Edward Selfe Photo Safaris Reviews 

This was my third trip to Zambia with Edward Selfe, but my first to Lower Zambezi National Park. I therefore had prior experience of what to expect on a trip organised and led by Edward. Logistics, location, accommodation, attention to detail and companionship were all of the highest order. It is however the expertise and knowledge in photography, guiding and animal behaviour that Edward brings and how he uses these to enable his guests to capture the environment and its wildlife at its best and most interesting that sets these trips apart. I had heard many good things about the Lower Zambezi, particularly during the Emerald Season, and had seen lots of wonderful images, many taken by Edward. I was not disappointed. Lower Zambezi is a magical place. The varied landscapes of Winter-thorn forest, open plains, riverine habitat and the mighty Zambezi were all fabulous in their own right, but it is the early morning and late afternoon light that makes this a special place and the perfect backdrop to see and photograph the abundant wildlife.

Edward Selfe provides First Class photo safaris. He is a gifted wildlife photographer, an outstanding naturalist and an excellent licensed guide with nearly twenty years of experience living and leading safaris in the African bush. His trips are always limited to five or fewer clients. His safari destinations and lodging choices are always top-notch. Logistics are planned and accomplished smoothy, without any hiccups. And he always seems to anticipate not only where and when to find wildlife, but also how to capture the subjects in their best light. I’ve learned so much about wildlife photography on my four trips with Edward, and I always turn to him first when I plan my next African adventure.

A photo safari with Edward isn't just an ordinary photo safari, as I had the privilege of discovering during a recent trip to the Lower Zambezi in Zambia.
It all started with a brief and very valuable theory session, where Edward showed some photos and pointed out things, such as light and composition, that he might refer to later, out in the bush. In this way we had a common ground.
Once we arrived at Jeki airstrip, Edward mounted the "mushrooms", camera supports, that he had brought, one for each one of us, and explained that we would all sit on the same side of the truck, to have the same view without climbing over one another.
Not only did Edward always make sure the truck was positioned in the best possible way, but he also encouraged us to try new things, to challenge ourselves. He gave lots of guidance and advice but also gave us lots of freedom to explore. It must be added that he has an incredible eye for spotting photo opportunities.
He was always available in camp to help with editing, deal with technical problems, discuss different ways of culling, etc.
I have been on many safaris but never have I come back home with so many photos worth editing and keeping.
I couldn't possibly have wished for a better trip! Thank you Edward, and thank you, driver John!
I will now become one of Edward's many returning guests.

Totally amazing!

We have had many wonderful safaris with Ed over the past 9+ years in various locations in Africa. This 2026 trip to the Serengeti was one of the best yet. I will simply say that we are in the process of planning our next safari with Ed for 2027. Our first safari with Ed was in 2017 so this will celebrate 10 years of annual safaris with Ed. Need I say more about our experiences with Edward Selfe Photo Safaris?

Edward Selfe has been our guide for six photo safaris now—and certainly not our last. His rare combination of expertise as both a licensed safari guide and a professional photographer makes every trip exceptional. He has a deep understanding of animal behavior and consistently positions the vehicle for the best possible shots, taking full advantage of light and action.

From dawn to dusk, Edward is fully dedicated to his clients—ensuring an immersive bush experience, helping capture stunning images, and offering thoughtful guidance on editing. His passion and commitment truly elevate the entire safari experience.

If you look for a bespoke photo safari with an excellent wildlife guide and photographer, look no further. Edward Selfe combines his skills and experience as a professional wildlife guide with his deep knowledge about some of the best places in Africa for a safari and his skills as a professional photographer, giving his guests an extraordinary and amazing time in the bush and helping them to lift their photography to the next level. This was my second trip with Edward and I can highly recommend him. Currently planning my next trip with him.

This was our second photo safari with Edward. There really is no other photographer that compares; he is focused on making your experience the best possible. A great tutor, you will expand not only your knowledge of photography but the land, people and animals that make Africa so incredibly special. He is an exceptional guide and tracker. There is no rushing to get from place to place; since there is such a small group of photographers Edward is able to get the best locations and fantastic light. He works diligently to line up shots that are unique. Somehow he finds incredible animal life! Whatever your skill level, he will always find ways to help make you better in a positive manner. I wish I could go every year!

Everyday was amazing! The sightings, the camps, the guides and our photographic tour leader - Edward Selfe. We stayed in four different areas within Botswana, carefully researched, explored and chosen by Ed, so that we could experience the diversity in the wildlife and and their habits. Looking forward to planning our next African adventure.

Edward Selfe runs extraordinary wildlife photo safaris! Always very small groups, always smooth logistics, always great photographic experiences, and always fun. Ed is a fully licensed professional safari guide with fifteen years in the business. He's also an expert naturalist and wildlife photographer -- and he's an all-around wonderful guy to travel with. He has travelled Africa extensively and always seems to know exactly when and where to be in order to get those wildlife 'trophy shots' that we all want to take. I've travelled three times with Edward, and I will continue to join his safaris for years to come. If you're a wildlife photographer planning an African safari, Edward Selfe Photo Safaris should be your first choice. This is what a photo safari is supposed to be!

Edward is not only an excellent wildlife photographer, he is an outstanding guide. We have been on three safaris with him and we're very pleased with the photos we got.

I've been home for a couple of months now and have been following Ed's safaris on Instagram and Facebook since my adventure in late July / early August. I'd be back in a heart beat on any trip lead by Ed if it were possible, but I'll have to wait until 2026 when I hope to return with some camera club buddies to share and experience what Ed and Zambia have to offer. That potentially will be my third trip with Ed. I returned this year to join a Kafue only trip. My experience with Ed last year gave me great confidence that an intensive trip to the one park, but in 3 different camps and areas would be highly rewarding. And so it was! All of Ed's skill, care, thoughtfulness, diligence and sheer brilliance were present in abundance. We had outstanding encounters with lions whilst staying at Busanga Bush Camp and a thrilling day and a half with 3 cheetah brothers at Ntemwa. These were but a couple of highlights in a varied and enthralling 10 day safari. And again, my photography capacity was enlarged as was my appreciation and respect for both the wildlife and environment of Kafue. The service and care at all camps was outstanding as was the guiding. I arranged a private few days in Hwange National Park (before joining Ed) through Emma Seaman of 'People and Places Travel' in Lusaka whom Ed uses as his agent. Emma's service is meticulous and responsive - the solo part of my journey was totally without anxiety as Emma had covered every base (and things I hadn't even thought of!) and the experience was seamless, no hitches! I have written a review of my trip with Ed in 2023 and I have only more superlatives to add in reflecting on this year. And for the additional logistics, you are in safe and highly competent hands with Emma at 'People and Places'.

My family and I just returned from a photo safari with Edward Selfe. Ed's touch is what helped make this trip one of a lifetime. Before the trip began, Ed was working with my family to understand what we each wanted to experience. One of his staff, Emma, then helped us with every detail to ensure that our hotel was arranged prior to our safari, we were picked up with ease from the airport, and taken care of every step of the way. Edward's philosophy is to make sure that as a guest, you are getting the best possible photographic opportunities (safety and animal appearances withstanding). His experience in hospitality, his thorough knowledge as a guide, and his prowess behind the camera meant that not only is he trying to find unique and interesting species, but also helping you understand their behavior, and doing it in the lens of capturing the moment. Ed consistently tried to find great angles, lighting that offered that little extra ingredient to a shot and was teaching us the whole time about WHY it was important to go that extra mile from that angle. Not only did the trip offer an amazing list of species that I had never experienced before, but I am now enabled with a great repertoire of additional skills with my camera. I would love to enjoy another journey with Ed to continue to learn more and leverage his excellent guiding and tracking skills to find and photograph some incredible species. Can't recommend enough. Thank you, Edward.

When selecting a guide for our safari, I did a great deal of research. There are many to choose from; but what was most important to me was a guide who was focused on photography, not just seeing wildlife. We were absolutely thrilled with Edward from the moment we met - his professionalism, attentiveness to honing your skills at all levels, and setting up the shots to maximize both the animals and the wonderful light. The small group size meant he was able to answer questions and provide a great many details about what you were seeing in a very relaxed setting. Edward’s guide certifications and tracking skills meant from day one we had exceptional animal sightings; even though he told us we might not always get fortunate we always had wonderful surprises.It would be difficult to pick out one but I think the lioness and her three cubs that we watched all by ourselves for a long time is the one we all loved most. Both safari camps were outstanding in every regard. The staff were very accommodating to our needs and the lodging exceptional. Meals were truly five star dining! We were pleased to see over 130 species of birds as well as a wide variety of mammals. Edward worked hard to ensure we had an outstanding safari experience every day. His feedback on our photos was invaluable and while our group had all levels of photographic skill each of us learned valuable insight into improving our shots. None of us wanted to say goodbye to Zambia and we can’t wait to travel with Edward again to explore and photograph more of this incredible place. I truly can’t recommend him highly enough. In addition, we received such outstanding service from People and Places, the company that works in tandem with Edward to ensure a smooth travel experience. Emma was so helpful and answered my numerous questions which was wonderful.

This was by far the best Africa wildlife adventure trip I have experienced. Ed Selfe, our guide, was the reason. Ed is attentive, engaging, enthusiastic and adventuresome! He quickly tuned in to our small groups desire to learn about and observe all aspects of the ecology of the S. Luangua River National Park - from the tiniest insect to the top predator. He was never in a rush which allowed us to observe extraordinary wildlife behaviors. He knows the Parks landscape and its animals so well, that we experienced many rarely seen animal interactions while Ed told us the most interesting aspects of this complex ecosystem. Our group of 6 was often amazed and speechless by what we saw. Ed's social graces, humor and profound respect for the local cultures meant we had many memorable moments shared with local people. I have been fortunate to experience travel in the "wilds" of many African countries, professionally and as a tourist, and this was, by far, my favorite time in Africa.

A superb trip through Uganda and Kenya with Ed.

Over the top guide! Ed is an amazing human, so kind, thoughtful and the most amazing Naturalist I have ever met, not to mention his Photography expertise! I will do another trip with Ed some day and have recommended him to many!

Ed is a fantastic photographer and teacher, and knows how to get his clients into the right situation and positions for shots. Moreover, he's an excellent tracker, recognizing alarm calls using them to find leopards and lions. He's also a wonderful human being and such a pleasure to spend time with. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

I attended Edward Selfe's Emerald Season safari and can highly recommend Edward to tour South Luangwa National Park. All travel arrangements were professionally managed from arrival to departure. Edward's enthusiasm, passion, knowledge and personal attention made him a perfect host.

For almost ten years I have been regularly visiting South Luangwa on photographic safaris with Ed Selfe. This time round we visited a less well known park located on the northern bank of the Zambezi. Based at the Anabezi Lodge we spent nine days in this beautiful park which is characterised by its forests. We had numerous sightings and as usual, under Ed's guidance, we, as photographic enthusiasts, were able to make the most of them. In a word it was wonderful. The lodge was excellent, the staff very obliging and friendly, but the highlight was certainly the park itself which is beautiful and I'd recommend it as an exceptional wildlife destination without hesitation. Ed Selfe, as a guide, ensures the experience is the very best standard.