Kenya Tanzania Safaris

Our Kenya Great Migration Safari is dubbed the ‘world’s best wildlife safari’ as it is especially timed to coincide with the annual wildebeest migration also dubbed the ‘greatest wildlife show on earth’. Seeing the migration crossing the river Mara is as iconic as it gets and this safari offers you the best chance of seeing a wildebeest crossing.

OVERVIEW

Both camps on this safari are handpicked by award winning wildlife photographer Greg du Toit, offering you the best chance to photograph wildebeest river crossings, superb predator action and sublime animal landscapes. You will get the full migration experience but you will also photograph in a private concession away from the vehicle traffic where we are able to drive off road! This Hemingway safari offers wide vistas filled with game and the chance to see one of the last large mammal migrations on the planet. Exceptional predator action on the great plains of East Africa will see you filling your memory cards faster than on any other safari! Visit the famed Masai Mara where you will be staying in two strategically located safari camps. The 1st camp is in the heart of the reserve offering you close access to all the major wildebeest crossing points! The 2nd camp is in a private concession allowing you to photograph the predators of the Masai Mara in exclusivity and away from the tourist traffic.

YOUR SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS T

You will be personally hosted and guided by professional wildlife photographer Greg du Toit who has followed the migration in the Masai Mara for 10 consecutive years now. He has also lived in Kenya and he knows not only the wildebeest crossing points but where to find the predators. With Greg as your guide, the chances of seeing a kill are very good! He will also unlock the secrets of your DSLR camera and through one-on-one tuition, your photographic horizons are guaranteed to be expanded and you WILL finish your safari with a unique and dynamic portfolio of images.

Day By Day Safari Itinerary

This Kenya Photo Safari is timed to coincide with the great wildebeest migration and more specifically with the time of year when the great herds are crossing the Mara River. However, this photo safari in Kenya also contains the essence of a classic East African safari offering not only phenomenal wildlife photography but also wild freedom and expansive scenery.

Day 1: Arrival Nairobi 

After being met at the international airport in Nairobi, you will be transferred to the old colonial suburb of Karen. This leafy-green suburb is where many famous safaris have begun and if time allows you can feed Giraffe at the Karen Giraffe Centre and you can also visit Karen Blixen’s old farm house. That evening you will be staying in a charming colonial-style guest house where you will enjoy a hearty dinner and a pre-trip brief from your host and guide, Greg.

Overnight Giraffe Manor

Day 2: Nairobi to Masai Mara

After a good night’s rest and a scrumptious breakfast, you will depart for  the local airport called Wilson, a short 40 minute flight on a scheduled charter you will land on an airstrip in the Masai Mara Game Reserve. From here, you will enjoy a safari drive into the heart of the Masai Mara which is where our camp is located.

Arriving at Naibor Camp in time for lunch, you will be escorted to your large Bedouine style safari tent nestled inside a forest on the banks of the famous Talek River. Naibor Camp is one of the finest safari camp’s in Kenya. We will spend 4 nights at Naibor! During the days we will explore the incredible Masai Mara Game Reserve and take in the sights and sounds of the great wildebeest migration. By basing ourselves in the heart of the park, we have no gate times to contend with and we are surrounded by 360 degrees of the best photographic opportunities in Africa. This is no ordinary Masai Mara photo tour as we are able to access ALL the major wildebeest crossing points quickly and we are also able to access the remoter parts of the reserve thereby getting away from the other vehicle traffic.

With our own vehicle and only three photographers we have maximum freedom and we will shoot the more traditional ‘Mara shots’ as well as seek out unique and thrilling photographic opportunities.

Overnight Naibor Camp

Day 3 to Day 5: Masai Mara

We will photograph predators and predator action as well as a plethora of other wildlife.The Masai Mara is the photography mecca of Africa and you will feel like you have stepped into a wildlife documentary and you will be overwhelmed by the plethora of wildlife encounters that you will experience! Greg knows the Masai Mara intimately and he will take you to the heart of the action! He not only knows where the wildebeest’s traditional crossing points are but also where the predator’s territories are and he will ensure that you see the best wildlife that you have ever seen in your life!

Overnight Naibor Camp

Please Note: Masai Mara hot air balloon safaris can also be arranged on an adhoc basis from Naibor.

Day 6: Masai Mara to Olare Motorogi Conservancy

Today we will transfer to our next camp which is Kicheche Bush Camp. The transfer takes the form of a safari drive as we pass through the reserve and into the neighbouring Olare Motorogi Conservancy. A straight transfer is about a 1 and a half hour drive, so no photography time will be wasted!

Kicheche is a small, classic, intimate, luxury tented camp that offers large spacious walk in tents which, like Naibor, open along their sides, so they are not hot and stuffy like more traditional tented camps. This camp is situated on the Acacia plains of the Mara and it therefore has a completely different feel to Naibor which is located in a forest along the Talek River.  We will be based at Kicheche for 4 nights and the photography here is especially exciting!

Overnight Kicheche Bush Camp

Day 7 to Day 9: Olare Motorogi Conservancy

We have our own private concession to explore and not only are we away from other vehicle traffic but the predator photography inside the conservancy is nothing short of spectacular. Again, there are no gate times to adhere to, nor are there long traveling distances as our camp is in the middle of the predator action! We can go off-road in the concession and excellent predator sightings are guaranteed. Although we are based inside a private conservancy we can still access

all the traditional wildebeest crossing points without needing to drive through a gate to get to the crossing action.

For a photographer, Kicheche really does offer the best of both worlds in that we can access the migration action if we want to but we can also enjoy awesome predator action in a private concession. We will again have exclusive use of a vehicle and Kicheche caters especially for photographers so the vehicles have beanbag platforms!

Sitting close to the campfire at night, you will enjoy the starry African night and once safely escorted to your tent by your Maasai watchman, you will be lulled asleep to the sounds of the African night, including roaring lion and herein lies the beauty of canvas.

Overnight Kicheche Bush Camp

Please Note: A Masai Mara balloon safari can also be arranged from Kicheche.

Day 10: Olare Motorogi to Nairobi

After our final morning photography and breakfast we will head to the nearby airstrip for a short 45-minute schedule charter, which will take us from the Masai Mara back to Nairobi, where transfers are pre-arranged to either drop you at the international airport or take you to Macushla House for an overnight stay.

Please note: If you need to overnight in Nairobi on day 10, due to international flight times, ORYX will book this on your behalf and add the cost to the final invoice.

Safari Cost Includes:

Internal flights Wilson – Masai Mara  – Wilson; All Road Transfer: All meals starting with lunch on Day 1 and ending with breakfast on Day 1o; Beverages (except selected wines and premium alcoholic brands ); All accommodation in up-market camps; Entrance fees to National Parks; Tourism Levy’s for National Parks; Private vehicle use at Naibor & Kicheche Bush Camp; All game viewing activates at selected lodges; Laundry; Service of local guides; and Hands on photographic tutoring by ORYX award winning photographer Greg du Toit.

Safari Cost Excludes:

All international flights; Visa and Visa fee’s; Items of a personal nature e.g. curios, beauty treatments and telephone calls; Gratuities for lodge staff, guides and spotters; Extra activities including a balloon safari; Insurance for cancellation, medical or curtailment in arrangements; and Any items not included in the inclusions above.

Please note:

Wildlife photography is a fascinating and most alluring activity. Obtaining incredible images, does however often take an extended amount of dedication, time and a bit of luck! Wild creatures are unpredictable, and it is unrealistic that any situation, sighting or photograph can be guaranteed. However, please be assured that your professional ORYX Photographic leader will do his upmost (within the circumstances, and without impacting on the wellbeing of your subject) to ensure that you obtain the images of your dreams!

Costs are subject to major foreign exchange fluctuations and unforeseen increases in tour related prices, and may have to be adjusted as a result.

Furthermore, we may be forced to change or alter the itinerary due to unforeseen circumstances; we will, however, attempt to adhere as close to the original program as possible.

YOUR CAMPS:

Naib Camp is a luxury tented camp, a striking combination of contemporary style and comfort, in the heart of Kenya’s world famous Masai Mara Game Reserve. The camp is hidden in a grove of riverine woodland on the banks of the Talek River and consists of sweeping pale canvas tents, king sized beds made from local fig-wood, wide sofas furnished with bolster cushions, and wool rugs – a luxurious base from which to explore the Mara. Since Naibor is in the heart of the Masai Mara Game Reserve, guests are able to enjoy fabulous wildlife viewing throughout the year. Naibor is also strategically placed for the wildebeest migration, being close to all the major wildebeest crossing sites over the Mara River.

Accommodation

Main Naibor has a total of 7 tents. Each tent is a private unit complete with shady verandah, his & hers wash basins, en-suite bathroom with flush toilet and safari shower. The tents are all carefully positioned amongst the trees so that each can enjoy the surrounding woodland in complete privacy. Dining and relaxing usually takes place in the main ‘Mess Tent’ or under the shade of the adjacent trees, ideally located overlooking a wide bend of the Talek river. Comfortable floor-cushions, rugs and sofas invite the weary to relax and enjoy the sounds of the wilderness. The evening camp-fire provides a welcome spot for pre-dinner drinks after a day of wildlife viewing. Meals are made from the finest fresh ingredients prepared by our experienced chefs. Dinner is usually enjoyed at the long banquet table, whilst breakfast and lunch may be under the shade of the surrounding trees whilst watching the resident pod of hippos.

Location

The Masai Mara Game Reserve is 1500sqkm, with a surrounding dispersal area of approximately the same size again. The Mara is exclusively in Kenya but borders Tanzania and the Serengeti National Park to the south. The Mara is the northern most part of the great Serengeti/Mara ecosystem. The Mara habitat is rolling open grassland divided by riverine woodland associated with several small streams and rivers as well as the great Mara River. Naibor Camp is hidden in the riverine woodland of the Talek River about 2km from the point where it flows into the Mara River, just about the very heart of the Mara Game Reserve. This is a superb location from which to explore the Mara habitat, host to a vast array of wildlife. Many species of herbivores and ungulates support the many carnivores living here. There is fabulous wildlife viewing throughout the year, and from July to November the annual wildebeest migration passes through this area. Naibor is ideally located close to all the major wildebeest crossing sites over the Mara River.

Kicheche Bush Camp

Bush Camp is a small, classic, intimate, luxury tented camp completely unfenced, amongst stunning whistling thorn acacias. The ultra low-impact spread of six guests tents in the trees and low escarpment beyond, provide the perfect hideaway in this outstanding wilderness.

Accommodation

Six spacious luxury tents, fully insect-proof, with en-suite bathrooms and a flushing toilet, running cold water and hot safari showers. Solar power is provided 24 hours to your tent and the comfortable verandah chairs are perfect to relax in and offer great views over the game-filled plains. One tent can be converted into a triple on request. There is a well furnished lounge and dining tent, although mealtimes are generally alfresco if weather permits.

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Kicheche Bush Camp is located in the Masai Mara within the Olare Motorogi Conservancy bordering the Reserve. The Conservancy, through it’s strict limit on bed numbers, offers an incomparable game viewing experience without crowds. Further information on the Conservancy is available here. The camp is located in a prime wildlife area and game viewing starts at your doorstep. The location is also ideal to enjoy the wildebeest migration. Access is from Ol Kiombo airstrip, 40 minutes game drive away.

Reservations for this photographic expedition require a deposit of 30% of the expedition cost which is US$ 3,885.00 per person.

EXPEDITION FEES AND PAYMENT:

Payment of the balance of the tour fee is due 3 months before departure and to be made as per the details on the booking form which will be send to you in order to sign up for the expedition. An ORYX invoice will be issued to you before full payment is due.

TIPPING:

Tipping of local guides, trackers, camp staff & waiters is not included on this tour. However, if you feel that your ORYX leader and/or any other staff have given you exceptional service, it is entirely appropriate to tip them. We emphasize that such tips should be at your own discretion and based solely on the level of your service satisfaction.

BAGGAGE RESTRICTION:

Please note: in Kenya each passenger is only allowed 15 kg/ 33 lbs of luggage in a soft duffle bag. An extra seat for camera equipment can be booked; ORYX will book this on your behalf and add the amount to the final invoice.

FLIGHTS:

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi (Kenya) is the main port of entry for this tour. KLM and Kenya Airways offer’s the most reliable and regular routes via Amsterdam and London, for North America and European travellers, to this airport. These flights, however, often arrive in the evening necessitating arrival the night before the tour start date. This will give one time to recover from the rigors of international flight travel before the tour starts. As our guests come from all over the planet, we do not include international flights in our tour prices. Your local travel agent will best be able to book these flights for you. If you would like further assistance, kindly contact the ORYX office, we will happily help you plan your route. However, please DO NOT book your international flights until you have consulted the ORYX office for confirmation on the status of the tour.