Shompole Wilderness now has 3 Hides
The Shompole Hides are arguably, some of the best ground level wildlife hides in Eastern and Southern Africa.
The Shompole Hides have been created to offer great day and night photography.
The best time to see some of Shompole’s more intriguing wildlife is at night and they have been created just for that. However, evenings and early mornings attract a lot of the plains game.
Built by Johann du Toit in conjunction with renowned wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas. who started up Camtraptions and Beetlecam.
The two of them have created what is now becoming some of Africa’s top wildlife photographic hides. There has been a lot of thought put in to this project. Will Burrard-Lucas has a huge amount of experience and we are glad he has been able to help us suceed in creating the Shompole Hides.
The Shompole Hides have been designed to offer you the opportunity to get close up to some of the more rare and shy wildlife.
The Hides comprise of two sunken refurbished shipping containers, equipped with ground level views over a small waterhole.
NOTE: Although the hides have been designed for photographers, we also designed them for those mobile phone photographers too. Photographer or not it is a great place to sit watch the animal behaviour from a new ground level prespective.
How the sessions normally work.
Leave camp about 4-4:30pm after tea & coffee (or take it with you to the hide).
We will take your prefered drinks in a cool box with ice so you can relax for the evening activity.
Hide dinners have been simplified to reduce noise and clutter. (Remember the hide is open with glass).
You will stay there for the night and back normally for a brunch at 10am. If you wish to return during the night that can be done too.
!!! Please note that we DO NOT BAIT to attract carnivores !!!
NEW
We recently agreed with the Shompole Leaders and community that would build a SECOND WILDLIFE HIDE!
This is will be set within 1.5kms from our Plains Hide, The new hide will be set in more of a BUSHY AREA with THICK GRASS, this hide will be called the KICHAKA Hide.
You will now be able to book a hide EXCLUSIVELY for you as long as there are 4-6 paying clients (or have the camp exclusively yours with a minimum of 8 paying clients).
Now that we have two hides they we be used on alternative nights. E.g. one night in the Kichaka Hide, the next night in the Plains Hide.
The hides are similar insde, however the Kichaka Hide is now a bit bigger.
We also have upgraded our ground level BIRD HIDE that is located in camp and can also accommodate 4 people comfortably. The bird hide also has loads of wildlife at night that come in for a drink. You can use at anytime during the day.
If your group is 8 paying clients or more we will book the Shompole Wilderness EXCLUSIVELY for you, UNLESS there is already another booking before you. This will give you UNLIMITED TIME AT THE SHOMPOLE HIDES.
ALL IN ALL YOU CAN HAVE 12 GUESTS ALL AT A HIDE AT THE SAME TIME!
For more information on this please email Janet Stay(@)ShompoleWilderness.com
Photo credits Left to Right: Gurcharan Roopra, Johann du Toit, Johann du Toit
Plains Hide
Kichaka Hide
Bird Hide
Shompole Plains Hide
Without a doubt the Shompole Plains Hide has become one of the best ground level wildlife hides in Africa!
Waters Edge: The furthest part of the water edge is TEN meters and it is TWELVE meter across. The water comes right up to the Hides.
Lighting: There are THREE types of lighting all DIMMABLE. 1. FRONT lighting, 2. SIDE lighting with adjustable height, and the 3. is the BACK lighting that gives great silhouettes and enhances the dust.
Recommended Lenses: Due to wide variety of wildlife that visits the hide we recommend a wide 24mm-70mm, medium 70mm-200mm and zoom up to 300mm. More than a 300mm makes the subject very tight (depending on the animal). So, wide of the Giraffes and Elephants. Medium for Zebra and Impalas. 300mm+ for the Civets and mega close ups. PLEASE NOTE the faster the lens the better (2.8)!
Getting there: Please note that the Plains Hide is 4.7kms (3miles) away from the camp on the other side of the river and you need to drive there. Firstly, there is a five minute walk to river where you will cross in a boat, that is pulled across the river with a rope. Once across, the vehicles will be waiting for you. it is a drive 15 minute drive.
Once inside the Hide we open up the windows (there is NO GLASS between you and the animals). There is netting to camoflage you from the animals seeing you.
You can spend an afternoon and evening there, or an early morning or like most people you can stay the whole night in the hide.
There are 4 beds, fans, flushing loo and Starlink internet! We provide gimbals and bean bags (please bring your own camera mounting plates).
Mammals seen at Plains Hide
- Lion
- Leopard
- Cheetah
- Wild Cat
- Caracal
- Civet
- Spotted hyena
- Striped hyena
- Elephant
- Buffalo
- Waterbuck
- Impala
- Eland
- Lesser kudu
- Grants gazelle
- Giraffe
- White tailed mongoose
- Banded mongoose
- Egyptian mongoose
- Genet
- Ground squirrel
- Baboon
- Vervet monkey
Shompole Kichaka Hide
The Kichaka Hide perfect addition to the Shompole Plains Hide, similar build, 1.5kms from the Plains Hide.
Kichaka means “bush” and with that comes slightly different animals. It is not there to compete with the Plains Hide, but to complement the photographic opportunities while staying at Shompole Wilderness Camp.
Waters Edge: The furthest part of the water edge is NINE meters and it is TWELVE meter across. The water comes right up to the Hides.
Lighting: There are currently TWO types of lighting all DIMMABLE. 1. FRONT lighting, 2. SIDE lighting with adjustable height. COMING SOON is the BACK lighting that gives great silhouettes and enhances the dust, just like in the Plains Hide.
Recommended Lenses: Due to wide variety of wildlife that visits the hide we recommend a wide 24mm-70mm, medium 70mm-200mm and zoom up to 300mm. More than a 300mm makes the subject very tight (depending on the animal). So, wide of the Giraffes and Elephants. Medium for Zebra and Impalas. 300mm+ for the Civets and mega close ups. PLEASE NOTE the faster the lens the better (2.8)!
Getting there: Please note that the Kichaka Hide is 3.2kms (3miles) away from the camp on the other side of the river and you need to drive there. Firstly, there is a five minute walk to river where you will cross in a boat, that is pulled across the river with a rope. Once across, the vehicles will be waiting for you. it is a drive 15 minute drive.
Once inside the Hide we open up the windows (there is NO GLASS between you and the animals). There is netting to camoflage you from the animals seeing you.
You can spend an afternoon and evening there, or an early morning or like most people you can stay the whole night in the hide.
There are 4 beds, fans, flushing loo and Starlink internet! We provide gimbals and bean bags (please bring your own camera mounting plates).
Mammals seen at Kichaka Hide
- Lion
- Leopard
- Wild Cat
- Caracal
- Civet
- Spotted hyena
- Striped hyena
- Elephant
- Waterbuck
- Impala
- Giraffe
- White tailed mongoose
- Banded mongoose
- Genet
- Ground squirrel
- Baboon
- Vervet monkey
Shompole Bird Hide
A small bird hide in set in camp close to the swimming pool. Like the other hides it is set in the ground, and offers ground level bird and mammal photography.
Waters Edge: The furthest part of the water edge is SEVEN meters and it is EIGHT meter across. The water comes right up to the Hide.
Lighting: Currently no lighting, this is prodmently a daytime hide.
Recommended Lenses: Due to wide variety of birds and some wildlife that visits the hide we recommend a wide 24mm-70mm, medium 70mm-200mm and zoom up to 300mm. More than a 300mm makes the subject very tight (depending on the animal). PLEASE NOTE the faster the lens the better (2.8)!
Getting there: Located in camp to the left of the swimming pool.
Once inside the Hide there is netting to camoflage you from the birds and animals seeing you.
There are four chairs. A relaxing place to watch the day go by and/or have a afternoon and evening drinks there too.
Animals Seen & Photographed
Cats
- Lion
- Leopard
- Cheetah
- Serval
- Civet
- African wild cat
- Caracal
Heavy Weights
- Elephant
- Buffallo
- Giraffe
Plains Game
- Zebra
- Wildebeest
- Impala
- Grants gazelle
- Baboons
- Vervet monkey
- Eland
- Waterbuck – Common
- Lesser Kudu
- Warthog
Others
- Hyena – spotted
- Hyena – striped
- Genet
- Egyptian mongoose
- Slender mongoose
- White-tailed mongoose
- Porcupine
- Bat-eared fox
- Ground squirrel
