Old school friends celebrating a big milestone

This group of friends, three couples, had known each other from the early 20s and were all about to celebrate their 60th birthdays. They decided to embark on a photo safari to Botswana to celebrate this momentous occasion and lifelong friendships. The group was a mix of photographers and non-photographers, and Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta were highlighted in their inquiry. Four of the six had been to East Africa before. For one couple, this was their first African safari. None of them, however, had ever been to Botswana. Here’s what we built for them.

First up, we booked them into the delightful Palm River Lodge on the banks of the Zambezi in Victoria Falls for three nights. Here, they enjoyed sunset cruises, a helicopter over Victoria Falls, as well as a guided tour of The Falls themselves. Having travelled all the way from the West Coast of America, they asked for a few relaxing days at the start of their trip to recover from the flight. This was the perfect way to start. On the final day, we arranged a private transfer by road from Victoria Falls across the border to the Chobe.

As the group were a mix of photographers and non-photographers, staying at the Pangolin Chobe Hotel was the perfect solution. Most of the activities are out on the river in the company of a Pangolin Photo host, who is on hand to assist the more experienced and get wildlife photography newbies up to speed on how to operate a mirrorless camera. In no time at all, they were all snapping away and taking amazing photographs, especially of the elephants. One of the group celebrated their 60th birthday at the hotel with a cake prepared for them by the head chef along with a chilled glass of bubbly for everyone.

The next stop was an important one for photographers and non-photographers alike: The Okavango Delta. We booked the group into Shinde Main Camp, where they had use of a private vehicle for the duration of their stay. Although they weren’t accompanied by a Pangolin Photo Host at this point, the freedom of having a private vehicle and spending as much time as they liked at the sightings was a real bonus. Once again, a member of the group is celebrating their 60th birthday at this iconic destination. On the second day, we arranged a doors-off helicopter flight for everyone to do some aerial photography.