1. Carry a good bean bag, Even with a small lens your wrists can get tired pretty soon and tripods are not very useful inside a vehicle.
2. Do not overlook taking wide angle shots – carry a good wide lens – a 10-20mm Sigma is a nice starter lens.
3. A 400mm lens is mostly reach enough, you will not miss much if you do not have a longer lens – but do carry your big guns if you can.
4. Do not ignore the birds there are plenty of them in Manyara, Serengeti as well as Ngorongoro.
5. Use the biggest vehicle you can find and afford and do not fill it – have one photographer per row of seats.
6. Pick up cans of Insect repellent sprays, they will be there in your rooms, wear full sleeves shirts. Avoid wearing blue and black – the Tsetse flies can be very irritating though the Serengeti ones are not disease carrying.
7. Learn the Swaheli words for the common animals – the guides and drivers keep up a constant chatter on the radio and won’t share unless you specifically ask.
8. Do day long game drives – unlike in India they are allowed in Tanzania and most resorts will give you packed breakfast as well as lunches.
9. Rhinos in Ngorongoro are always very far off – get hold of a friendly Ranger who has the authority to go on “Ranger only” tracks and somehow convince him to take you in his vehicle.
10. Carry enough storage cards for your camera and also spare batteries – you will certainly shoot more than you anticipated. Do not delete pictures in the field.

And this last one is a general tip for travelers using Kenya Airways – board early. Kenya airways has a monopoly in the sector and treat passengers like shit. You may want to read what we went through while flying back

Tags: photography, tanzania, travel