A hide is exactly what it sounds like: a discreet, purpose-built structure that allows photographers and nature enthusiasts to observe wildlife up close, without being seen. Positioned near waterholes, salt licks or well-used animal paths, they promise a steady rhythm of activity. Designed to blend seamlessly into their surroundings, hides minimise disturbance, allowing for more natural behaviour than you’d typically witness on a game drive or on foot. Many sit at water level or are sunk into the earth, offering intimate angles, striking reflections and beautifully composed shots.

While some remain rustic, a new generation of high-end hides is emerging, with comfortable seating, adjustable viewing slots, camera mounts and even charging points for longer sessions. A select few offer overnight stays, opening a window into the nocturnal world. At places like Mashatu, the Lala Limpopo hide even features adjustable back and side lighting.

Some hides are tailored for specific sightings – from bird hides with glassy reflection pools to setups geared for nocturnal predators like hyena, civet and honey badger. They also provide a safe vantage point for observing larger animals such as elephant, lion and leopard.

But hides aren’t just for photographers. Even without a camera, the quiet anticipation and raw proximity of the wild is unforgettable – that simple “hide and peek” thrill!

Here are some of Africa’s finest hides, offering unforgettable encounters for photographers and wildlife lovers alike:

Onkolo Hide at Onguma Nature Reserve (Namibia)

Situated on the eastern fringe of Etosha National Park, Onguma’s Onkolo Hide offers stunning views and creative angles at water level in Onguma Nature Reserve. It’s an ideal spot for capturing diverse wildlife and birdlife in beautiful light. It also offers ablution facilities for those who wish to linger longer – and is best enjoyed with a guide. Many award-winning photos have been captured in this hide. They will also be introducing a new “sound safari” experience in the hide in the coming months, so watch this space!

There is also another gorgeous water level hide located at Onguma Camp Kala which guests can access at any time, just below the lounge deck, overlooking the watering hole.  With only four suites in the whole camp, Camp Kala’s hide is undoubtedly one of the most exclusive photo hides you will find anywhere!

Mhondoro Hide in the Welgevonden Game Reserve (South Africa)

Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa  is located within the malaria-free Welgevonden Game Reserve in Limpopo. One of its many highlights is its underground waterhole hide, which is connected to the main lodge by a 65-metre tunnel. This allows guests easy and safe access at all times, including nighttime, with or without a guide, to enjoy front row seats to the animals drinking and bathing in the waterhole right in front of the lodge. This flexibility is great for those who might not want to spend hours on game drives and of course for families, although children do need to be quiet so as not to disturb the wildlife.

This hide is especially good for low-angle photography through lovely large horizontal windows, ideal for photographing elephants, rhino, zebra, and birds. Camera cushions and a small drinks bar are provided so that guests can enjoy many hours observing the wildlife from this handy hiding place in comfort.

Mahlasela Hide at Tembe Elephant Park (South Africa)

Tembe Elephant Park in northern KwaZulu-Natal is mostly known for its large indigenous bull elephants with their huge tusks, but its Mahlasela hide is also a prime location for spotting all of the Big Five as they gather around the waterhole.

The live ellie-cam, hosted by Africam, based at Mahlasela, has been in operation for well over two decades and has won over loyal followers from around the globe, many of whom dream of visiting in person, and often do!  You can check out some of the highlights including leopards, lions being chased away by elephants – and even a few porcupines here.

This hide was also recently upgraded to be fully accessible with a new lower-level viewing area and a wheelchair friendly toilet on the hidden access pathway – right in the middle of the bush! Not everyone enjoys a tree-wee!

Matebole Hide at Mashatu Game Reserve (Botswana)

The underground Matebole Hide at Mashatu is a dream location for photographing elephants and other wildlife. Created from a sturdy shipping container in 2012, it has since become a renowned hotspot for photographers, with C4 / PhotoMashatu offering expert guidance. Many award winning photos have been taken here including Greg du Toit’s Essence of Elephants, which won him the acclaimed “Wildlife Photographer of the Year” award in  2013.

The hide comfortably accommodates up to eight photographers, allowing them to lay out their lenses and capture the classic scenes of Mashatu as they unfold before them. Mashatu offers a “family hour” between sessions so that families with younger children can also get a taste of the Mashatu magic – and can try their hand at fun things like recording timelapses on their mobile phones. PhotoMashatu has also recently made Matebole hide far more accessible, replacing the old ladder down from the roof of the container with a beautiful new walkway and side entrance. Much easier for those carrying heavy cameras too!

Lala Limpopo Overnight Hide at Mashatu (Botswana)

Mashatu also offers a fabulous  Lala Limpopo overnight hide for those looking for a very exclusive, immersive nocturnal photography experience. With innovative adjustable lighting and two comfortable bedrooms to lala (sleep) in – up to four guests can capture incredible images from dusk till dawn. With windows at ground level, you can observe elephants and other nocturnal wildlife drinking some three meters away. Nighttime sensors around the waterhole alert you to animal presence, ensuring you never miss an opportunity. There’s also a kitchen, lounge, bathroom, courtyard, and photographic area, as well as a room for your PhotoMashatu guide. The experience is offered from March to the end of November each year before closing for the rainy season.

Jaci’s Terrapin Hide at Madikwe Game Reserve (South Africa)

After unprecedented flooding along the Marico River in early 2025, Jaci’s Lodges in Madikwe Game Reserve suffered extensive damage but will be relaunching in July 2026 as Jaci’s Private Lodge with 10 newly designed Safari Suites with private decks overlooking the river. Also returning is Jaci’s Terrapin Hide which is accessible via a tunnel, to the middle of the waterhole in front of the lodge. With 270° water level views, this hide is another photographer’s dream come true! Madikwe is renowned for its wildlife viewing with flourishing populations of lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo, black & white rhino, wild dogs, cheetah, brown & spotted hyena, hippo, and giraffe.

Whether you’re aiming for award-winning shots or simply to immerse yourself in nature, Africa’s hides offer unparalleled and unforgettable wildlife encounters. I think some my favourite safari memories have been captured (both on film and in my memory) in some of these wonderful hides!

The post Hide and Peek – Behind the Lens, Beneath the Surface appeared first on Travel Southern Africa.

Thankfully, no two safari days are ever quite the same and even with a group of photographers travelling in the same vehicle, it’s amazing how the choice of lens, setting and angle can be so startlingly different. Furthermore, there are some time-tried tips gleaned over many dusty days in the field that may help you keep ahead of the game.

Simplicity

Someone said that true genius is about simplicity and, more often than not, if there’s a disturbing element that’s not adding to the drama of your picture, then crop it out. Less is almost always more. Having said this, being a landscape lover, I find that wide angles are fundamental to show the glory of the African landscape, and the habitat where the subject occurs.

Go out of season

By late October in the bush, plump cumulous clouds bulge above the dry plains and thirsty elephants converge in dusty family groups on waterholes – and all at off season rates. This is also predator season when impala drop their young and antelope are at their most weak and vulnerable. As the rain falls the first shoots appear and flowers blossom, migrant birds arrive aplenty and opportunities for colourful photographs become abundant.

Go beyond the big five

While we all love capturing the big and hairies in all their splendid forms, don’t spend all day with flat lions and rather focus on the smaller subjects like birds, insects, flowers and reptiles. So often it’s the colourful chameleon or carmine bee eater that makes it to the centre spread. Sometimes a jackal in golden grass, a bat eared fox or a pair of fish eagles will win the day.

Low angles rock

In order to get eye level shots of animals, it’s often best to choose the front seat of the vehicle. Although you may miss some shots when animals are in long grass, it will leave you well placed for catching eye level shots of leopards walking close to vehicles. Take any opportunity to get out of the vehicle that safety and your guide will allow.

Hides to seek

Choose a camp that either works as a hide (Hideaways Camp Kazuma in Chobe, Botswana is an example) or has a separate hide which is built close to the water. It means you can keep shooting all day long. Nantwich in Hwange also has a hide where you can sit and watch elephants and buffalo come to drink through the heat of the day waiting for the action to happen.

Golden Hour

The softest light and most productive time for photography is the hour before and after sunrise and sunset, when rays penetrate through the thickest part of the atmosphere casting everything with a golden glow. After sunset, as the light fades, it’s best to crank up the ISO, open your aperture and even underexpose your images a little to make sure you are shooting at decent shutter speeds. The golden light eventually turns to the blue hour — and this too is an exciting time. Set up a tripod and you will be amazed at how modern cameras can render detail out of really dark scenes.

Rethink light

We often think that it’s best to have the light behind us, but shooting with side or back lighting you can often get more interesting images. Backlighting is truly the holy grail for wildlife and works especially well with hairy animals such as baboons, waterbuck and lions when their fringes really catch the light.

Know your gear

Modern cameras are really like modern computers and take some learning, but the key tools of exposure, shutter speed and ISO are essential elements to understand. I am always armed with two cameras — one with a wide angle and another with a zoom of at least 600mm — so I can capture everything from landscapes to birds. Phone cameras are also really powerful, especially for landscapes, macro, low light photography and video.

Keep it RAW

Most professional photographers shoot in RAW format and then use Adobe Lightroom to “cook” their images by bending light, colour and contrast before exporting as a jpeg. There is hardly an image I take that does not require some post-production. However, I try to keep it real and when crossing the border into AI — adding or removing digital elements — I usually mention this in a caption.

Less is more

You should shoot freely but cull ruthlessly. On a typical two-week trip, I will shoot upward of 3,000 images and have just 50 or so keepers. Be selective about what you show and if you have trouble narrowing down the list, call a friend and get their input.

See you out there.

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