Originally Posted by
LufthansaFlyer
Get yourself a Sigma 150-600sport and a tamron 70-200 2.8 g2 I go to Africa one or twice each year and these 2 take about 80 percent of my shots The other 20% is a 400mm 2.8 for birds etc But for general game viewing the first 2 lenses I mentioned will be great. I usually come back with 18-20,000 shots so I speak from a point of trial and error!
lensrentals.com is an excellent place to rent from. If you want to see what images look like with the above mentioned gear, I have them posted in my Safari gallery on
DGcameraworks.com
My wife and I go to Africa reasonably frequently and take two main bodies and that's what we shoot with (although with the Canon 70-200 2.8). It's a fantastic combination, especially if you can have two bodies running at once. Having a 2x extender to throw onto the 70-200 is a great bonus as well, when you know you need the reach. We take our third body and have it ready with something shorter, usually a 24-70 for anything that needs something shorter.
I'm usually shooting the heavy lens (150-600) and I spend a lot of time in the 500-600 range. It's worth having the extra reach.
To the OP, there isn't one size fits all, but if you can swing it I'd consider renting a second body as well.
The other thing you should think long and hard about is support. These lenses are heavy and you won't take photos if you're tired and your arms are sore. My wife hand shoots generally with the smaller lens, but I usually have a monopod on the tripod collar of the heavier lens. I don't use it all the time and you can flip it up if you don't need it, but it's a great tool.