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Photographic Safari at Jaci's
Camp. Madikwe Game
Reserve. |
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| We base ourselves
at Jaci's Lodges
in Madikwe
Game
Reserve, about four hours to the northwest of
Johannesburg. The reserve spans
some 75 000 hectares of land that was previously used for cattle
farming, but which was of such poor quality that it offered very little
economic benefit to anybody. Now a premier game reserve, officially
proclaimed in 1991, it represents a unique partnership between the
North West Parks and Tourism Board, local communities and the private
sector. Central to this three-way alliance is the concept of
"people-based wildlife conservation", where local
communities gain financial benefits from conservation and eco-tourism.
This approach, which has ensured support for the reserve and its
activities from its immediate neighbours, is strongly recommended by
the North West Parks Board as the blueprint for long-term conservation
in developing countries across southern Africa. The reserve is located in a transition zone of lowveld, mixed bushveld and Kalahari thornveld and the resultant diversity of habitats is part of its attraction. It is scenically beautiful with rocky outcrops, wooded thickets and sweeping plains that slope gently towards its main water course, the Marico River. The imposing Dwarsberg Mountains dominate the southern region, rising some 200 metres above the surrounding terrain, while a series of hills known as the Rant van Tweedepoort roughly divides the reserve into two equal parts. Those areas that were previously farmed and cleared of trees have remained ‘open’ and offer excellent game viewing. This is where Pat and Roger de la Harpe did much of the photography and research for their latest book, In Search of the African Wild Dog. Roger and Pat know Madikwe well, which can be very productive from a photographic point of view. Good sightings of wild dogs are not uncommon as is the case with elephant, lion and general game. Additionally, the reserve is beautiful, enhanced by the gorgeous "Kalahari light". Have a look here to see our blog entry for our last safari there. |
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| Programme The program is fairly general and could change on the day. Nature does not operate by the clock and we'll need to be able to respond to whatever is happening out there. If the idea is to photograph scenery and we hear about a leopard nearby then we have to change our plans quickly. Wednesday Arrive at Jaci's Lodges between 14:00 and 16:00 for check in. At about 17:30 we'll meet for registration followed by an introductory talk, show and for setting up laptops and programs. Drinks will be served Thursday to Saturday Meet on the deck at 05:00 for coffee and a light snack and leave on a game drive by about 05:30. We'll be on 2 vehicles – Pat on one and Roger on the other. During the drive, we'll arrange to rendezvous in the veld at a suitable spot where we will work through various photographic issues. About 2 hours after sunrise we'll head back to camp to download images onto our computers. Participants then select 3 images to include in the evaluation session and at about 09:30 we head into the dining room for a scrumptious breakfast. The day continues with discussions, Photoshop tutorials and image analysis. This part of the workshop is critical – we work with your images, looking at composition, impact and technical details. We hold these sessions in an open and constructive environment and group participation is encouraged – it's where we can make a significant difference to your images very quickly. A delicious lunch is served between 13:00 and 13:30 after which we'll break for a spot of free time. High tea will be served at about 15:00 and then we head out on a game drive. Once again we'll be on 2 vehicles. We will work different areas to the morning's drive, staying in radio contact so that we have more “eyes” out there and if we spot anything we can quickly meet up. We'll do sundowners before returning to camp just after dark for dinner. Sunday We follow the normal morning routine and depart after the mornings evaluation session. Equipment required is as follows: (Please feel free to Contact Us to discuss your Photographic Equipment needs)
Workshop Dates: Our earlier safari in 2010 was a wonderful success. Have a look here to see our blog entry for it. Our next safari is from 19 to 23 May 2010. Contact us for scheduling later in the year. Workshop Cost: R14 000-00 per person sharing (R10 000-00 for non-participating partners sharing) and R1 850-00 single supplement (price subject to change) for the 4 nights. It includes accommodation, all meals, 2 game drives a day, course notes and a certificate of completion. Drinks and extras are for your own account payable at check-out. Please note that a portion of the costs is donated to wild dog conservation in the Madikwe Game Reserve. Contact us to book your place on this exciting and informative safari. |
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