Frequently Asked Questions about a Tawàyama Safari.
What’s involved with a Tawàyama Safari?
Our goal is to get you and your photography gear into the most scenic position possible at the best times of the day. That in mind, we will be camping as near as possible to the locations we wish to photograph. Meals are prepared on location and will be hearty, satisfying and enough to carry you through the day’s activities. Trust us when we say you won’t be going hungry! A typical safari is scheduled to last 4 days, with several lasting up to two weeks. Although we will have portable showers, we all know that we are camping and not involved in a fashion show. Let’s face it, we’re roughing it; easy, but still a bit rough. Although the emphasis of our safaris is that of staying within the locations we will be photographing, trips lasting 5 days or longer will have an evening lodged at a local hotel/motel. Breaking it up in the middle will give us a chance to clean up, refresh supplies and (not to sound too soft), take a long hot shower!
Early mornings are made a bit easier since we won’t be meeting at some hotel lobby at 4am to drive the van to our morning shoots. Additionally, we won’t be pulling into the parking lot after sundown weary and tired to half-heartedly enjoy a late meal. Getting up before dawn will be made easier knowing you will be stepping out of your tent directly into some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Knowing that you can photograph immediately is incentive enough to get up and start your day early. Breakfast will be ready and waiting for you when you return from your early morning photography, but you will be able to take fruit and snacks with you into the field before breakfast is ‘officially’ served.
How the heck do I pronounce Tawàyama?
Ok, we admit it's a bit of a tongue twister, but say it slowly. Tah-WAH-yah-ma....tah-WAH-yah-ma....tah-WAH-yah-ma. Professor Ekkehart Malotki from Northern Arizona State University did the research on the name for us. He was one of the main participants in the Hopi Language Project, translating the Hopi language into english that could be written and pronounced. Dr. Malotki is also an avid photographer, having published several photographic titles about the rock art found in the Southwest. Tawàyama translated means: "When the Sun God rises from his house in the East,". An additional translation, and one that we like is, "The first light that touches the earth in the morning".
What will we be eating and where?
We will do some of our shopping for groceries locally, some of our frozen meats, poultry and fish will be purchased elsewhere. We strive to use only the freshest highest quality ingredients. Meals will be balanced, hearty and prepared on the spot. We will cook hot meals for breakfast and dinner, and while we are on the road we'll eat buffet style off of the tailgates of the Range Rovers. For times when we will spend multiple days in one camp, lunches can be served at basecamp as well as out in the field. If you have specific dietary needs, feel free to bring them up. We will try to accomodate you as well as we can. We do not keep a Kosher kitchen, apologies are extended. Water will always be brought in and either be bottled, or be filtered by charcoal and reverse osmosis.
What kind of equipment do you use?
All of our camping gear, tents, pads and sleeping bags are state of the art, and manufactured by Mountain Hardware. All of our cooking gear has been chosen with durability and practicality. The vehicles are very unique indeed, and have been customized to accommodate heavy safari use, or have been hand-built from the ground up.
Is the back seat going to be comfortable to ride in?
Absolutely! Back seat clients comment on how comfortable they are and how much leg room they have. We have specifically chosen a version of the Range Rover that was manufactured with additional leg-room for the rear passengers. This is truly the 4-wheel-drive limousine perfected. There will only be 2 clients in the rear seat (one client will ride shot-gun), with room enough to relax and enjoy the scenery. You may find yourself drawing straws to be able to ride in the back!
What are the space limitations for my personal gear and camera gear?
Be reasonable with your personal gear, pack wisely for the climate we will be encountering, and above all, if you have any questions feel free to ask via phone or e-mail. A duffelbag or backpack measuring 34x20x16 inches will be more than sufficient. Camera equipment? Well, we all know that as photographers we are gear-heads and love our toys (uh, tools)! Keep in mind that we will be doing short hikes at times carrying our cameras. We like Pelican cases for their ultimate durability and ability to eliminate water and dust. But, we also like the LowePro backpacks for carrying our gear over rough terrain. Hmm, what to do?
Short of developing a pack-frame to accommodate our Pelican cases, we typically will use both types of cases. We like to use one case for the majority of our gear to be stored in the vehicle, and a medium-sized camera pack for short day-trips. Our favorite Pelican case is the 1600, and we would strongly suggest nothing bigger than it. Measuring 8.5x18x22 inches, the 1600 is large enough to handle most photographers needs. If you have a large lens (300 to 600mm), or an ultra-large format camera system, you are welcome to bring it. Contact us with special needs. Tripods should be large enough to support whatever camera system you plan on using, but light enough to pack if you intend to take any of the side hikes. We use and endorse Gitzo tripods thoroughly, especially liking the carbon fiber versions for our day trips. The weight savings more than offsets the difference in price. Some clients have asked about telescopes, painting easels and other bulky equipment. Contact us if you have any specific questions or concerns. We will try our best to accommodate your unique trip requirements.
Where will I be sleeping?
Since we're camping, it only makes sense that we'll be sleeping in tents right? We have several 3 man tents that we typically will put 2 clients in. If you absolutely can’t stand the idea of sleeping in a tent with someone you have only met the day before, or are a known sawmill at night, we also have small 1-man tents as well. We'd rather have you find someone in the group that you feel comfortable with in a tent, as we feel we don’t want anyone to be excluded from the group bonding that will take place. Also we do most of our traveling around the non-rainey seasons, so if you like the idea of sleeping under the stars we do that all the time too.
You will be sleeping in 20-degree bags from Mountain Hardward, which are more than adequate for the climate and season we will be staying in. In an effort to alleviate any concerns over allergies to goose down, all of our bags use synthetic fill. Each bag is laundered after each safari, so you can be sure that you won’t get any cooties from the previous occupant. Your bag will be on top of the thickest most comfortable camping pad available. Measuring a hefty 2 inches in thickness these pads are nice enough to bring out for the in-laws when they visit. One of the neat things about these pads is the built in pocket at the top end. You can stuff it full of your softest items for a nice comfy place for your head to rest.
Be sure to bring a fleece jacket or pants that you can stuff into your sleepijng pad so that you have a soft place to rest your head at night. Cots are another item that we can’t afford to have taking up space in our equipment hauler, so if you absolutely have to sleep off of the ground, call us with your concerns and questions.
What kind of training do these guys have?
Michael Slade received his B.A. degree in fine art photography from Utah State University in 1995. Studying under Craig Law, his training has included everything from photojournalism to the 8x10 camera to 18th century printing processes. Recently Slade has been running a virtually all digital studio in Portland, Oregon, having been using the Nikon D1 series of cameras since their inception. Currently Slade shoots with Nikon D1x’s and a full Mamiya7 system.
Slade has been scouting and photographing remote locations for the past 15 years. With over 200 maps of the different areas he travels too, countless books in his extensive wilderness library, allows him to relay that knowledge and information to his clients. His expertise in getting to and returning from these locations successfully is what gives us confidence in being able to provide you with a safe and satisfying experience.
Where are we going and what kind of preparation has gone into the trip?
We will be going to the lesser traveled parts of the western United States. Travel will be in remote areas, far from civilization and immediate support. Every single location visited has been scouted in advance by Michael Slade personally. We will not take you to an area that we know nothing about or haven’t photographed before. We want our clients to know that we know where we’re going and what’s going to be there once we arrive. Also, Slade will be guiding each expedition personally. We are not a travel agency who is going to pawn you off to someone else, we don’t send you to a workshop to be instructed by other people. We are with you each and every step of our trips to ensure your safety, satisfaction and to provide additional photographic instruction if desired.
Who is leading each safari?
Michael Slade will be the guide for each expedition. Each vehicle will be driven by a trained Tawayama Safaris staff member. Each vehicle will hold 3 clients (4 including the driver) ensuring you an intimate and comfortable experience. Our drivers have been well versed in local history, geography, botany and other local facts of interest. They can’t know everything about everything you’re going to be seeing, but have taken a personal interest in studying various aspects of where we’re going.
Will this trip kill me?
Hopefully not. In all seriousness, a trip with Tawayama Safaris will be physically demanding and will expose you to climates and areas of the world you will not be familiar with. We have chosen the areas we visit to coincide within the temperate seasons to minimize our exposure to the harshest weather. Hikes are a part of our safaris, but are always optional and will be shorter than 3 miles. They have been chosen to be easy enough to get you, your camera gear, and essential supplies (e.g. water/snacks) in and out. Yes, you will need to be in shape enough to haul around your own gear, we won’t be bringing any pack Llamas with us. The emphasis of the safaris is that of photography, so hikes and side trips will be chosen with getting you and your gear in safely and within the scope of general fitness.
What kind of people will be attending your expeditions?
Typically they will be serious amateur hobbyist photographers to semi-professional shooters. Spouses and partners of these people will also attend. We limit child participation to 18 years of age out of courtesy to our other clients. Painters, poets, writers, astronomers, historians and anyone else looking to immerse themselves with a unique wilderness experience are also encouraged to attend. Although the emphasis of our expeditions is photography, that shouldn’t preclude others who might not want to make that the focal point of their trip from attending. Your participation is entirely up to you. We won’t be blowing a bugle to get you up in the morning, and won’t be dragging you along on a hike you don’t feel like doing. This is YOUR trip, and we are here to make sure you enjoy it.
Photographic instruction is available and we are happy to provide tips and pointers. We can’t teach you how to use your specific type of camera, so be sure to bring along any manuals if you are unsure about it’s operation. What we can teach you is how to see, compose, experiment and have FUN with your camera.
Participants are encouraged to bring along a Kodak Carousel slide tray of their work. Our equipment vehicle has a white rear cargo box that is perfect for projecting slides onto. We will bring a projector and have power to show slides in the evening. We would love to have you fill a tray with your work and bring it along to show the group. Our expeditions are intended to be educational on many levels, and sharing each others work is one way we can broaden our photographic experience.
You're not going where I'd like to go, can you help?
Of course! If you have a small group of friends, family, educators, students, whatever, let us know where you'd like to go and we'll take care of the rest. Permits, logistics, route-planning, everything can be handled in advance. If you need assistance supporting a long-distance mountain biking or hiking trip, we can meet your group at pre-arranged sites and have camp waiting for you and dinner ready when you arrive. If you have places of personal significance that you would like to visit and we are not offering a scheduled trip to that location, feel free to contact us. We'll see how we can help make your trip a reality.
How do you plan your trips?
By picking locations of scenic interest, historical significance or by the migratory patterns of wildlife. Additionally, we are always planning out scouting trips to places we haven't visited yet, or places we wish to offer a more in-depth expedition. These trips are also open for clients to accompany us on. If you're ready for a taste of exploration, map reading, weather watching and ad-libbing, we'd love to have you join us on a scouting expedition. Contact us to find out where we're going to go exploring next!
Can I drive my own vehicle?
Sure! Just not on one of our expeditions. If you'd like to learn how to drive your 4x4 better off-road, learn recovery techniques, emergency vehicle repair, and wilderness survival we'd like to recommend you speak with 4-Wheeling America. Bill leads self-drive tours all over the west on a regular basis and also does driver training for 4-wheel drive vehicles.
What can't I do on a Tawàyama Safari?
Well, we don't allow firearms, fireworks, cigarettes or drugs. We're not going rafting, biking, climbing or skiing. You also can't have a bad attitude. Some of our trips will allow guests to bring a minimal amount of alcohol, none will be consumed in any vehicle, and we will generally reserve drinking for evening meals. No excessive drunkeness will be allowed. We will be in dry climates at severe altitude at times, and we can not allow our guests behavor to endanger themselves or others, drunk, sober, or otherwise.
Is a Tawàyama Safari right for me?
Only you can be the judge. Hopefully by the time you have learned about what we offer, how your trip will be equipped and where you will be going, you will know. We are here to assist you in having a comfortable experience, and it cannot begin unless you feel comfortable attending. Our goal in presenting all of our information accurately and honestly is not to scare you away, rather we want our clients to be fully aware of what type of experience they are going to have and come adequately prepared. Again, trust yourself. If you don’t feel that this type of safari is right for you, there are several others that are less demanding which we would be happy to recommend.
Alright, sign me up!
Tremendous! Go to the SAFARIS section, peruse at your pleasure and choose from the various expeditions we offer. We’re excited to meet you and help you enjoy a Tawàyama Safari!
