Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 Waterproof Binocular

The most important piece of equipment that you can bring with you on safari is not your camera, but a good pair of binoculars. Remember you are not visiting a zoo and much of what you may be looking at will not be sitting right next to you and so to get the most out of your visit and to get closer to all the action you will need binoculars.

Lets take a look at the popular Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 waterproof binocular as I recently noticed that they have been offered on discount from many binocular retailers and see if it has what it takes.

Full Review of the Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 Waterproof Binocular

Best Binoculars for Safaris
With so many choices and different types of optics, it can seem a little daunting when deciding which are the best binoculars for you, your personal needs and for your safari holiday.

Ideally we are looking for a great nature viewing binocular (this includes birdwatching) that must also be tough and small enough to easily pack away and carry with the rest of your luggage.


Bigger is not always better
This includes the magnification, these Nikon binoculars have a magnification of 8x and that happens to also be the most popular magnification for birdwatching binoculars. This is because the larger the magnification the less stable the image is that you will be looking at through them is and generally the field of view is smaller the larger your magnification. An important factor when trying to quickly locate fast moving erratic objects (like birds) through your optics.

Whilst birding will be a part of what you will be doing on safari, you are mainly on the look out for the bigger, slower moving stuff, and so personally I do prefer a slightly stronger magnification, but definitely no more than 10x

Size of Binoculars
These Nikon Monarch Binoculars have and objective lens diameter of 42mm (8x42), again this is the most popular size for birding binoculars, larger objective lenses mean as a general rule, the binoculars take in more light, giving you a bright image. Unfortunately larger objective lenses mean larger binoculars which can be more difficult to carry with you, especially on holiday and that is why I tend, for safaris to choose a more compact design with good quality optics that have a high light transfer rate, that are simpler to fit in with the rest of my luggage.

Conclusion - Great Birdwatching Binoculars
So whilst these are excellent binoculars overall and make ideal birding binoculars, for safaris, I would only give them a score of around 7/10 - good but not the best.

More information:

• An article on how to choose the Best Binoculars for Safari Holidays

Tsavo Safari Holiday in Kenya

Tsavo 1988 - 2006
Originally uploaded by Nikographer [Jon]

When most people think of a safari holiday in Kenya, the first name that comes to mind is the Masai Mara National park and it's great wildebeest migration. There is of course much more to Kenya thn just the Mara:

Tsavo National Park, which consists of Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks as well as the Chyulu Hills, is about 200km from Nairobi and less than that from Mombasa on the Main Nairobi to Mombasa road, making it the closest large national park to the holiday resorts at the coast and so is an ideal location to take a break from the beach to go and see some of Kenya's fantastic wildlife.

The combined Tsavo National Parks cover an area that is greater than Wales, making it Kenya's largest wildlife reserve and one of the largest in Africa. Here you can find all of Africa's Big 5 animals (Elephant, Black Rhino, Buffalo, Lion and Leopard) as well as a huge variety of other animals.

Because Tsavo is a National park and less popular than the Masai Mara, they make the perfect destination for a self drive safari and whilst the road network within the reserve is excellent, it is still advisable to hire a 4x4.

For more information on the reserve, take a look at the Safari Holiday Guide to Tsavo National Park.

Self Drive Safari Tips

Below is a video of a couple on a self drive safari in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park in South Africa.

In the video they pass on some excellent advice, including not to drive to fast whilst on safari as well as not to go out game viewing during the mid day sun.

Best Camera for Safari

Photography is a hobby of mine and one that I really enjoy in the bush or on safari, but it is not the only reason that I am there and I am not a professional photographer.

Digital SLR Cameras for Safari Photography
The reason that I mention this is there is no doubt that digital SLR cameras are if you are looking for the best cameras for Safaris and pretty much everything else, the way to go. They do however have some downsides, especially when considering what is the best camera for travel and safaris. The biggest two are price and size:

1) Size Counts
If you are on safari, that means that you are also travelling, that means unless it is your job, you probably don't want to take up all the space in your luggage with camera equipment. Digital SLR's, with a decent size telephoto lens (which you will need) are big, take up plenty of space and are pretty heavy pieces of kit.

2) The Price is Right
Again, for me and for many people who go on a safari holiday, photography is a hobby, you want to get some great pictures, but don't want to spend more on your camera than the holiday itself! If price is no option then a good quality digital SLR, with a nice big telephoto lens is the best, but it will be expensive.

So is there an alternative to the SLR camera?
If the two drawbacks to getting an SLR camera for travel, safari and wildlife photography are something you don't want, is there another option? The answer is most certainly yes.

Digital Super-Zoom Cameras
The best Cameras for Safaris
Most of the larger camera makers make a version of a super-zoom camera, basically halfway between a compact digital camera and an SLR camera. Whilst larger than a compact camera, they are much smaller and lighter than true SLR cameras. They also come with fantastic zoom capabilities, with 15x, 18x and even 20x lenses becoming common place. That is an SLR equivalent of a 520mm telephoto lens. Digital super-zooms also only cost a fraction of SLR cameras and you have the added advantage of not having to buy a separate telephoto lens.

I have almost always used some sort of digital super zoom camera and have, what I think taken some pretty respectable photos. For a few examples, take a look at some of my African Bird and Wildlife photos, or some of my Elephant Photos.

For me, a person who wants to take great photographs, but is on a budget, there is no choice, the best camera for Safari, Wildlife and Travel photography has to be some sort of Digital Super Zoom Camera.

Which SuperZoom to Get?
Ok, so we have now decided not to get an SLR camera, but which super-zoom to get?
I have written a few articles on what I think is the the best Superzoom camera for travel & wildlife photography:

• Best Digital Camera for Safari and Travel
• Best Cameras for Safari: Super-Zooms

And if you want to give your superzoom camera even more power:

Telephoto Conversion Lenses for the Panasonic DMC-FZ28 & DMC-FZ18

What to Wear on Safari

If you are planning on going on a Safari holiday, it is important to take the correct clothing.

This is not only for your comfort, but also to help you blend in with nature an thus hopefully making it easier to get closer to the wildlife that you have come to see.

More information on Safari Clothing
There is a great article on the Safari Holiday guide that goes through each item of clothing including safari jackets, hats, trousers and shirts and find out just what works and why: Safari Clothing Advice

Most of the choices are common sense, like the colours that help you to blend in, but there are also tips on things like the materials to look out for, for good temperature control whilst also not making too much noise when moving that could frighten skittish animals away.

Two Zebra's at Duma Manzi Game Reserve

Two Zebra's at Duma Manzi Game Reserve
Originally uploaded by chirundu

A photo I took on Duma Manzi Game reserve in South Africa

Safari Holiday in South Africa

A very nostalgic video of a Safari Guide's view of working on Welgevonden game reserve in the Limpopo region of South Africa. Enjoy...