputs, and challenges, and, if time permits, reviewing and post-process some of the photos from the day.

After an early morning snack and coffee, we will head first thing in the morning to catch the early golden light moments. We will find a great spot to have a picnic breakfast, possibly overlooking a herd of elephants or hanging out by the river with the curious hippos observing us.
We will head back to camp for a scrumptious lunch and take the opportunity to discuss the morning safari, outline challenges, and have some free time to relax before we venture out for the afternoon game drive.
Once back at camp, we will have a chance to freshen up before heading to the lounge area for dinner and tales by the fire, discussing the day’s events, learning outputs and challenges, and, if time permits, reviewing and post-process some of the photos from the day.
Please note that we will have the option of doing a game drive in the vehicle or doing a boat safari, allowing us to take in the landscapes and majestic escarpments with the hope of finding some great game as well.

The final day will also entail an early morning game drive, ensuring we get as much time in the park as possible.
We will return to camp for a late breakfast, final briefing, and follow-up questions. Students will have the opportunity to get in touch with the photographer after the safari, as it will take some time to review photos taken during the trip!
After check out, guests will be taken to the airstrip and fly back to Lusaka, hopefully with smiles on their faces reminiscing such a memorable experience.

Words from the photographer; Amish Chhagan

Frozen Moment

There is a certain kind of empowerment I feel being able to capture wildlife in its element with the detail and frozen moment that a lens can apprehend, something beyond what your eye and passing time can capture – the texture of an elephant’s skin, with all its exterior toughness yet intricate crevices; the cheetah’s black tear that allows its pin-point visual accuracy; or the beauty and unexplainable perfect symmetry of a leopard. These are the tools of nature. These tools are what connect us.
Photographing wildlife often requires split-second decisions at the best of times and relies on one’s intuition to make and create moments. Our intuition is nurtured and fine tuned through experiences, practice, and learning; in wildlife photography that means going on as many safaris as possible and learning to anticipate animal behaviour. We have a lot more in common with animal characteristics than what we may realise. Whether the mother’s protection and love for her cub, a herd grieving over a deceased elephant or the special friendship that warthogs have with mongooses and elephants, we seem to share more mannerisms and traits than just beating hearts.

About Me

Growing up in Zambia, I was fortunate to get numerous opportunities to explore the flora and fauna of this spectacular region of Africa. Between the metropolitan capital city of Lusaka, where I grew up, and the numerous trips to various national parks in Southern Africa, I appreciated the glaring contrasts at a young age; ecological, physical, visual, but mental as well. The serenity of these vast lands and the excitement of spotting wildlife often transpired; more so when I found photography (or when photography found me).
I have been fortunate to have my work awarded and published in a variety of prominent media outlets including National Geographic Your Shot, GEO Magazine and Sony World Photography Awards amongst others. This provides me with a credible foundation to continue my work, not only in fine art photography, but also in creating impact and awareness around conservation.

A Teaser

Allow me to take you on a creative photography journey in one of the three most prominent national parks in Zambia – the Lower Zambezi. Aside from the vast game and true wilderness, it is set in the backdrop of the blue Zambezi River and the majestic Zambezi escarpment. Combined, it provides an exciting and dreamy environment for wildlife and landscape photography.
My goal is to show you the foundations of wildlife photography and how to use your imagination and creativity to push and develop your own creative arc and process. By the end of this trip, I would like you to be able to capture the essence, the soul, and the emotion of wildlife, whilst portraying the beauty of their natural habitat – in two words, impactful art.

To see more of Amish’s work, please visit his website and social media below.