Budget photo trips in Africa --> any interest?

I have a friend of mine in TZ who is a very experienced bush guide
(worked with chimpanzees in Mahale, etc.) - he and a friend are
setting up a safari business and would like to offer something that is
better than the bare-bones trips, but not as pricey as the big $$$
trips.

As a keen photographer, one area where I definitely see a "product
gap" is in reasonably-priced photo safaris. The moment you say "photo
safari", it automatically becomes a luxury resort/$300 a night affair.

Would there be any interest in a camping-style safari, but with a
knowledgeable guide and an emphasis on *quality* game viewing -- ie,
sitting, observing an animal in detail, understanding what it is doing
--- and photography? The price for this would be, say, $20 or $25
more per day than a typical camping safari -- but group sizes would be
small, there would be a photographer on the trip to provide advice and
the guide would know what he is talking about.

Does this appeal to any of the readers here?

(Please post follow-ups here - this email addy of mine is a
spamcatcher and I dont check it. Besides, it'd be nice to get a group
discussion on this subject)

Cheers.

I think that is a very good idea!
Is your friend already in business?

I do think there is a gap in the market-- at least I have not found
trips that fill this niche. And it is an interesting idea. I have
seen photo trips advertised, but they are all high end with a "name"
photographer added to the group.

I think that folks from the US see travel to Africa as a major
proposition-- long trip, airfares are high-- so those that do go tend
to go for the safety and security of a "name" that they know so they
won't have problems that undermine the big investment in this kind of
trip.
(For example, a trip to Africa from the West Coast will entail 3 or 4
days of flying time, so it typically takes all the annual holiday
leave of most U.S. employees. Whereas European travellers can hop
down to Africa for a couple weeks...and still have 4 or 5 weeks
holiday left that year!) So Americans (except the very young with
lots of time and no money) tend to be risk averse when picking an
Africa trip.

One challenge is communicating exactly what this trip will offer, so
it gets to the right audience. (Is this participation camping? Who
cooks? Is it going to target big 4 photography....birds....landscapes
or people/ cultural stuff?

Another challenge will be convincing people that a new operation of
this type will deliver what is says it will-- credentials and
references will be important.

Finally, many photographers are going digital. More than half the
serious photographers I encountered on recent trips are totally
digital. Now everyone needs to charge batteries, laptops and backup
devices, and even some upscale lodges without electricity are managing
the recharge rotations for guests. A true camping trip would be a
problem for a group of digital photographers...

Less expensive safaris are a dream many of us have..
After 16 years operating a small safari company that
is not inexpensive, I have a long list of clients who want
to return and for whom luxury and personal service
aren't so important anymore. I wish I could offer them
a reasonable alternative...
But somebody has to make a living out of such a
venture, and it's hard to identify ways to reduce costs
significantly. Guides are a must - and they must be
very familiar with every reserve the trip might visit.
What should a good Guide be paid? $500 a week?
More? Less?

Vehicles are expensive and these are inalterable
expenses. The duty a vehicle owner must pay to buy
the Land Cruiser or van is as much as the cost of
the vehicle itself - which makes even used vehicles
unusually costly. And a vehicle that has been in
use for 3 or 4 years already is probably worn out.
Parts are expensive - and repeatedly necessary.

Park fees are the same no matter where you stay or camp.

I am thinking principally of east Africa.
Southern Africa has some destinations
(i.e. Kruger) where self-drive and camping are a
practical idea - but the majority of safaris there are
taken at camps that provide all the services. The best
known places are virtually all in private reserves,
available only to guests of the private camps.

Yes, it does seem that someone could focus on
photosafaris and package a trip that would be somewhat
economical. But if it really was easy, that would be
an option that would already be available.

I must say something about airfares. If you work
through a competitive consolidator (speaking now of
the US) you can get tickets to Nairobi or Johannesburg
for $1100 to $1200 most of the year. On British Airways,
for one, and also KLM.
I just checked this for example: Sept 29, Chicago to Nairobi,
October 17 return - on British Airways.
You should be able to buy that from any travel agent
who gets tickets from a BA consolidator for about $1110,
including all taxes. The same fare on the BA web site is
$1540 including taxes.

The digital bush strategy, to include equipment listing here is
worth duplicating.

If you've gone digital and want to go on
safari I suggest this "article." Seems, if you get a dc inverter
and or a solar charger and rotate you batteries you'll be set.


In addition, there is some solid information on African game
viewing he
]http://www.vacationtechnician.com/x/africaart-
icles.htm[/url]

James


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