Kenya Wildlife Photo Safari 2014

August 31 – September 11, 2014

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This photo safari is designed to take you into the heart of Kenya’s best photographic regions, including the Maasia Mara during the migration season. It is a mix of flying and driving to maximize our time in each reserve while having time to immerse ourselves into the this magical environment.

Each reserve offers something special and different – Samburu is home to the rare Gravy’s Zebra’s, soil-stained red elephants, Reticulated Giraffes, and Oryx; offering a traditional look of the arid savanna’s with iconic acacia trees. Lake Nakura may have up to a million pink flamingos along its edges with accessible white rhino in the foreground. The Masai Mara, the crown jewel of Africa, is host to one of the greatest wildlife shows on earth during the time of the migration. There is just no place on earth that rivals the exotic wildlife during this time.

This Photo Safari is an extraordinary opportunity to photograph East Africa’s most phenomenal wildlife locations with outstanding local guides who fully understand the needs of photographers. You will have an experience of a lifetime and come home with an amazing diverse portfolio of images.  You may add the Amboseli pre-tour and make this the best Kenya has to offer.

SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS

  • We have private 9 passenger 4X4 Land Cruisers with only 3 people in each vehicle. Every person will have their own row with 2 window seats available for the best viewing and photographic opportunities.
  •  Very small group size, limited to 8 participants
  • Experiencing the greatest migration on earth.
  • Three of the best locations in Kenya
  • Luxury accommodations
  • This safari focuses on getting quality images. We will push hard to spend most of our time in the field. This trip is all about the photography.

 

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THE ITINERARY

Day 0

Depart home

Day 1.  August 31, 2014

Arrive Nairobi, Kenya and transfer to your comfortable hotel

Day 2 September 1 2014

Today you will awake to the exotic birdcalls in a magical new world with the aroma of Kenyan coffee brewing. We will meet at breakfast for a safari briefing before catching our flight to Samburu. We will arrive at our luxury-tented camp, situated along the Ewaso Nyiro River, with plenty of time to settle in before lunch. The elephants in this area have been known to stroll right through the camp. Early afternoon, we will head out on our first game drive

Day 3-4 September 2-3

We will spend the next two days in the reserve in search of the rare Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, oryx, common waterbuck, kudu, the unique maneless lions, and the “red” elephants. The elephants exhibit a special red color from rolling in the reddish mud of river making for extraordinary images in golden light.  We will also visit a Samburu village, originally part of the Maasai tribe, but the more ornate tribe of the two.

Day 5 -6 September 4-5

After one last early morning game drive in Samburu, we will drive onward to Lake Nakuru. Lake Nakuru is famous for its massive flocks of pink flamingos that line its shore; a phenomenon not to be missed.   It is also home to black and white rhinos, and we should be able to have an up close encounter with the white. The reserve is home to a dense population of leopard, the Rothschild’s giraffes, waterbucks, Cape buffalo, lions and more.

Day 7– September 6

Today we head to the Masai Mara, the crown jewel of Kenya, and known to showcase the greatest wildlife show on earth during the migration season. Once in the Mara, we will be on alert for word of the heard building and a possible crossing of the Mara River.

Our camp, for the next 5 nights, is positioned to blend unobtrusively into the surrounding vegetation and has an authentic safari feel of a time when Hemmingway would have been a guest. In the evening we will sit around the campfire under the starry African sky and be in awe as you think back on your amazing day. You will be safely escorted back to your tent with a Masai warrior each night. There is no better way to experience Africa than by spending a few nights under canvas camping in the heart of the migration listening to the sounds of lion’s roaring, zebras barking and hyena’s calling as you gently fall asleep.

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Day 8-11 –September 7-10

We will spend the next 4 days in the Mara, one of the most lush reserves in Africa. The Talak area, where our camp is located, is one of the richest predator areas of the Mara; cheetah, lion, and leopard. We will also probably see lots of baby animals, Elephants, Hippos, Masai giraffe, common zebra, gnu, impala, Thompson’s and Grant’s gazelles, Topi, Hartebeest, spotted hyena and numerous other exotic species.

However, we will be in constant radio contact with colleagues and guides to keep a watch out for a build up of the migration and a possible crossing. We are close enough to the Mara River that if we get word, we will race off for a large crossing. This will be the highlight of the trip and there will be plenty to talk about around the evening campfire.

Day 12 – September 11

We have one last morning game drive before heading to the airstrip for our flight back into Nairobi where we will be taken to the famous carnivore restaurant for lunch. After lunch we will be transferred to our day rooms at the Ole Sereni Hotel overlooking Nairobi National Park where we can relax until we are transferred to the airport for our flights home.

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Is this trip for you?

I welcome photographers of ALL levels who are serious about wildlife and nature photography. This safari is timed during the great migration and focused on producing quality images. During this safari we will see a vast variety of exotic wildlife, however some special subjects may require spending some time watching their behavior and waiting for those special moments. This is when patience pays off and rewards you with extraordinary photographs. We will spend most of our time and effort in the field unless it is quiet and the light is just too harsh; we return our camp/lodge for the mid day break. If the herds are lining up and it looks like there could be a large crossing, we may be in the field most of the day. This means there may be many mornings and some lunches that will be box meals in the field rather than at the lodge. We will be back at camp for a nice dinner and drinks around the fire, every night.

Since this itinerary is built to spend most of our time in the field, this is not a formal workshop. There will not be any “planned” lectures, slide shows, or formal instruction but Piper is available to assist you throughout the entire safari. She is available for any questions on any and all photographic topics including business questions on marketing, branding, and creating a niche. When there is an afternoon break she will be happy to review your images, portfolios, or give an impromptu slide show or talk. This is largely why the group sizes are kept small, so that she can assist you when you need help and spend quality time with you in an amazing location.

If your objective is to have the most images you can shoot by rushing to every subject as fast as you can, then racing off to the next, and checking off a list, then this is probably not the right safari for you. If you have any concerns, please email Piper at any time.

The Cost

The cost of this photo safari is $8,595.00 per person. The price is based on double occupancy; single room supplement is $875.00, if available. Due to the limited number of spaces available, if a solo guest is willing to share and we can match with another guest of the same gender, we will do so. If a solo guest is unwilling to share, then a single supplement will be charged (up to, but not exceeding the full sharing cost). If we are unable to match a solo guest with another guest of the same gender, then the single supplement will be charged.

Price Includes:

  • In-country flights to and from the Maasai Mara
  • Airport transfers
  • First class accommodations
  • Guaranteed row and window seat in private 4X4 Land cruisers
  • All National Parks fees, Game Reserves entrance fees, and taxes
  • All meals (except on Aug 31 –this is a travel day and most flights arrive late evening, and Dinner on Sept 11.2014, due to early departures)
  • Evacuation insurance to a Nairobi hospital (transport only – Cost of hospitalization NOT included)

 

What’s Not Included:

  • Visas
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal purchases (such as curious, spirit liquors, telephone calls, internet, laundry…)
  • Gratuities for the guides, staff at accommodations, and airport transfers
  • Optional extra activities (balloon rides, walking safaris, etc.)
  • Pre- and post-safari tours
  • Meals or accommodation before or after the safari
  • International flights to and from the African Continent

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Please Understand

Traveling in remote locations can present challenges that may require slight changes to the itinerary. We will always try to run the tour as the initial itinerary. In the event, beyond our control, such as political unrest, natural disasters, overbookings by the lodge, where a change is required, we will do our best to keep you close to the original shooting location. It is our intention for you to have the best possible experience. We will try to notify you of any changes as soon as we are made aware of them. If, however these changes cause an increase to the price, the increase will be passed onto the participant.

Interested in joining us?

The group size for this safari is limited to 8 participants. Due to the small size of the group, this safari could fill quickly. If you are excited to join us on this amazing safari,  then now is the time to register.  To secure your spot, please complete the On-line registration form and make the $2,200 non-refundable deposit, which can be made in two payments. For travelers signing up early, you can make a deposit today of $1,000 to hold a
spot and pay the $1,200 balance by 12/01/13 to secure your spot. Once the tour is full, I will except request for the wait list by email.

This trip is  SOLD OUT –

 click here, to place your name on the wait-list or to be placed on the first contact list for next years tour.