On Safari: KENYA

November 24 -December 4, 2026

The greatest concentration of terrestrial wildlife on the planet exists in Kenya. Join Jim for a once in lifetime adventure to experience the thrill of being up close and personal with lions, cheetahs, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, leopards and so much more. The profusion of birds is also amazing, from bateleur and tawny eagles to lilac breasted rollers and crowned cranes.

At night, predators can often be heard from our camp. We stay in private reserves and conservancies because that means we can drive off-road to approach animals closer and there are far fewer vehicles. We also photograph from blinds, and the night photography of animals as they come to drink from a small pond nets absolutely stunning images. If Africa has been on your bucket list for years, now is the time to indulge yourself and experience one of the most amazing photo destinations in the world.

What you will learn on this photo tour:

-- The best shutter speeds for wildlife action

-- How to expose when you shoot into the sun

-- Best camera settings to photograph birds in flight

-- Technique for using HDR for wildlife

-- Technique for using focus stacking for wildlife

-- Dealing with elements interfering with autofocus

-- Using extension tubes for long lens close focusing

-- The advantages of eye tracking

ITINERARY

Day 1, Nov. 24, Tuesday

Leave your home country and arrive in Nairobi, Kenya (airport code NBO), on this day. Consider arriving one day early (at your own expense) to recover from jet lag and to rest from the long flight. You will be met by a local representative and transferred to our hotel. We'll meet in the lobby of the hotel at 6pm for a meet and greet, a discussion of the upcoming safari, and then we'll enjoy a welcome dinner. Overnight Nairobi.

Days 2 - 5, Nov. 25 - 28, Wednesday to Saturday

After breakfast we transfer to the airport for our first charter flight. We arrive at Shompole Wilderness Camp for lunch, check into our beautiful rooms, and then the next four days we photograph the most exciting wildlife on the planet. Shompole has several professionally designed blinds from which we will photograph animals coming to drink. This

provides the unique opportunity to photograph, from water or ground level, intimate shots impossible to get otherwise.

At night, the small ponds that attract animals are illuminated, and the low angled perspective plus the dramatic lighting makes the photography unique, intimate and breathtaking. The big cats, a wide range of herbivores, and many species of birds all drink from the pond giving us remarkable opportunities to capture some of the best wildlife images in Africa. The blinds are comfortable with chairs, electricity for charging, and even beds if you spend the night in the blind and need to catch up on your sleep. In addition, you'll enjoy dinner as you wait for the animals to come. Overnight Shampole Wilderness Camp.

Days 6 - 10, Nov. 29 to Dec. 3, Sunday to Thursday

Today we transfer from Shompole to a nearby airstrip and take our second charter flight, this time to the Porini Mara Camp. This all-inclusive luxury safari environment is in the Masai Mara Conservancy which, along with the Masai Mara National Reserve, has the largest concentration of wildlife in Kenya.

In the conservancy, early morning and late afternoon game drives bring us within telephoto range of elephants, lions, leopards, giraffes, cape buffalo, hyenas, cheetahs, lots of birds, and beautiful landscapes. The abundance of water supports a wide variety of animal species, and that makes photography especially rewarding. We take advantage of the beautiful golden lighting at sunrise and sunset when we go on game drives, and every time we go out it's not possible to know beforehand what we'll see, but we know it will be great.

This area borders the Masai Mara National Reserve, so we have the beautiful grassland environment of the Mara but without the restrictions on photographers typical of the park itself. In the conservancy, for example, we can go off road whereas in the Mara this isn't allowed.

The Mara ecosystem is home to approximately 25% of Kenya's wildlife. It hosts 95 mammal species and 550 different kinds of birds like the lilac-breasted roller, below.

We arrive back in Nairobi on December 4. Please make your homeward bound airline reservation after 2pm.

Tour cost: $12,550. Includes 10 nights lodging based on double occupancy, all ground transportation including all morning and late afternoon game drives, English speaking drivers/guides throughout, all meals, mineral water, sundowners from viewing points, guided bush walks, conservancy fees, photo instruction, and photo critiques on demand.

Not included: International airfare, items of a personal nature, gratuities for staff, drivers, guides, medical evacuation and trip cancellation insurance.

Single supplement fee: $1820