My First Safari (Ruaha National park)

In November 2021, I had the chance to experience my first Safari. It was an incredible opportunity to discover Tanzania and the real savanna. Since Ruaha National Park is not very a very touristic area, we had all the roads and the animals to ourselves, for a total of six days.

Canon R6 + Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM
200mm | 1/2000 | f/3.2 | ISO 320

We arrived at our hotel in the middle of the night around 2am. During the 12-hour drive from the airport to our destination, we were able to see an array of animals, even before we entered the national park.

The sight of monkeys, giraffes and zebras on the side of the road was a normal thing.

My first night was very special. After travelling, and a late arrival, the hotel staff informed us of a possibility that lions, snakes, elephants or other animals could be roaming around our rooms. At the hotel, we had to be escorted to move from one site to another from dusk to dawn. I went to bed solo in a secluded room, in the middle of savanna. I could hear all sorts of noises, and I woke up the next morning to the sound of lions roaring.

Our first day was marked by the meeting of a leopard – which was the only one that crossed our path during the trip. We spent a long time gazing at each other. He seemed very comfortable, and so was I! It was pretty impressive to catch sight of this mythical animal in person.

Canon R6 + Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM
200mm | 1/400 | f/3.5 | ISO 320

We then saw our first elephants. They are not as hard to come by as the leopards, but still very impressive. They were often in large groups or with babies and were sometimes very close to us. We spotted them everyday. 

As you may have noticed, most of the shots from this trip were taken at 200 mm, with my Canon R6. Using a telephoto lens is essential on safari since most animals stay away from humans. Which means the longer focal length, the better! My only telephoto lens was the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM lens, but we must learn how to be satisfied with what we have and enjoy the experience over the photography!

I also brought a Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 lens and used it for most of my landscapes, hotel or everyday shots, such as a sunset dinners or walks in the savanna. 

I made sure not to forget my RF 50mm f/1.8 which I always carry with me. It’s versatile for portraits or to use at certain times of the day and/or the evening. It's really convenient to have a lens with a smaller aperture on hand. It helps to get that extra bit of light on your sensor when it's darker outside.

A tripod is another important element for evening and night shots. My Manfrotto Element Traveller Small carbon fiber tripod comes with me every time. Since it’s quite light, it retracts enough and is not a burden to carry with me. 

Finally, if it is allowed at the location I am at, I am never far away from my DJI Mavic Air 2 drone. Unfortunately for me, drones are prohibited in the Tanzanian national parks. 

It's a very unique feeling to go on a Safari! You walk for hours, you look all around without knowing exactly what you are looking for. You only have one goal: to catch a movement somewhere. At first, the excitement comes from any species, but then you are more and more demanding! Some animals are rare to find and stealthy, while others are omnipresent.

Our second day on the road was somewhat quieter, up until a memorable animal sighting: our first lion. A big male, alone, lying at the bottom of a tree. We were able to approach the car very close without him flinching. He apparently had no problem with our presence. He knew that he is was king, no matter what. 

The next few days went just as well as the first few, still filled with that hard-to-explain explorer excitement. By the way, sunsets like you saw in The Lion King are real! These photographs were taken on two distinct evenings!

To keep on with the animals; a safari without giraffes would not be a safari! Just like the elephants, we saw them almost every day, often in groups of 2 or 3.

What can I say about this herd of buffalos that was scanning me while being on "family photo" mode!