2027 Ultimate Botswana Wildlife Workshop: Limpopo Valley, Okavango Delta & Kalahari Desert

An all-encompassing safari through Botswana’s premier wilderness

Join Cindy for an exclusive journey through three of Southern Africa’s most diverse and iconic wildlife reserves. This epic 16-night/17-day adventure spans the Land of Giants at Mashatu, the predator-rich waterways of the Okavango Delta, and the vast Kalahari wilderness of Nxai Pan—together offering unparalleled photographic opportunities. Expect incredibly close encounters, sweeping landscapes, and the spectacle of Africa’s second-largest zebra and wildebeest migration. You will be inspired, motivated, and challenged to elevate every aspect of your photographic skills, returning home with intimate portraits and dramatic action shots of Africa’s wildlife. What truly sets this safari apart is Cindy’s personal guidance and connection—her passion, teaching, and field experience create an atmosphere that keeps clients returning year after year.

The itinerary has been crafted especially for photographers but will no doubt thrill non-photographic companions as well.  We have chartered light aircraft and paid for extra seats to allow each person 67lbs total luggage/gear allowance (as opposed to the standard 32lbs) At each camp we will have private use of two safari vehicles for just the eight of us. This means complete freedom and spontaneity to do and see more. It also means that each person will have unobstructed views and a bench seat to themselves.  Finally, unlike many areas in Africa where wildlife sightings can be crowded with dozens of vehicles, these camps were chosen for their exclusivity. Most of the time, it will be just our two vehicles at a sighting, with no more than three vehicles ever allowed—ensuring an intimate, unhurried experience with the wildlife.

We will spend eight nights at Mashatu Lodge, Botswana, my favorite camp set in a remote and truly unique location. In January, Mashatu can be ablaze with yellow Devil's Thorn flowers, creating sublime photographic opportunities. Known as the Land of Giants, this exceptionally diverse landscape offers intimate wildlife encounters and dramatic backdrops. It is renowned for leopards, lions, cheetahs, eland, kudu, elephants, and bat-eared foxes, along with the unforgettable Mashatu and baobab trees. January also marks the start of calving season, when the bush begins to come alive with newborns of many kinds.

 

We will spend three nights at Splash Camp, located in the heart of the Okavango Delta, one of Botswana’s most productive wildlife areas. This private concession is renowned for its predator action, with regular sightings of lion, cheetah, leopard, hyena, and the highly sought-after African wild dog. The diverse landscape supports large herds of zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, and antelope including impala, kudu, sable, and roan. Permanent channels and lagoons attract elephants, buffalo, and hippos, while the birdlife is exceptional, from vibrant bee-eaters to large heronries.  

 

We will spend three nights at Nxai Pan Camp, the only permanent lodge in the vast, otherworldly Nxai Pan National Park. This stark landscape of fossil pans, acacia islands, and ancient baobabs provides wide horizons and dramatic skies that are a dream for photographers. Nxai Pan is also the stage for Africa’s second-largest zebra migration, when tens of thousands of zebras move onto the pans with the summer rains, accompanied by wildebeest and shadowed by predators. Between December and April, newborns add another layer of photographic possibility, from tender family moments to predator interactions. The baobabs at sunset create timeless silhouettes, and opportunities for low-angle shots across the open pans highlight the scale and beauty of this extraordinary wilderness.

 

Cindy is partnering with Mark Smith  of &Beyond for this safari. He will handle your deposit and final payment and will provide us with 24/7 safari support starting now and throughout our journey.  He can also assist with flight reservations and extensions.

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Tour Price Includes: 16 nights lodging as specified. All meals, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic, excluding premium brands) limited laundry and private game activities at Mashatu, and Splash and Nxai Pan Camps. Fantastic breakfast two mornings at The Residence Boutique Hotel. VIP Meet and Greet plus private transfer from OR Tambo to The Residence Boutique Hotel, Johannesburg.  Private transfer from The Residence Boutique Hotel to Lanseria Airport to board our charter flight to Mashatu Lodge. Private charter flight from Mashatu to Splash Camp. Private charter flight from Splash Camp to Nxai Pan.  Private charter from Nxai Pan to Maun Airport followed by commercial flight to OR Tambo International Airport. Meet & Greet at OR Tambo International Airport to escort us to our departing flights.  

Tour Price Does NOT Include:  Flights to/from your home to OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg). Lodging/meals before or after the workshop. Dinner and lunch at The Residence Boutique Hotel.  Visas, passports, travel insurance, personal purchases, immunizations, medications, etc. Gratuities for drivers, guides and camp staff. We estimate gratuities will total $650.00 from each of us for the entire trip. 

Mark will be following up this email with ETF information so you may confirm your space with the deposit and to provide you with additional pre-tour information.

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DETAILS:

Wednesday January 13, 2027
Plan to arrive in OR Tambo Airport (Johannesburg) this afternoon or evening. Meet & Greet Assist and private transfer to The Residence Boutique Hotel. Luxury rooms, includes breakfast. Relax and unwind.

Thursday January 14, 2027
Enjoy a fantastic breakfast at the hotel and then stroll the gardens, relax by the pool, have a massage, whatever you like as you recover from jetlag, meet your travel companions and prepare for safari life.
2:00 pm meet in the hotel board room for orientation, equipment check, and photographic lecture.
7:00 pm Dinner together at The Residence. 

Friday January 15, 2027 

AM Transfer from The Residence hotel to Lanseria Airport to board our charter flight to Mashatu Lodge, Spend 8 nights in Luxury Suites with 2 private safari vehicles.

Saturday January 23, 2027

AM private charter flight Mashatu Lodge to Splash Camp. Spend 3 nights in en-suite tented rooms, with 2 private safari vehicles

Tuesday January 26, 2027

AM private charter flight from Splash Camp to Nxai Pan.

Spend 3 nights in en-suite tented rooms with a private veranda and 2 private safari vehicles.

Sunday January 29, 2027

Am private charter flight from Nxai Pan to Maun International Airport and then a commercial flight to OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg).  Meet & Greet at OR Tambo International Airport to escort us to our departing flights.  Workshop ends.

To reserve your spot please email Cindy.

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Due to the significant financial commitments required for private charter flights and exclusive safari camps all payments (including deposits) are non-refundable unless your spot can be filled. Travel insurance is strongly recommended.  “Cancel for any reason” insurance generally must be purchased within 14 days of making your deposit. This is a helpful site for comparing Travel Insurance plans. 

 

NOTE: For those of you who may be concerned that Cindy will have you working from sunup to sundown, this is for you. A typical day on safari goes like this: You will be awakened about an hour before sunrise and shortly thereafter escorted to the main lodge for a light breakfast. Just before dawn we will load into our safari vehicles for our first game drive of the day. We will generally have a spot of tea and a snack while in the savannah, and depending on the wildlife activity, we will return to the lodge late mid-morning for a delicious brunch. We will then have until 3:30 or so to download, swim, read, take a siesta, or work on photos with Cindy. High Tea happens next with all kinds of nibbles and beverage choices. Then off for our second game drive that will last until the sunset, which can include a “sundowner” (yes, more drinks and nibbles) as we relax in the wild and watch the magic as the African sun disappears. However, we often skip the sundowner and instead photograph during the golden hour including giraffe silhouettes against the colorful sunset. Upon our return to camp a delicious dinner awaits as we recap the day’s events. There is a rhythm to safaris that you will embrace as we roam and engage with the incredible landscape and its inhabitants.

Exclusive Post-Workshop Reunion
As an added bonus, every group photo workshop includes a private Zoom reunion. This is far more than a casual check-in—it’s a chance to reconnect with your fellow travelers, share your ten favorite images, and receive thoughtful critique. The deadline to select and present your images provides the perfect push to complete your editing workflow, while the process of narrowing down to ten becomes an invaluable editing exercise in itself. Participants often call these reunions a highlight—like reliving the best moments, only this time with friends for life.