Day 1 (ARRIVE IN NAIROBI) Our meet & greet service will welcome you at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where you will be transferred to a Nairobi Hotel for an overnight stay (1 night)

Day 2 Meet up with the rest of the group and depart by road after breakfast for Namanga border where we cross into Tanzania. Here we will meet our Tanzanian guides who will take all the way to the Ngorongoro Crater arriving in the late afternoon. Overnight at Serena Ngorongoro Crater for 1 night)

Day 3 Depart after breakfast and make our way to Ndutu, arriving in time for lunch. First afternoon photographic game drive in Ndutu (overnight in Ndutu for 12 nights)

Day 4 Morning & Afternoon photo game drives in Ndutu

Day 5 Morning & Afternoon photo game drives in Ndutu

Day 6 Morning & Afternoon photo game drives in Ndutu

Day 7 Morning & Afternoon photo game drives in Ndutu

Day 8 Morning & Afternoon photo game drives in Ndutu

Day 9 Morning & Afternoon photo game drives in Ndutu

Day 10 Morning & Afternoon photo game drives in Ndutu

Day 11 Morning & Afternoon photo game drives in Ndutu

Day 12 Morning & Afternoon photo game drives in Ndutu

Day 13 Morning & Afternoon photo game drives in Ndutu

Day 14 Morning & Afternoon photographic game drives in Ndutu

Day 15 Depart Ndutu after a final morning photographic game drive and head to Arusha for an overnight stop at Arusha Coffee Lodge (1 night) *** ***NB, those who have chosen to do the Ngorongoro Crater and Amboseli EXTENSION, would stop at Serena Crater Lodge for 2 nights, followed by one night in Arusha and then 3 nights in Amboseli National Park before heading back to Nairobi.

Day 16 Depart Arusha after breakfast and drive back to Nairobi in Kenya via Namanga border post arriving in the mid-afternoon. Dayroom to freshen up before your evening international flight home.

Included

• 1 night in city hotel in Nairobi (B)
• 1 night at Ngorongoro Crater SERENA (BLD) + Drinks
• 12 nights at Ndutu Lodge (Ngorongoro Conservation area) (BLD) + Drinks
• 1 night at Arusha Coffee Lodge (overnight stop on the way to Namanga Border) (DB) + Drinks
• Day Room at Four Points Sheraton near Nairobi Airport
• All park entrance fees
• all road transfers
• private use of 4x4 Land cruisers with qualified guides (2 participants per vehicle)
• bottled water on game drives
• professional photo tuition
• all meals (unless where otherwise stated) (B=Breakfast L=Lunch D=Dinner)
• all drinks unless otherwise stated (local beer, house wine, soft drinks, juice, bottled water) ** PREMIUM BRANDS, cocktails & spirits NOT INCLUDED **

Excluded

• Some meals and drinks **
• Laundry ** Please note that some locations will not wash your "smalls" (underwear and socks)
• tips / gratuities for camp / lodge staff and for your driver / guide - see FAQ's
• personal medical, travel, trip cancellation & equipment insurance
• visa fees
• INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

TRANSPORT

For the duration of this photo safari, we will be travelling in 4x4 TOYOTA Land Cruisers that have a seating capacity of 7 passengers. There will be a maximum of 2 safari vehicles on this tour with only two photographers per vehicle allowing you to have plenty of space for equipment. You will be allocated a vehicle and guide for the entire trip. Stu will be seated next to the driver/guide to offer photographic assistance and will alternate between the vehicles.

The vehicles are equipped with WILD4's own professional beanbag system designed by Stu to allow for a comfortable shooting position, from both the roof and the window.

LODGING IN NAIROBI

On arrival at Jomo Kenyatta Int Airport, you will be met by one of our safari representatives and you will be taken to EKA HOTEL for an overnight in comfortable en-suite rooms. Due to the groups' different arrival times, we will not meet for dinner. We will depart early for the Namanga Border taking a packed breakfast with us.

LODGING AT THE NGORONGORO CRATER

Accommodation will be at NGORONGORO SERENA LODGE in comfortable en-suite rooms for 1 night

LODGING AT NDUTU

Accommodation will be at NDUTU SAFARI LODGE in comfortable en-suite rooms for 12 nights

ARUSHA COFFEE LODGE - this is where we spend our overnight stop on the way back to Nairobi

DAYROOM

You will have the use of a dayroom at Four Points, Sheraton in Nairobi, on your departure day

You must arrange your own international flights in and out of NAIROBI KENYA.

Specific FAQs

• What do you expect the weather to be like on this photographic safari ?

  The weather at this time of year in both Kenya and Tanzania is very pleasant, cool mornings might warrant a fleece top for a few hours before the day warms up to around 30 C or 85 F. Not much rain is expected at this time of the year (June)

• HOW DO WE RECHARGE CAMERA BATTERIES AND LAPTOPS ON THIS PHOTO SAFARI ?

  All the accommodations you will be staying at on this safari will have electric points for recharging your batteries and laptops inside your room

• WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY "IN THE FIELD" ON THIS PHOTO SAFARI ?

  We usually enjoy a cup of tea, coffee and some cookies before heading out just before sunrise. Packed breakfasts are always taken, allowing us to stop at a convenient time during the morning drive, or we eat in the vehicle whilst waiting at a sighting.
  
  If there is something really interesting going on, we can stay out, otherwise, we will return to the lodge at around midday for lunch and a short break. We head out again in the afternoon and return to camp at around 7 pm. Dinner will be at 8 pm.

• ARE WE ABLE TO GO OFF ROAD TO GET CLOSER TO THE ANIMALS ON THIS PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARI ?

  One of the MAIN reasons for running this safari is that WE ARE ALLOWED to drive off-road to get closer and correctly position the vehicle for the best light and distance. This is what makes this safari special. So the answer is YES, we can go off-road in the Ndutu Area.
  
  You can be assured that your driver/guide wants to show you the animals and get you as close as possible but on some occasions, we will have to use common sense and respect the environment and the comfort levels of the wildlife.
  
  Please note however that with regards to the EXTENSION, you are NOT PERMITTED to drive off-road in either the Ngorongoro Crater OR in Amboseli National Park. In both of these locations, your guide is required to stay on designated game drive roads.

• WHAT ARE THE LUGGAGE RESTRICTIONS ON THIS PHOTO SAFARI ?

  On all our safaris it is preferable to use a duffel type bag for your main luggage (not hard suitcases) as these are easier to pack into vehicles. This safari is a drive only safari so we will not be making use of internal small aircraft flights, this saves a lot of hassles as far as luggage allowances are concerned as airlines are very strict.
  
  We would still request that you keep your luggage to a reasonable amount. One duffel type bag at a max of around 20kg and your camera equipment should be all you really need.

• HOW LONG ARE THE ROAD TRANSFERS ON THIS PHOTO SAFARI ?

  The safari begins in Nairobi and we drive from here all the way through the Namanga Border, into Tanzania and will arrive in the late afternoon at the Ngorongoro Crater. This will be the longest drive on the safari but it really is a lot easier, safer and more reliable than flying. This will be a drive from early morning to late afternoon.
  
  The drive from the Crater to Ndutu is around 3 hours
  
  The drive from Ndutu back to Arusha is around 6 hours
  
  The drive from Arusha back to Nairobi is around 6 hours

• IS THERE INTERNET ACCESS / MOBILE PHONE RECEPTION ON THIS PHOTO SAFARI ?

  There is wifi internet in all lodges we stay at but reception away from the lodges is patchy

• WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDED TIPPING POLICY ON THIS PHOTO SAFARI ?

  Tipping is a safari tradition in Africa. We respectfully request that you follow our guidelines regarding tipping as it helps to set a standard across all of our photo safaris.
  
  Any form of gratuity should be earned by the recipient through excellent service and for effort beyond their job description. If for any reason you do not feel comfortable tipping then please let your tour leader know.
  
  We do our utmost to source quality safari companies/lodges and guides who have a similar work ethic and passion to us. The staff and guides work extremely hard to make sure we have a good time and they are incredibly patient and flexible.
  
  We will send you a detailed recommended tipping policy for this photo safari in your Arrival Information Document, which will be sent to you 2 weeks before the start of your photo tour.

General FAQs

• Do I need a visa for my photo safari ?

  It is best to contact the embassy of the country you will be travelling to, and double-check to see what their latest policies are with regards to Visas and whether you should apply for them before you travel or if you can obtain them at the port of entry.

• Is smoking allowed ?

  Smoking is not allowed in the safari vehicle and generally, it is not a very good idea to smoke in the bush as the grass is often tinder dry and bush fires can start easily. We do not take specific breaks for smoking either, but we will stop at relevant times for everyone to have a break and stretch their legs or have a cup of coffee. This would be your opportunity to have a smoke break. We ask you to respect the environment and carry your cigarette ends away with you.

• How do you deal with "comfort breaks" when out on photo safari ?

  Spending long hours in the safari vehicles will inevitably end up in folks needed a bathroom stop. We have to respect the rules of the different parks when it comes to this and these rules will be explained before the start of each safari. Generally, the safari saying of "any tree is a lavatree (lavatory)" goes. We will make sure we stop in a safe location for the comfort break.

  The Kruger National Park is the only location that has proper washroom facilities at designated picnic sites or in the camps, and as per the rules of the park, we are required to stop at these specific places, not anywhere in the bush. Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania have limited facilities, and stopping at an appropriate place in the bush is allowed.

• How do you deal with unexpected emergencies ?

  All of our safaris have emergency procedures in place. We will have contact with the office via either radio, cell phone or satellite phone. The office would then dispatch the relevant help - be it medical or otherwise.
  
  In the case of medical assistance, the initial recovery from the field to the most relevant medical facility would be covered by our safari insurance. Your medical insurance would need to cover you for all other expenses.

• I have special dietary requirements, can you cater for this ?

  Yes, we can cater for special medical dietary requirements, but you need to inform us of these requirements when you register. We will then be able to inform the lodges/camps we will be staying at about your requests well in advance.

  Depending on what your special requirements are there may be a surcharge for this service.

• Will we have leisure time to sleep in or relax by the pool ?

  Your time on safari is YOURS, you can feel free to use it as you wish. However, I can confidently say that very few people have ever opted to sleep in or spend time at the pool. This is a photo safari after all. Our main reason for being on the safari is to spend every possible minute doing photography so leisure time is not something people normally request.

  On occasion people have wanted to sleep in on one day or skip an afternoon game drive, this is entirely up to you. However please note that we will not change our usual schedule to accommodate "leisure time" If for example, you decided to sleep in, you would not have the right to request the vehicle to come back and collect you at a more convenient time.

  The photographers who go out with the vehicle can decide when to return. If you have a private vehicle to yourself then you can do as you please.

• Credit Cards or cash - what should I bring ?

  Credit Cards are by far the most convenient  90% of the time. Bringing along some cash as a backup is also a good idea. US$ are readily accepted in most African Countries and can also be used in some local shops (**Please note that there are some exceptions like South Africa and Namibia - both of these countries DO NOT ALLOW the use of US$ in their economy.
  
  ** If you are unsure please ASK us about which option is most suitable for the safari you are doing.

  As far as tipping goes (more on the tipping section) you could separate it into the following two scenarios:
  
  1) Your Local Driver / Guide / Ranger: - this can be done in US$ - CASH only
  
  2) Lodge / Camp staff
  > Kenya - this can be done in US$ - CASH or CARD
  > Tanzania - this can be done in US$ - CASH only
  > Botswana - this can be done in US$ - CASH only
  > South Africa - this can be done in US$ - CASH or CARD ** this depends on the actual accommodation used - please ask us for clarity **
  > Namibia - this can be done in US$ - CASH or CARD ** this depends on the actual accommodation used - please ask us for clarity **
  
  Any other major foreign currency will also be readily accepted (EURO, GBP)
  
  If you have any concerns please contact us and we will clarify it for you further.

• What fitness level is required on your photo safaris ?

  All of our scheduled photo safaris (except for Namibia) are vehicle-based for the majority of the time. You will need to be in reasonable health but we will not undergo any long walks or hikes unless you personally choose to do so, or unless it is detailed in the safari description. Our extensions and custom safaris might warrant a different fitness level - please ask us for more details about the fitness level required for your specific custom photo safari or chosen extension.
  
  Our Landscape tours of Namibia do require a fairly good level of fitness to get the most out of them. There is a lot of sand in Namibia and walking in this sand and up sand dunes are part of the trip. If you have more questions about fitness levels PLEASE ask us before signing up on any of our safaris.

• Is there a risk of getting malaria on the photo safari ?

  On any trip to Africa, there is a risk of getting Malaria. Some areas have a higher risk than others. As we are not medical doctors we cannot advise you about whether or not you should take malaria medication. Our advice is to consult your local doctor or travel clinic and ask them for their opinion based on the most up to date and relevant information regarding malaria as well as any other potential diseases.

• What Vaccinations do I need for Africa ?

  This is a topic you would need to consult a doctor or travel clinic about as details of these change on an ongoing basis. Be sure to ask your doctor or clinic about YELLOW FEVER as it is relevant in some of the countries we visit.
  
  We highly recommend that you contact your doctor or clinic as soon as you can after registering to do a photo safari with us.

• I really enjoy photographing birds, do you take time to stop for these too ?

  Yes, we do spend time photographing birds.

  On our photo safaris, we will be stopping for "the large and colourful birds". If you would like to try and cover the birds in more detail then we recommend you travel with a like-minded photographer or that you book out a private safari vehicle so that you can go entirely at your own pace.

  The pace of a regular photo safari compared with a bird photo safari is very different. If you do stop for every single bird no matter the distance or size, you will fall far behind the other vehicles who might find other sightings that you might not be able to get to in time. You would need to understand this and know that you cannot be everywhere at the same time and you will miss out on other sightings and photo opportunities. Also be aware that if you are sharing a vehicle with other photographers that you do not know, they may not be as interested in stopping for every single bird.

• Can I drink the local water in Africa ?

  In general, we would recommend that you stick to bottled drinking water on all the safaris. In Kenya and Tanzania, this also includes brushing your teeth with bottled water. In South Africa it is possible to drink the local water and brush your teeth with it, so the risk of getting ill is small, however, we still recommend you drink bottled water.

• Will our vehicles be in radio contact with other safari vehicles ?

  Yes, the vehicles in our group are in radio contact with each other and we do pass on relevant information about photo opportunities to each other.
  
  Our local guides are also excellent at acquiring any relevant pieces of information from their colleagues and friends. In Kenya, our guides do make use of cell phones to relay relevant information when radio comms are weak. 

• What electrical system can I expect to find ?

  Each country has its own electrical and plug system. After you have registered to do a photo safari with us, we will send you our "PLUG & VOLTAGE" document which will explain this topic in more detail.

• Can I add on an extension to my photo safari ?

  YES, it is possible to add on an extension to any of our safaris if you wanted to stay longer or visit a different place. There are some extension suggestions on the photo safari pages under the "EXTENSIONS" tab. Please ask us if you need help with this.
  
  Alternatively, you can also request a specific extension that you might like to do and we will gladly set this up for you.

• Can you arrange accommodation for me if I wanted to arrive early to help acclimatise before the start of my safari ?

  Yes this is possible to arrange for you - please ask us at the time of registration

• I would like the exclusive use of a photo safari vehicle can you arrange this ?

  Yes, this is possible to arrange, there will, of course, be a surcharge for the exclusive use of the safari vehicle, please ask us what this would be for the safari you are interested in.

• What is in your guides Training Manual ?

  Having worked with many different guides in different locations I have found that it is always nice and refreshing to have a guide with new ideas and suggestions and work together to achieve new images. It is also important though that the basics are understood by all the guides we use on our photo safaris which is why my training manual came to be.

  The manual covers the basics of how to guide photographers, looking at the light, the distance from the subject and parking in a position to predict the animals next move. The manual also illustrates "in the field examples" so that guides know what we photographers are talking about when we say "can we move 1 meter forward, my background is not good from this position, etc etc..." !!

  The manual has a big section on communication - this is the key to a successful safari. Both guides and photographers need to know what is going on so that they can prepare for potential situations, never assume, always ask, it will allow you to achieve more successful images.

• What is a "Private" Photographic vehicle ?

  We secure the use of "Private" Photographic vehicles on all of our safaris. This is a very important element of a successful photographic safari. Essentially it means that you will not share the vehicle with other guests staying at the lodge/camp who are not part of our group. Regular safari clients and nature photographers do not mix very well. You will want to stay for extended periods at a sighting waiting for the best photo opportunities.

  Many regular safari clients just want to see an animal, take one picture and leave to go and look for more animals to tick off their list. We avoid this by securing private safari vehicles at all locations. Understandably there is a surcharge to hire these vehicles as the lodge or camp has to issue a specific vehicle and guide for our group and the vehicle is not filled with up to 9 people as it often is on regular safaris. In our case, there will only be a maximum of up to 3 photographers per safari vehicle.

• What do I do if I have to cancel my photo safari ?

  Our full booking terms and conditions are found at this link on our website:
  
  https://www.wild4photographicsafaris.com/booking-terms-and-conditions
   

• Do you offer full day game drives ?

  Authentic photographic safaris, by their very nature, have to be flexible. We do our utmost to accommodate our client's needs and requests which are very different from regular safari clients. We take each day as it comes and yes we are able to be flexible and stay out all day if a particular situation warrants it.

  For example, if we are far from camp and are patiently waiting for a Leopard to descend a tree, a Cheetah to hunt or a group of Wildebeest to cross the Mara River, then we will stay out. It is always a good idea to bring along some extra snack bars for these situations.

  However, If there is nothing worthwhile waiting for and no particular need for us to stay out the whole day, we will return to the camp/lodge for lunch and a short break before heading out again once the animals start to become more active and the photographic light improves.

Booking Procedure

• Get in touch with us to confirm that there are still spaces available on the photo safari that you are interested in. Please fill out the “ENQUIRE” form on this page
• 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. This will allow you 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 able to complete our online booking form

To SUBMIT the booking form, you will need to have read, understood and agree to our booking terms and conditions.

If you would like to read our booking terms & conditions, they can be found here: BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS

Please note that each participant must complete their own booking form.

• Once your booking form has been submitted, you will then be required to make the deposit payment.

We offer two options for payment of the deposits:

• International Bank Transfer
• Paypal

Please note that ALL bank fees are for your account.

Bank fees for a Bank Transfer vary depending on your own bank but are usually in the region of US$ 50 to US$ 80

Payments through PayPal carry a 4% handling fee

• Your place/s on the safari will only be confirmed once we have received your completed booking form/s and deposit payment/s
• As soon as your booking form/s and deposit/s are with us, we will update your CLIENT AREA to display the outstanding balance amount, which will be due 90 days before the start date of the safari.

6 Night Extension to NGORONGORO CRATER and AMBOSELI

2 Nights at the Ngorongoro Crater (Tanzania)

1 night in Arusha (Tanzania)

3 nights in Amboseli National Park (Kenya)


DESCRIPTION:
For those who would like to extend the length of their photo safari, we offer an exciting extension to stay at two more iconic African destinations, the Ngorongoro Crater and Amboseli National Park. The extension will be at the end of the scheduled safari.

The logistics of this extension will work as follows:

After your final morning photo game drive in Ndutu, you will then head to the Ngorongoro Crater and stay for 2 nights at the Ngorongoro Crater Serena Lodge.

Your first afternoon will be at leisure as you settle into the lodge and take in the spectacular view of the Crater right below you.

After a refreshing rest, you will then head into the Crater for a full day of photography taking breakfast and lunch boxes with you. The scenery in the Crater is stunning and always full of a variety of different animals. The Crater is well known for its large numbers of predators including Lion and Spotted Hyaena. Large Bull Elephants roam the crater floor and the endangered Black Rhino is also found here.

You will return to the Serena lodge at the end of the day and enjoy your second night on the rim of the famous Crater.

You will take breakfast with you and head down into the Crater for your final morning game drive. The mornings in the Ngorongoro Crater are usually the most productive so best to take advantage of this before you begin your leisurely journey back to Arusha where you will arrive in the late afternoon. This is your final night in Tanzania. After a good nights sleep, you will head off towards the Namanga Border post and enter back into Kenya. At the border, you say farewell to your Tanzanian guide and meet up with our Kenya guides and vehicles who will take you to Amboseli Serena lodge for a late lunch and a short afternoon game drive in one of Kenya's most famous National Parks.

You will enjoy two full days exploring Amboseli National Park in search of the large herds of Elephants and many other animals. The picturesque backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro is a continual reminder that you are in one of the most amazing and famous locations in all of Africa.

After a final morning game drive, you will then head back to Nairobi arriving in time for a late lunch and the comfort of a day room to freshen up before you head off to the airport for your international flight home.
 

PRICE:
please enquire

ITINERARY:

Day 1 - Final morning game drive in the Ndutu area and then head to the Ngorongoro Crater to arrive in the mid-afternoon, overnight - Ngorongoro Crater Serena Lodge
Day 2 - Full day in the Crater with packed breakfast and lunch, overnight - Ngorongoro Crater Serena Lodge
Day 3 - After a final morning game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater you will depart and head for Arusha Coffee Lodge arriving in the late afternoon, overnight - Arusha Coffee Lodge
Day 4 - Depart Arusha after breakfast and cross through the Namanga border back into Kenya. Meet your Kenyan Guides and vehicles and head off to Amboseli arriving in time for a late lunch and short afternoon photo game drive, overnight - Amboseli Serena Lodge
Day 5 - Morning and Afternoon Photographic Game Drives in Amboseli National Park, overnight - Amboseli Serena Lodge
Day 6 - Morning and Afternoon Photographic Game Drives in Amboseli National Park, overnight - Amboseli Serena Lodge
Day 7 - Final short morning photo game drive in Amboseli before heading back to Nairobi via road. Arrive in the mid-afternoon and enjoy a day room to freshen up before your departure to the airport in the evening.

INCLUDED in the package:

- Transport services in 4 x 4 vehicle as indicated

- English speaking driver/guide

- 02 nights on full board accommodation at Ngorongoro Crater Serena Lodge in a standard room

- 01 night on full board accommodation at Arusha Coffee Lodge in a standard room

- 03 nights on full board accommodation at Amboseli Serena Lodge in a standard room

- 01 Dayroom at Four Points by Sheraton in Nairobi
 

 NOT INCLUDED in the package:

- All Beverages & laundry

- Tips & gratuities for lodge staff and your driver guides

- Any extra excursions and extra meals

- Visa fees 

- Change of itinerary