Legends
of Kenya
Information and FAQ
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 and we will spend a lot of time with them! 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! Of course whilst the elephants are the main attraction of Samburu they are backed up by frequent leopard and cheetah sightings plus rarities like Aardwolf, African Wildcat, Grevy’s Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Reticulated Giraffe and incredible bird life. It’s an awesome park to photograph in as it’s so beautiful, for us it’s our home park and we know it so well which of course gives our trips the edge.
A special place for elephants
Everyone loves elephants but Samburu is a very special place for them as they are much more chilled than in other locations in Africa. This uniqueness allows us to get incredibly close up encounters with the breeding herds, and yes that means the youngsters. Elephant calves are complete clowns and so much fun to watch, there is not a single encounter with them where we don’t laugh out loud.
You can never have too many encounters with Samburu elephants and this unique ecosystem allows us to observe so many amazing facets of their lives. The central part of the ecosystem is the Ewaso river, in so many ways it’s the lifeblood of Samburu. Each breeding herd will come down to the river to drink and chill, for the youngsters it’s definitely a fun time.
We are very experienced at photographing the elephants of Samburu and all our safari clients get amazing pictures of them. We approach and photograph them with total respect and love, we are guests in their home.
Laikipia Wildlife Conservancy
Laikipia has long been established as the place to go if you want to photograph leopards. Now the conservancy has become famous in recent years for the incredible black leopard called Giza, she is simply beautiful and an amazing animal to photograph. So with luck we will photograph her and many of the other leopards that live in his amazing place - I saw 14 different leopards on my last trip. LWC is not just the home of leopards, it has a great population of elephants and plains game and the local wild dogs regularly pay a visit too!
I have now run 4 highly successful tours here with multiple extended amazing leopard encounters with Giza and her friends. We have an expert drive team here, open vehicles and a private conservancy where access is strictly controlled and managed for the benefit of the cats. Encounters can be fast and furious hence precise positioning and experience is vital which is why Andy and Jamie’s experience guiding you will be vital.
The operations here are superb, with open vehicles with lots of space, spotters on vehicles and hilltops and off road driving too. Plus our vehicles get priority at any black leopard sighting on the conservancy. The camp is charming and homely, very old colonial style, with friendly staff and great food.
The image you see here won me highly commended in the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
Camps and Lodges
Safari is a complete experience and it’s not just about the photography. For us it’s the complete experience of being in the bush and staying in a lovely camp eating awesome food!! Well our lodges are superb, with world class food, lovely accommodation and a wonderful ambience. To see details of every lodge you will be staying at, Soroi Larsens Camp and Laikipia Wilderness Lodge just click the button below….
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. We usually take our breakfast al-fresco in the bush, which is a great experience. Camp life is relaxed and you get plenty of chill time, at some camps we have spas for those who like a little massage during the day. The evenings start with a hot shower, then it’s off to the campfire for a refreshing drink before sitting down to a hearty dinner. At night you fall asleep to the sounds of Africa. A lifestyle anyone can enjoy!
In terms of vehicles at Samburu we use specially adapted landcruisers that have great all round visibility and which are perfect for photography. In LWC the vehicles are more open, allowing for you to shoot at every angle you can imagine!
The Guide Team
Lots of people run safaris, what separates our expeditions is the experienced guide team that we have. Your guides for this trip will be leading wildlife photographers Andy Rouse and Jamie Peters, who know both areas in extensive detail and who are experts at getting you in the right place at the right time. You will not get pictures like we have here guiding yourself, you need us for thos adventure as we ARE the difference.
Andy Rouse
Perhaps a little about Andy for those that have never worked with him before. Andy has won over 32 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.
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. Jamie was the best man at Andy’s wedding and they work together as a great team when on safari.
Sustainable Community Tourism
It is very important to us that all tourism is sustainable and benefits the local communities on which it depends. Our Kenya safaris are dedicated to this, and our clients on this tour will not only learn about how their money benefits local communities but they will get the chance to have hands-on contact with some animals in local orphanages that we support. Click the button below to learn all about these projects that you may will visit and the great success that we are contributing to….
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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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We have decided not to fly up but to drive from Nairobi which will take 5 hours. This is to save money. When the tour is full we will offer everyone the option to fly instead.
Your return domestic flight from Samburu to Nairobi 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 at LWC 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 leopards 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 leopard and the sighting, it will be upto you to move in the vehicle to ensure a clear shot. Andy 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. There is a low angle slot at the front that you will share between you.
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!
Also please do not come on this tour just to photograph the black leopard Giza. Things in nature can happen and there is no guarantee that she will be there for the trip!
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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.
