Africa Workshop

January 13, 2009 ·

Michael Reichmann

This Workshop is Limited to Just 11 Participants

Sorry — Sold Out

About The Workshop

TheLuminous Landscape Inc. andAndy Biggsare pleased to announce our African safari and workshop in January, 2004. This will be a 12 day trip — from Friday, January 2nd through Tuesday, January 13th, 2004. We will conduct our safari workshop in the east African country ofTanzania, home to theSerengeti National Park, theNgorongoro CraterandMount Kilimanjaro. It will combine an exciting photography workshop in one of the world’s most outstanding wildlife, landscape and cultural locations together with a luxury vacation — in fascinating Tanzania.

This workshop is open to just 11 participants. Leading the workshop will beMichael Reichmann, the publisher of this site. Michael is a renowned nature and landscape photographer, and teacher.Andy Biggs, an avid landscape and wildlife photographer, and veteran of east Africa, will be working closely with Michael in organizing and conducting the trip.Chris Sandersonwill be filming the workshop forThe Video Journal, and will act as an additional photographic resource.

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Tanzania

Tanzania, south of Kenya on the African continent’s Indian Ocean coastline, lays claim to the title “Home of the Safari,” since the word itself is taken from the Swahili word that means “journey.” While Tanzania’s Kenyan neighbors may dispute that claim, there is no doubt that Tanzania offers one of the best environments in the world for an enriching wildlife experience. The country’s game viewing opportunities are considered by many to be the best in Africa. Its game parks are populated with many of the world’s most exotic creatures, including all of the “Big Five.” Its lakes are huge and bountiful with fish. Its cities are relaxed and friendly. Yet, to a greater degree than is true of many of its neighbors, this sprawling county, the largest in East Africa, remains untouched by the vacationing hordes.

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It’s About Photography — Lots of it!

This is not a workshop for absolute beginners. There will be no photographic instruction per-se, unless requested. But, the workshop leaders will be shooting alongside you at all times. They will provide discussion and assistance on specialized topics such as, for example, long lens technique, projection flash usage, action shooting, wildlife observation and field craft. Advanced techniques will be constantly discussed, demonstrated and put into practice.

This workshop is about shooting — lots of shooting. There will be no classroom sessions, no lectures, no slide shows, and most importantly — no unnecessary egos. Participants and group leaders will work closely together, sharing their knowledge and experience.

Because of the unique location of this workshop, and the luxury accommodations, this workshop adventure is open to spouses as well as photographers. Even non-photographers will find the locales visited and the wildlife viewing opportunities to be thrilling. The cost for non-photographers is the same as for active participants and the 11 places available include both photographers and non-photographers.

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About Equipment & Extras

Workshop participants will be provided with comprehensive equipment suggestions. You may shoot film or digital, and all of our accommodations along the way will have electrical outlets. A long lens in the range of 300-500mm is highly recommended. All participants will be provided with a complimentary bean bag and projection flash equipment for use while on safari. These devices are a must for effective wildlife photography with longer lenses.

The use of anImage StabilizedorVibration Reductionlens is highly recommended if your system has these available.

Tripods are not required, as almost all photography will be performed from a safari vehicle. However, a lightweight monopod can be used for support while in our safari vehicles. A light weight tripod may be brought along for occasional landscape and macro work.

Members will also be provided with access to a private Discussion Forum, and the opportunity to have their work exhibited on this site after the Workshop.

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The Schedule

This adventure wildlife workshop requires 11 days from your normal schedule. Here are the dates, an itinerary, and some details on what we will be able to see and photograph.

Friday, January 2nd, 2004— Depart USA (applicable for those opting for additional airfare from New York or Boston).

Saturday, January 3rd, 2004— Amsterdam to Arusha, Tanzania.

Upon arrival, you are met by your guide and transferred to theMountain Village Lodge. The Mountain Village Lodge is a working coffee plantation, six miles from Arusha in a stunning setting overlooking Lake Duluti with magnificent views of Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro. Room accommodations are double rondavels.

Sunday, January 4th, 2004— Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park.

After breakfast and a pre-departure meeting at the hotel, we head away from the verdant slopes of Mt. Meru and across the Maasai steppe. You will notice that the style of dress has changed from mostly western, to the trademark flowing red robes of the Maasai. Arrive late morning at Lake Manyara National Park. Spend the afternoon viewing the wildlife in this incredibly diverse ecosystem. At times large groups of flamingoes, storks and waterfowl can be found along the lake. Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park. Head up to your lodge in the late afternoon to relax, settle in, and enjoy a sundowner cocktail. TheLake Manyara Serena Lodgeoffers panoramic views of the Rift Valley. Dinner at Lake Manyara Serena and overnight.

Nestling at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara National Park is noted for its famous tree-climbing lions, which prefer to rest among the branches of the region’s acacia trees. The landscape of Lake Manyara National Park, which covers an area of approximately 150 square miles (390 square kilometers) is comprised of lush forests, woodlands, grasslands, swamps and a soda lake. The lake is sanctuary to more than 350 species of birds, including pelicans, storks, sacred ibis and flamingos. The park also houses numerous buffalos, elephants, hippos, giraffes and a great variety of smaller animals.

Monday, January 5th, 2004— Manyara to Ngorongoro Crater.

After breakfast at the hotel, we travel further into the Ngorongoro Highlands. We continue through the lush green foothills reaching a higher altitude where temperatures are cooler. We stop for our first look at the collapsed caldera of Tanzania’s "Garden of Eden," gazing down into the verdant Crater floor below. Eat lunch at theNgorongoro Serena Lodgebefore we begin our 2000-foot descent into this magnificent wildlife haven. Here, a nearly perfect balance of predator and prey exists within the 102 square miles of the Crater floor. Experience an unforgettable spectacle of African wildlife: a teeming world of elephants, rhinoceros, lions, hyenas, zebra, wildebeest, to name a few, living in harmony in this self contained environment. At the end of each day we ascend the Crater wall to our lodge perched on the rim of the crater.

The Ngorongoro Crater, a gigantic fracture in the earth’s crust, has been referred to as the “eighth wonder of the world.” This massive caldera is located in the heart of Masai land in the Great Rift Valley. Volcanoes, mountains, plains, lakes, forests and archeological sites combine to form its magnificent landscape. At an altitude of 5,200 feet (1,600 meters), the bottom of the crater (which covers more than 100 square miles, or 265 square kilometers) is dotted with watering holes. The floor of the crater shelters as many as 30,000 animals in an area naturally enclosed by the slopes of the volcano. The crater houses, but doesn’t confine, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, cheetahs, lions, hyenas, hippos, wildebeest and many more of Africa’s most spectacular game animals. Strangely enough, most of the crater’s elephants are bulls. A small number of black rhinos also inhabit the crater floor. Birdlife is largely seasonal and is affected by the ratio of soda to fresh water in Lake Magadi on the crater floor.

Tuesday, January 6th, 2004— Ngorongoro Crater.

Full day wildlife viewing: Ngorongoro Crater floor. Return to your lodge on the rim for the evening.

Wednesday, January 7th, 2004— Ngorongoro Crater.

Full day wildlife viewing: Ngorongoro Crater floor. OR opt for an afternoon sunset to hike to Olmoti Crater. On a seldom-used road (therefore, quite bumpy) we drive to Nainokanoka, a Maasai farming village. From here we start our easy hike to Olmoti Crater. The hike to the rim of the crater takes about thirty minutes as you ascend through bush and grassy clumps covered with wildflowers until you reach the open grassy summit. It’s just another 30 minutes to hike down into the shallow, lush crater to a lovely waterfall. Here we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch, and then continue with a visit to a nearby Maasai boma, with time to spend among the Maasai people. This is an excellent opportunity to admire their intricate beadwork, still crafted in the traditional manner. In the late afternoon we’ll drive back to your lodge on the crater rim.

Thursday, January 8th, 2004— Ngorongoro Crater to Serengeti National Park.

Leaving the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, we stop at the famed Olduvai Gorge, where some of the earliest remains of our species were unearthed by the dedicated Leakey family. Here in these desolate gullies the jawbone of Zinjanthropus Man was discovered. The Gorge Museum explains the Leakeys’ methods and their remarkable finds. We then begin the journey into the great Serengeti traveling deep into the wilds of Africa. The sight of giraffe, lion, ostrich, zebra and warthog will dazzle you. See herds of animals swiftly running across vast open spaces, and predators hunting prey. The multitude and diversity of species here is unrivaled. We spend three nights in the impressiveSerengeti Serena Lodgein the Central Serengeti.

The Serengeti National Park is one of the world’s last great wildlife refuges. It is a land of vast grassland plains, acacia-studded savannas, wooded hills and mountains. Contiguous with the Masai Mara park on the Kenyan side of the border, the Serengeti is home to a breathtaking array of wildlife. At any point in time, the park’s vast grassland plains and savannas will be strewn with pockets of grazing zebras, giraffes, gazelles, wildebeest and topi. The acacia forests will abound with birdlife and monkeys. Elephants and buffaloes will be wallowing in the swamps, and the rivers will be brimming with hippos and crocodiles, watched over by the storks that stand on the sandy riverbanks.

The extraordinary concentration of animals in the park reaches its peak during the annual wildebeest migration, when the promise of rain and new grass in the north, in the Masai Mara, leads as many as 1.5 million wildebeest and their zebra fellow travelers to pick up roots and set off on a 600-mile (1000-kilometer) migratory circuit. Millions of animals coalesce into a single massive herd in the months of December through February, and surge northward in a pulsing column of life that stretches from horizon to horizon. The lions and other predators of the park are on high alert during the migratory season.

The Serengeti’s name is derived from the apt Masai word Siringet, which means “endless plains.” The Seronera Valley in the Serengeti is famous for its abundant lions and leopards.

Friday, January 9th, 2004— Serengeti National Park.

Full day wildlife viewing: Serengeti National Park.

Saturday, January 10th, 2004— Serengeti National Park.

Full day wildlife viewing: Serengeti National Park. Balloon Safari option.

Sunday, January 11th, 2004— Serengeti National Park.

Wildlife viewing en route to your luxury tented camp in the western corridor. Set upon a hill with commanding views of endless savanna, the tented camp allows visitors to feel close to the soul of the African wilderness. Luxurious sleeping and bathing arrangements are complemented by valet service, superb meals made-to-order from house cuisine or from guest recipes. Victorian and East African elements are blended artfully to create the ultimate safari ambience. Lush vegetation surrounds the hillock upon which the camp is located. It is home to wide of variety of big game including lion, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, baboon, gazelle, and wildebeest. Overnight accommodations at Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp. From behind specially built blinds you can observe crocodiles feeding by the Grumeti River. Without even leaving camp, one can encounter much of the extraordinary bird life known to the immediate area. Full day wildlife viewing: Serengeti National Park.

Monday, January 12th, 2004— Serengeti National Park to Arusha / Depart for home.

Morning wildlife viewing en route to airstrip for the flight (33lbs baggage limit) to Arusha. Arrive early afternoon. After lunch there will be time to relax, shop or swim. Evening transfer to the airport for your flight if traveling on KLM.

Tuesday, January 13th, 2004— Arusha to Amsterdam to USA or your final destination

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The Cost

The cost of this all-inclusive trip is U.S. $5,495 per person (but not inclusive of airfare to Arusha, Tanzania). The same rate applies for each participant regardless of whether they are doing photography and participating in the workshop, or not. This fee includes all in-country ground and air transportation as well as hotel accommodation for 10 nights (double occupancy) and all meals and alcoholic beverages.

Accommodations are two person to a room. If you will be traveling alone and would like a private room there will be a supplementary charge of $650.

For an estimated fee of $1800, you can choose to have the flight from New York booked for you. We encourage this service if you are departing from North America, as we will all be able to arrive in Tanzania on the same flight at the same time. It is our experience that this service eliminates many scheduling headaches, and the cost is at or slightly below the average market rate for such a flight.

A deposit of U.S. $2,750 (per person) will be required when you register, and the balance of $2,745 will be due no later than September 1, 2003. If you need to cancel before September 1, you’ll get a full refund (less $250). After September 1 if you need to cancel you’ll receive all of your money back except $500, but the refund will be possible only if a replacement for you can be found.

If we have to cancel the trip for any reason you will receive a full refund.

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What’s Included?

  • All Game Park fees
  • All accommodations, based on double occupancy
  • All meals inclusive of restaurant staff tips
  • Beer, wine and spirits
  • Services of guides and drivers
  • Land transportation in safari Land Rovers with a maximum of four passengers per vehicle. Each of the three rear seat passangers has a complete seat to themselves, including access to windows on both sides of the vehicle and empty seats for photographic equipment. The front seat position has its own advantages. Seating positions and vehicles will be rotated daily.
  • Airport transfers to and from hotels
  • Internal airfare from Serengeti to Arusha
  • Bottled water at all times
  • $30 Tanzanian Airport departure tax, if KLM / NW ticket purchased through us. __________________________________________________________

What is Not Included?

  • Additional tips for staff such as guides and camp staff
  • Fees for passport, visas, immunizations and insurance
  • Laundry, phone and other items of a personal nature
  • Cost of hospitalization and evacuation if necessary

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Video Filming

On this workshop we will joined byChris Sandersonwho will be filming the workshop forThe Luminous Landscape Video Journal.

Naturally, we will need your consent to be filmed. Once you have registered for the Workshop we will be sending you a Release Form. This will signify your permission to be included in the filming that will be done during the workshop. We will, of course, be providing you with complimentary copies of whatever video or print material comes out of this. Of course this will provide you with a professional quality video record of this trip, something that no other workshop can provide.

Finally, I want to assure you that the filming of the workshop will in no way interfere with the workshop and the time that we spend together. Chris is an experienced filmmaker and will be shooting in an unobtrusive documentary style. Of course, as an experienced cinematographer and director Chris will be available as another resource person to all Workshop members. If you have problem with being filmed during the workshop please ask me for more information, or consider taking an alternative workshop.

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Liability Limitation

The Luminous Landscape Inc., Michael Reichmann, Andy Biggs, our instructors, guides, and cooperating agents aim to provide every participant a safe, educational, and enjoyable experience. We act solely as agents for you regarding accommodations, special activities, and travel, by any means, and assume no liability for any act, error, omission, injury, loss, delay, mishap, or damage to persons or property arising from any cause during the course of the workshop or in transit thereto. We can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in the services to be provided. We reserve the right to change our arrangements should conditions necessitate, or to cancel any aspect of the workshop due to exceptional circumstances. In the event that we deem it necessary to cancel the workshop we will provide a full refund which the participant acknowledges as full and final settlement.

As there is always an element of risk in any adventure associated with the outdoors, participants must read this form carefully. This liability release will certify that the participant is physically fit and capable of participating in outdoor photography exercises in field locations, and is fully and completely aware of any associated risks created by field locations and weather.

By joining this workshop I acknowledge that I have read the above information concerning responsibility and release The Luminous Landscape Inc., Michael Reichmann, Andy Biggs, their guides, instructors and any cooperating agent from any liability. The Luminous Landscape Inc., Michael Reichmann and Andy Biggs will assume no liability for injury, illness, or loss of personal property or expenses thereof associated with workshop participation.

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What Do I Do Next?

If this workshop has your name on it; if you’re excited by the thought of becoming a member of this trip, then now is the time to register.

Remember, there are only 11 positions available for this workshop. When they’re spoken for, that’s it. To fill out theRegistration Formsimply click on the registration link below. If you have any questions before registering,click hereto send me an e-mail inquiry.

— REGISTER —

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Michael Reichmann is the founder of the Luminous Landscape. Michael passed away in May 2016. Since its inception in 1999 LuLa has become the world's largest site devoted to the art, craft, and technology of photography. Each month more than one million people from every country on the globe visit LuLa.

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