Kenya Magic – Wildlife Photography Tour of Amboseli, Nakuru and Masai Mara

•  

  Africa! The name immediately brings to mind a number of stunning visuals. Vast savannahs. Animals everywhere. The Big 5 (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo). Open-jeep safaris. And, of course, extraordinary photography.Welcome to Kenya Magic! This is a dream photography tour that takes you to three amazing wildernesses – Amboseli, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara – in Kenya. This week-long tour is specially crafted for you to have a memorable experience of the great African adventure. And fill up your memory cards with tons of photographs.

  Join Darter Photography on September 23-30, 2023 on this week-long wildlife photography tour to Kenya. Experience an action-packed week in the mecca of wildlife. Learn the secrets of wildlife photography. And experience wildlife photography like never before at Amboseli, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara!

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

• Tour Dates

  September 23-30, 2023
  

  ---

  Tour Price

  USD 3450 (plus 5% GST)

  Max. Participants – 6

  ---

  Join Now

Tour Highlights

• Experience the great African Safari in the wildernesses of magical Kenya
• Photograph the amazing African Wildlife at three of Kenya’s great national parks – Masai Mara, Amboseli and Lake Nakuru
• Photograph the unique perspective of African wildlife against the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro at Amboseli
• Witness hundreds of Flamingos at Lake Nakuru, along with White Rhinoceros and, if we are lucky, tree-climbing lions!
• Experience the mecca of African wildlife – Masai Mara – with its great savannahs and incredible concentrations of wildlife
• 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 Dates: September 23-30, 2023

Day 01. Drive from Nairobi to Amboseli. Overnight in Amboseli.

Early morning drive from Nairobi to Amboseli. We’ll reach our lodge around noon. After check-in and lunch, we are off on our first safari drive into Amboseli. 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 lodge. We’ll have an interactive introduction session to the tour, with photography sessions and reviews, before dinner. We retire for the day after dinner.

Day 02. Safaris in Amboseli. Overnight in Amboseli.

We start off before sunrise to make the best of early morning light, with packed breakfast. Amboseli is the place to make photographs of wildlife with the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro in the background – a very unique perspective of African wildlife. We’ll return to the lodge late in the morning. Rest, lunch and reviews done, we head out for another safari this afternoon. We’ll photograph wildlife in the golden hour and, when the sun sets, look for opportunities to make silhouettes. At dinner, we’ll have a recap of the days at Amboseli, making notes of the wildlife we encountered, photographs we made and learning for the rest of the tour.

Day 03. Drive to Lake Nakuru. Overnight at Lake Nakuru.

After an early breakfast, we drive to Lake Nakuru. This is a fantastic place for watching huge numbers of flamingos, in addition to White Rhinos and if we get lucky, tree-climbing lions! We explore photography opportunities during our afternoon safari drive.

Day 04. Safaris at Lake Nakuru. Overnight at Lake Nakuru.

We explore photography opportunities at Lake Nakuru, with the incredible sights of thousands of flamingos, White Rhinos and, if we get lucky, tree-climbing lions!

Day 05. Drive to Masai Mara. Overnight at Masai Mara.

After breakfast, we drive to Masai Mara to arrive here for lunch. After lunch, we head out for an afternoon drive in Masai Mara. This is the land of plenty, and we should encounter a great diversity of wildlife with some incredible photography opportunities. Around sunset, we look for opportunities to make some lovely silhouettes.

Day 06 to Day 07. Safaris at Masai Mara. Overnight 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 rest-house 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.

Day 08. Drive from Masai Mara to Nairobi. Tour Ends.

Today, we head out from Masai Mara early in the morning, 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. If you plan to reach Nairobi on Day 1, it is recommended that you take a flight that reaches before 7:00AM. On Day 8, it is recommended that you book a flight that departs Nairobi in the late afternoon/evening. Please note that flights to and from Nairobi 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 Kenya with your group. Can I still join?

Yes. If you are interested to explore African wildlife, you are welcome to join this tour. You’ll have a great time in the African wilderness, with tons of memories and exciting experiences to take back with you. 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, with tons of memories and exciting experiences to take back from the African wilderness.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 3450 per person (plus 5% GST)

The tour price includes

• Accommodation through the tour on twin-sharing basis
• All meals starting with Lunch on Day 1 and ending with Breakfast on Day 8
• Pickup from Nairobi airport on Day 1 and Drop at Nairobi airport on Day 8
• Safaris in a specially modified vehicle with 3 participants per vehicle
• Services of photography mentor and wildlife guide through the tour

The tour price does not include

• 5% GST is applicable on tour fees. In addition, the Govt of India has asked for Tax Collected at Source (TCS) to be collected on all international travel bookings. The TCS rate is 5% for all bookings before June 30, 2023 and 20% for all bookings from July 1, 2023. 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 8
• 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)

Cancellation Policy:

– Cancellation before June 23, 2023: 30% of the tour fee is retained as cancellation fee
– Cancellation between June 24 and Aug 10, 2023: 50% of the tour fee is retained as cancellation fee
– Cancellation on or after Aug 11, 2023: No refunds for cancellation

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.