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©2025 Juan A. Pons

Tanzania Photo Safari

February 10 – 22, 2027

Dates:

February 10 - 22, 2027

Your Pros:

Juan Pons & Jaclyn Merica

Tuition:

$19,995.00 USD

Location:

Tanzania, Africa

Fitness Level:

Easy

Availability:

6 Seats Available

Dates:

February 10 - 22, 2027

Your Pros:

Juan Pons
Jaclyn Merica

Tuition:

$19,995.00 USD

Location:

Tanzania, Africa

Fitness Level:

Easy

Availability:

6 Seats Available

February 10 - 22, 2027

Exploring The East African Rift

Join us on a wildlife photography adventure of a lifetime to the beautiful country of Tanzania. Together throughout Southern Africa, we scout for the iconic African Big 5, as well as species like the wildebeest, warthog, crocodile, giraffe, baboons, kudu, hippopotamus, hyena, jackal, African wild dog, zebra, mongoose, an abundance of bird species, and much, much more.

For ___ adventure-packed days, we travel by land and air to extensively explore Tanzania’a stunning Ngorongoro Crater, the globally-revered Serengeti, Tarangire National Park, and more. These habitats are among the most premier destinations in the world for wildlife photography.

This workshop is an all-inclusive experience, with all aspects of your trip organized for you. Our team has arranged top-notch accommodations, comfortable private air and ground transportation, and quality dining every step of the way. On this photography workshop, our small group looks forward to private safari excursions, river cruises, and optional helicopter rides to witness the magnitude of the landscape and its incredible species that inhabit the region during the transitioning of seasons.

This workshop offers both in the field instruction, as well as image reviews and editing sessions while at basecamp, so we can best hone in your images and streamline your creative visions while on our adventure.

Our accommodations offer unparalleled comfort and amenities, despite the remote locations of our camps. Wake up to giraffe grazing outside your door, enjoy private pools as zebra and wildebeest graze in the mid-day sun, and enjoy a sundowner along a scenic vista after a day well spent photographing astounding wildlife. Our dining options during our gathering are incomparable, and food is always top quality. Private chefs cook delicious, local cuisine for us at each location. We prioritize good meals and great group dinners at the end of each day

What Sets Our workshops apart

We believe that in order to truly enjoy your experience, and to receive the most out of an adventure photography workshop, we must keep groups small and have a very high ratio of instructors to participants. We’ve limited this workshop to a maximum of 6 participants, two photo instructors, and a team of very experienced local drivers.

This is a unique educational excursion, and by capping the number of participants, we are ensuring everyone gets the attention and one-on-one instruction they need to make once in a lifetime images while visiting this bucket list destination.

What you will learn

You will be accompanied by Juan Pons and Jaclyn Merica during this photo safari. Juan is a professional wildlife and travel photographer and photographic educator who has a deep passion for the outdoors and conservation. Jaclyn is Juan’s assistant and co-instructor on trips to locations like Patagonia, Madagascar, Yellowstone, the Himalayas, and more.

Juan and his team believe the best way to teach is by demonstrating, and to this end, we will be shooting alongside you, showing you our technique, and sharing our love and knowledge of wildlife and the landscape. However, our priority is always YOU, and assisting you to get the best images YOU can get.

The biggest advantage of having small groups is the flexibility they provide for customizing and adjusting our schedule to accommodate both to the unpredictable weather and the unique interests of the group as a whole. This allows us to cover only those topics that you are all interested in, including:

• Techniques for creating exciting and captivating wildlife images

• Digital darkroom demos to enhance the quality of your images

• Best use of your equipment

• Image reviews

What to expect

Our workshops are fairly intensive experiences, and you should not expect this to be a leisurely vacation. Our collective goal is to capture the best images we can during our time in this remarkable location. This means there will be days we begin very early and return to camp very late. However, we will almost always have mid-day nap breaks and long lunch rest hours.

You should expect to receive important details to secure your flights to and from Kilimanjaro Airport (Airport code KIA) about 7 months prior to the workshop. Most flights from the US will connect through Johannesburg, South Africa on Airlink, or Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Air, Amsterdam on KLM, and Paris on Air France.

Then, about 3 months prior to the workshop, you will start hearing from me and my team on a regular basis. I will provide you with a Workshop Information Packet with all relevant details, as well as go over more info regarding the workshop to get you inspired and thinking about the images you want to capture during the workshop. At this time, you will also receive from me a list of recommended clothing, equipment, and even discounts for equipment you may want to acquire for this excursion.

Pre-departure group zoom conference

Both Juan and Jaclyn, are always available to answer any questions you may have leading up to the workshop- simply call or email and we can help you as best we can.

Additionally, we will schedule a Zoom meeting 10 – 12 weeks prior to the start of our workshop. There, you can meet your fellow workshop participants, ask any questions before traveling, receive insights and recommendations for reference books, and much more. 

Tuition

Tuition for the 2027 Tanzania workshop is $19,995 USD for double occupancy per person. 

On this excursion, there is are only 5 single rooms available due to the remote bush camps limited accommodations lodgings. 

If you would like to enjoy a private room during our excursion, that can be arranged for an additional supplement of $____,000 USD.

If you would like to reserve your spot on this workshop, you can do so with a $_____,995.00 USD deposit. The balance of the workshop fee ($_____,000 USD), is due 6 months prior to the first day of the workshop.

What is included

• _____ nights luxury lodging

• AM/PM private safari excursions

• All privately chartered flights within Tanzania

• All meals and snacks during the workshop

• Non-alcoholic beverages during the workshop

 

• All permits, fees, and gratuities

• In-the-field instruction

• Inspiration

• Camaraderie

• An unforgettable time

What is not included

• Inbound and outbound air travel from your home country to Tanzania

• Supplemental private helicopter or hot air balloon rides

• Any applicable passport and visa fees

• Items of a personal nature, such as laundry and alcoholic beverages

• Travel, Medical, and Trip Cancellation Insurance (optional, but highly recommended)

• Anything else specifically not listed as included

The fine print

• You are responsible for making your own flight arrangements to and from your home country to Tanzania. We will assist you with flight arrival times and departures logistics prior to your booking. Please do not book your international flight reservations until you receive explicit instructions from our team.

• Deposit is fully refundable up until 6 months prior to the start of the workshop, NO REFUNDS are permitted within 6 months of the start of the workshop.

• Dates are subject to slight changes as we finalize our itineraries.

• Make sure to check the Terms and Conditions for all my workshops.

We highly recommend Travel Insurance from a reputable insurance company. I have partnered with Squaremouth, a website that allows you to compare multiple travel policies from multiple providers to choose the best one for you based on your needs and costs. Check them out here: https://www.squaremouth.com/

Accommodations
Typical Travel Itinerary

When photographing wildlife, the key is to remain flexible and open to adjustments in order to maximize our daily itinerary as needed to observe the behavior of the wildlife and weather conditions.

Our workshops are purposefully scheduled at an optimal time of year to observe the spectacular wildlife in each habitat. One of the biggest benefits of visiting Botswana and Zambia during this time of year is there are less crowds compared to other times of year, plus we have a greater chance of encountering more incredible wildlife congregating around the watering holes.

We have arranged impeccable accommodations in each stop of our trip, and have planned multiple day stays at each location. Our locations and number of nights are set as follow:

2027 Itinerary

Tarangire National Park

2 nights at a remote yet remarkable bush camp

Private charter flight to and from camp

AM/PM game drives each day through the world famous Okavango River Delta

Optional scenic helicopter ride for aerial photography

Optional traditional mocorro (wooden boat) tour

 

Ngorongoro Crater

2 nights in a photography-focused lodge on the outskirts of Chobe National Park, equipped with a digital workroom for image reviews

AM/PM safari excursions into Chobe National Park

Underground hide for nighttime photography

River cruises in custom built photo boat with rotating chairs and built in gimbal mounts

Private accommodations available

North Serengeti

2 nights at a rustic mobile camp located near the calving plains

Charter flight from Ngorongoro Crater

Morning and afternoon photo outings

—–

Private accommodations available

Central Serengeti

4 nights in a luxurious bush camp

Private charter flight to and from camp

Visits to the most densely populated region of leopards, called “Leopard Valley”

Optional nighttime game drives to view nocturnal species come to life in the “Land of the Living Night”

2 single rooms available at this location, 3 double suites

February 10 - 22, 2027
This by far was the best photography workshop that I have experienced. Juan and Jaclyn did not leave any stone unturned, from organization, content to photograph and how they dealt and helped the participants. I would highly recommend their workshops and I will definitely repeat soon.
David Pinkus
My photo excursions with Juan Pons have been phenomenal and this one was no exception. Juan and his team ensure everything is thought of and taken care of which allows me to totally focus on photography, learning, and spending time with Juan and the participants. In addition Juan's workshops go the "extra mile" by providing unique locations and experiences which creates opportunities not available in other workshops I have attended. The Costa Rica workshop was not only special because of the wildlife and locations but the guides were truly knowledgeable and caring for their country in addition to understanding photography.
Bill Bolding
The workshop at Schoodic will be a major highlight of the year. Juan and Jaclyn were excellent leaders and teachers. What I learned from them in the field and in the image review will take my photography to the next level. Add to this a magnificent location, a schedule that maximized the light at each location, and patient/dedicated instructors made this an exceptional photo experience.
Diane Woodworth
My workshop with Juan exceeded my wildest expectations! He has an unparalleled knowledge of the area, and he got us exactly where we needed to be for an optimal shot at capturing amazing animal behavior under beautiful lighting, traveling in comfort all the while. The local guides he recruited to help us spot and identify wildlife were all excellent, and I benefitted greatly from their expertise and generosity. I also appreciate Juan's commitment to ecological sustainability and respect for the animals. All in all, an incredible experience! I'd book another trip with him again in a heartbeat.
Priscilla Spenser
I would take this same trip again in a heartbeat--and plan to in the not-too-distant future. It is very well planned; excursions are varied so they cover a wide range of animals and photographic possibilities. I also appreciated Juan's suggestions on composition of the photos. It helped clarify for me the difference between an okay photo and a good one.
Alexis Popik
This is a wonderful adventure for those seeking like minded photographers and a restful vacation. The staff aboard the Northern Song is friendly, caring, and knowledgeable. Juan does a great job helping each person develop their photographic expertise without making anyone feel criticized. I couldn't recommend it more highly.
Susie Larson
This was a trip of a lifetime for me. The instruction and my improvement with birds in flight were excellent. Everything was beautiful. Juan, the Captain and the crew go out of their way to make sure we have excellent shooting experiences, fun, and education on the environment and the animals. The food was exquisite. It was a luxury trip for sure!
Kim Furry
Juan is the best photography-focused trip leader that we have traveled with. His focus and commitment along with his depth of knowledge of the location and local wildlife during the trips are what make the experiences so special. His understanding of different camera systems and image processing software is excellent and helpful to entry-level and expert photographers alike.
Dave Matthews
This adventure was truly over the top! My husband and I had participated in a similar Winter in Yellowstone workshop a few years ago with a different instructor, and this experience was way better. Everything about Juan's and Kevin's workshop was excellent -- including extensive pre-trip preparations, an instructional slide show on the first day, information about the park and wildlife, and extensive in-the-field instruction. We also appreciated that the instructors knew where to be at the right time so that our chances of getting wildlife encounters and the right lighting for landscapes was maximized. The instructors' extraordinary knowledge of the park and wildlife behavior enabled us to capture photos that most other people would have missed. We were also glad to see so much of the park, including both the snowy interior and also the spectacular Lamar Valley. We highly recommend this trip.
Leigh Scott

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