Canonical URL: https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-october/ # Wildlife Photography in October: Kenya & Botswana Published on July 13, 2026 [![One Of The Lions Drinking From The Waterhole Under Cover Of Darkness Photographed At Shompole Wilderness With Natureslens](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/One-of-the-Lions-Drinking-From-the-Waterhole-Under-Cover-of-Darkness-photographed-at-Shompole-Wilderness-with-NaturesLens-1024x768.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/One-of-the-Lions-Drinking-From-the-Waterhole-Under-Cover-of-Darkness-photographed-at-Shompole-Wilderness-with-NaturesLens.jpg) ### Article brief Editorial article Published July 13, 2026 October is Africa month twice over for us, night hides in Kenya & water-based herds in [Botswana](https://natureslens.co.uk/why-photographers-are-drawn-to/why-photographers-are-drawn-to-botswana/). Here’s what’s on. [![One Of The Lions Drinking From The Waterhole Under Cover Of Darkness Photographed At Shompole Wilderness With Natureslens](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/One-of-the-Lions-Drinking-From-the-Waterhole-Under-Cover-of-Darkness-photographed-at-Shompole-Wilderness-with-NaturesLens-1024x768.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/One-of-the-Lions-Drinking-From-the-Waterhole-Under-Cover-of-Darkness-photographed-at-Shompole-Wilderness-with-NaturesLens-1024x768.jpg) ## Why does Shompole change what photographers think is possible after dark? Both [Wildlife of Shompole](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole/) & [Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole-wilderness/) run this month, & this is where our night-hide photography happens, [elephants](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/african-elephant/) & occasionally [leopard](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/african-leopard/) or [lion](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/african-lion/) emerging from complete darkness into carefully managed light. It’s unlike anything else we run anywhere in the world. ### Create night wildlife images that almost nobody else has Shompole Wilderness gives you purpose-built hides & carefully managed lighting for African wildlife photographed properly after dark. [Discover Shompole Wilderness](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole/) ## Why is October a strong month for the Chobe River? [Wildlife of the Chobe River](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/botswana/wildlife-of-the-chobe-river/) in Botswana gives you [African buffalo](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/african-buffalo/) & [elephant](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/african-elephant/) herds against water, a different, more classically beautiful kind of African image to Shompole’s after-dark drama. October is when dry-season pressure concentrates the largest herds along the riverbank. [![Mother Calf Elephant Silhouettes At Sunset Captured During Our Wildlife Of The Chobe River Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Mother-calf-elephant-silhouettes-at-sunset-captured-during-our-Wildlife-of-the-Chobe-River-photography-holiday-1024x683.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Mother-calf-elephant-silhouettes-at-sunset-captured-during-our-Wildlife-of-the-Chobe-River-photography-holiday-1024x683.jpg) ## Is night-hide photography difficult to learn? No, our guides brief you fully on positioning & settings before each session. What matters more than prior experience is patience, waiting quietly while a hide’s lighting & a subject’s own movement do most of the work for you. ## Which of these October trips should you choose? Choose [Shompole](https://natureslens.co.uk/specific-location/shompole/) for genuinely unique after-dark African photography. Choose the [Chobe River](https://natureslens.co.uk/specific-location/chobe-river/) for classic golden-hour herds against water, at the point in the dry season when numbers are highest. Darkness in [Kenya](https://natureslens.co.uk/discover/africa/kenya/), daylight on the water in [Botswana](https://natureslens.co.uk/discover/africa/botswana/), two very different versions of [African](https://natureslens.co.uk/discover/africa/) wildlife photography sharing the same month. In this articleJump to section 1. [Why does Shompole change what photographers think is possible after dark?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-october/#why-does-shompole-change-what-photographers-think-is-possible-after-dark) 1. [Why is October a strong month for the Chobe River?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-october/#why-is-october-a-strong-month-for-the-chobe-river) 1. [Is night-hide photography difficult to learn?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-october/#is-night-hide-photography-difficult-to-learn) 1. [Which of these October trips should you choose?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-october/#which-of-these-october-trips-should-you-choose) ## What You Could Photograph in the Next Twelve Months - [What You Could Photograph Over the Next Twelve Months with NaturesLens](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/what-you-could-photograph-over-the-next-twelve-months-with-natureslens/) - [Why January Is a Strong Month for Wildlife Photography](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in February](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-february/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in March](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-march/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in April](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-april/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in May](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-may/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in June](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-june/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in July](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-july/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in August](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-august/) - [Why September Is a Strong Month for Wildlife Photography](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-september/) - Wildlife Photography in October: Kenya & Botswana - [What You Should Be Photographing in November](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-november/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in December](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-december/) - [![Heipi Tripod 06](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/heipi-tripod-06-300x169.webp)](https://natureslens.co.uk/2023/04/06/heipi-tripod/) ### [Will the Heipi Tripod Help You to Travel Stable & Steady? A Review of the Heipi Tripod](https://natureslens.co.uk/2023/04/06/heipi-tripod/) April 6, 2023 Get the lowdown on the Heipi Tripod with our review. Read on to discover if it is suitable for you… - [![A Little Owl Perched On Tree Stump](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/A-little-owl-perched-on-tree-stump-300x225.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/2025/09/29/other-species-to-photograph-wildlife-photography-holiday-in-extremadura/) ### [Other species to Photograph during our Wildlife Photography Holiday in Extremadura](https://natureslens.co.uk/2025/09/29/other-species-to-photograph-wildlife-photography-holiday-in-extremadura/) September 29, 2025 Discover the other species you can photograph during our Wildlife Photography Holiday in Extremadura, including golden eagles, kestrels, little owls… - [![One Of The Bald Eagles In Mid Dive Against A Backdrop Of One Of The Cliff Faces Photographed During The Natureslens Sea Otters Bald Eagles Of Alaska Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/One-of-the-Bald-Eagles-in-mid-dive-against-a-backdrop-of-one-of-the-cliff-faces-photographed-during-the-NaturesLens-Sea-Otters-Bald-Eagles-of-Alaska-photography-holiday-300x200.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/2024/03/31/alaskan-wildlife/) ### [Capturing the Beauty of Alaskan Wildlife – Announcing Our Return in March 2026!](https://natureslens.co.uk/2024/03/31/alaskan-wildlife/) March 31, 2024 Discover the wonders of Alaskan wildlife & what is changing for our upcoming trip! Join us in March 2026 for… In this articleJump to section 1. [Why does Shompole change what photographers think is possible after dark?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-october/#why-does-shompole-change-what-photographers-think-is-possible-after-dark) 1. [Create night wildlife images that almost nobody else has](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-october/#create-night-wildlife-images-that-almost-nobody-else-has) 1. [Why is October a strong month for the Chobe River?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-october/#why-is-october-a-strong-month-for-the-chobe-river) 1. [Is night-hide photography difficult to learn?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-october/#is-night-hide-photography-difficult-to-learn) 1. [Which of these October trips should you choose?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-october/#which-of-these-october-trips-should-you-choose) ### Author Next step ### Find your next wildlife photography holiday Browse small-group trips by destination, subject, season and photographic goal. [Browse Holidays](https://natureslens.co.uk/) ### Article topics ### Field notes by email New articles, trip reports and wildlife photography holiday announcements from NaturesLens. [Join The List](https://natureslens.co.uk/newsletter-preferences/)