Timbavati Photo Safari – 7 Nights | Thornybush Game Lodge

Signature Photo Safari series

A seven-night South African photo safari hosted by Andrew MacDonald, designed for guests seeking exceptional wildlife encounters, classic bushveld photography, and a premium small-group safari experience based at Thornybush Game Lodge.

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23 – 30 April 2027

Overview of This Timbavati Photo Safari

7 Nights
Timbavuti
South Africa
From $15,980
pps
6 Guests
1 Photo Host

This seven-night Timbavati Photo Safari is a premium Signature Series departure hosted by Andrew MacDonald and based at Thornybush Game Lodge. Designed for a maximum of six guests, this safari blends excellent wildlife viewing, comfortable lodge-based travel, and a more personal photographic safari experience in one of South Africa’s most rewarding wildlife regions.

With all seven nights spent at one lodge, the safari has a more settled and immersive feel. Guests can relax into the rhythm of the bush, focus on the wildlife and the photography, and enjoy a smoother overall journey without the disruption of moving camps. This makes it an ideal safari for guests who want classic African wildlife photography paired with a well-paced, professionally hosted safari experience.

The Greater Kruger safari region is known for its strong predator sightings, excellent game viewing, and rich diversity of wildlife. For photographers, it offers the chance to capture everything from big cats and elephants to birdlife, wider bushveld scenes, and the quieter moments that often become the most memorable images of a safari.

The Photo Safari Experience in Sabi Sand

This safari is designed around the classic appeal of the South African bush, where rewarding game drives, comfortable lodge living, and repeated time in the field combine to create a well-rounded wildlife photography experience. It is the kind of safari that works beautifully for photographers who want a mix of iconic wildlife, approachable logistics, and the chance to build a stronger portfolio over the course of a full week in the bush.

With Andrew Macdonald hosting throughout, guests benefit from a safari experience that is not just about being in the right place, but about making the most of it photographically. Morning and afternoon game drives create opportunities for everything from dramatic predator encounters and big mammal portraits to softer light, behaviour, atmosphere, and storytelling images that give a portfolio more depth.

As a Signature Series departure, this safari is designed to feel polished, rewarding, and accessible, while still delivering the excitement and spontaneity that make African wildlife photography so compelling.

Limited to just 6 guests, this hosted Signature Series safari is designed for travellers who want strong wildlife photography, a comfortable lodge base, and meaningful time in the field.

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

Andrew Macdonald, professional photographer, on African photo safari with telephoto lens.
Meet Your Photography Expert

Your Photo Host On This Safari

Andrew Macdonald is an award-winning professional wildlife photographer with extensive experience leading photographic safaris across Southern Africa. Known for his calm teaching style and deep understanding of animal behaviour, Andrew works closely with guests in the field to help them improve their technique, composition, and storytelling.
 
From managing challenging light to anticipating behaviour at sightings, Andrew provides practical, hands-on guidance throughout the safari, ensuring every guest gains both strong images and valuable field experience, regardless of skill level.

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

About the Signature Photo Safari Series

Our Signature Series safaris are built around classic photographic safari destinations that consistently deliver rewarding wildlife experiences. These departures combine quality accommodation, strong guiding, and a carefully considered photographic approach, making them ideal for guests who want a premium safari without losing the authenticity and excitement of time in the field.

For South Africa, this format works especially well. This safari brings together the excellent wildlife experience of the Greater Kruger region with the comfort and ease of a lodge-based itinerary, allowing guests to enjoy a balanced, well-paced journey that feels both immersive and refined.

Learn aBOUT Signature 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
  • Comfortable lodge-based safari photography
  • Soft autumn light and classic bushveld atmosphere
  • A strong all-round wildlife portfolio across the week
  • Birdlife, smaller details, and quieter moments in the field
  • A more private and immersive safari experience
  • Hosted small-group experience with Andrew Macdonald
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$15,980
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 safari is designed for travellers who want a rewarding and well-rounded wildlife photography experience in South Africa. Rather than a fast-moving multi-camp itinerary, this journey is built around a single lodge stay, giving guests the time to settle in properly and enjoy a more immersive rhythm in the field.

Based at Thornybush Game Lodge for all seven nights, the safari combines repeated time on game drive with the comfort and ease of a lodge-based experience. This creates the right balance between strong wildlife viewing, downtime between activities, and the consistency that helps guests build a more thoughtful and complete body of photographic work across the week.

Photographically, this safari is about more than just headline sightings. Guests can focus on iconic South African wildlife subjects such as lions, elephants, buffalo, and plains game, while also paying attention to mood, light, habitat, behaviour, and the smaller details that help create a stronger safari portfolio overall.

Photo Safari Cost

Occupancy

sharing

SOLO

Price

*US$ 15,980

*US$ 21,690

Small Group Pricing

*This safari is priced on 6 guests sharing a room.
**Minimum of 4 guests required.
***If fewer than 6 guests travel, a small group adjustment of $1,550 per person applies to cover vehicle, guiding, photographic hosting, and logistical costs being shared across fewer guests.

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 comfortable lodge-based journey with a smooth, well-paced rhythm, allowing guests to enjoy excellent wildlife viewing, meaningful time in the field, and a rewarding photographic safari experience overall. Based entirely at Thornybush Game Lodge, the itinerary is built around immersive game drives, wildlife photography, and the classic atmosphere of the South African bush.

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 first safari days are about settling into the pace of the bush 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 predators and larger mammals to birds, landscapes, and the atmosphere of the bush itself. With Andrew MacDonald hosting throughout, guests can continue refining their approach while enjoying the pace of the safari.

As the safari progresses, the benefit of staying in one lodge becomes even more apparent. Without needing to move between camps, guests can concentrate fully on the experience in front of them. Each drive adds another layer to the story of the safari, whether through memorable sightings, interesting behaviour, or the quieter moments that often become some of the most rewarding photographically.

By the middle of the safari, guests are usually fully immersed in the rhythm of game drives, wildlife encounters, and the return to camp between sessions. This is where the experience 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 compelling.

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 collection of images 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 final full day often carries a real sense of perspective and appreciation for the safari 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 spent a rewarding week 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, extra lodge nights, or the chance to build a broader South African safari itinerary around this Signature Series departure.

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.

Contact Us

“Timbavati was a really strong location for wildlife photography. The mix of open areas and thicker bush created some great opportunities to play with light and backgrounds. We had multiple chances with elephants and lions, and the pace of the drives made it easy to focus on getting the shot rather than just seeing the animal. It felt like a well thought-out photo safari.”

Lucas & Ana, São Paulo Brazil

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 Signature Series photo safari is designed for guests who want a rewarding and well-rounded South African wildlife experience, combining strong game viewing with the comfort and ease of a lodge-based safari. With all seven nights based at Thornybush Game Lodge, this journey offers the chance to settle into the rhythm of the bush properly and enjoy a smoother, more immersive photographic safari from start to finish.

Set within the broader Greater Kruger safari region, Thornybush Game Lodge provides a comfortable and welcoming base for time in the field. This safari is about more than simply moving from sighting to sighting. It is about enjoying the full experience of being on safari, with early mornings in the bush, time back at camp between drives, and the opportunity to build a stronger and more varied body of photographic work across the week.

Thornybush Game Lodge
As part of the Signature Series, this safari is designed to feel polished, enjoyable, and well-paced throughout. Seven nights in one lodge allows guests to relax into the experience, enjoy greater consistency, and focus more fully on the wildlife and photography without the interruption of changing camps.

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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 $5,500 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, with a maximum of six guests on this departure. This allows for a more comfortable 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 rewarding South African wildlife photography experience delivered in a comfortable and well-supported way. With Andrew Macdonald hosting, a maximum of six guests, and all seven nights based at Thornybush Game Lodge, this Signature Series departure brings together strong wildlife viewing, lodge-based comfort, and meaningful time in the field.

If you are looking for a safari that combines classic South African wildlife photography with a smooth, well-paced hosted experience, this is a compelling way to experience the bush. With limited spaces 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