Solo Overland Offshore - Wildlife

South America - Africa - Asia - Middle East

Some wildlife national parks issue good maps with a complete layout of roads, watering holes with an identification chart of animals. Don't rely on cell phone coverage in isolated national parks. A Red List of threatened species can be researched here at IUNC (Int. Union of Conversation and Nature)

Get Inspired Into The Wild

Observing wildlife within their natural habitat has to be one of the most satisfying and inspiring experiences wherever the location is. The majority of countries through continents have mixed varieties of different national parks and wildlife sanctuaries to visit. A quick research online will quickly show endless amounts of safari wildlife orientated websites. and photographic wildlife workshops competing with one another. This is excellent for those planning quick two week trips for the soul purpose of doing wildlife safaris, as it caters for different budget levels. However, this is unnecessary for those traveling overland through an entire continent, thus picking up much cheaper deals en route. It's easier and cheaper when arriving at any particular wildlife location contacting locals who offer their services as a guide or as a driver. There's never an issue finding these guys in villages bordering close to sanctuaries and game parks. Negotiating a price is like bartering on steroids, especially when locals are trying to cut a deal all at the same time. The outcome generally results in an offer that can't be refused. Another alternative, is to hire your own wheels, and the possibilities of sharing the cost of the rental between one or two other visitors for a few days. If sharing a vehicle as a passenger, ensure any itinerary planned journey is agreed on beforehand, like arriving at certain locations as early as possible, and returning to home base before dark.

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Getting up close to any wildlife depends on the region and season. Migration runs are spectacular, but to fully appreciate something so amazing, one requires too see this event in a rented chopper or fixed wing plane. In a lifetime, this would be a one time splurge well worth the price, if your instinct says yes - so go for it, don't hesitate for something that will be regrettable if not done. The best locations on the ground are always at watering holes. or nearby freshly killed carcasses. Best times viewing these events are early mornings and late afternoons. These spots will almost guarantee numerous kinds of wildlife. There are usually more animals sharing watering holes at sun rise or just before dusk. There are no guarantees of capturing close up shots of wildlife within certain game parks. For example, Krugar national park in South Africa is so vast that one needs to have plenty of time, most of all patience tracking down wildlife. This can amount from days to weeks of monitoring where herds are located. The larger the park, the more time required. Overall, watering holes are the best locations in all game parks.
Using guides familiar with local wildlife locations can pay off big time with their experience and knowledge of animal movements of their daily routines. Spotting wildlife within smaller game parks is much easier, and are generally accustomed to the thousands of visitors driving in close proximity everyday. Some wildlife sanctuaries and parks prohibit private owned vehicle for different reasons, which I personally avoid.

Before jumping into pools to cool off within open wildlife sanctuaries in Africa, one has to first think whether that particular location is safe to take a dunk. The above location was far from safe. It had a hippo track within 100 meters, and known for a variety of local snakes i.e. black mamba, boomslang, spitting cobra and twig snake, all carrying lethal venom doses. This is a fast way of dying young, use your brain.

Follow Warning Signs In Safari Parks Or Suffer Being Mauled Or Eaten To Bits! 

You wouldn't believe how many idiots, who hop out of vehicles ignoring warning signs not to do this staring right in front of them. Lions, leopard, and other carnivore eating animals have no issues devouring humans. This happens to those who think nothing will happen to them when grabbing quick selfie snaps, or in the need to piss. If you need to urgently take a leak, do it in a bottle inside the vehicle. Basic safari park safety rules are as follows: Don't leave vehicles : Don't leave roads : Get out of vehicles only where it's permitted to do so : Don't feed wildlife : Don't honk horns : Never free camp within areas of roaming wildlife, or you will be killed.

Big Cats can be napping close by anywhere within safari parks. Those taking risks hopping out of vehicles  for better viewing, or to quickly pee do so at their own risk and peril. Within rugged isolated regions in the middle of nowhere, like the image below, there are no security or warning signs. Big Cats freely roam where they wish without human hindrance, Keeping distance when photographing, and remaining silent with no sudden movement is recommended. In all regards this is their territory not yours.

Wildlife - Dark Side Blissfulness

Global travel blogger influencers have the habit of selling themselves off around the planet, as if everything is pure dream state blissfulness. The truth - It's far from it. You'll rarely never see, if ever fluffy skimpy bikini clad western travel influencers posing themselves together with chained up elephants. The dark side of click bait fluff puff tourism has been around for decades. Flight baby travel influencers  using wildlife as bait get 10/10 for all the wrong reasons. Don't become a part of it or support it.

In Flight - DSLR Full Frame

Capturing bird and wildlife images, and then enlarging them into finished canvas prints is rewarding. Don't expect smart phone cameras to give the same quality results captured with full frame DSLR photo gear. Almost most DSLR brands using quality zoom or long prime lenses will guarantee satisfaction. For example, the below snap would of been impossible to capture with self phone cameras and point and shoots.

These snaps were captured with a Nikon D3 12 MP camera, a reliable daylight workhorse body that's still being used in the 2020s 

Distant Long Shots - Full Frame DSLR

Reaching out capturing long shots requires more than using junky smart phone cameras and point and shoots. Full frame large prime lenses have been used successively over the decades capturing distant wildlife. Below are quick examples using long prime full frame lenses. There is little chance getting closeup shots of raptors and vultures chilling out on treetops.

Wildlife - Safety & Risks

Rhinos with babies along roads are dangerous, especially in early morning dim light. Reverse vehicles allowing them to freely decide where they want to roam. A female Rhino can easily attack and damage vehicles within seconds. Floating down canals where Hippos are known to be is another danger. Don't hang around to long if Hippos spot you, they can move faster than any experienced dugout paddle guide. Jackals although looking docile will attack to guard fresh kill. Being bitten by jackals isn't the problem, the concern is if they have rabies. Elephants are known to attack at random, reverse back in vehicles unless you have full cover vehicle insurance. Hippo kills Chinese tourist - Kenya : Lions kill tourist while taking shower under tree - Zimbabwe : Game of Thrones female editor killed by lion - South Africa : Hyena kills 11 year tourist boy from USA - Botswana : European tourists trampled to death taking pictures to close to elephants - Zambia : Tourist fighting for life from Giraffe vehicle collision - South Africa : Siberian tiger kills driver in tourist bus - China : Classic 1985 - tiger kills UK tourist - India : Classic 1999 - jungle safari massacre of eight tourists raped and butchered - Uganda :  Giraffe park - 6 French tourists killed by Islamist militia - Niger

Avoiding Primate bites in the wild is by not being tricked as though they're gorgeous little harmless creatures most are led to believe. Primates, if teased or not getting their own way, primates can quickly turn on you tearing through human skin faster than can openers causing severe deep cuts. I'm more fearful of primates than baboons. Keeping all loose items hidden from prying primates is a good start. You've been warned.

How many times have you heard of tourists being injured and mauled by wildlife? This scenario certainly goes both ways when certain wildlife become startled by those wanting to photograph subjects as close as possible. Keeping space and having enough distance should be adhered to for both wildlife and visitors to lesson the chances of injury. For example, the sea lion above may look docile, but they hold their territory and will attack if provoked. Deb, who at the time was holding on to most of our photo-gear kept a safe distance just in case this critter was going to move in her direction.

A wolf warning me how he feels with a lens pointing in his direction. Below, feeding wild hyena in the dark is at your own risk and peril, although the chances of being attacked while feeding hyena raw camel meat dangling from a twig has never been an issue on the outskirts of Harrar since the 19th century.

Primates on the other hand have a habit of randomly striking at potential victims at will. Humans from all walks of life have been severely bitten by these little aggressors. One can be happily interacting with primates on any given day, and then be attacked without remorse for unknown reasons. Primate fangs are sharper than sharp. By avoiding to tease primates lessons the chances of being bitten. Some people can't help themselves and suffer the consequences even though they know the risks.

chimp USA - face transplant : chimp attack - South Africa : wild monkeys biting tourists - Thailand : chimp attack - DRC : 1000 monkey bites - Delhi : monkeys attack tourists - Mexico : monkey bites tourist - Bali : ape attacks tourist - Gibraltar : primates and yuppie tourists - Thailand

Below, the larger the jaw size the more damage it inflicts on its victims. One thing I had learnt quickly during the early years of overland journeys offshore, is respecting certain reptiles and wildlife keeping enough distance between myself and them avoiding sudden injury. I know what your thinking, feeding hyena is hypocritical, and maybe to some it is. I'm more afraid of hungry meat eating predators lurking within bush land, or wandering along hippo tracks, or being bitten by verminous snakes, scorpions and spiders appearing out of nowhere after dark. There is no law in any jungle, either respect it or experience some form of painful outcome.          

Marine - Beyond Reefs

Great white : Tiger shark : Bull shark : Lemon shark : Mako : White tip : Blue shark : Caribbean reef shark : Dusky : Black tip : Silky : Grey reef shark : Nurse shark : Spinner : Basking shark : Hammerhead : Broadnose - It's at your own risk swimming, snorkeling, diving beyond Reefs!

Although shark attacks are uncommon on touristy island shorelines, sharks have no boundaries roaming around on their own free will devouring what they want. Those who swim, or dive beyond reefs, or within cold water currents push the limits of risk of being randomly attacked by sharks. A quick example of one my own underwater experiences, was to dive, hunting for fish beyond the safety areas of reefs along the coastal regions in western Australia, south of Perth.
With weights, a heavy duty air compressed spear gun, and fish catch bag, the daily visits out to 20+ meter depths continued on for months without being randomly attacked. I would always place my bright colored catch bag, half loaded with fish kill on the ocean floor, to avoid becoming a target by predators. Diving around with bag contents of quivering fish and blood is straight out asking for trouble.
​On one occasion, at the edge beyond a reef, a friend who joined me had placed his nearly full catch bag of fish on the ocean floor, it had suddenly disappeared without trace. This was a clear warning that a sea predator had snatched the bag. Shark attacks happen when least expected. Images - Pacific Ocean beyond reefs -  black tip sharks by Rick Hemi.                         

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Thieving Primates - Watch Your Stuff!

Like human thieves, primates have a tendency to take what ever there is of value not theirs. Loose items, like smart phones, necklaces or lightweight cameras that are not properly secured will quickly be snatched up and taken within seconds. Primates do this randomly, they will normally head straight up the nearest tree, and then slowly begin ripping, pulling apart, and destroying whatever items they have in front of their victims with a smile. Watching primates rip smart phones apart is something that maybe humorous, if it's not yours - which I've seen happen more than once.

Many people offshore fall victim to thieving primates. Some lose trivial items of no value while others lose expensive stuff, like purses, wallets, gold necklaces, passports, cash and credit cards. If you're able to be robbed by primates, stick to friendly island getaways that flight baby travel influencers heavily promote. You won't stand a chance traveling solo overland with baggage stuff, camera gear, and other valuable items through Africa and South America.

Feeding animals in zoos normally isn't a problem, but within wildlife parks or in the wild, feeding animals is a no-brainer. This automatically creates a dependency for wildlife, like primates and baboon troops expecting a constant free for all food source. Feeding wild troops and other wildlife causes all types of issues among the primate hierarchy. It may also cause erratic behavior to other visitors at the same location. Below, signage designed and erected by me within bush land, southern Africa warning people feeding baboons.

Even though Coca Cola is toxic and unhealthy full of nasty additives and sugar, sipping down Jack Daniels without it doesn't cut it.

In The Wilderness - Not In Zoos

Smart Phone Cameras - No : Point & Shoots - No : 4/3 Cameras - No : Full Frame DSLRs - Yes

On countless occasions, I've witnessed tourists through Africa, Asia, and South America trying their hardest to capture wildlife in the wilderness with smart phone cameras and point and shoots. The end result is always the same - disappointing! Taking wildlife captures in wilderness locations are normally from long distance, even though it may look close, smart phone cameras and point and shoots will fail to get close ups . Above snap, taken from approximately 100 meters using DSLR full frame photo gear.

Above, long shot cropped enlargement taken with a 12MP DSLR D3 using an 800 Nikkor 5.6 ED-IF AIS manual focus lens. Those out there looking for satisfaction, a collection of wildlife images that surpasses the limitations of smaller lens optics, like in smart phone cameras, and point and  shoots, should seriously think upgrading to DSLR full frame photo gear before traveling to wildlife parks and sanctuaries.

Reaching elevated levels is required capturing still shots of kites in their nests. Believe me, it's not as easy as it looks. Kite nests are usually constructed high up in treetops well away from predators like primates, snakes, and other raptors 

Watching vultures on the hunt for wounded or fresh carcasses with binoculars. The wing span of vultures is impressive. This shot was captured above the tree line up in the Himalayan highlands. Below, Jackal Buzzards are commonly spotted in rugged bush land regions throughout southern Africa. Shame I didn't have the AFS 600 f4 at the time this snap was captured.

Capturing images of Alpha Baboons requires lenses of at least 400mm plus. Alpha males like the one captured above are usually evasive keeping well away from any human activity. Baboon troops can be spotted through southern Africa. Wherever there's free food handouts -  excluding Alpha males, baboons will be there in droves. They have a habit of taking anything faster than a loaded bullet. Keeping car windows half up, doors closed, and accommodation locked will ensure items won't be stolen.  Feeding wild primates and baboons should be avoided unless it's at a zoo. 

Probably the easiest of all large roaming wildlife to photograph are buffalo, one of the big five of Africa

White Rhino, captured within the Hluhluwe game park reserve - KwaZulu Natal

Crows and ravens taking flight in the late afternoon. There were more than double than this spreading across the skyline.

Some wildlife lovers have one or two favourite isolated locations they always return too, to view and capture wildlife. Being a raptor watcher, I came across, by accident, an isolated location where literally hundreds of birds of prey return each year during the cold months. Vultures and different breeds of eagles perching together scattered on trees is something rarely seen anywhere else on the planet.
Above image, there were more than 200 vultures in the original uncrossed image, but there's more than enough evidence showing this location is the ultimate eagle vulture paradise in the world. 

Photographing snow leopards is a feat in itself. Reaching locations where snow leopards freely roam is best done during the midwinter season when the Himalayan highlands are covered in snow. Here's my own overland journey from 2020. 

One of many favorite Steppe Eagle captures. Even though the above shot looks close, it taken at long distance not to disturb them. A Nikon Nikkor 800mm 5.6 ED-IF AIS manual focus lens mounted to a 12 MP Nikon D3 body  on DX mode took this shot. Who says classic photo gear doesn't perform? That's why I don't follow trends like others rushing to get all the latest camera gear when this classic lens designed in 1986, and the 2007 D3 still works. 

Strolling around on foot through lowland bush jungle terrain isn't recommended unless one is already well aware of what's roaming around in it. It's not just big cats to be cautious about. Venomous snakes, poisonous snakes, scorpions, and other creepy crawlies will give painful experiences if bitten.

Reaching wildlife parks through Africa can be a mission in itself. This includes renting or sharing vehicles, entrance fees, and accommodation costs. Once inside parks, it then takes time exploring through them finding wildlife to photograph. It's here where DSLR photo gear pays off capturing images. Wildlife in the wild avoid being close to vehicles keeping their distance. The odd passing of elephants and baboon troop can be expected, but nothing much more. The need of long reach lenses are required to capture shots like above. Without them, it's a waste of time.

I personally use Nikon camera gear of which 95% of the images through this website were captured with. I don't promote camera brands for the simple reason they're virtually all the same. I've always said, if one designed camera body works, captures images, and the results satisfactory, then why replace it? This goes for lenses as well. To most, the photo gear I use is probable antique paper weights. In saying that, all of my photo gear is still functioning and working capturing images in the 2020s. 

Wildlife Snaps On To Canvas

Those who use minimal camera gear, like point and shoots, 4/3 cameras, or relying on smart phone cameras capturing wildlife, will become disappointed when the time comes around enlarging images to canvas. The majority of enlargements increased 4-8 times larger to the original file size will decrease overall sharpness. Anything taken with a lens on it may look good on screen until re-cropped and enlarged. good images begin by using quality made lens optics. Before leaving home base, think seriously investing in good reliable camera gear. This is a regret many make.