Antares Bush Camp needed to find a way to make our product different from the many other tourist attractions in the local area and set us apart from the more traditional lodges and so

Welcome to the Umgede underground hide

There are only a handful of underground hides in South Africa and even fewer in the immediate vicinity of the Kruger National Park. These hides offer guests the unique and amazing opportunity to sit in the safety and comfort of a game viewing hide and photograph the animals from their level. Whether your subject is the mighty elephants as they throw the mud over their ears, or the majestic lions as they lap the cooling water or just the dainty dragonflies as they rest on the lily pads, there will always be something of interest for you to focus your lens on.

At Umgede there will be ample space for up to four photographers to sit in the comfort of adjustable office chairs and mount your cameras on sturdy supports or rest them on your bean bags. The waters edge is a mere 60-70 cm from the opening of the shutters allowing you to get really close to the animals. Watch the video to give yourself an idea of just how special this experience can be, https://youtu.be/SBj9T0RCnkk.

Behind you is ample seating for the non-photographers to also relax and spend time waiting for the animals to turn up or just to keep their better-halves company. Some photographers have even taken the opportunity to snuggle down under a blanket and spend the whole night waiting patiently for that one opportunity. To get award winning photographs sometimes requires patience and dedication but it can be worthwhile.

Villiers Steyn took the following photograph of the lion in the Milky way recently and regards it as one of his best photos ever.

The hide faces south giving amazing views of the night sky and offers great light in both mornings and evenings. Refer to the lunar calendar for the year which you may want to take into account for your nocturnal photography. There are spotlights on the waterhole but these can be controlled from within the hide should you wish to get creative and take a photograph using only the full moon to light up your subject.

It is important to remember to bring along all your various camera bodies and lenses that you may want as the hide offers you such a wide variety of different angles and subjects that you need to be prepared for any of them. It may be a wide angle shot to get that starry background or the large breeding herd of elephants, or maybe the long telephoto lens that you require to capture the diminutive blue waxbills on the other side of the waterhole. You would be advised to bring along your bean bags and gimbals to ensure that you get that steady camera for that perfect shot. Don’t forget to bring along your battery chargers too as you can plug these in right next to you, ensuring that you never run out of battery and miss that award winning shot you have always dreamed of.

A small fridge means you can stock up with refreshments and settle down for the day or evening. A kettle and tea and coffee making facilities also add to your beverage options during those long hours. Don’t forget to bring along  good book to read while you wait for the animals to arrive or better still your bird guide so you can identify all the birds as they come down to drink.

The hide has ample electrical connections for you to charge your equipment, including USB charge points. Wi-Fi is also available from within the hide enabling you to upload your photos immediately to various social media platforms.

Situated only 30-40m from the swimming pool and accessed from within the electrified fenced-off area around the camp, the hide is easily accessible on your own although caution is still advised on your approach to the hide, especially at night when the use of a strong torch is advised.

The hide is restricted to camp guests only but will be made available to day visitors on those days when the camp is empty. In these situations bookings will only be available within a 48 hour notice period so please call to check if the hide is available or not. Day visitors unfortunately will only be granted access during daylight hours and will be limited to a maximum group size of four people.