Jewels of Kenya
Information and FAQ
For us one of the very best things about Kenya is its abundance of animal species and diversity of habits. This safari is unashamedly targeting some of Kenya’s most wanted species; elephants, rhinos and leopards. As always you will be supported on the ground by the biggest safari operators in Kenya - why is this important, well it means that you get the most knowledgeable guides who are experienced with photographic groups. You also get unrivalled logistic support.
Each of the three locations and camps that we are staying at are fantastic places, with top quality accommodation, fabulous cooking and absolutely everything that you would expect from a luxury safari.
Solio Game Reserve
Solio Game Reserve has built itself as something of a reputation for one of the best places in the world to photograph both black and white rhinos. Solio is home to the world’s largest population of white rhino, and has nearly 100 black rhino within the park as well. In addition to this Solio is leading the way when it comes to conserving these iconic species. During your stay at Solio you will be able to visit the rhino orphanage and hear all about how Solio is working to protect and reintroduce these species back into Kenya. But it’s not just rhinos that can be found within Solio, there are also various cats there, multiple antelope species and an abundance of bird life. In short when you visit Solio, not only will you be giving yourself the best chance of getting those iconic rhino shots, you will be able to do it knowing that you are directly making a difference to rhino conservation.
Laikipia Conservancy
Laikipia has long been established as the place to go if you want to have a chance of photographing the elusive black leopard, however we didn’t want to add it into our itineraries until we were sure that there was more to offer than just one individual. After a very successful recce trip we are pleased to be able to add Laikipia into our Kenya Safaris. Yes it is home to Giza the famous female black leopard but it is also an incredibly leopard rich habitat. On our recce trip there we photographed leopards on every drive, tracking off road when needed, and had just simply incredible access to these normally elusive cats. All the leopard images you see in this brochure were taken during these six drives, it was simply incredible. We saw a mixture of males and females, plus a 9 month old cub.
The Vehicles - the vehicles were superbly adapted for what we needed, driven by real leopard loving experts complete with a local spotter too. The vehicles have low angle shooting holes and lots of space as they are open so you can shoot from a variety of angles. With off road driving and priority for our vehicles you have the best chances of getting some awesome pictures of leopards.
The Camp - we will be in our own private camp just 5 minutes drive from their main camp, it's secluded and on the banks of the river. It has the feeling of a mobile camp yet with permanent cottages; rustic and comfortable. They have basic furniture, mosquito nets, private bathrooms and shower (under the stars sometimes) with 24 hour hot water and are nice places to be. A perfectly good place for us and with a real "out of africa" charm. Food is a simple buffet with a main course, sides and a desert. Special diets can be catered for. A brunch will be taken at a special location in the bush on some mornings, at the camp there is a lovely open boma where we can eat and relax during the day. The camp is very eco focussed, it is dependant on solar power and uses all sustainable tourism principles.
Samburu National Park
Samburu is one of the best places in Kenya to see huge breeding herds of elephants; in the late mornings and afternoons they travel down from from the cooler hills to the main river to wash and feed on the vegetation rich riverbanks. Travelling in large groups of various ages they are a pleasure to spend time with. This is largely because, unlike other populations, they witness very little human elephant conflict, which means that they are peaceful and relaxed around vehicles. Sometimes they come so close you can hear them breathing next to you!
The Camp - we will be staying at the Soroi Samburu Lodge within Samburu National Park, a newly camp built on the edges of the Ewaso Nyiro river. One of the latest additions to the Sunworld Soroi portfolio you can be assured of a fantastic stay offering a blend of authentic safari experiences and modern conveniences.
Optional Excursion - Naboisho Conservancy
To offer something different this safari is available to book with an optional extension to the Mara Naboisho Conservancy. Created in 2010, the Mara Naboisho Conservancy is a private 50,000 acre community conservation area located within the Great Rift Valley. The Naboisho Conservancy is rich in wildlife, like you would expect from the Maasai Mara, but unlike it’s more well known alternative, it is much lower in in terms of the numbers of tourists, making it perfect for intimate animal encounters. In fact the rules within the Conservancy are very different to within the Maasai Mara; in Naboisho the number of beds per acre is tightly controlled which means it is not unusual for you to find yourself within the only vehicle at a sighting. As for the animals; Naboisho is cat rich and features one of the highest densities of lions within Africa.
The Camp - during this extension we will be staying at Kicheche Camp in Naboisho. This camp located in acacia woodlands features just six luxurious tents set on platforms for ultimate luxury safari experience.
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 28 major international awards, been a pro for nearly 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.
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This is a very easy trip since all activities will be from our 4×4 vehicle.
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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
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Of course we cannot predict this as the world is changing, but in general it's very pleasantly warm at this time of the year. Expect daytime highs of 25C and night time lows of 12C. The days should be clear but we can get rain and you must be prepared for this. It can be cloudy too so a light fleece is essential. In short it’s unpredictable!
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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.
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We appreciate that for a lot of you, you have your own frequent flyer memberships and preferences. So, as we do for all our safaris, once you book we will tell you when and where you need to be and give you some flight recommendations.
All transfers are included in the package in Nairobi.
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Yes of course. Your return domestic flight from Nairobi to the nearest airstrip to the camp with extra baggage allowance is included plus all transfers to and from the camp.
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We have put this section in as it's very important that anyone considering coming on this tour reads it. We are always 100% honest with our clients so there are no surprises when you arrive.
When we go offroad it can be slightly rough, we will drive very slowly and carefully but there will be thorn bushes that will try to come in the vehicle, you will be warned and have time to get out the way but you need to know we will be bushwhacking!
Now because of the habitat, and the way that the animals move, you cannot expect to sit in your seat and have a clear view. Sometimes it might be but there might be grass from where you are sitting, whereas for others it will be clear. The vehicle will always stop in the best place for the animal and the sighting, it will be up to you to move in the vehicle to ensure a clear shot. Andy or Jamie will be at the front controlling it for everyone BUT it's sometimes impossible to get a clear shot for everyone, whereas other times it's easy, so you have to understand that moving is essential.
So that's that, all the slight negatives, which is just our way of being honest. It's an easily manageable trip for anyone!
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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.
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.
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It’s important that you understand that whilst we guarantee that everyone will do their very best to get you the very best in photographic opportunities we cannot guarantee photographable sightings. As stated this tour has a very high success rate, but nature and wildlife can be unpredictable.
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!
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This will vary depending on the camp that we are staying at. However your day will always start early with a wake up call with tea or coffee and biscuits. We will work in the good light and we will either return to camp for a brunch or stop for breakfast at some point during the morning.
Then you can chill until mid/late afternoon when we meet for coffee and cake before heading out again. At some of the parks we have to return to camp at sundown, but at others we will again make a stop for sundowners and snacks before we begin the evening tracking session using lights. We return to the camp at 8pm ish for dinner and bed, usually we go straight into dinner.
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We can usually cater for most dietary requirements so please get in touch with any questions and we will be happy to help.
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.
