Everyone has a camera or smartphone these days, and whether at home or on holiday, we love to take pictures of people, landscapes and wildlife.
If you’d like to go on safari and take better photos of lions, leopards, wild dogs, elephants, hippos and other iconic species, this workshop is perfect for you—and a wonderful way to spend a week in Africa!
It’s also a chance to visit the Valley of the Leopard in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia. This is where the BBC filmed The Kingdom, David Attenborough’s recent wildlife documentary about four rival families of leopards, hyenas, wild dogs and lions.
The workshop will take place in peak season from June to September 2027. Here’s a quick summary of the main points:
Seven-night photographic workshop hosted by me, Nick Dale
Accommodation at Chikunto Safari Lodge in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
90-minute road transfer to and from Mfuwe Airport, an hour’s flight from Lusaka
Small group size: 4-6 guests
Morning and evening game drives in a private vehicle
Access to a hide for game viewing
Expert-led instruction for all levels, from basic to advanced
Daily image review and editing sessions on the big screen in the on-site Photo & Editing Suite
The daily routine is flexible, but we’ll usually have a morning game drive or walking safari (with an armed scout), then an early afternoon session in the hide or a review with feedback back at the lodge, followed by an afternoon game drive. This will finish after sunset, and you’ll have a spotter with a handheld spotlight to help you find nocturnal species, such as aardvarks, genets, civets and owls. At the end of the week, there’ll be a photo contest—with a mystery prize for the winner!
Breakfast, lunch and dinner will all be served at the lodge, either communally or at your own table—it’s totally up to you!
Chikunto is a boutique safari lodge surrounded by rolling plains, plateaus, and riverine woodland that’s lush and green all year round. However, the main reason to visit is the wildlife—especially the big predators!
South Luangwa is a great place to spot the elusive leopard, but you can also find lions, African wild dogs, hyenas and herds of elephants and buffalo, plus the endemic Thornicroft’s giraffe. The river itself is also home to Nile crocodiles and large pods of hippos.
All that provides a great opportunity for wildlife photography, either on game drives, on walking safaris, at the hide or just from the deck or pool while you sip your gin and tonic and nibble on something delicious!
My job is to help you make the most of the photographic opportunities, giving you the help and advice you need to come away with wildlife images you can be proud of.
Throughout your game drives, walking safaris and review sessions, I’ll be there to guide you and give tailored advice on the best settings and techniques to use, as well as share my own favourite photos from Chikunto and elsewhere.
The main area consists of a large, thatched building with a lounge, restaurant and bar, where you can eat, drink and share photos or discuss the day’s sightings. The furnishings are very comfortable, with leather barstools and couches, and you’ll have Starlink broadband access at all times. In addition, the food is amazing—and the chefs can cater for any special dietary requirements.
Outside, there’s an open-air deck with a campfire pit, where you can warm yourselves up in the early morning with a mug of coffee or meet for a pre-dinner drink.
In addition, there’s a saltwater counter-current swimming pool, unique to South Luangwa, where you can either relax or get some exercise. With the pump at level 2, it’s like swimming against the tide in a permanent infinity pool!
In front of the pool and deck is a waterhole, where you can enjoy the local wildlife coming to cool off or drink at their leisure.
There are five luxury tented suites and two guide rooms around the main area, all with private verandas looking out over the shallow, meandering Luangwa River. They’re all built on raised decks for safety and security in the unfenced wilderness.
If you’d like to spend the night under the stars, there’s also a sleep-out deck (by prior arrangement and at a small supplement).
The lodge contains a new hide that is fully equipped for photography, with low-level and mid-level apertures overlooking the waterhole and cushioned rests for the cameras. It offers the option of a convenient place to spend your spare time during the day.
It doesn’t matter what kind of camera you have, but you’ll get the most out of the workshop if you have a DSLR or mirrorless model with at least a 300mm lens (full-frame equivalent).
If you want to rate and edit your own images while you’re there, I suggest you bring a laptop or tablet with you. There are plenty of free or cheap software programs, but I’ve found Lightroom to be the best, so that’s what I’ll be using!
The price will be around $10,000 (to be confirmed). This includes all food and drink (excluding premium brands), transport, activities and accommodation (including a free, daily laundry service). However, it EXCLUDES international and local flights and any optional tips you choose to give the staff.
It’s based on two people sharing a tented suite. If you come on your own, there’ll be an additional $2,000 single occupancy charge.
The price of flights to Lusaka will obviously vary depending on where you live, but flights from Lusaka (LUN) to Mfuwe (MFU) are around $330 pp each way with Proflight Zambia.
International carriers have different policies, but the Proflight luggage allowances are 23 kg (hold) and 7 kg (hand luggage), with no ban on hard-sided cases.
If you’d like to learn more, please drop me a line at nick@nickdalephotography.com or click the Register for 2027 button below to express an interest!
Once we have confirmed numbers, I’m happy to arrange a free online meeting to run through the gear you’ll need and what practice you can do in advance.
Note: This workshop will only take place with a minimum of four people. Please note that no refunds will be offered for any reason.
Everyone has a camera or smartphone these days, and whether at home or on holiday, we love to take pictures of people, landscapes and wildlife.
If you’d like to go on safari and take better photos of lions, leopards, wild dogs, elephants, hippos and other iconic species, this workshop is perfect for you—and a wonderful way to spend a week in Africa!
It’s also a chance to visit the Valley of the Leopard in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia. This is where the BBC filmed The Kingdom, David Attenborough’s recent wildlife documentary about four rival families of leopards, hyenas, wild dogs and lions.
The workshop will take place in peak season from June to September 2027. Here’s a quick summary of the main points:
Seven-night photographic workshop hosted by me, Nick Dale
Accommodation at Chikunto Safari Lodge in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
90-minute road transfer to and from Mfuwe Airport, an hour’s flight from Lusaka
Small group size: 4-6 guests
Morning and evening game drives in a private vehicle
Access to a hide for game viewing
Expert-led instruction for all levels, from basic to advanced
Daily image review and editing sessions on the big screen in the on-site Photo & Editing Suite
The daily routine is flexible, but we’ll usually have a morning game drive or walking safari (with an armed scout), then an early afternoon session in the hide or a review with feedback back at the lodge, followed by an afternoon game drive. This will finish after sunset, and you’ll have a spotter with a handheld spotlight to help you find nocturnal species, such as aardvarks, genets, civets and owls. At the end of the week, there’ll be a photo contest—with a mystery prize for the winner!
Breakfast, lunch and dinner will all be served at the lodge, either communally or at your own table—it’s totally up to you!
Chikunto is a boutique safari lodge surrounded by rolling plains, plateaus, and riverine woodland that’s lush and green all year round. However, the main reason to visit is the wildlife—especially the big predators!
South Luangwa is a great place to spot the elusive leopard, but you can also find lions, African wild dogs, hyenas and herds of elephants and buffalo, plus the endemic Thornicroft’s giraffe. The river itself is also home to Nile crocodiles and large pods of hippos.
All that provides a great opportunity for wildlife photography, either on game drives, on walking safaris, at the hide or just from the deck or pool while you sip your gin and tonic and nibble on something delicious!
My job is to help you make the most of the photographic opportunities, giving you the help and advice you need to come away with wildlife images you can be proud of.
Throughout your game drives, walking safaris and review sessions, I’ll be there to guide you and give tailored advice on the best settings and techniques to use, as well as share my own favourite photos from Chikunto and elsewhere.
The main area consists of a large, thatched building with a lounge, restaurant and bar, where you can eat, drink and share photos or discuss the day’s sightings. The furnishings are very comfortable, with leather barstools and couches, and you’ll have Starlink broadband access at all times. In addition, the food is amazing—and the chefs can cater for any special dietary requirements.
Outside, there’s an open-air deck with a campfire pit, where you can warm yourselves up in the early morning with a mug of coffee or meet for a pre-dinner drink.
In addition, there’s a saltwater counter-current swimming pool, unique to South Luangwa, where you can either relax or get some exercise. With the pump at level 2, it’s like swimming against the tide in a permanent infinity pool!
In front of the pool and deck is a waterhole, where you can enjoy the local wildlife coming to cool off or drink at their leisure.
There are five luxury tented suites and two guide rooms around the main area, all with private verandas looking out over the shallow, meandering Luangwa River. They’re all built on raised decks for safety and security in the unfenced wilderness.
If you’d like to spend the night under the stars, there’s also a sleep-out deck (by prior arrangement and at a small supplement).
The lodge contains a new hide that is fully equipped for photography, with low-level and mid-level apertures overlooking the waterhole and cushioned rests for the cameras. It offers the option of a convenient place to spend your spare time during the day.
It doesn’t matter what kind of camera you have, but you’ll get the most out of the workshop if you have a DSLR or mirrorless model with at least a 300mm lens (full-frame equivalent).
If you want to rate and edit your own images while you’re there, I suggest you bring a laptop or tablet with you. There are plenty of free or cheap software programs, but I’ve found Lightroom to be the best, so that’s what I’ll be using!
The price will be around $10,000 (to be confirmed). This includes all food and drink (excluding premium brands), transport, activities and accommodation (including a free, daily laundry service). However, it EXCLUDES international and local flights and any optional tips you choose to give the staff.
It’s based on two people sharing a tented suite. If you come on your own, there’ll be an additional $2,000 single occupancy charge.
The price of flights to Lusaka will obviously vary depending on where you live, but flights from Lusaka (LUN) to Mfuwe (MFU) are around $330 pp each way with Proflight Zambia.
International carriers have different policies, but the Proflight luggage allowances are 23 kg (hold) and 7 kg (hand luggage), with no ban on hard-sided cases.
If you’d like to learn more, please drop me a line at nick@nickdalephotography.com or click the Register for 2027 button below to express an interest!
Once we have confirmed numbers, I’m happy to arrange a free online meeting to run through the gear you’ll need and what practice you can do in advance.
Note: This workshop will only take place with a minimum of four people. Please note that no refunds will be offered for any reason.
