10 Days Photographic Adventure

Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met and assisted to transfer to Emakoko. The Emakoko is a boutique lodge uniquely positioned on the edge of the Nairobi National Park. It is located a short 45 minute drive from either of Nairobi’s airports. The drive through the park itself, with its beautiful scenery and abundance of plains game is a superb way to start any East African safari. What better way to start a holiday by supporting the conservation of this unique area and in particular, by supporting the endangered Black Rhino which are prolific in this park.

The Nairobi National Park, despite its proximity to the capital city of Kenya, boasts a spectacular assortment of birds and wildlife, with over 400 species of bird recorded in one day. With an excellent possibility of spotting four of the Big Five, many Nairobi residents find the lodge a perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of city life. By staying at The Emakoko you are directly contributing to the protection and conservation of Nairobi National Park and its wildlife.

You will transfer to the Wilson Airport for your schedule flight to Laikipia Plateau. On arrival you will be met and assisted to check in at the luxurious Loisaba Tented Camp - Loisaba Tented Camp is a luxury camp offering abundant wildlife and sweeping views. Perched on the edge of an escarpment, Loisaba Tented Camp is designed to take advantage of unhindered views across the Laikipia Plateau’s breath-taking landscape, all the way to the peaks of Mount Kenya. The theme of the camp is one of African elegance and style, enhanced by an expansive panorama, which can be enjoyed from the large open dining area, the relaxing sitting area and bar, the tranquil wooden deck, and one of Africa’s most picturesque infinity pools.

No photography experience can fully prepare you for taking photos in the Kenyan wilderness. There are unique challenges here, and you will discover them during this first day on safari. After flying directly to Laikipia, you will spend today on a game drive with a photographer guide. Venturing off the trail is really important because it provides more angles and proximity. Stability will not be a challenge. Special clamps are fitted to the vehicle and can support the largest of lenses. You can also make use of beanbag-style supports, which are great for quick shots when you are on the move. You will never know exactly what you might encounter, and it is usually the unknown that leads to the most breathtaking photos.

These two days will be completely private and tailored around the photos that you want to take. Laikipia is a private conservancy, so you can drive off the trails. There will be nobody else in the vehicle, which means that you can spend as much time at specific scenes and capture wildlife from a complete variety of angles. Naturally, the game drives will maximize the best light at the beginning and end of the day. This is also when animals are most active. This is a fabulous destination for capturing photos of rhinos. Back and white rhinos live here in large numbers, and hopefully, you will be able to capture a shot of the two side by side. Big cat sightings are common with lions, leopards, and cheetahs being regularly spotted. Overall, these two days can revolve around any animals that you wish to photograph.

After breakfast, you will transfer to a local airstrip, where you will catch a flight to Maasai mara Game Reserve. You will be met and transferred to Little Governors Camp. - On the lip of an old oxbow of the Mara River, now a broad marsh frequented by elephants, Little Governors Camp is one of only a handful of places to stay in the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It has won a place in the hearts of many safari-goers and has been a favourite with visitors to the Maasai Mara since the 1970s

There is nowhere better than the Maasai Mara for photographing cheetahs. The world’s fastest mammal prospers on open grasslands, and the Serengeti-Masai Mara ecosystem is the greatest of all grasslands. Thomson’s gazelles provide abundant food for them, and you can photograph these small antelopes as they bound across the plains. Of course, in the Masai Mara, you will be searching for cheetahs, which are the focal point of this Kenyan photography safari. Dawn and dusk are the best times for capturing a moving cheetah on film. Often, you can witness them prancing in and out of the grass during these cooler hours. A sprinting cheetah will be the ultimate shot, but do note that this will require patience and good fortune.

Mara Triangle is an area that sees far fewer vehicles because it is furthest from the area of budget accommodation. It is also the best location for balloon safaris. You can capture some wonderful photos while soaring above the Mara plains at dawn in a hot-air balloon. Another iconic Masai Mara photo will be of the Mara River, where crocodiles wait in the water, often revealing two rows of teeth. Many Mara species come here to drink, and you can probably photograph an assortment of different animals that are seeking safety in numbers.

After breakfast you will check out and head towards the Mara North Conservancy with game drive enroute. You will check in at the Kicheche Mara Camp - a classic tented camp hidden in a beautiful valley in a prime wildlife area of the Mara North Conservancy. The luxury tents are laid out alongside a seasonal stream from where you can observe the resident birdlife and plains game beyond. The location is ideal as game viewing frequently starts in the camp itself and there is prime wildlife habitat on all sides providing an ideal base for your safari in the Masai Mara.

The Mara North Conservancy will provide you with the opportunity to capture many classic photos of cheetahs, elephants, grasslands, large herds, and riverside scenes. After a short transfer, three days in Mara North will become your focal point that turns sharply toward the big cats. A photographer guide will also join you for the first day of game drives. Here, you can travel off the trail, which is very important if you want to capture a wide range of animals and behaviors. All of the big cats flourish in Mara North, where there are fewer vehicles and plenty of prey. Leopards and cheetahs are solitary animals, but working in pairs means access to a larger range and bigger prey. As with your previous destinations, it will be important to always have your camera on hand.

5am coffee, early morning game drive. Breakfast. You will thereafter be transferred to the airstrip for your maiden flight to Wilson airport Nairobi. Marking the end of another memorable tour. Lunch will be on own arrangements, therafter transfer to JKIA for your onward flight.