BIG PAWS AND LITTLE TUSKERS PHOTO SAFARI KENYA
21ST SEPTEMBER – 2ND OCTOBER 2015
Kenya is the setting for one of the great Natural Wonders of the world, the Great Wildebeest Migration. Millions migrate a distance of almost 3,000 kms from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara in Kenya, in a continuous clockwise direction, searching for food and water. With the migration come the big cats with great viewing to be found in the Maasai Mara region.
The ‘Big Five’ animals of Africa can be found in Kenya which include the lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros and Elephant.
With a friendly and experienced Ugandan guide and myself, let us take you on an adventure of a lifetime and show you some of what Kenya has to offer.
This safari is suitable for photographers of all levels as well as nature enthusiasts as we will be maximizing our time in the field to witness and photograph wildlife in the best light available.
Sunday 20th September 2015
Upon your arrival at Kenyatta International Airport, meet up with your guide who will then transfer you to Fairview Hotel in Nairobi city for your quick safari briefing before relaxing in the beautiful surrounds of the Hotel gardens. Overnight.
As people will be arriving at different times, a meal will not be included on this day. Individual airport transfers will be provided depending on arrival times.
DAY 1 – Monday 21st September 2015
Wake up to the sights and sounds that is Africa.
After a hearty breakfast, we will embark on our safari with our guides by 4×4 extended Land Cruiser. With a maximum of three people per eight seater, there will be plenty of room for your photographic gear, and will enable you to shoot from both sides of the vehicle without compromise. We will stop briefly at some of the Great Eastern Rift Valley view points before continuing onto lake Nakuru for our night accommodation at the Sarova Lion Hill Lodge. A stunning picturesque destination, Lake Nakuru is well known for its flocks of Pink Flamingos. Over the last few years however due to higher than usual water levels which has in turn changed the ideal feeding ground for these birds, the numbers are currently very few. There are however many other exciting wildlife encounters awaiting you! After lunch at our lodge, we will go on our first game drive where we will have a good chance of seeing Black and White Rhino as there is a Rhino Sanctuary here, the Elusive Leopard, lion, buffalo, endangered Rothschild Giraffe, zebras, numerous bird species to name a few. After our game drive, we will return to our lodge to relax over dinner. Overnight.
DAY 2 – Tuesday 22nd September 2015
With coffee/tea, snacks and a packed picnic lunch, we will head off at dawn for an early morning game drive to utilize the best light and active animals for prime photographic opportunities. We will spend the morning looking for wildlife. Following our game drive, we will have our picnic lunch on route to the famous Maasai Mara National Park. Upon entering the Mara, we may game drive in to our overnight accommodation, time permitting. Time to relax over a hearty dinner. Our accommodation! The beautiful, secluded and in true African style permanent safari tents will be where we spend our next five nights. Welcome to the Mara Bush Camp.
DAYS 3 – 5 Wednesday 23rd – Friday 25th September 2015
Adventure awaits us! Today, with an early start, plenty of coffee, tea, snacks and a packed picnic lunch, we will explore the famous Maasai Mara National Park for the entire day. The Talek area where we are camped is well known for its large predators so we will be sure to witness and photograph a lot of big cat action, including lion, cheetah and leopard. We may also encounter elephants, Giraffe, Zebra, Hyena, Warthogs, Buffalo, Wildebeest, Thompsons Gazelle and much much more.
DAY 6 – Saturday 26th September 2015
Today you will be given the opportunity to see Africa from a birds perspective. Take yourself on a hot air balloon ride, an incredibly beautiful, peaceful, and memorable way to experience Africa.
This will be at an additional cost to you. $450 per person.
For those not wishing to embark on a balloon ride, you will again venture into the wilds for yet another exciting game drive.
From your morning game drive, we will travel back to camp for lunch and to meet up with the rest of the group.
When the light is at its best, we will again be traveling the Mara in search of that ultimate photo opportunity.
Return to camp for downloading, then chatting over dinner about our incredible adventures so far.
There will be an option to game drive all day if clients choose not to take a balloon ride.
DAY 7 – Sunday 27th September 2015
We will be venturing out again for an early morning game drive. We will head back for lunch before having the opportunity to experience the traditional Maasai culture. You have the option to visit a true Maasai Village to have an insight into the lives of these amazing tribal people. The cost of this excursion will be an extra $30. For those who choose, you can rest and enjoy the camp surrounds over a refreshing beverage. We will again re group in the afternoon for a game drive, returning to camp to exchange exciting stories from our days adventures. Tonight as our last night in the Mara, we will enjoy an infamous African sundowner. (Traditionally drinks out in the African bush while watching the unsurpassed African sunset from the comfort of your chair)
There will be an option to game drive all day if clients choose not to experience the Maasai village.
DAY 8 – Monday 28thth September 2015
After another early morning game drive, we will return to camp mid morning to freshen up and check out from our tents. Proceed with our last game drive in the Maasai Mara until about 1pm. On returning to camp, our safari vehicles will begin their drive back to Nairobi, taking any excess baggage with them for us to collect later. This will allow us to fly with no concerns for our weight restrictions with our camera gear. We will relax over lunch, discussing photography and our amazing safari adventures so far. With farewells to our new Mara Camp friends, we will drive to the airstrip for our flight back to Nairobi at approximately 4pm. We will be met on arrival at approximately 5.30pm by our safari vehicles then escorted to our overnight at The Ole Sereni Hotel and a welcoming dinner.
DAY 9 – Tuesday 29th September 2015
An exciting day of city excursions today. After breakfast, we will be driven to the Giraffe Manor to photograph these elegant creatures and if you’re game, be ‘kissed’ by one. We will then venture to the Karen Blixon Coffee Gardens, relaxing here, chatting over lunch. After lunch, we will visit the Kasuri beads factory where woman make beautiful hand-made beads of varying designs. The money helps these impovished woman and supports their families. You will have an opportunity to do some shopping here.
Our afternoon delight, we will visit the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. After selecting your very own baby Elephant to adopt, we will enter the orphanage to witness these incredible and highly intelligent animals go about their playful antics, and see first hand the amazing work that their carers do to give them a second chance at life. A truly incredible and humbling experience. After a memorable hour, we will return to our hotel for relax and dinner. Overnight.
DAY 10 – Wednesday 30th September 2015
After an early breakfast, we will drive to the Amboseli National Park in the South East, arriving in time for lunch provided at our lodge Amboseli Serena. After lunch, and as the light softens, we will again embark on a game drive until evening. We will concentrate on the Elephant herds famous in this area, however also expect to see lion, zebra, giraffe, buffalo, egret and much more. Dinner and overnight at our lodge.
DAY 11 – Thursday 1st October 2015
Again rising early, and with packed lunch, we will explore the Amboseli, watching the herds of Elephant walk to the swamps for water and feeding. We will spend a full day if the light is right, photographing all Amboseli has to offer. Return to our lodge to download our images before a hearty dinner.
DAY 12 – Friday 2nd October 2015
Rising early, with coffee, snack and our packed lunch, we will head out for a dawn game drive, and game driver out heading back to Nairobi. You will be taken to your day rooms at the Eka Hotel to freshen up, relax before being driven the the airport to meet your international transfers.
The tour price includes:
Airport transfers
Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
Ground transportation by 4×4 Extended Land cruiser safari vehicles
En-route luncheons
Park entrances
Game drives
Flight from Maasai Mara National Park to Nairobi
Evening Sundowner
Lunch at Karen Blixen Museum Coffee Garden
Giraffe Centre entrance fees
Daphne Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Adoption fee
Professional English speaking local guide
Mineral water on board
Evacuation insurance to a Nairobi Hospital (hospital stay excluded)
Exclusions:
International Airfares
Visas and Passport costs
Meals and accommodation outside of the safari itinerary
Personal expenditure like; alcoholic drinks, curios, laundry, phone, Internet etc
Gratuities for the local guides and staff at your accommodation
Personal travel and camera insurance
Immunizations including Malaria medication
Cost of medical services and evacuation internationally if necessary
Any other expenditure of a personal nature
COST: total cost for this amazing wildlife photographic safari is $7,300 USD P/P based on 8 bookings and double occupancy.
$7,790 USD P/P based on 5 bookings and double occupancy.
Extra costs will be incurred for single occupancy if available.
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