Cultural Photography Tours & Trips in South Africa

You'll track elephants and buffalo on foot through Pridelands Conservancy near Kruger National Park, learning wildlife identification from expert Ecotraining guides, then head out at dawn to capture lions in Kruger's wilderness and photograph the iconic six-metre Mandela statue in Nelson Mandela Square, Johannesburg.

Walk the cobblestone streets of Cape Town's colorful Bo-Kaap district, then visit the African penguin rookery at Boulders Beach with Table Mountain as your backdrop. Spend time in the Cape Winelands touring vineyards around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, where MIKO restaurant offers valley panoramas alongside your meal. Hike to the dramatic Storms River Mouth in Tsitsikamma National Park, then watch for whales near Plettenberg Bay during the season. Sunset game drives at Kariega Private Game Reserve provide opportunities to photograph wildlife as rangers guide you through the reserve.

This safari offers great photography opportunities including early morning bush walks in Kruger National Park where expert trackers teach you animal tracking and bird identification. You'll photograph the Three Rondavels rock formations at Blyde River Canyon, sunset waterholes where elephants come to cool off, and God's Window with its sweeping views over Mpumalanga's lowveld forests. The small group size of 16 travelers max means you'll get clear views during game drives in open 4x4 vehicles, and your stays at Perry's Bridge Hollow include private patios and garden lounges where you can review your shots.

Visit Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park to photograph the Big Five and see the world's largest populations of black and white rhinos in their natural habitat. At Thonga Beach Lodge, you'll have chances to capture cultural tours in the nearby Mabibi community, where you can see traditional KwaZulu-Natal life.

Start in Bo-Kaap's rainbow-colored streets with their Edwardian houses, then head out to photograph Cape fur seals and African penguins near Robben Island. Later you'll frame the Knysna Heads sandstone cliffs and see free-roaming primates at Monkeyland in Plettenberg Bay before walking through Cango Caves' ancient limestone formations near Oudtshoorn.

See South Africa's culture from Cape Town's 17th-century Castle of Good Hope and Bo-Kaap's pastel facades to Johannesburg's Soweto township, home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners. Safari drives at Mabula Game Reserve let you photograph the Big 5 with UNESCO-listed Waterberg Mountains behind them, and you'll stay at Safari Plains Game Lodge.

You'll get some great shots at the 77-meter suspension bridge over Storms River Mouth in Tsitsikamma National Park, and hopefully spot the Big Five during a full-day game drive in Kruger National Park. Table Mountain's summit offers beautiful views, and the Blyde Canyon along the Panorama Route is worth the camera time too.