The Great Migration – Wildlife Photography Tour of Masai Mara

• Masai Mara is arguably one of the world’s most renowned wildlife destinations. And, a dream destination for most ardent wildlife photographers. Seemingly never-ending grasslands offer an unhindered view of the wilderness all around. The remarkable diversity of mammals and birds makes you fill up your memory cards within no time!

  Nestled in a corner of the vast Serengeti plains of eastern Africa, Masai Mara has an unparalleled density of Africa’s big mammals. This is the land of wildlife superheroes – the world’s largest mammal, the tallest one, the fastest one, to give a few examples. Many prides of lions lord over these grasslands, with their smaller cousin – the leopard – keeping its distance by its ability to scale trees. An incredible diversity of antelopes – from the diminutive Dikdiks to the massive Elands – in addition to zebras and other herbivores helps these predators thrive here.

  A superb spectacle unfolds here every year. The Great Migration sees nearly two millions herbivores – Wildebeest, Gazelles and Zebra – make an arduous journey across the Mara river to reach the green pastures of the Mara. As they nervously cross the water teeming with Nile Crocodiles, high energy action follows. Lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas make the best of a season of plenty.

  Join Darter Photography on our Migration Special photography tour to Masai Mara this August. Experience an action-packed week in the mecca of wildlife. Learn the secrets of wildlife photography. And, experience wildlife photography like never before at Masai Mara!

  Jump to ◆ Tour Highlights ◆ Itinerary ◆ FAQs ◆ Tour Price ◆ Tour Mentor ◆ Sign Up

• Tour Dates

  Tour 1: Aug 18-24, 2024
  Tour 2: Aug 25-31, 2024
  

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  Tour Price

  $4550 plus taxes

  Max. Participants – 6

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  Join Now

Tour Highlights

• A chance to witness the Great Migration – one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on the planet
• Photograph the rich diversity of African wildlife at Masai Mara
• Potentially get up-close with the Big 5 of African wildlife – Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino
• Learn and explore wildlife photography in one of the world’s top wildlife destinations, under the mentorship of Darter’s Wildlife Photography Expert
• Get your photographs reviewed periodically on the tour to understand your photography strengths and what you could improve upon
• Enjoy the best of African wildlife under the guidance of one of Kenya’s best wildlife guides

Dates & Itinerary

Tour 1 : Aug 18-24, 2024
Tour 2: Aug 25-31, 2024

Day 01. Drive from Nairobi to Masai Mara
We’ll receive you at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or your hotel in Nairobi early in the morning and set off by road towards Masai Mara. We reach Masai Mara around noon, and drive through the savannah to get to our camp. After lunch, we are off on our first safari drive into Masai Mara. Get ready to plunge into high-octane wildlife photography as there might be interesting action at any time in this great wilderness. After sunset, we drive back to the rest-house. We’ll have an interactive introduction session to Masai Mara before dinner. We retire for the day after dinner.

Day 02 to Day 06. Safaris at Masai Mara

These are long days of wildlife safaris and photography as we explore different areas of the Mara. Starting around sunrise, we’ll pack breakfast to ensure that we make the best of morning light and will only return to the camp for lunch. We again set off after lunch for another safari till sunset. The wonderful biodiversity of the Mara should give you ample photography opportunities through these 5 days.

Day 07. Drive from Masai Mara to Nairobi. Tour Ends.

Today, we head out from Masai Mara after breakfast, with our memory cards teeming with photographs. We’ll stop for lunch on the way before making our way to Nairobi Airport.

Frequently Asked Questions

This tour is for wildlife photographers and wildlife enthusiasts who want to explore and photograph the wildlife of Africa. Note that the participants are not required to be experts in photography or carry professional equipment. Due to the small group size, beginners as well as serious photographers benefit through our personalized attention to photography sessions and on field assistance. Non-photographers, interested in exploring wildlife of Masai Mara, are welcome too.

How do we reach Nairobi?

Nairobi (NBO) is well connected from most international airports. On Day 1, it is recommended to reach Nairobi before 7AM. If you don’t have flight connections that reach early, it is recommended to reach Nairobi a day earlier. We’ll help you with the hotel booking in Nairobi. Please note that flights to and from Nairobi and additional nights accommodation in Nairobi (if needed) are not part of the tour price.

Are Visa and Vaccination needed for Kenya?

You can apply for eVisa for Kenya at https://accounts.ecitizen.go.ke/register

Two vaccinations – Yellow Fever Vaccine and Oral Polio Vaccine – are required for travel to Kenya. These are administered in all major cities with different schedules. Please ensure that you take them at least 2 weeks before you travel.

In India, the Yellow Fever Vaccination centre in your city can be found here. Oral Polio Vaccination centres are available state-wise in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Govt. of India) website.

What would be mode of transport during safaris?

On this tour, you’ll be in a safari vehicle specially modified for photographers. Each safari vehicle will have only 3 participants at any time. Your photography mentor will alternate between the safari vehicles on different days. The number of participants is limited to ensure that everyone in the vehicle gets ample space to photograph the wildlife of Masai Mara.

I am not a keen photographer. But I want to visit Masai Mara with your group. Can I still join?

Yes. If you are interested to explore African wildlife, you are welcome to join this tour. Please note that we do not offer a separate non-photographer pricing.

Can I bring my non-photographer partner with me?

Yes, you can. We visit one of the most awesome wildlife destinations in the world on this photography tour. Your partner will enjoy the journey with the group. Please note that we do not offer a separate non-photographer pricing.

What photography equipment is needed for the tour?

We recommend telephoto lenses reaching up to at least 400mm focal length to photograph wildlife at a distance. And please carry a shorter focal length lens to photograph the landscapes of Masai Mara. Please talk to us to decide on the photography equipment that you need to carry for the tour.

Also refer to our tours faq for more information.

Tour Price

Tour Price: USD 4550 plus taxes per person

The tour price includes

• Accommodation at Masai Mara (6 nights) on twin-sharing basis
• All meals starting with Lunch on Day 1 and ending with Breakfast on Day 7
• Pickup from Nairobi airport/recommended hotel on Day 1 morning and Drop at Nairobi airport on Day 7
• Safaris in a specially modified vehicle
• Services of photography mentor and wildlife guide through the tour

The tour price does not include

• Tax Collected at Source (TCS) for Indian nationals. The Govt of India has asked for TCS to be collected on all international travel bookings from Oct 1, 2023 as per the following:
  – 5% TCS, if you have spent less than Rs.7,00,000 on international travel in a financial year
  – 20% TCS, if you have spent more than Rs.7,00,000 on international travel in a financial year
  The TCS amount will be remitted to your PAN account at the end of the financial quarter.
• Travel from your location to Nairobi and back
• Visa Fees and Vaccination
• Travel Insurance
• Breakfast on Day 1 and meals after breakfast on Day 7
• Additional water bottles, food or beverages, alcoholic and non-alcoholic
• All expenses of personal nature (laundry, telephone calls, etc.)
• Tips and Gratuities (please budget around USD 25 per day)
• GST at 5% (for Indian nationals)

Cancellation Policy:

• 30% of tour fee is charged as cancellation fee for cancellation earlier than 60 days before start of tour,
• 60% of tour fee is charged as cancellation fee for cancellation between 59 days and 30 days before start of tour
• No refund for cancellation within 29 days of tour start date or for no-show

Please note:

• The itinerary mentioned in this page is subject to favourable weather and road conditions. In case of bad weather and inaccessibility to a destination, we will do our best to make alternate plans. The tour price or any part of it will not be refunded in the event of unfavourable conditions anytime during the tour days.
• Wildlife sightings depend on various factors, including weather, availability of food and the animal showing up in our vicinity.
• No refunds will be made if a participant is unable to complete the tour owing to medical conditions or any other reasons, after starting the tour.
• All participants would have to sign a Release of Liability, Assumption of Risk & Arbitration Agreement before joining the tour.

Wildlife Photography Mentor – Shreeram M V

Shreeram is a professional wildlife photographer and passionate naturalist. He has photographed wildlife across India, as well as various parts of the world, including Africa, New Zealand, South America, the Arctic and Antarctica.

His approach to wildlife photography is to bring back photographs that tell stories – about the place and its habitats, the diversity of flora and fauna and human interactions with the wilderness. Composition and light are his favourite tools in crafting new perspectives of the natural world. He works on assignments with magazines and corporates that have been enriched by this approach.

His personalized style of mentorship, where he works with each participant’s individual interests and strengths, has been much appreciated over the years. View some of his photographs from Africa here – Shreeram M V Photography

Sign Up

Contact us at the email/numbers below to book the tour. This wildlife photography tour to Masai Mara will have a maximum of 6 participants. We recommend booking early, which also helps you get cheaper flight tickets.

email: photography@darter.in

Tel/WhatsApp: +91-97400 83260 (Shreeram)
Alternately, fill in the following form to get in touch with us regarding the tour.