Zululand Bush Hide Photo Adventure
November 2 – 8, 2025
November 9 – 15, 2025
Dates:
November 2 - 8, 2025
November 9 - 15, 2025
Your Pros:
Juan Pons
Jaclyn Merica
Tuition:
$7,995.00 USD
Single Supp: $2,500.00 USD
Location:
Zululand Province, South Africa
Fitness Level:
Easy
Availability:
Nov 2 - 8 - Sold Out
Nov 9 - 15 - Sold Out
Dates:
November 2 - 8, 2025
November 9 - 15, 2025
Your Pros:
Juan Pons
Jaclyn Merica
Tuition:
$7,995.00 USD
Single Supplement: $2,500.00
Location:
Zululand Province, South Africa
Fitness Level:
Easy
Availability:
Nov 2 - 8 - Sold Out
Nov 9 - 15 - Sold Out
South Africa's Wildlife at Night
This very special workshop is a bit of a deviation from our typical safari itineraries. While we still enjoy 5 morning and afternoon game drives, as well as 3 daytime sessions in specially built photo blinds during our excursion, our main objective requires us to eagerly wait until sundown before the real action begins. Then, our small group revels in an exclusive nighttime bush hide experience.
Africa comes alive at night, with many species using the cover of darkness either to elude predators or elude detection from prey. As evening approaches and the sun begins to set, we make our way into the hide, our temporary earthen home for a full 16 hours in a space crafted with the wildlife photographer in mind.
Our expertly-built photo blind located at eye level alongside a watering hole is equipped with top tier amenities so you’ll never have to sacrifice comfort to get the shot of a lifetime. This overnight hide has custom built seating and counters to assist in holding your gear during long stretches spent at the waters edge. The air conditioned blind provides WIFI and camping style bunk beds for guests to rest and relax during periods of low activity overnight. But don’t fear, there’s no risk of missing a sighting. The property has set up a network of infrared sensors to alert us when a wildlife subject is approaching, as well as provided a kitchenette to perk up with all the hot coffee and tea you please, and bathroom facilities so you won’t have to worry about straying far from the action.
Our lodge has strategically placed floodlights on each side of the water hole to optimally illuminate our nighttime visitors, with special consideration in light fixtures emitting true-to-life color on our subjects. This is something our photo location is renowned for. Then, as dawn turns to day, the floodlights turn off as the sun rises behind our blind, basking the watering hole in golden morning light. A truly surreal experience to close out our overnight hide adventure.
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.
Despite its remote setting, our revered accommodations caters to a photographer’s every need and offers unparalleled comfort and amenities. Our dining options are incomparable for the remote location we’ll be staying. Just like every photography workshop we lead, food is always top quality, and we prioritize good meals and great group dinners at the end of each day.
I 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, 2 photo instructors, and a team of very experienced local wildlife guides and 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 South Africa.
You will be accompanied by Juan Pons and Jaclyn Merica during this Photo Adventure. Juan is an accomplished professional wildlife and travel photographer and photographic educator who has a deep passion for the outdoors and conservation. Jaclyn is Juan’s assistant, co-leading workshops in places like Madagascar, Yellowstone, Brazil, Cuba, 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
My workshops are fairly intensive experiences, and as such, you should not expect this to be a leisurely vacation. Our 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 always have breaks and long lunch rest hours.
You should expect to receive important details to secure your flights to Durban, South Africa 7 months prior to the workshop. Most flights from the US will connect through Johannesburg, South Africa.
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 Info Packet with all relevant details, as well as go over more workshop details to get you inspired and thinking about the images you’d like 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.
My assistant, Jaclyn, and I 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 around 8 – 10 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 for the workshop is $7,995.00 USD for double occupancy per person. There is 1 double occupancy suite offered at this rate with priority given to a traveling duo or couple.
On this trip, there are 4 single occupancy rooms available for an additional fee of $2,500.00 USD.
If you would like to reserve your spot on this workshop, you can do so with a $4,995.00 USD deposit. The balance of the workshop fee ($3,000.00 USD), is due 5 months prior to the first day of the workshop.
If you are in need of a special payment arrangement, please reach out and we are happy to work with you.
• 6 nights of lodging
• All daily and nightly safari excursions
• All permits, fees, and gratuities
• All meals and snacks during the workshop
• Non-alcoholic beverages during the workshop
• In-the-field instruction
• Creative Inspiration
• Camaraderie
• An unforgettable time
• Air travel to and from your home to Durban, South Africa (Airport code DUR)
• Any applicable passport and visa fees or 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
• You are responsible for making your own flight arrangements to and from Durban, South Africa (Airport code DUR). We will assist you with flight arrival times and departures prior to your booking. Please do not book your flight reservations until you receive explicit instructions from our team.
• Deposit is fully refundable up until 5 months prior to the start of the workshop, NO REFUNDS are permitted within 5 months prior to 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/
When photographing wildlife, it is crucial to remain flexible in order to maximize our daily itinerary as needed to observe wildlife behaviors and weather conditions. This schedule may be subject to change.
Our sample itinerary is as follows:
Day 1: Arrive into Durban, South Africa by 9 AM on this day. Workshop attendees are welcomed by instructors or staff of the private game reserve at the airport before a 2-3 hour road transfer via private vehicle to our impressive lodgings for the rest of the week. Once all guests have arrived and checked in, the instructors hold a quick intro meeting before continuing on to the first excursion of the trip! Each safari vehicle holds just 4 guests maximum, with 2 people in each row. Clients get their first sights of the magnificent wildlife of the area, such as herds of zebra, giraffe, and water buffalo, prides of lion, lone leopards, and so much more, and have the opportunity to hone their skills for the week ahead. Upon return, and each night subsequently during the trip, guests are invited to enjoy dinner as a group, provided by the lodge’s private chefs.
Day 2 – 3: On these days, the group sets off for sunrise and sunset game drives- a classic experience on any African safari. Typically, our groups return to camp for lunch and rest, before continuing on for an afternoon session. Together, the group takes in the last bit of evening light with a sundowner of beverages and snacks before returning to our comfortable lodge for dinner and rest.
Day 4 – 5: To prepare for the 2 exhilarating, yet tiring, nights ahead in the overnight bush hide, we take things easy on these days. There are photo opportunities from the comfort of the lodge’s outdoor decks and common areas, but guests can also opt to use this downtime to nap, edit photos, or even enjoy a swim by the pool.
As the afternoon phases into evening, the group transfers to their well-equipped bush hide, their home for the next 16 hours, with hopes of many evening visitors to the watering hole. The bush hide has all the amenities to make this experience as comfortable as possible, with restrooms, a kitchenette, and sleeping quarters. The group continues this experience for two full nights, so strategic rest are a crucial factors in enjoying the memorable nighttime shoot.
Day 6: After all that excitement in the overnight hide, we once again pivot to a new setting for our wildlife images. For these last days of the excursion, the group hunkers down in custom-built photo blinds located on the property to capture natural scenes by day along the watering hole. These days will include lunch back at the lodge and long rest hours.
Day 7: On our final morning together, we take in one final sunrise as a group, saying farewell to the wildlife and landscape we were visitors in for the last week. Guests then transfer back to the airport in Durban, South Africa via private road transfer and depart home no earlier than 4 PM.
