Pangolin Photo Safaris is a brand specialising in tailor-made photographic safaris in Africa. In-house photographers have selected wildlife-rich regions in Africa, renown for game viewing, unique landscapes and sweeping sunset scenes. Remote locations, both water-based and land-based have been carefully selected for idyllic Botswana photographic safari. Seasoned professional or amateur shutterbug, there is an itinerary and a place for you. Pangolin has a number of hand selected, trusted partners and lodges for their safaris. But the good news is, is that Pangolin owns 3 of its own destinations that have been specifically designed for photographers. We’re talking camera equipment on offer, gimbals on vehicles and boats, and even memory cards for use. The most recent addition to the Pangolin portfolio is the outstanding and innovative Pangolin Chobe Hotel.
Chobe Mobile Camp, situated in the western side of Chobe National Park, offers photographers an opportunity to experience a rustic glamping style safari that encourages you to connect with the wilderness on a different level. The intimate camp can only accommodate up to 8 guests, and an experienced Pangolin host is always on hand. The Pangolin team have carefully selected a few private locations within the Chobe National Park ideal for photographic safaris.
Pangolin decided that offering land based safaris wasn’t enough, so they took it upon themselves to kit out a boat complete with accommodation, so that shutterbugs can spend days on the water photographing all that is amphibious and aquatic. The name? The Pangolin Voyager ! A luxurious floating hotel. The Voyager is moored on the Namibian side of the mighty Chobe River, which means yet another diverse area to capture through your lens. Each party has a private tender boat with a dedicated guide for the duration of their stay. Grab that lens and start capturing the splashes from a honking hippo, or the snorkelling activities from elephant herds – after all this is Chobe, the land of giants!
So, let’s turn our attention to the latest addition to Pangolin : the Pangolin Chobe Hotel.
Overlooking the powerful Chobe River and the remarkable floodplains of Namibia’s Caprivi, is the contemporary Pangolin Chobe Hotel. This photographic hotel rests comfortably on a plateau, and certainly enjoys its elevated position overlooking the wilderness of both Namibia and Botswana. A unique position. Coupled with its superior position, the hotel is also ideally located at the entrance of the Chobe National Park, which means an advantage in terms of accessing the park.
The highly specialised 8-seater photographic boats are moored on the river directly below the hotel, and they’re kitted out with rotational seats and gimbals. Game drives take place in an 8-seater game viewer that is equipped with bean-bag camera mounts and window seats. Your choice of Canon DSLR cameras, telephoto lenses, memory cards and an experienced photographic guide is all on offer when you arrive at the lodge. No need to bring your own camera!
The hotel is a design masterpiece. A shell of a building was turned into a modern and innovative hotel, set to make strides in terms of its unconventional colourful safari lodge decor. In total, there are 14 rooms with all the mod cons and amenities needed by photographers. We’re talking plug points, and abundant storage space for charging and downloading. A modern design hub to unwind and recharge (literally).
