Kenya Wildlife Safari 2016

3 DIFFERENT TOP WILDLIFE RESERVES

August 9 – August 20, 2016

Filled with phenomenal wildlife and exotic tribes, Kenya offers the ultimate, classic African safari experience. This photo safari is not only designed to take you into the heart of Kenya’s best wildlife regions and visit two of its most iconic tribes, but coincides with the great wildebeest migration. This is the time of year when the mass herds cross the famous Mara River. You will witness supreme predator action as the big cats take advantage of the large herds crossing through the Great Plains. Nowhere else on earth can rival the wildlife experience during this time.

We will be flying between Nairobi and all but one reserve, to maximize our time in the field, while also taking advantage of some unique opportunities. This safari is limited to 8 guests. This allows for greater freedom, more flexibility, better group dynamics, and the feeling of a more personal, private safari. In our private vehicles, each guest has their own row of seats, which allows you to spread out and work from either side of the vehicle.

Each reserve we visit offers something dynamic and different;

MAASAI MARA – Known as the wildlife mecca of the world and immortalized by countless wildlife films, the renowned Maasai Mara needs little introduction. During the season, when the migration crosses the famous Mara River, the Maasai Mara is arguably the greatest wildlife photography experience in the world. The vast, open plains are home to large prides of lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, black Rhino, hippos, Maasai giraffes, common zebras, gnu, impala, Thompson’s and grant’s gazelles, topi, hartebeest, black-backed jackals, spotted hyenas and more; it is the lushest reserve in Africa and homeland to the Maasai tribe.

SAMBURU– Filled with large, iconic umbrella acacia trees in a stunning, arid environment, Samburu Reserve evokes the traditional vision of “I Dream of Africa.” In the stillness of what seems like an empty land, one might hear the rustle of brush as a cheetah makes herself known. Roaming through this primal land and unique to this reserve are the mane-less lions, rare and exotic Gravy’s Zebras, soil–stained red elephants, reticulated giraffes, and Oryx. This reserve is also known for its incredible leopard sightings.

In stark contrast to this dry, neutral landscape wanders the vivid, semi-nomadic Samburu tribe. We will visit a lively village, with which I have a personal relationship. You will have more than a glimpse into this ancient and fascinating world; you’ll have the opportunity to capture compelling images as powerful as your wildlife images.

LAKE NAKURU -Near to the water’s edge lays a magnificent Euphorbia forest, the largest in Africa. Imagine coming around the bend to discover a tower of beautiful Rothschild’s giraffes coming through the majestic, yellow acacia trees, the only place in the country to see them. More intriguing is entering the lush forest in search of the rare, tree-climbing lions or finding the prized leopard in a stunning photographic background. Lake Nakuru is also a sanctuary for both the White Rhino and critically endangered Black Rhino. Often, you may see up to a dozen white rhinos gathered together. From the rocky escarpments to the lush forest, the park is stunning year-round.

AMBOSELI – You will have the opportunity to extend your safari to include Amboseli National Park, an incredible reserve where you can capture vast herds of elephants storming across dry, open plains. It has one of the most amazing ecosystems, containing marsh wetlands, and dust tunnels that move along the landscape. Imagine photographing expansive views filled with giraffes, zebras, and other exotic African wildlife, with Mount Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. You will not only capture iconic images, you will also be reminded of an authentic Africa of bygone days. Details

This Photo Safari is an extraordinary opportunity to photograph Africa’s most phenomenal wildlife locations with outstanding local drivers/guides who understand the needs of photographers. We are passionate and serious about high quality images and will push hard to spend most of our time in the field, but we also believe in an amazing African experience. Piper Mackay, who recently relocated to Kenya, has spent over a decade photographing both wildlife and tribes throughout Kenya and Africa. She will give informal instruction throughout the safari, especially on dramatic lighting situations, to help you capture stunning images that go beyond the traditional wildlife photographs. You will have the experience of a lifetime and come home with an amazing, diverse portfolio of exceptional images from just one safari.

SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS

• 3 different locations to maximize every photographic opportunity in one of the world’s greatest wildlife destinations.
• Experiencing the greatest migration on earth.
• Luxurious accommodations in small, private tented camps.
• Small group of only 8 participants giving you more flexibility, freedom, and better group dynamics.
• We have 3 private 9-passenger 4×4 Land Cruisers with only 3 people per vehicle. Every person will have their own row with 2 window seats available for the best viewing and photographic opportunities.
• Visiting two of Kenya’s most decadent and iconic tribes.
• 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.
• The opportunity to create an amazing, diverse portfolio of exceptional images from just one safari.

THE ITINERARY

August 09, 2016

Arrive at Nairobi International Airport, Kenya. Our ground operator will meet you and transfer you to the tranquil area of Karen. This is the perfect location to relax after your long journey. Your boutique, African-style cottage sits in a lush tropical garden; with over 200 types of flowers in bloom through the year and numerous bird feeders throughout the property, they attract hundreds of varieties of birds. You are within minutes of the David Sheldrick wildlife Trust (know as the elephant orphanage), Giraffe Center, Kazuri beads, and the Karen Blixen museum.

Accommodations: Karen Blixen Coffee Garden cottages

August 10, 2016

Today you will awake to exotic bird calls in a magical new world with the aroma of Kenyan coffee brewing. We will meet at breakfast for a safari briefing before driving to Wilson private airport to board a short flight to Samburu. We will arrive at our luxury-tented camp, a unique blend of rustic elegance, situated along the Ewaso Nyiro River and shaded by the exotic Doum palms, with time to settle in before lunch.

The friendly, traditional Samburu tribe staff will greet us and give us a full briefing about the camp and area. As the name implies, the elephants stroll through the camp and in between the luxury tents. During midday, relax in the private plunge pool, on the deck of your tent, with a cold drink, and let the wildlife come to you. In the early afternoon we will head out to explore this spectacular reserve.

Accommodations: Elephant Bedroom Camp

August 11 & 12, 2016

We will spend the next two days on safari, driving through this stunning African landscape seeking out the leopards, Gravy’s zebras, reticulated giraffes, gerenuk, Oryx, common waterbuck, kudu, the unique mane-less lions, and the “red” elephants. The elephants exhibit a special red color from rolling in the mud of the river and dusting themselves with the rich, red soil, 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. If you have seen beautiful tribal photographs, but have never photographed people, this is a great opportunity to have help and instruction. Instead of bringing home snap shots of extraordinary people, you will have the opportunity to create extraordinary images of extraordinary subjects.

Accommodations: Elephant Bedroom Camp

August 13 & 14, 2016

After one last early morning game drive in Samburu, we will journey overland to Lake Nakuru, stopping at the Trout Tree Restaurant for lunch. Built in an enormous Fig Tree along the Burguret River below Mount Kenya, the restaurant offers a truly unique dining experience. The Columbus monkeys swing through the surrounding trees and come so close you could reach out and touch them.

We will check into our “African-Style-Lodge” before heading out in search of lions and leopards in the yellow acacia forest, black and white rhino, Rothschild’s giraffes, and the other 400 species that live in this lush reserve. We spend two nights in this location.

Accommodation – Sarova Lion Hill Lodge

August 15-19, 2016

This morning, we will game drive to the private airstrip and board our flight to the Mara. Excitement builds quickly as you fly over the Mara, and begin seeing the wildlife below, as well as the plethora of photographic opportunities. We will land on a private airstrip, in the heart of the crown jewel of Kenya, and only five minutes from our small luxury tented camp. From the moment you touch down in the Mara, you will see its exotic warriors throughout the landscape; even serious wildlife photographers are instinctively tempted to quickly reach for their camera.

We will remain on alert for word that the great herds are gathering near the Mara River. Our ground operator has a large fleet of vehicles, which will be scattered throughout the Mara. Our drivers will be in private communication with each other, giving us many eyes and ears across the Mara. If we get word that the wildebeest are gathering, we will race off in hopes of capturing a large crossing. This will give us the best chance of witnessing the extraordinary event. Here is a link to a gallery of images taken of the Great Migration crossing the Mara River.

 

We have 5 days in the Talak area, one of the richest predator areas of the Mara. We will focus on all the big cats, including the Marsh pride, made famous by the BBC’s series “Big Cat Diary,” and the Rekero pride, that is quickly becoming as powerful as the Marsh pride. However, we will probably see elephants, hippos, Maasai giraffe, common zebra, gnu, impala, Thompson’s and grant’s gazelles, topi, hartebeest, black-backed jackal, spotted hyenas and more, as the Mara is one of the best wildlife reserves in all of Africa. The action is non-stop!

 

Our luxury tented camp, for the next 5 nights, lies between multiple, overlapping predator territories. This eco-friendly camp 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. It is located on the banks of the seasonal Olare Orok River, overlooking a large hippo pool with a population of over 40 hippos at any given time.

The camp has a special photographers tent where we will all gather to download, back up, and work on post processing. Participants always comment on how much they love the camaraderie among other talented photographers. Learning from each other, as well as the leader, is a huge added value, as everyone brings different perspectives, knowledge, and skills. We will discuss all photograph topics, such as marketing, fine art prints, websites, and how to present your images to the market you are targeting. The goal is not only to capture a solid, diverse portfolio of images, but also to give you ideas and inspiration to market them.

In the evening, we will sit around the campfire under the starry African sky and look back on our amazing day in awe. You will be safely escorted back to your tent with a Maasai 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 lions roaring, zebras barking, and hyenas calling as you gently fall asleep.

Accommodation: Little Mara Bush Camp

August 20, 2016

We will rise early for one last amazing game drive before heading to the airstrip. You will be transported to the Ole Sereni, which sits along Nairobi National Park, where you will have dayrooms. You will be able to enjoy a leisurely afternoon around the pool, have lunch overlooking the park, and be able to clean up before your flight back home later in the evening.

Day-room Ole Sereni 

Is this safari for you?

We welcome photographers of ALL levels who are serious about wildlife photography. This safari is timed during the great migration with a focus on producing quality images. However, this safari is also about having an incredible African experience that is not only memorable based on what you viewed through your lens. During this safari, we will see a vast variety of exotic wildlife. Some special subjects may require spending time watching their behavior and waiting for special moments. This is when patience pays off, rewarding you with extraordinary photographs. We will spend most of our time and effort in the field unless it is quiet and the light is too harsh; we return to our camp/lodge for the midday break. If the herds are lining up and it looks like there could be a large crossing, we may sit by the river for several hours and be in the field most of the day. This means there may be mornings and some lunches that will be box meals in the field rather than at camp. 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 will give photographic advice throughout the safari. She is there to assist you and is available for any questions on 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 size is 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 $9,995.00 per person. The price is based on double occupancy; single room supplement is $1,495.00, if available.

If a solo guest is unwilling to share, and requests single accommodations upon registration, then a single supplement will be charged. If you are a solo guest who is willing to share accommodations, we will do our best to match you with another guest of the same gender. If we are unable to match you with another solo guest of the same gender, then the single supplement will be charged, up to, but not exceeding the fee of the single supplement. In this case, whenever possible, we will try to discount the single supplement, up to 50%.

This cost of this safari is based on a minimum of 6 participants. If there are less than 6 participants a small supplement fee of $495.00 may apply.

A USD $1,600 non-refundable deposit is due at the time of registration to secure your spot. You may purchase travel insurance that will refund your deposit if you have to cancel your trip.

Price Includes:

• Three In-country flights
• Airport transfers
• Accommodations on shared basis
• Guaranteed row and window seat in private 4×4 Land cruisers
• All National Parks fees, Game Reserves entrance fees, and taxes
• All meals, starting with breakfast on August 25^th up to breakfast on September 3rd
• Evacuation insurance to a Nairobi hospital (transport only – Cost of hospitalization NOT included)
• Visit with the Samburu Tribe
• Visit with the iconic Maasai Tribe (optional, but included)
• Experienced safari agent to help you with pre or post safari extended travel in Kenya, Tanzania, or Rwanda
• All meals from Breakfast on August 10, 2016 – Breakfast on August 20, 2016

What’s Not Included:

• Visas
• Travel Insurance
• Personal purchases (such as curios, spirit liquors, telephone calls, internet, laundry…)
• Gratuities for the guides, staff at accommodations, and airport transfers ($25 -$30 per day)
• Optional extra activities (balloon rides, walking safaris, etc.)
• Pre- and post-safari tours
• Meals and accommodations before or after the safari
• International flights to and from the African continent

Payment Terms

• USD $1,600.00 non-refundable deposit to confirm your place on this safari; travel insurance
• 2^nd payment of USD $4,000.00 is due February 9, 2016
• Final payment/balance is due May 17, 2016
• We highly recommend trip and cancellation insurance

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 according to the initial itinerary. In the event of circumstances 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.

How do I register for this safari?

If you are excited to join this unique Migration safari, then now is the time to register. To secure your spot, both the registration form and the non–refundable deposit must be completed. Use the link and button below to access the e-registration form and to make your deposit. Once the safari is full, you may add your name to the waitlist.

REGISTRATION

Click THIS LINK to access the e-registration form. At the end of the form you will be asked to confirm you email. Once you have confirmed your email, a copy of your registration will be emailed to you and our agent.

DEPOSIT

Use the button below to make your deposit. You do not need to have a Paypal account to use this payment service.

What follows is an incredible SAFARI EXTENSION to Amboseli, for those who want to make this the BEST OF KENYA.

Join the incredible SAFARI EXTENSION to Amboseli, one of the most amazing ecosystems, containing vast herds of elephants, marsh wetlands, and dust tunnels that move along the landscape.   Capture stunning images of the large herds of elephants and zebras as they roam through the dusty plains. Photograph expansive views filled with giraffes and other exotic African wildlife with Mount Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. This is an incredible reserve for fine art photographers! Details.