Kenya Wild – Samburu National Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park + Masai Mara Game Reserve

OVERVIEW

Join OFFBEAT’s Paul Zizka and Kris Andres in Kenya —one of the world’s most magnificent and diverse wildlife populations! November in Kenya brings us optimal conditions. It’s not the peak of tourist season, but we get the tail end of the Great Migration as herds start to make their way back down to the Serengeti. Migratory birds move in, as well as the newborn animals. As we travel across the landscapes of Samburu National Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park and the Masai Mara Game Reserve, we’ll have the opportunity to capture images of the five big game animals, as well as migratory wildlife as it passes through. All locations on this photo adventure have been selected by local safari experts and wildlife trackers to ensure we can maximize opportunities for unique encounters.

Your home base for this safari trip will be a mix of hotels and unique luxury tented camps with incredible meals to refuel each day.

Location: Samburu National Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park + Masai Mara Game Reserve

Dates: November 17-26, 2024

Tour Leaders*: Kris Andres + Paul Zizka

 ITINERARY

(Note: subject to change)

Day 1

Arrival in Nairobi. Upon arrival, you’ll be at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by a driver/guide and transferred to your hotel.

Check-in, rest of the day at leisure.  As today is an arrival day, we will meet up in the evening to connect and review the next 10 days of adventure.

Day 2

7.30 a.m. After breakfast transfer to Wilson Airport for a flight to Samburu National Reserve (09.00 – 10.00hrs).

Afternoon game drive where in addition to elephants & lions you can expect to see the unique “northern species” reticulated giraffe, Beisa Oryx, Grevy’s Zebra, and the graceful long-necked Gerenuk.

Day 3

Enjoy breakfast each morning among the local elephants.

Morning (6.30 am) and afternoon (3.30 pm) game drives to see more of Samburu’s typically northern species like the vulturine guinea fowl and the Somali ostrich. The park's vivid colours and sharp contrasts between sky, bush, and sand make Samburu a photographer’s paradise.

Day 4

Enjoy breakfast each morning among the local elephants.

Morning (6.30 am) and afternoon (3.30 pm) game drives to see more of Samburu’s typically northern species like the vulturine guinea fowl and the Somali ostrich. The park's vivid colours and sharp contrasts between sky, bush, and sand make Samburu a photographer’s paradise.

Day 5

7.30 a.m. after breakfast, drive (300kms, 6hrs) with a stop at Thompson Falls, to Lake Nakuru National Park.

Arrive at Lion Hill Lodge for lunch.

Afternoon game drive in the park, justly famous for being a birdwatchers’ paradise with its more than 500 bird species including flamingoes, pelicans, and spoon bills.

Day 6

Morning and afternoon game drives in Lake Nakuru National Park. Besides being a sanctuary for the endangered rhino, the park provides chances to see the Rothschild giraffe, lions, buffalos and if you are lucky, leopard.

Day 7

7.30 a.m. after breakfast drive (300kms, 5.5hrs) to Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Home to lion, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, zebra, giraffe, impalas, and gazelles.

Arrive at Entim Camp for lunch and a stay of 3 nights. At 3:30 pm, and the following days, you will go on the morning (6:30 am) and afternoon game drives in this 1800-sq-km game reserve of rolling plains, woodlands and rivers that make up the Maasai Mara Triangle, one of the world’s richest wildlife sanctuaries.

Offering an abundance of herbivores, the Maasai Mara makes the ideal hunting ground for Kenya’s famous ‘big cats’ and hosts her largest population of lions. It also offers the best chance of spotting a leopard in the wild as well as other predators such as cheetah and spotted hyena.

Historically teaming with wildlife, the Mara is famous for the large herds of elephants and buffalo that meander its plains; also for the fat pods of hippos that wallow in its mud-brown rivers. Other stars of the reserve include the distinctive Maasai giraffe, plum-coloured topi, Coke’s hartebeest, Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelle, zebra, impala, Kirk’s dik-dik, bushbuck, waterbuck, red duiker. The Maasai Mara also boasts plentiful Nile crocodiles, monitor lizards, baboons, vervet monkeys, blue and red-tailed monkeys, nocturnal bush babies, and tree hyrax plus a plethora of resident and migratory birds.

Day 8

Morning and afternoon game drives in the Mara. We can do it early morning (6.30 a.m.) and return for breakfast or 7.30 a.m. after breakfast and return for lunch.

Afternoon game drive at 4.00 p.m. Back in camp around dusk. You will also visit Mara River in search of crocodiles and hippos.

*Optional Balloon Safari at extra cost – US$450.00 per person.

Day 9

Morning and afternoon game drives in the Mara. We can do it early morning (6.30 a.m.) and return for breakfast or 7.30 a.m. after breakfast and return for lunch.

Afternoon game drive at 4.00 p.m. Back in camp around dusk. You will also visit Mara River in search of crocodiles and hippos.

*Optional Balloon Safari at extra cost – US$450.00 per person.

Day 10

After breakfast, transfer to the airstrip for a scheduled flight to Nairobi (11.15 – 13.00hrs).

Day-rooms at Ole Sereni Hotel, located next to Nairobi National Park until 6.00 pm.

Later, transfer to Jomo Kenyatta Airport for your departure flight.

* As per our Terms and Conditions, OFFBEAT reserves the right to change, at any time, the tour leader of any workshop.

 THE FINER DETAILS 

Included:

• Daily instructions/mentorship with Paul Zizka & Kris Andres.
• Domestic flight from Nairobi to Samburu and Masai Mara to Nairobi Airport, and transfers.
• All Meals except for Nairobi (breakfast only).
• All Meals during the workshop.
• All Safari transport and game drives.
• All Park Entrance Fees.
• Lifetime membership to OFFBEAT Community.

Not Included:

• International flights.
• Visa, vaccinations, passport fees.
• Optional Balloon Safari.
• Travel Insurance.
• Gratuities & tips for guides, servers, staff, etc.
• Personal expenses including alcohol.

Please note:  Kenya is a wild place where logistics can be a challenge. Think of this adventure as an expedition, where we adapt to the conditions in order to get the most out of the experience. The unpredictable conditions and remoteness are partly why Kenya is such a special place. While we hope to stick to our intended itinerary as much as possible, there may be delays in flights. OFFBEAT will not be responsible for extra expenses incurred by weather delays (whether those expenses are related to meals, accommodation or rebookings) and so it is imperative that you have the necessary insurance for this trip. We also highly recommend factoring in buffers in your international travel arrangements.

 PRICE AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE 

Cost: CAD $12500

Payment options: Full payment or $2500 non-refundable deposit to secure a space with remaining four payments as listed below.

Non-Refundable Deposit: CAD $2500

• Installment Payment #1 $2500 - Jan 17, 2024
• Installment Payment #2: $2500 - April 17, 2024
• Installment Payment #3: $2500 - June 17, 2024
• Installment Payment #4: $2500 - Aug 17, 2024

Note: Failure to pay by due dates means forfeiting deposit and spot will be freed up and potentially sold to another interested participant (see more in cancellation policy below).

If unforeseen circumstances arise, participants are welcome to transfer/sell their space to another interested participant. In such case, participants are responsible for handling payment for the transfer.

 PARTICIPANTS

• 8 minimum

We require a minimum of 8 participants in order to run this workshop. If the minimum numbers are not reached by August 2024 the workshop may be cancelled and deposits will be refunded to participants. See our cancellation policy below for more details.

 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 

1. How to anticipate and photograph wildlife in various conditions.

2. How to develop your vision as a landscape and wildlife photographer.

3. What to look for when photographing wildlife / capturing the personality.

4. How to assess a scene in order to capture both the wide, epic photographs as well as the small, intimate ones.

5. Telling a story through your photography.

 LEAVE NO TRACE 

We preach and live the ethics of "leave no trace" photography, which means that the utmost care is given, while hiking and photographing, to leaving zero impact on the natural environment. Participants are expected to approach this tour with the same ethics at all times.

 INSURANCE 

It is not only advised but required that workshop participants have trip cancellation/interruption insurance, as well as emergency medical/illness insurance and rescue coverage (proof required within 4 months of departure).

Weather and other unforeseen factors can cause delays in travel, particularly from some of our more remote locations. It is the participant’s responsibility to cover any costs in the case of a travel delay of any length. 

Please ensure your trip cancellation/interruption insurance accommodates this possibility. By purchasing a spot you are acknowledging that you accept these conditions.

 OFFBEAT TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

Please take the time to review OFFBEAT’s Terms and Conditions, including our Cancellation Policies. You are required to agree to these in order to confirm your registration.

 TRAVEL VISA 

It is the participant's responsibility to ensure they have a valid Travel Visa (if applicable/required) for the duration of the workshop.