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The Wildlife
Photo Safari Map
Are you planning ahead? This is one of our signature photo safaris, offered each year - book and pay your deposit for the 2028 departure before 31 Dec 2026 to receive a USD $250 per person discount.
This 12-day Kenya photo safari provides two very different photographic experiencee - Samburu Reserve and the Shompole Hides.
In Samburu, the focus is on classic game drives in a wildlife-rich environment known for its unique “Samburu specials,” strong predator sightings, and striking landscapes. With just two photographers per vehicle—far more space than most safaris—you’ll have room to move, shoot from both sides, and focus on positioning, behaviour, and light.
You’ll then fly to Shompole in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, where the focus shifts to overnight, hide-based, eye-level photography. You’ll experience undisturbed encounters, from elephants and lions to lesser-seen species.
A bonus highlight is TWO 1-hour helicopter flights over Lake Natron - famous for its vast flamingo flocks and striking colours. Each guest will have one afternoon and one morning flight for different lighting scenarios.
With just four in the group and guidance from Stu Porter, this safari is designed for patient photographers wanting to push their creative limits and create strong, thoughtful wildlife images.
Stu Porter is the owner of Wild4 Photo Safaris and has spent more than 20 years guiding wildlife photography safaris across Africa.
His approach is calm and practical, with a strong focus on understanding light, animal behaviour, and positioning in real time.
Throughout the safari, Stu works closely with both guests and guides, providing personalised, hands-on support in the field.
Learn more about Stu on the Tour Leaders Page → HERE
SAMBURU RESERVE (KENYA)
Located in northern Kenya along the Ewaso Nyiro River, Samburu offers a distinctly different safari environment, with dry, open landscapes, doum palms, and rugged hills. It’s known for its unique “Samburu specials,” including Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, and gerenuk, Beisa Oryx, Somali Ostrich and Vulturine Guineafowl. It also has great Lion & Leopard sightings. With fewer vehicles than many southern reserves, Samburu provides a more relaxed, photography-focused experience with excellent light and varied birdlife.
SHOMPOLE OVERNIGHT HIDES (KENYA)
Set in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, Shompole offers a specialised, hide-based photography experience. Its underground hides are at eye level, drawing wildlife directly to water for close, intimate encounters. Regular sightings include elephants, lions, hyenas, and nocturnal species. Open landscapes provide clean backgrounds and strong light, while nearby Lake Natron—famous for its flamingos—adds striking colours and patterns from the air during the helicopter flight.
SAFARI VEHICLES
SHOMPOLE HIDES
HELICOPTER RIDE
SAMBURU RESERVE
SHOMPOLE HIDES
SOROI SAMBURU LODGE
A comfortable, well-designed lodge set along the Ewaso Nyiro River. Spacious rooms offer elevated views over the river. Quick & easy access to main game drive areas.
SHOMPOLE WILDERNESS CAMP (KENYA)
Shompole Wilderness Camp is a remote tented camp set in Kenya’s Rift Valley, offering a quiet base between overnight hide sessions.
☀️ SAMBURU (KENYA)
Late September in Samburu is typically dry, with clear skies and excellent light. Vegetation is sparse, improving visibility, and wildlife concentrates around the Ewaso Nyiro River.
Mornings are mild and fresh, while afternoons are hot and dry. Rain is unlikely but occasional short showers are possible as conditions begin to shift.
☀️ SHOMPOLE HIDES (KENYA)
Late September into October in Shompole is hot and mostly dry, with clear skies and strong, consistent light. Wildlife activity remains focused around water, making the hides especially productive.
Mornings are warm, while afternoons can be very hot. There is a small chance of early rains as the season begins to shift.
SAMBURU GAME DRIVES
SHOMPOLE HIDES
CAMERA BODY:
LENSES:
ACCESSORIES:
For more in-depth guidance on what to bring we are happy to discuss your setup via Zoom or email.
Visas are required for this safari, and it is your responsibility to ensure they are in place before departure.
Regulations can change, so we recommend checking official government websites prior to travel.
❖ Passport must be valid for 6 months after travel with a minimum of 4 blank pages.
❖ We will provide an official itinerary and booking confirmation to support your application.
❖ We recommend applying at least 3 weeks prior to travel.
KENYA
> A visa (eTA – Electronic Travel Authorisation) is required for most travellers.
> Apply online via the official system: https://www.etakenya.go.ke/
> Cost: Approx. USD $30**
> Valid for single entry (typically up to 90 days)
> Always check current requirements before travel as these are subject to change without notice.
Each guest will enjoy two dedicated helicopter flights over Lake Natron - one in the afternoon and one in the early morning - giving you the opportunity to photograph the flamingos and the lake’s striking colours in very different light.
For both flights, two photographers are seated on the same (left) side of the helicopter, with no guest seated behind the pilot. This allows the pilot to consistently position the aircraft for both photographers at the same time, avoiding unnecessary turns and maximising your time shooting. Each flight is approximately one hour.
The schedule is carefully planned so you still experience the visit to the night hide. On the afternoon of your flight, you’ll head out to the overnight hide after your flight, with a slightly shorter "afternoon light" session. The following morning, you will head back to camp after a shortened "morning light" session for your helicopter flight, ahead of your departure back to Nairobi.
Absolutely. The dry season is the best time for wildlife viewing. As the bush thins and water becomes scarce, animals congregate in massive numbers around permanent water sources like the Ewaso Ng'iro River in Samburu and the photographic hides at Shompole. This high density of predators and prey in predictable areas offers unparalleled action and photographic opportunities.
This safari is suitable for enthusiastic beginners through to advanced photographers. You should be comfortable with your camera, but Stu will provide guidance on settings, composition, and field technique throughout the trip.
Internal flights have strict luggage limits. Main luggage is limited to 20kg (44 lbs) per person, plus 15kg (33 lbs) for camera gear. Bags must be soft duffel or roller-style. Please note that ** HARD SUITCASES ARE NOT PERMITTED. Keeping weight within limits is essential for safety and compliance.
The Shompole underground hides blend comfort with high-end photography. Each hide features a "quiet" shooting area and a rear section with beds, a small kitchen, and a flush toilet.
Unlike other African hides, Shompole’s open-front design has no glass, ensuring razor-sharp images while heightening your connection to the sounds and scents of the bush. For safety, you must remain inside overnight. Soft lighting illuminates the wildlife, and beanbags are provided for support. Flash photography is not permitted.
Yes, having the right gear makes a big difference for night photography. Fast lenses (f/2.8) are highly recommended, with primes like a 300mm or 400mm working particularly well, along with a 70–200mm f/2.8. A wider lens in the 15–35mm range is also useful. It’s a great setting to try time-lapse photography, so a small tripod for your phone can be handy.
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• Lion
• Leopard
• Spotted Hyena
• Striped Hyena
• Caracal
• Serval
• African Civet
• Black-backed Jackal
• Elephant
• Giraffe
• Plains Zebra
• Blue Wildebeest
• Verreaux’s Eagle Owl
• Spotted Eagle Owl
• African Scops Owl
• Three-banded Courser
• Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
• Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark
• White-bellied Go-away-bird
• Somali Ostrich
• Rosy-patched Bushshrike
• Yellow-necked Spurfowl
• Grey-headed Silverbill
• Northern White-crowned Shrike
This specialized Kenya photo safari is a small-group wildlife photography journey led by Stu Porter, focusing on the arid beauty of Samburu and the unique habitats of Shompole.
By combining Samburu’s dramatic landscapes with Shompole’s productive overnight hides and a spectacular 2-hour helicopter flight over the crimson waters of Lake Natron, this trip offers a unique diversity not offered on other photo safaris.
With only four photographers using two vehicles in Samburu, you’ll have ample room for gear and unobstructed access to both sides of the vehicle. This small group size ensures personalized, one-to-one guidance.
You will be met at Jomo Kenyatta Airport and transferred to your airport hotel for overnight accommodation
1 night in NAIROBI at THE FAIRVIEW HOTEL
→ 19:00pm group dinner & drinks included
→ Laundry NOT included
→ Breakfast included
Fly from Nairobi to Samburu
6 nights in SAMBURU at SOROI SAMBURU LODGE
→ All meals included
→ Drinks included
→ Laundry included (restricted to 4 items per day)
Fly from Samburu to Shompole.
4 nights at SHOMPOLE WILDERNESS CAMP
* Helicopter rides will be on the final afternoon and then on the final morning.
→ All meals included
→ Drinks included
→ Laundry included (but no underwear/socks)
We enjoy a final morning at the photo hide, before returning to camp for brunch. We then fly back to Nairobi where you will have the use of a day room until departure
1 dayroom in NAIROBI at FOUR POINTS SHERATON
→ Room only
→ Laundry NOT included
If you have the time, there are excellent options to build on this itinerary. From Amboseli’s iconic elephant herds to the Masai Mara’s predator-rich plains, or even gorilla trekking in Rwanda, we can help tailor a seamless extension to suit your interests.
For those who would like to extend the length of their safari, we offer an exciting 3 night / 4-day extension to see and photograph the highly endangered Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda. The extension can be added before or after the scheduled photographic safari.
The standard package (if added on before or after our scheduled safari) would start with a flight from Nairobi to Kigali in Rwanda. As you leave the arrivals hall in Kigali, you will be met by our representative and he will be your driver/guide for the duration of your stay. You will start with a tour of the city and a visit to the genocide museum (optional), followed by lunch in one of Kigali's Restaurants.
After this, you head on towards your overnight accommodation in Ruhengeri. You will pass through the very scenic Rwandan countryside with endless rolling hills and lush vegetation. The 3hr drive is a very beautiful one and on the way, your guide will tell you about the country and its interesting history.
You will arrive in the late afternoon, settle into your lodge and enjoy dinner in the restaurant.
The Gorilla treks are done in the early morning (after your breakfast) and depending on which gorilla group you have been assigned to visit, the walk may take a couple of hours (if the Gorillas are close) or it may take longer - 4 or 5 hours if the group is further up the mountain. Either way, the walk is very interesting. We recommend you hire the services of a local porter who will happily and easily carry your camera equipment for you. This allows you to have two free hands to be able to grab onto vegetation during your hike. Gardening gloves are very useful items to protect your hands from stinging nettles and thorny plants. We also recommend you wear gaiters to protect your legs from mud and biting ants, as well as waterproof trousers and a waterproof jacket.
The itinerary offers two treks to see the Gorillas. This is always a good option as both treks will be completely different and it allows you the opportunity to have two chances to photograph the Gorillas. You are never sure where you might find them or in what situation they will be in. They might be in an open area or a dense bamboo thicket.
Group sizes are never more than 6 guests and you will be led by two specialist Gorilla guides, the porters will carry bags and you will also encounter the trackers who find the Gorillas for you and guide your group into them, thus saving valuable trekking time.
Once you are close to the Gorillas, the procedure is to stop and take only the items you need with you. You must also leave your camera bag with your Porter, he will look after it. It is vital therefore that you can carry all your equipment with you as you will not be allowed to go back to your camera bag.
A very strict time limit of 1 hour is given to view and photograph the Gorilla group. After your hour is up everyone leaves the Gorillas and heads back down the mountain. The trackers then stay with the Gorillas for the rest of the day to protect them, but also to take note of where they bed down for the night. Early the following morning the trackers head back up the mountain to find the Gorillas again before they begin their day of foraging.
It is possible to request to walk to one of the closest groups of Gorillas, but it is never guaranteed that you will be picked for that specific group. Thus we recommend that you are in reasonable health to undergo the treks, which will be up fairly steep muddy and slippery paths. You need a good pair of walking shoes or hiking boots with long socks that you can tuck your trouser legs into. This will help to prevent against biting ants.
The lodge does offer some items for hire such as raincoats, gaiters and gloves, but they are not guaranteed to always have them available.
When you return after your trek they kindly wash your shoes for you and return them to your room before dinner. A pair of sandals would be useful to have in the interim.
After your second Gorilla trek, you will depart after lunch and head back to Kigali where you will spend your last night in a hotel. The following morning you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back to Nairobi or on to a destination of your choice.
PRICE:
Please enquire
This national park in northwestern Rwanda covers 160 km2 (62 sq mi) of rainforest and encompasses five of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains, namely Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo. It borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. It is home to the highly endangered Mountain Gorilla. The world-famous primatologist, Dian Fossey was based here from 1967 until her murder in 1985. She has been widely credited with saving the Mountain Gorilla from extinction and although her murder remains unsolved, it is believed that she was killed by the poachers she had spent her life fighting against.
Rwanda is considered the prime location to view Mountain Gorillas and it offers the most consistent sightings.
Fly from Nairobi to Kigali. City tour then drive to Volcanoes National Park
Depart your Nairobi Hotel after breakfast and transfer to Jomo Kenyatta Airport where you will catch your flight to the Rwandan capital, Kigali. This is a 1.5 hr flight and upon arrival, you will be met by our ground operators at the arrivals area just outside the airport. You will then take in a tour of the city which includes a visit to the genocide museum. You will also enjoy a lunch in a Kigali town restaurant. Depart after lunch on a 3hr drive to your lodge in Ruhengeri. Dinner at the lodge and overnight - Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
First morning Gorilla trek, afternoon at leisure
Depart the lodge after an early breakfast and head to the main meeting area for your first Gorilla Trek registration. Head off on your trek and return to your lodge around lunchtime. Afternoon at leisure, dinner in the restaurant and then overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Second morning Gorilla trek. Depart after lunch for Kigali and overnight
Early breakfast and then head out on your second Gorilla Trek and return to your lodge for lunch. Depart in the early afternoon and head back to Kigali via road - 3hrs. Arrive in the late afternoon and overnight at Lemigo Hotel in Kigali
Depart hotel after breakfast and fly back to Nairobi
Breakfast then depart for the airport and your flight back to Nairobi. Connect with your international flight back home
International flights Nairobi – Kigali - Nairobi
Transport services in 4 x 4 vehicle as indicated
English speaking driver/guide
02 nights on full board accommodation at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (BLD)
01 night on bed & breakfast accommodation at Lemigo Hotel in a standard room in Kigali (B)
02 Gorilla trek permits
City tour as indicated on arrival day
Community fees
Meals as indicated (B = Breakfast L = Lunch D = Dinner)
All meals not indicated
All Drinks
Laundry
Visa Fees
Tips for lodge staff, your local guide, Gorilla Guide & Gorilla anti-poaching rangers
We first recommend that you read and become familiar with our booking terms & conditions, which can be found on this page, under the PRICES box.
Get in touch with us to confirm that there are still spaces available on the photo safari that you are interested in. Click on the “ENQUIRE NOW” button above.
Once we confirm with you that there is space available, and you would like to join the safari, we will send you a direct link via email. Follow this unique link to sign up to our CLIENT AREA. After you have registered with your name, email address and a password of your choice, you will then be asked to complete our online booking form.
As soon as we receive your completed booking form/s (1 per participant) then you will be required to send us the deposit to secure your place on the safari.
Deposits can be paid via credit card, PayPal or international bank transfer. We will notify you as soon as your deposit arrives. Places on the safari will only be confirmed once we have received both a completed booking form and deposit payment.
As soon as your booking form and deposit are with us, we will update your CLIENT AREA to display the outstanding balance amount. This amount will be due 90 days before the start date of the safari.
Stu Porter
