Gentle rolling hills, open savanna grassland, thickets and the impressive Mara River along with smaller tributaries, summarizes the scenery you will encounter in the Masai Mara Reserve. 1500sq km or 560sq miles in size, it is a fantastic destination to experience real Africa and the species that have been resident there for thousands of years.

Lions are abundant in the Mara and we will get to see a lot of these powerful cats. Cheetah are also seen regularly. Leopard can be found in the Mara but it is considered a special privilege to see one of these cats.

We will spend 8 nights in the best locations in the Mara, close to the popular crossing points. During this time of year the rolling hills of the Masai Mara are covered with the herds of migrating Wildebeest and Zebra which have come to the Mara to enjoy the bountiful grass that it has to offer.

Our main focus will be to set up for a dramatic river crossing which is an awesome event not to be missed. There will also be plenty of time to explore the rest of the Masai Mara in search of its varied and plentiful species of mammals and birds. The Mara can be visited at any time of year, but only during the months of July, Aug, Sept and Oct are the massive herds in abundance and this is the most popular time to view them trying to cross the Mara River.

Accommodation will be in either comfortable hotel rooms or permanent tents, both with en-suite bathroom facilities as well as electricity to recharge batteries. All food is catered for by the lodge staff and we will always take a packed breakfast to maximize our time out in the field. We also have the option of staying out all day if necessary.

The tour will accommodate a maximum of 6 photographers in 3 vehicles
(2 PER VEHICLE). Stu Porter will lead the tour and will alternate between the vehicles each day to offer photo tuition and guidance.

The safari begins with an overnight stay at a city hotel in Nairobi.
The following morning we are collected in our 4x4 landcruisers and we begin the 5hr road trip through the Great Rift Valley and some of Kenya's most beautiful countryside. We arrive at the Maasai Mara in time for lunch and settle in to our en-suite accommodation. We then head out into the reserve for our first afternoon game drive.

Along with the big cats, the Mara offers excellent photo opportunities for many other mammals & birds including Elephant, Buffalo, Thompson's Gazelle, Topi, Coke's Hartebeest, Zebra, Giraffe, Impala, Grant's Gazelle, Bat Eared Fox and of course Wildebeest !

We fly from the Mara back to Nairobi where you will have a day room or an overnight stay depending on when your international flight leaves.

For those who would like to extend the length of their safari, we offer an exciting 6 night extension which can be added on before the beginning of the scheduled safari.

After a 1 night stopover in Nairobi we will head north via road towards SAMBURU RESERVE, crossing the equator along the way. SAMBURU RESERVE lies 325 kilometers north of Nairobi in the arid northern region of Kenya. The reserve is home to a number of animal species rarely seen in other Kenyan parks. These include the Grevy Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx and the long necked Gerenuk. Elephant, Lion, Cheetah, Waterbuck and Buffalo are also commonly seen. The only form of relief from the hot sun comes from the wide Ewaso Nyiro River which rises in the foothills of the Aberdares, a few hundred kms. to the west.

We spend 4 nights in Samburu and depart after a final morning game drive for our next destination, LAKE NAKURU. We arrive at Lake Nakuru in time for a late lunch and once settled in to our en-suite accommodation, we venture out into the reserve on our first afternoon game drive.

Established in 1961, Lake Nakuru Reserve offers a wide variety of both mammal and waterbird species, notably White & Black Rhino and the millions of Flamingos which feed on the lake's abundant algae. Buffalo, Waterbuck, the rare Rothschild's Giraffe, Hyaena, Jackal, Lion and Leopard are also resident in the reserve. Other common waterbirds include Pelicans, Cormorants, Grebes, Ducks, Stilts and Herons. Our 2 night stay at Lake Nakuru will offer a variety of different photo opportunities and is a location not to be missed.

We depart Lake Nakuru after breakfast and head towards our final destination, the Masai Mara, arriving in time for lunch. Here we will meet up with participants who have chosen to do only the Masai Mara tour.