Icons
Safari 2028
Lion Rock Camp
Lion Rock Camp sits at the heart of one of Tanzania's most productive big cat areas and offers a safari experience that feels refreshingly untouched. The resident lion prides are the stars of the show, spending much of their time lounging on the area's dramatic granite kopjes, where they provide some of the most iconic photographic opportunities imaginable. Whether it's magnificent males surveying their kingdom, playful cubs climbing over the rocks or prides gathering as the sun begins to set, these ancient outcrops create a stunning natural stage for unforgettable wildlife photography. During our reconnaissance visit, we photographed lions on all seven days – a testament to just how reliable this area can be. It wasn’t just lions though, we saw herds of zebra and plains game and the bird life was everywhere, offering some great photo ops.
Now at this time of the year the lions are on the rocks for the maximum time of the year as the grass is longer than our other tours and they prefer the rocks. So do the leopards. This means less chance of them walking but MORE chance of them on the rocks. Thunderstorms can happen more frequently too, which can mean stormy skies for atmospheric silhouettes. All in all it’s a great time of the year to go.
The camp's central location also puts us within easy reach of three additional lion territories, two exceptionally productive leopard areas and a nearby reserve that offers the chance to photograph the rare and endangered black rhino. Yet despite the incredible wildlife, this remains a wonderfully peaceful corner of Tanzania where you'll rarely find yourself sharing sightings with multiple vehicles. The result is a far more relaxed and exclusive safari, with time to observe natural behaviour, work different photographic angles and simply enjoy being immersed in the African bush. It is this combination of outstanding wildlife, remarkable scenery and genuine exclusivity that makes Lion Rock Camp such a special place to photograph.
Amboseli
World-renowned Amboseli National Park is a landscape like no other; a vast, open plain framed by the towering, snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s home to Africa’s legendary super tuskers, the mighty elephants with tusks so long they brush the ground.
Elephants dominate the landscape here, often in large herds, moving through shimmering heat haze or golden dust - creating atmospheric scenes perfect for photography. The flat terrain and open light make it ideal for portraits, wide-angle storytelling, and layered compositions.
We will visit the dry lake bed every day, watching for herds of elephants that may cross and yield those iconic low angle photos which were made famous by the book Echo and the Elephants.
Amboseli is also gaining fame for its spectacular flocks of flamingos. These elegant birds gather in large numbers on the lake, offering opportunities for everything from graphic flight shots to artistic ICM (in-camera motion) work. The wetlands around them are alive with diverse birdlife, making every drive a chance for unexpected avian gems. There are also lions in Amboseli and if we get lucky we can not only get them to ourselves but they can also be in a very flat area.
We have a specially arranged off road permit for two days for this trip for Andy’s vehicle, so all clients will rotate through that to get the maximum benefit. We have to do it respectfully as it’s an honour to allowed this amazing privilege, but it can yield incredible results. In addition we will be monitoring the movements of the largest super tusker in Kenya, TJ, and if he is the right place for us we will visit his location (all fees for this have been included).
Amboseli never disappoints and we know all the best spots to go!
Accommodation and food
Both camps are old style safari fashion, very friendly, personable and comfortable.
Lion Rock Camp is simple, rustic yet comfortable and very old school. It has traditonal style safari tents with all you need and a cosy central dining area and bar. The camp is completely open on all sides to the wildlife and at night the sounds are amazing. It’s a relaxing and peaceful place.
By contrast Soroi Amboseli is a chic safari lodge, the newest in their collection, right out on the edge of the famous dry lake bed. The tents are large with wifi in each, decking for relaxing and a superb central dining and bar area. There is a spa too for that essential massage. It’s an amazing home from home.
Both camps have great food and can cater for vegetarian and vegan diets.
Single occupation is possible in all locations and there is a reasonable charged-at-cost single supplement for this tour.
Safari Life
Safari is more than just about the photography, it’s a complete lifestyle for your holiday. Yes we are the best at getting you in the right place at the right time and we work hard for our photography, but it’s always fun too. At both camps we start early at 6am, ensuring that we are out and finding the cats in the best early light.
At Amboseli we start out by looking for herds of elephants coming to the marsh, before checking out the bird life then the dry lake bed. We have breakfast out before returning to camp for an extended chill. Out at 4pm we spend the time locally with elephants and other game. Both vehicles will operate independently as Andy’s will have an off road permit and will follow any opportunities, all clients will spend a day in this vehicle.
At Lion Rock Camp we usually concentrate on lions for the first 60-90 minutes, as after that the sweet light has gone. Rather than go back to camp we then revert to a “normal safari” where we look at plains game, birds and just enjoy being out. Then it’s a packed breakfast brunch mid morning outside before returning to camp to chill, sleep and process those images (lunch is optional). In the afternoon we start again at 4pm with our target to find lions on rocks for the sunset shots. Then it’s back to camp for 7pm and straight to the campfire for drinks then dinner. After that you will be escorted back to your tent for shower and bed. We have changed to operate this dining routine so that you are not sleeping on a full stomach, which is very unhealthy! Some days we will hear intelligence from our friends in nearby areas and will make longer drives to see lions / leopards in those areas too, it just all depends!
At Amboseli we will use enclosed converted landcruisers whilst in Tanzania they are much more open.
The Guide Team
Lots of people run safaris, what separates our expeditions is the experienced guide team that we have, plus the Travel Trust Association bonding that protects your holiday money from supplier failure. Your guides for this trip will be leading wildlife photographers Andy Rouse and Jamie Peters, who have visited the areas before and are experts at getting you in the right place at the right time.
Andy Rouse
Perhaps a little about Andy for those that have never worked with him before. Andy has won over 35 major international awards, been a pro for over 25 years and has led photographic expeditions all over the world. He prides himself in only offering the very best destinations, and has built a reputation as one of the best photographic safari guides in the world. Put simply, if you book a WildBunch safari, you can rest assured that you will be guided by one of the best in the business. Andy’s safari’s are always packed with fantastic opportunities, expert guidance and a drive to get the very best for his clients, as well as being a lot of fun - you are on holiday after all!
Andy shoots with the Sony A1 Mark II, but rest assured no matter what system you use, Andy will be able to help you get the most from your system and yourself.
Away from work he is a proud husband, Dad and West Ham fan!
Jamie Peters
Andy has known professional macro and wildlife photographer Jamie Peters for over 10 years. In his previous life Jamie was an Army Photographer for 11 years. During that time he went to many places photographing the army including Afghanistan, Kenya, Nepal, Ukraine and Sierra Leone. He was also an instructor at the Defence School of Photography, so Jamie has exactly what it takes to help you achieve the very best from your safari.
As well as an excellent teacher Jamie has won awards for his stills and videos including the prestigious and fiercely competitive Army Photographer of the Year. His real passion though is nature photography and he spends his spare time photographing tough species near his home. An expert at leading tours in Africa and India his experience not only covers fieldcraft but all genres of photography and videography.
Travel Trust Association
Now we know that there are a lot of people out there offering photographic tours, however rest assured that this safari is backed by the Travel Trust Association (TTA). The TTA is an independent trade organisation of tour operators that we are proud members of. The TTA provides guarantees for your booking with us in two forms.
The first is that all monies are deposited to a trustee managed trust bank account and any payments to / from them have to be authorised at several levels.
Secondly your booking is protected by the TTA Safe Seat Plan and Supplier Failure
Cover, both of which are insurance policies to protect your money from fraud and
supplier failure.
We include the costs of these policies automatically in your booking fee,
so that you can have total financial confidence in us, and your booking with
us, as a trusted and reputable tour operator.
Further details of our TTA membership can be found by clicking here.
-
The quoted cost is based on you arriving in Nairobi, Kenya and departing from Kilimanjaro International Airport Tanzania. /
Splitting flights like this will be no problem. If you are desperate to return to Nairobi to fly home then we can arrange this at an additional cost.
We will fly domestically via the excellent Miracle Air, who have set the world alight with their incredible service. They even have their own lounge at Kilimanjaro airport which has sleep pods, excellent food and is just a lovely place where we will wait for our international flight.
All international flights to Nairobi / Kilimanjaro will have to be booked by you. This is now our standard policy as many of you have airline preferences. We will tell you what flights we will be on when the flights become available.
It’s upto you to decide the best price and the best route for you, we will help you no matter what.
It’s far too early mow to book flights anyway so we will decide this later on!
-
This is a very easy trip as you will be in 4×4 most of the time. You will need to be patient and able to wait in the heat if we are on a good sighting.
-
Comprehensive pre departure information will be provided 3 months before departure. This will cover photo kit, clothing, visas, tips and anything else you need to know.
Lens wise flexibility will be the key here so a couple of zoom lenses and something for wide angles will be ideal. Low angle photography will be encouraged so you will need a monopod setup to take advantage of this, you will be briefed in the pre departure guide.
-
We are always very honest with all our clients and when you come on a tour with us you will always know everything, warts and all!
With regard to wildlife sightings there is nothing we can do if wildlife decides not to show. We are good at finding big cats but it might be on that day they have other plans. They may have a kill where we cannot go, they could decide not to be found. kilimanjaro could have no snow, it could be cloudy and the elephants might not walk in front of it. Seeing a super tusker is a privilege and not a right.
All of this is beyond our control and you must come with the correct attitude towards wildlife.
All his clients know that Andy and his guide team try their absolute best to get everyone the best photographic opportunities possible, but of course this can be out of our control as the wildlife has other ideas!!! So whilst we look for everything we can, we absolutely cannot guarantee in anyway shape or form that you will see any of these. It can rain. It can be cloudy. The wildlife can be elusive. You must come with this realistic expectations, we do not make false promises. What we can promise is that the team will work 150% to give you the best chances and best experiences possible. That is GUARANTEED!
-
The tour is open to both photographers and non photographers. The atmosphere is holiday when we are in the lodge, and wildlife focus when we are out and about.
You must be able to be patient enough to sit and wait for something to happen. You must not expect luxury accommodation here or western luxuries.
Our tours are inclusive, anyone is welcome irrespective of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. We just ask that you come with a smile and a love of wildlife.
Importantly, as with the previous point on managing expectations, you must not come and expect guarantees to find wildlife. We will do our best but sometimes it has other ideas and you MUST understand that.
-
Of course we cannot predict this as the world is changing, but in general it's very pleasant at this time of the year. Expect daytime highs of 28C and night time lows of 14C.
The days should be clear in Amboseli but we can get rain and you must be prepared for this. It can be cloudy too so a light fleece is essential. It is usually a little windy. In Tanzania we want afternoon thunderstorms for the light and. we will probably get them so be prepared!
In short it’s unpredictable but we do expect it to be warm. Hopefully.
-
Vegetarian, Vegan and gluten free are easy options to cater for. Anything else need to be checked in advance.
-
This area of Tanzania has Tsetse flies and we were there in the worst period for them and never got bitten. They don’t give you any diseases, all those tales are from a long time ago, but they can bite. A good repellant helps as does long trousers and shirts. Sometimes there are none, in the heat there can be a few, it’s not an issue to really worry about.
There are a few mosquitos, although we saw none, and Fit For Travel recommends anti malarials. We never do but it’s a personal choice.
At the end of the day it’s wild Africa and this is part of it.