Both types of safari—guided and self-drive—have a place in your wildlife photography journey.

But they couldn’t be more different.

If you’re planning your first trip (or your tenth), here’s what I’ve learned after years of switching between the two, and some honest thoughts about when to pick one over the other.

Even after countless safaris, expensive lenses, and thousands of shutter clicks, I still make mistakes. Some are technical. Others are mental. But they all sneak up on me when I least expect them.

And I’ve learned the hard way that safari photography is not about perfection; it’s about reacting fast, staying humble, and constantly learning.

Here it is: five safari photography mistakes I still make—and what I try to do differently each time.