TANZANIA'S MAGNIFICENT WILDLIFE

A LUXURY TENT CAMP SAFARI IN REMOTE AREAS OF THE SERENGETI & TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARKS

AUGUST 21 - SEPTEMBER 1, 2008

  $7,195.00 pp. from Arusha

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AUGUST 21 - SEPTEMBER 1, 2009

  $7,295.00 pp. from Arusha

Limit: 6

Included:

- Private Charted Land Rovers (3 photographers/vehicle);

- Walking safaris for the opportunity to photograph game from ground level;

- Lodging in luxury tent camps located in the field near prime game locations;

- All meals, lodging, air and ground transportation, guide/drivers, & park fees;

- An extended opportunity to photograph the great wildebeest migration:

- Lots of field shoots with professional photography guidance and instruction in remote locations far from the tourist game drive areas.

- Sunrise & sunset shoots designed to maximize light quality for great images.

Two articles - PHOTO SAFARI NOTES and DIGITAL ON SAFARI offer additional information about choosing a safari and digital photography issues.

     There are still places left in East Africa that few tourists visit. Preserved by their remoteness and difficult access, the land is pristine and resident game still follows life cycles laid down by the countless generations that have come before them. The remote regions visited on this safari represent some of the last great-untouched wilderness left on the continent.

     This incredible adventure takes us into two of the most prolific wildlife areas of Northern Tanzania - the northern Serengeti and the southeast wilderness zone of Tarangire. While widely separated, both areas are part of the Rift Valley region, a vast ecosystem created by volcanic activity caused by the still-separating earth's crust. Two to four million years ago, volcanic ash was deposited which, with time, turned into today's fertile savannahs and hills capable of supporting wild game numbering in the millions. We will take advantage of this setting by visiting during the dry season when animals concentrate in abundance near remaining waterholes or migrate across great distances in search of better grazing. The most rewarding way to experience the wildlife is to immerse yourself in their environment. This 12 day trip has been developed to maximize your time in the field away from tour groups and sightseers.

Mark Lissick/Wildlight Photography is thrilled to offer a special photography expedition designed

to provide the very best game photo opportunities in remote and seldom traveled areas.

     Designed to be a very exclusive experience, this itinerary combines the relatively dry lowland habitat of southeast Tarangire with its fantastic elephant populations and the tall grass plains, rivers and hills of the northern Serengeti, a location that at this time of year is home to the greatest wildlife spectacle of them all - the Great Migration.

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~  view images from the 2006 trip  ~

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Northern Serengeti National Park - Mara River

     The highlight of this location is the annual wildebeest migration north during the dry season. The numbers of animals that complete this migration is incredible - 1.5 million wildebeest, 300,000 Thomson's gazelle and 250,000 zebras chomp and grunt their way through the area while trying to cross the Grumeti and Mara rivers. With the migrating meat supply comes the predators and the Serengeti is renowned for its impressive lion sightings. Silver-backed jackals, spotted hyenas, cheetah, eagles and vultures are also avid consumers of this endless source of meat and little goes to waste. Some of the Serengeti's largest buffalo herds are to be found in the pristine woodlands in this area along with elephant and giraffe.

     The most rewarding way to experience this phenomena is to have the time to immerse yourself in the daily rhythms of the Serengeti. In this setting we will spend five full, and two partial days, experiencing the unlimited photo opportunities around us. Morning and late afternoon/evening trips are planned to take advantage of both the high quality light but the heightened animal activity as well. In addition to photographing the wildlife, we will be working on capturing the stunning African landscape. The hills, rivers and open terrain make for ideal subjects to help capture the essence of the Serengeti.

Lodging:  Sayari Luxury Tent Camp

     Sayari is a seasonal luxury camp that follows the great migration. At this time of year it is located near the Mara River far from the normal tourist routes. The location provides us with the opportunity for superior wildlife viewing .  Each of the camp's luxury tents has its own private verandah with couch and chairs, overlooking the vast Serengeti. Inside, comfortable king-size beds with beautiful cloth and contemporary furniture give the tent a very stylish yet homely feel. Tent lighting can be adjusted to atmospheric or reading strength. The spacious bathroom has a shower, double sinks and a ceramic flush toilet that is environmentally friendly. The lounge tent has a wide range of quality drinks and snacks and a wealth of books on nature and wildlife in the area make this a place where you can easily loose track of time. Dining is intimate in the dining area, but can also be enjoyed privately under the millions of stars in the Serengeti sky. Either way, staff will prepare you a meal you wouldn't dream possible in the middle of the camp's remote wilderness locations.

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Tarangire National Park - SOUTHEAST Wilderness Zone

     Tarangire lies to the south of the large open grass plains of southern Maasailand and is the best-kept secret on the northern safari circuit. It offers wonderful panoramas of wide savannah grasslands dotted with open acacia woodland studded with large Baobab trees. The density of game is second only to the crowded Ngorongoro Crater. Tarangire is a dry season refuge for many migratory animals (elephants, wildebeest, zebra, gazelles, eland and buffalo), that spend many months of the year outside the park on traditional grazing corridors linking Tarangire with other protected areas. As wildebeests are to the Serengeti, elephants are the dominant variety in Tarangire. Seen in herds of up to 600 at a time, they will be a high priority during our stay in Tarangire. There are also masses of wildebeest, zebra, eland, hartebeest, buffalo and oryx, who, migrate from the dry Maasai steppe to the gleaming Tarangire River in search of water during the dry season. The river may reduce in size, but always provides some water for these animals who gather in great numbers along its banks. Predators never go hungry here. Although uncommonly seen, pythons have taken to climbing trees in Tarangire, but as with all snakes they avoid contact with humans.

     Most of the tourist see only the very northern end of the park, missing the extraordinary experience of being. Part of the experience we will have, thanks to being in the wilderness zone, is the ability to photograph in the region with little or no interference from other groups. By staying here for three full and two partial days we gain a unique perspective on our subjects as our location permits us to photograph animals from the ground.

Lodging:  Oliver's Camp - Southern Wilderness Zone

     Oliver's Camp is situated in Tarangire's unspoiled wilderness area. The base camp is the first permanent facility in the region to bring together wildlife authorities and the local community to build a low impact, sustainable tourism project. The staff here are renowned for their friendliness and the guides offer a unique insight into this fascinating area where the dynamic struggle for survival has gone unchanged for many years.  The food served is some of the best in Tanzania.

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Arrival and Departure Lodging:  Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge

     Ngare Sero is a Masai term for "sparkling water".  The lodge is set in lush gardens amid forest and crystal clear waters on the slopes of Mount Meru. The lodge has been adapted from a turn of the century colonial farmhouse and is surrounded by gardens that contain a profusion of trees and flowers, and over two hundred species of birds. Troupes of Sykes and Colobus monkeys also inhabit the forest and grounds.

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     This is an intensive twelve day safari with almost ten days spent in the field. It is intended for those interested in the ultimate animal photography experience. You will spend the time in the field accompanied by professional photographer Mark Lissick and a naturalist/guide. Without interference from other vehicles or tour groups we will be able to explore the land and its inhabitants to achieve the best opportunities for animal and landscape photography. As our camp locations are so close to the wildlife there will be times we will have shooting opportunities right outside our door.

Hone your photographic skills with the guidance of professional nature and wildlife photographer Mark Lissick

as you spend twelve days with a small group of fellow photographers shooting in one of the best game locations in the world.

    As in all Mark's workshops and trips, emphasis is placed on improving your image making abilities and providing you with helpful techniques with regard to wildlife and landscape photography. This is achieved via hands-on mentoring during the numerous field shoots combined with informative tech talks, and, for those shooting digitally, reviews of some of the field work during the evening.

     Spectacular wildlife photography, stunning landscapes, gourmet cuisine, and great company is what you can look forward to.

Combined with the opportunity to improve your photographic skills through profession instruction, field-mentoring

and tech talks make this a trip not to be missed.

To maximize the photographic opportunities on this one-of-a-kind expedition space is extremely limited; reserve your place early.

Registration:                                            ON-LINE REGISTRATION

Trip Costs Include: Lodging, meals and beverages, ground and air transportation, Flying Doctors transportation insurance, drivers/guides and park fees.

Not Include: Activities not indicated on itinerary; travel/baggage/accident/cancellation insurance; camp staff and driver gratuities; personal use items such as phone, laundry, etc.; film; Tanzania departure tax; immunizations and trip cancellation insurance.

Airfares: Air fare costs for flights from participants home city to Kilimanjaro International Airport, Arusha, Tanzania are not included. Participant is responsible for making their own arrangements to arrive in Arusha in time for the start of the trip. Flights home should be booked for no earlier than 6:30 pm on the last day of the trip.

   An initial deposit of $750 per person is required at the time of registration. An additional deposit of $750.00 is due no later than thirty (30) days after the registration date. The balance due in full no later than one hundred and twenty (120) days prior to the start of the trip. VISA, MasterCard and Discover can be used or you can pay by check or money order made payable to "Mark Lissick/Wildlight Nature Photography". Wildlight Nature Photography reserves the right to alter quoted prices to reflect changes in land services or currency exchange rates. In the event that the number of participants is below the minimum required for the quoted price, a small group surcharge may be added.

Reservations: Due to the popularity of this trip, making an early reservation is recommended. You can reserve a place by either registering on-line or by calling Wildlight Photography at (612) 804-7377 during the weekday office hours of 9:00 am-4:30 pm CST. We accept credit cards, or we will hold your reservation for seven days, while awaiting your personal check or money order. Make checks payable to "Mark Lissick/Wildlight Nature Photography". Payments can be mailed to Mark Lissick/Wildlight Nature Photography, 4501 Oak Drive, Edina, Minnesota 55424.

For international residents: Please contact Wildlight Nature Photography to discuss payment arrangements.

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel more than 120 days or more prior to the trip start date, a refund less a cancellation fee of 50% of your initial deposit will be made. Per person charges for cancellations received 120 days or less from the trip start date are as follows: 120-101 days - 35% of trip cost; 100-81 days - 50% of trip cost; 80-61 days - 65% of trip cost; 60 or fewer days prior to departure - 100% of trip cost. We recommend that you purchase cancellation insurance as this policy is strongly adhered to. Note: In addition of cancellation fees, deposits required to guarantee hotel rooms or local air transportation may be nonrefundable. The purchase of travel insurance covering baggage, accident/life and trip cancellation is highly recommended. Wildlight Nature Photography reserves the right to cancel any group due to insufficient registration. In the even of such cancellation, those with reservations shall be notified as soon as possible and a full refund of trip payment will be given. Wildlight Nature Photography is not responsible for  additional expenses incurred in preparation for a trip.

    Payment of deposit represents an acceptance of the following terms and conditions:  Wildlight Nature Photography, its affiliates and all cooperating airlines and agencies act only in the capacity of agents in all matter of transportation and tour operation, and their liability is limited to the terms of the airline tickets and land accommodation contracts. They are not responsible for any delays, inconveniences, accidents, expense or mishap of any kind whatsoever resulting entirely, or in part, from the negligence of others or from causes beyond their control. They can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, riot, war, quarantine or other causes. All such losses or expenses must be born by the participants as program rates provide for arrangements only for the time stated. The right is reserved to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes in air schedules, weather or naturally occurring geological events. Baggage is at owner's risk entirely. No refund can be made for unused hotel rooms, meals, sightseeing trips or tours unless arrangements are made at the time of booking. The right is reserved to decline to accept or to retain any person as a program member for any reason which affects the operation of the program or the rights, welfare, or enjoyment of the other program members, and refund or the recoverable land program services is the limit of the liability of Wildlight Nature Photography and its affiliates.