A Photographic Safari on the Chobe River with Pangolin Voyager

I’ve at all times needed to go on a guided photographic safari, so when the chance presents itself to expertise it firsthand, I pack my baggage and digicam gear and head to Kasane in Botswana. Arriving within the afternoon, I’m excited to be taught extra about images with Pangolin Photograph’s Better of the Chobe package deal. That is the perfect studying faculty for each novice {and professional} photographers. Friends with out cameras are supplied with Canon mirrorless digicam our bodies and Canon telephoto lenses. We make a short cease on the Pangolin Chobe Lodge earlier than being pushed to the jetty in an open safari car. Our passports have to be stamped at each the Botswana and Namibian immigration counters. We will likely be alternating between the waters (borders) of those two international locations.

The indoor deck area on the Pangolin Voyager. Photo courtesy of Pangolin Voyager — The indoor deck space on the Pangolin Voyager. Photograph courtesy of Pangolin Voyager

Moored on the Namibian aspect of the Chobe River, the Pangolin Voyager is an engineering masterpiece. Launched in 2025, the vessel changed the primary Pangolin Voyager, which served for 20 years on the river. “We purchased her again in 2015,” Pangolin Photograph Safaris Director Toby Jermyn tells me. “The boat was beforehand often called the Zambezi Voyager and the Nguni Voyager earlier than that. In 2008, which was three years earlier than my enterprise accomplice Gerhard ‘Guts’ Swanepoel and I began Pangolin, I used to be touring by means of the Chobe. I met up with my mother, who came around from the UK. We spent three nights on the Nguni Voyager. Roll on to 201,5 and we had the chance to purchase the Pangolin Voyager. This was our first enterprise into having a houseboat on the Chobe.”

The cabins are beautifully decorated. Photo courtesy of Pangolin Voyager — The cabins are fantastically embellished. Photograph courtesy of Pangolin Voyager

With the unique Pangolin Voyager reaching the top of her service life, she will likely be moored in a channel simply off the Chobe. She will likely be used for storage and workers lodging. Toby admits that his mother was so excited once they purchased the brand new houseboat, she instantly came around. He enthusiastically shares that they are going to be celebrating her 80^th birthday with a celebration on the Pangolin Voyager in 2027.

The dining area on board the Pangolin Voyager. Photo courtesy of Pangolin Voyager — The eating space on board the Pangolin Voyager. Photograph courtesy of Pangolin Voyager

Realizing {that a} alternative was wanted for the present Pangolin Voyager, the probabilities have been limitless. Ranging from the bottom up, the design crew knew they wanted a big, secure platform. They may construct up from that. “We needed to make it a lot lighter than the present Pangolin Voyager,” Toby says. “It was constructed from aluminium versus metal. An organization referred to as Edelstahlbau in Windhoek constructed the brand new houseboat.”

Dining is a communal gathering on the Pangolin Voyager. Photo courtesy of Pangolin Voyager — Eating is a communal gathering on the Pangolin Voyager. Photograph courtesy of Pangolin Voyager

“Edelstahlbau constructed the ferry that goes between Impalila Island and Kasane,” Toby continues. “We contacted them utilizing the premise that the ferry can be a trimaran. We then had a platform on which we might construct. The concept of being photo voltaic got here very early on. If we solely had two flooring versus three on the outdated Voyager, we’d have a really giant floor space on prime of the roof. This could be excellent for photo voltaic panels, which meant we might run the whole lot electrical.”

The outside deck with comfortable loungers. Photo courtesy of Pangolin Voyager — The surface deck with comfy loungers. Photograph courtesy of Pangolin Voyager

It dawned on the group relatively rapidly that sufficient electrical energy was going to be produced by means of the photo voltaic panels. They may take a look at electrical motors and run air-conditioning, lighting, followers, and fridges. Toby and Guts approached a UK firm referred to as RAD Propulsion, which makes probably the most extraordinary state-of-the-art electrical drives. Working with them and Edelstahlbau, they concocted the concept of getting the houseboat transfer utilizing electrical drives as nicely.

The upstairs dining and lounge area. Photo courtesy of Pangolin Voyager — The upstairs eating and lounge space. Photograph courtesy of Pangolin Voyager

For Toby and all the Pangolin Photograph Safari firm, the brand new vessel is undoubtedly a dream come true. From fruition to launch, it took round two and a half years. Revolutionary know-how and engineering ingenuity paved the best way in making the Pangolin Voyager considered one of a sort. Overcoming numerous hurdles and issues within the development part made the journey even sweeter.

Take in magnificent sunsets from the upstairs deck. Photo courtesy of Pangolin Voyager — Soak up magnificent sunsets from the upstairs deck. Photograph courtesy of Pangolin Voyager

“The design itself was very a lot a group effort from everybody at Pangolin,” Toby concludes. “We knew we needed to make it look actually fashionable and really cool. To make the houseboat within the form of a Pangolin can be an incredible function. We had a great deal of enjoyable taking part in round with drafts. It’s evident that we’re all more than happy with the best way it turned out. She’s a factor of magnificence.”

One of the feature beams on the Pangolin Voyager. Photo courtesy of Pangolin Voyager — One of many function beams on the Pangolin Voyager. Photograph courtesy of Pangolin Voyager

The outside was designed with enter from everybody concerned with Pangolin Photograph Safaris. For the development of the function beam, which is within the form of a Pangolin, the help of Edelstahlbau was referred to as in. Claire Christie was accountable for the gorgeous interiors. She managed to supply as many parts as attainable from Namibia, excluding the immediately recognizable Ardmore touches.

An elephant quenching his thirst. Photo by Heléne Ramackers — An elephant quenching his thirst. Photograph by Heléne Ramackers

Reaching the Pangolin Voyager through speedboat, we’re all wanting ahead to what’s in retailer over the subsequent three days. Pangolin Photograph Safari Host Pusetso Nteta joins the group from the onset. She will likely be imparting her data to company to enhance their images skills. Or be taught expertise in the event that they’ve by no means even taken images with a digicam and solely used a smartphone. There’s a particular enhancing suite on board the boat, the place company can tweak their photographs.

Sunset silhouette photography is always a winner. Photograph by Heléne Ramackers — Sundown silhouette images is at all times a winner. {Photograph} by Heléne Ramackers

Heading out on our afternoon boating safari, Pusetso is at hand to show us about handbook settings. There’s a a lot higher benefit in taking images on this method. You possibly can actually mess around with gentle and get the sensible photos you’ve at all times needed.

A goliath heron in flight. Photo by Heléne Ramackers — A goliath heron in flight. Photograph by Heléne Ramackers

Photographing shifting objects isn’t as simple as it’d sound, particularly birds in flight. Pusetso patiently explains how you can handle the digicam settings in order that the fowl is completely in focus.

An elephant sprinkling dust all over itself. Photo by Heléne Ramackers — An elephant sprinkling mud throughout itself. Photograph by Heléne Ramackers

In the case of wildlife, getting intricate particulars makes for unbelievable imagery. On this particular a part of the Chobe River, elephants are the celebrities of the present. Sitting just a few ft away from one taking a mud bathtub is astonishing to witness.

The elephants start moving through water. Photo by Heléne Ramackers — The elephants begin shifting by means of water. Photograph by Heléne Ramackers

Parked within the specifically designed photographic boat, we await a breeding herd of elephants to start out crossing the river. “Get your cameras prepared,” Pusetso encourages. “They are going to be shifting by means of the water. The lifting of their ft ought to herald some stunning pictures.”

A Nile crocodile descends into the river. Photo by Heléne Ramackers — A Nile crocodile descends into the river. Photograph by Heléne Ramackers

Anticipating an animal to do one thing and being affected person about it might reap great rewards. Sitting alongside a Nile crocodile who has his mouth open, we surprise what he’ll do subsequent. He finally glides soundlessly into the river. Who knew {that a} crocodile had such attention-grabbing patterns on its physique because it descends into the water?

A wire-tailed swallow joins the boating safari. Photo by Heléne Ramackers — A wire-tailed swallow joins the boating safari. Photograph by Heléne Ramackers

When the wildlife seemingly need their photograph taken, they are often very cooperative. A beautiful wire-tailed swallow makes use of the boat as cowl and ‘poses’ for images. On this occasion, it’s essential to have a gradual grip in your digicam due to the gimbal offered. The eyes should at all times be in focus.

An African Fish Eagle is drinking water. Photo by Heléne Ramackers — An African Fish Eagle is consuming water. Photograph by Heléne Ramackers

One of the best a part of being on the Pangolin Voyager? The truth that it’s so quiet is as a result of it’s absolutely solar-powered. It seems like a small, unique floating lodge. Everybody arrives collectively and leaves collectively as one harmonized group. Whether or not you’re strangers if you arrive or a household touring collectively. The houseboat strikes to 3 totally different mooring locations, and company actually get to expertise the best of the Chobe River.

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