Timbavati Photo Safari – 7 Nights | Thornybush Game Lodge

Legacy Photo Safari series

An exclusive seven-night South African photo safari hosted by Eric van Staden, designed for just two guests and built around exceptional wildlife encounters, premium guiding, and a more intimate, high-touch photographic safari experience.

Register Your Interest
6 – 13 August 2027

Overview of This Timbavati Photo Safari

7 Nights
Timbavuti
South Africa
From $27,995
pps
2 Guests
1 Photo Host

This seven-night Legacy Series photo safari is hosted by Eric van Staden and designed for just two guests, creating a highly personal and immersive safari experience in one of South Africa’s finest wildlife regions. Based at Thornybush Game Lodge and operating in the broader Greater Kruger safari ecosystem, this departure is shaped around exclusivity, comfort, and meaningful time in the field.

With only two guest spaces available, this safari is intentionally intimate. That smaller format allows for a more tailored experience, more direct interaction with your photographic host, and the flexibility to approach each game drive with a stronger sense of purpose. It is ideal for travellers who want more than a standard lodge safari and are looking for a more considered, premium wildlife photography journey.

Thornybush positions Thornybush Game Lodge as one of its best-known lodges, with 16 luxury suites, twice-daily safari activities, and a classic safari lodge atmosphere in the Greater Kruger landscape.

The Photo Safari Experience in Sabi Sand

This safari is designed around the idea that some wildlife experiences are best enjoyed on a smaller, more personal scale. With just two guests and Eric van Staden hosting throughout, this Legacy Series departure is built for travellers who value privacy, depth, and a more individual approach to safari photography.

The Greater Kruger region is known for its outstanding game viewing, strong predator activity, and the layered beauty of the South African bush. Staying at Thornybush Game Lodge allows guests to combine those wildlife opportunities with the comfort and polish of a well-established safari property. Thornybush describes the lodge as one of the first commercial camps in South Africa, with a long-standing reputation for game viewing and a refined balance of classic safari charm and contemporary comfort.

For this departure, the emphasis is not simply on seeing wildlife, but on experiencing safari in a way that feels more exclusive and more thoughtfully paced. It is about time in the field, stronger photographic intent, and enjoying a more elevated safari journey overall.

With just 2 guest spaces available, this Legacy Series safari is designed for travellers who want exceptional wildlife photography with privacy, comfort, and highly personalised hosting.

Register Your Interest
Some of our future photo safari concepts are released first as early access opportunities before being scheduled as confirmed departures.
Register your interest using the button below and fill out the form.

Please note, by filling out the “Register Your Interest form”, this does not commit you to travel.

Register Your Interest

Who This Safari Is Designed For

Photography Experience

All skill levels.
Beginner to advanced photographers welcome

Pace & Activity Level

Balanced photo safari.
Walking, trekking,drives and
downtime

Travel Style

Small group experience.
Shared wildlife encounters with expert hosting

Comfort Level

High-quality safari lodges.
Well-positioned accommodation across the route

Eric Van Staden, professional photographer, holds a telephoto lens on an African photo safari.
Meet Your Photography Expert

Your Photo Host On This Safari

Eric van Staden is a professional wildlife photographer, filmmaker, and safari host whose deep connection to Africa was shaped from an early life spent in Zimbabwe’s wild landscapes. As Co-Founder of Photo Safari Company, Eric brings over two decades of experience in wildlife photography, guiding, and safari design, blending creative vision with an intuitive understanding of animal behaviour and the rhythm of the bush.

Calm and quietly perceptive in the field, Eric’s approach centres on helping guests slow down, anticipate moments, and capture imagery that reflects both emotion and atmosphere. His mentorship elevates the photographic experience beyond technique, creating space for thoughtful storytelling and meaningful connection with Africa’s extraordinary wildlife.

More about ERIC
Two cheetahs on a mound during an African safari. Photo safari in golden light.

About the Legacy Photo Safari Series

Our Legacy Series safaris are designed as more exclusive, more intimate photographic journeys for guests who want a higher level of privacy, comfort, and personal attention throughout the safari. These departures are intentionally limited in guest numbers and are built around exceptional destinations, carefully selected accommodation, and a more considered experience in the field.

For South Africa, this format works exceptionally well. With only two guests, this safari offers a rare level of space and personal focus, while still enjoying the strong wildlife viewing and premium lodge experience the Greater Kruger region is known for. It is ideal for travellers who want a safari that feels more private, more refined, and more memorable from start to finish.

Learn aBOUT Legacy series

Why Travel With Photo Safari Company

Travel with confidence on professionally hosted safaris designed for small groups and exceptional wildlife experiences. As members of ATTA, we partner with carefully selected camps and lodges, provide expert photographic support in the field, and offer transparent pricing with clear booking protection, so you can focus entirely on the experience.

  • ATTA membership
  • Small group guarantee
  • Professional hosts
  • Curated camps & lodges
  • Price protection
Explore all Scheduled photo Safaris
Woman on African photo safari taking pictures of deer in a golden field at sunset.

Register Your Interest
Some of our future photo safari concepts are released first as early access opportunities before being scheduled as confirmed departures.
Register your interest using the button below and fill out the form.

Please note, by filling out the “Register Your Interest form”, this does not commit you to travel.

Register Your Interest

The Photo Safari Experience

Twice Daily Safari Activities

Guided Nature Experiences

Small Group Experience

Hand Picked Safari Camps

Photographic
Support

Time To Unwind

Balanced Safari Pace

Transparent Pricing

Photographic Opportunities

This Sabi Sand photo safari offers outstanding opportunities for guests wanting to photograph some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife in a premium private reserve setting.

  • Big cat photography in the Greater Kruger safari region
  • Lions, elephants, buffalo, and other classic safari wildlife
  • More personal photographic hosting with only 2 guests
  • Golden winter light and crisp bushveld atmosphere
  • Portrait, behaviour, and storytelling opportunities
  • Birdlife, smaller details, and quieter moments in the field
  • A more private and immersive safari experience
  • A premium lodge base with strong wildlife access
Black and white photo of a Goliath Heron in South Luangwa during an African photo safari. Image by Nick Wigmore - Photo Safari Company

Photo Safari Information

Photo Safari Information Summary

7 Night Photo Safari

safari Cost

From US$27,995
pps

Destination/s Visited

Greater Kruger – Timbavuti
South Africa

2 Guests

US$8,750 Deposit

Safari Starts In:

Hoedspruit (HDS)

Safari Ends In:

Hoedspruit (HDS)

Safari Plan & Details

Timbavuti Photo Safari Overview

This seven-night Timbavati Photo Safari is an exclusive Legacy Series departure hosted by Eric van Staden and designed for just two guests. Based at Thornybush Game Lodge, this safari is built around privacy, comfort, and a more personalised photographic experience in one of South Africa’s most rewarding wildlife regions.

With only two guest spaces available, this safari offers a very different feel from a standard small-group departure. It allows for a more tailored experience, more direct time with your photographic host, and the freedom to enjoy each day with greater focus and flexibility. For guests wanting a more intimate and premium safari, this format is exactly what makes the experience so special.

This safari is designed for travellers who want a more private and more considered wildlife photography experience. Rather than a larger shared departure, this Legacy Series journey is intentionally limited to just two guests, giving the safari a more personal rhythm and allowing for a much stronger sense of space, attention, and immersion.

Based at Thornybush Game Lodge for all seven nights, the safari combines comfortable lodge-based travel with consistent time in the field. Staying in one camp throughout means guests can settle in properly, enjoy the flow of safari life, and focus on the wildlife and photography without the interruption of moving between locations.

Photographically, this safari is built around classic South African wildlife subjects and the atmosphere of the bush itself. Guests can focus on big cats, elephants, buffalo, plains game, birdlife, portraiture, behaviour, and the quieter moments that bring depth to a safari portfolio. With Eric van Staden hosting throughout, the experience is designed to be both creatively rewarding and genuinely enjoyable from start to finish.

Photo Safari Cost

Occupancy

sharing

SOLO

Price

*US$ 27,995

*US$ 33,860

Small Group Pricing

*This safari is priced on 2 guests sharing a room.
**Minimum of 2 guests required.

Important Information

Safari booking Terms

What’s Included & What’s Not

Included

  • Accommodation
  • All meals
  • All camp transfers
  • Twice daily activities
  • Professional photo host
  • Drinks (house wines, local brand spirits, beers and soft drinks)
  • Refreshments on game drives
  • Wifi
  • Laundry
  • Conservation levies & Parks fees
  • Tax

Excluded

  • International flights
  • Visa’s
  • Travel insurance
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Staff and Guide gratuities
  • Single supplement
  • Aircraft landing and departure fees, if applicable
  • Passenger Taxes, if applicable
  • Anything not mentioned in the Included section

Register Your Interest
Some of our future photo safari concepts are released first as early access opportunities before being scheduled as confirmed departures.
Register your interest using the button below and fill out the form.

Please note, by filling out the “Register Your Interest form”, this does not commit you to travel.

Register Your Interest

This Photo Safari Itinerary

Please note: This itinerary is subject to change due to weather, logistics, or wildlife conditions. Your guides will adapt daily plans to maximise photographic opportunities and guest comfort.

This seven-night Timbavati photo safari is designed as a premium lodge-based journey with a smooth, unhurried rhythm, allowing guests to enjoy exceptional wildlife viewing, comfortable accommodation, and meaningful time in the field. Based entirely at Thornybush Game Lodge, the itinerary is built around immersive game drives, wildlife photography, and a more personal safari experience overall.

Short road transfer/game drive from airstrip to lodge.

Arrive for the start of your safari and transfer through to Thornybush Game Lodge, your home for the next seven nights. Once settled in, guests can take time to relax, get acquainted with camp, and prepare for the first game drive of the safari. The opening day is all about arriving smoothly and easing into the rhythm of the bush.

Your first full day begins with an early morning game drive, when the bush is cool, active, and full of possibility. After returning to camp for breakfast and downtime, the afternoon offers time to relax before heading back out for the evening drive. These opening safari days are about settling into the pace of the reserve and beginning to shape your photographic approach.

By now, the rhythm of safari life starts to feel natural. Morning and afternoon game drives provide opportunities to photograph a wide variety of subjects, from big cats and larger mammals to birds, smaller details, and the atmosphere of the bush itself. With only two guests on safari, there is more space to enjoy the experience at a calm and considered pace.

One of the defining strengths of this safari is its exclusivity. With just two guests and a dedicated photo host, the experience feels more intimate and more tailored from the outset. As the safari continues, that smaller format allows you to slow down, stay more connected to the moment, and enjoy the field experience in a more meaningful way.

By the middle of the safari, guests are often fully immersed in the rhythm of game drives, wildlife encounters, and time back at camp. This is where the safari can really come into its own, with more opportunities to focus on behaviour, portraiture, light, atmosphere, and the kind of classic African wildlife imagery that makes the South African bush so rewarding.

Another full day on safari allows for more time to enjoy the flow of sightings, weather, and wildlife activity. Some drives may bring dramatic moments, while others offer a quieter, more intimate look at the bush. Both are valuable, and both contribute to a stronger and more varied body of photographic work over the course of the safari.

Your final full day on safari is a chance to enjoy every last moment in the field. Whether that means focusing on a wishlist species, refining your compositions, or simply taking in the atmosphere of the reserve, the last full day often carries a real sense of perspective and appreciation for the experience as a whole.

After breakfast, it is time to depart Thornybush Game Lodge, bringing your seven-night photo safari to a close. Guests leave with not only a strong collection of wildlife images, but also the experience of having enjoyed a more private and highly personalised safari in one of South Africa’s premier wildlife regions.

If you would like to spend more time in the region, this safari can be extended with additional nights before or after the main departure. This is a great option for guests who want more time in the bush, additional lodge nights, or the chance to build a broader South African safari itinerary around this exclusive Legacy Series experience.

This safari can also be paired exceptionally well with other safari destinations across Africa, making it a strong foundation for a longer photographic journey. It can be combined with destinations such as the Okavango Delta and Chobe in Botswana, Mana Pools in Zimbabwe, South Luangwa in Zambia, or other Greater Kruger and South African safari regions. For guests wanting a broader itinerary, we can help tailor this departure into a more expansive multi-destination African photo safari experience.

For guests wanting a broader safari itinerary, we can help tailor this departure into a more expansive multi-destination African photo safari experience.

If you are interested in extending this safari or pairing it with another safari destination, please contact us. We would be happy to help tailor a longer itinerary to suit your travel plans, interests, and preferred style of safari.

“Sabi Sands delivered exactly what we were looking for as photographers. Close encounters, great light, and the time to actually shoot properly. One morning with a pride of lions gave us a full range of images, from wide environmental shots to tighter portraits. It felt very much like a dedicated photo safari rather than a standard game drive.”

Daniel & Sophie, Zurich Switzerland

A Glimpse Into This Photo Safari

This gallery offers a window into the extraordinary, from once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters to the elegant camps and lodges that redefine safari luxury.
 
While specific properties may vary by itinerary, each has been handpicked for its exceptional service, comfort, and immersive connection to the wild.

This Legacy Series photo safari is designed for guests who want a more exclusive and more personalised safari experience in South Africa. With only two guest spaces available and all seven nights based at Thornybush Game Lodge, this journey combines strong wildlife viewing with the comfort, privacy, and ease of a premium lodge-based safari.

Set within the broader Greater Kruger safari region, Thornybush Game Lodge offers a classic safari atmosphere with a more refined level of comfort, making it an excellent base for a hosted photographic journey. Thornybush describes the lodge as one of its flagship properties, with 16 luxury suites, twice-daily safari activities, and a long-established reputation within the reserve.

Thornybush Game Lodge
A well-established safari lodge in the Thornybush Nature Reserve, Thornybush Game Lodge offers a comfortable and polished safari setting with strong access to the wildlife-rich Greater Kruger region. Spacious suites, welcoming shared spaces, and a classic bush atmosphere make it a strong fit for a more intimate hosted photo safari.

download fact sheet

Photo Safari Map

Thornybush Game Lodge, Thornybush Nature Reserve, South Africa

Photo Safari Booking & Travel FAQs

Your place is confirmed once your deposit has been received. After completing your registration, you will be guided to a secure payment page to pay the required deposit and finalise your booking.

A deposit of $8,750 is required to confirm your place. The remaining balance is payable prior to departure, with full payment details provided after booking confirmation.

Our photo safaris are kept small and personal, and this Legacy Series departure is limited to just two guests. This allows for a more exclusive experience in the field and more meaningful time with your professional photographer host.

Full arrival and departure details will be provided as part of your booking confirmation and pre-departure information. This safari is based at Thornybush Game Lodge in South Africa.

The safari price includes accommodation, safari transport, guiding, hosted photographic support, and the activities outlined in the itinerary. Full inclusion details will be provided at the time of booking.

International flights, visas where applicable, travel insurance, gratuities, personal expenses, and selected drinks are not included unless otherwise stated. A full list of exclusions will be provided before booking confirmation.

Yes. Solo travellers are very welcome on this photo safari. With only two guests on the departure, it is particularly well suited to travellers who value a more personal and highly curated safari experience.

Yes. Comprehensive travel insurance is essential for all guests travelling on this safari and should be arranged before departure.

Yes. This safari is suitable for a range of photography experience levels, from enthusiastic beginners through to more experienced wildlife photographers. The hosted format allows guests to enjoy the safari while also receiving guidance in the field.

Yes. This safari can be extended with additional nights in South Africa or paired with other African safari destinations, including Botswana’s Okavango Delta and Chobe, Mana Pools in Zimbabwe, South Luangwa in Zambia, or other Greater Kruger safari regions. We would be happy to help tailor a broader itinerary around this departure.

Recommended equipment varies depending on destination and wildlife, but guidance is provided after booking to help you prepare the most suitable gear for your safari.

Book Your Timbavati Photo Safari

This seven-night Timbavati Photo Safari is designed for travellers who want a more exclusive and more personal wildlife photography experience in South Africa. With Eric van Staden hosting, just two guest spaces available, and all seven nights based at Thornybush Game Lodge, this Legacy Series departure brings together privacy, comfort, and meaningful time in the field.

If you are looking for a safari that feels more intimate, more refined, and more individually hosted than a standard group departure, this is a compelling way to experience the South African bush. With only two places available, we recommend registering your interest early.

Availability is limited.
Register your interest early to be first in line when the final itinerary is confirmed.

Register Your Interest
Some of our future photo safari concepts are released first as early access opportunities before being scheduled as confirmed departures.
Register your interest using the button below and fill out the form.

Please note, by filling out the “Register Your Interest form”, this does not commit you to travel.

Register Your Interest