Africa Photo Safari 8 Days Kenya
Africa Photo Safari 8 Days Kenya combines the best destinations for a perfect Kenya photo safari. Hide photography at Ol pejeta Kenya, birds at Lake Naivasha and the action packed Masai Mara. You will see some fascinating behaviour from the mammals and birds who act differently around vehicles and vocal people. The animals are completely unaware of human presence, it’s amazing what close encounters and photography opportunities you will have. A hide, or blind, is a camouflaged shelter where people can observe wildlife closely without disturbing them and this is ideal for both professional and amateur wildlife photographers. Africa Photo Safari 8 Days Kenya explores two hides at the Ol pejeta conservancy.
Hide photography at Ol pejeta conservancy
Scott’s Hide is discreetly located in a wooded area, its a permanent built hide overlooking a water hole that is frequented by a variety of big game. It offers nature lovers, wildlife photographers and bird watchers brilliant opportunities to experience wildlife from a different perspective.
While staying at the Porini rhino Camp, you have the benefit of a wildlife viewing hide. This enables you to observe and photograph wildlife safely in close proximity. The hide is carefully placed to enhance wildlife viewing right in front of the camp, and with the peaceful setting and the animals freely strolling in, you can immerse yourself in the surroundings and feel like part of nature.
Perfect photography back drops at Ol pejeta
Other than the hide wildlife watching experience the vast 90,000-acre wildlife area between the Aberdares and the majestic Mount Kenya that is known as Ol Pejeta conservancy offers numerous wildlife photography opportunities. With a high population of both the white and black rhinos there are countless photo opportunities with this iconic pachyderms. We also get the beautiful reticulated giraffes, elephants , the big cats and not forgetting the endangered grevys zebra. On clear days, the rugged snow capped peaks of Mount Kenya offer a perfect backdrop as you click away. Dont miss the hyena dens and get to observe the animal with stronger jaws than even the lions, the spotted hyena. Mostly they will have a litter of different ages and are sure to keep you clicking .
The Lake with countless photography opportunities, Lake Naivasha
Africa Photo Safari 8 Days Kenya also explores the Lake Naivasha ecosystem. The lake is located in the great Rift valley and it is at the highest altitude. It plays host to a good number of hippos that you can photograph from a low angle on your motor boat. The skippers are usually experienced and will position the boat at the right angle to that epic shot as the horse of the nile yawns. The African fish Eagle also offers captivating and dramatic dives as they swop the fish from the lake giving you splashing photographic moments. The hovering pied kingfishers, lovebirds and countless water birds will keep you clicking as they go about their food finding missions. Lake Naivasha also has lodges that have a great ambience and is usually a great mid break point between parks. At Lake Naivasha you can also enjoy wildlife from the back of a horse, an opportunity that really gets you close to the wildlife. If you love exercise the Hells gate National park gives you the opportunity to enjoy wildlife as you cycle and rejuvenate your soul and body.
The home of the big cats, the Masai Mara
Masai Mara is christened the “mecca of wildlife” and it sure does live up to its reputation as we shall discover on this Africa Photo Safari 8 Days Kenya. The 1520 sq kilometre savannah offers a diverse habitat. The different mini ecosystem hosts different species of animals as it gives them the different niches they require. You can spot the big five here and it is home to the big cats of Africa. Being an open savannah it offers different frames and lots of action shots.
We leave Nairobi early morning and head towards North to olpajeta conservancy. Arrive in time for lunch and head out for the afternoon game drive. This is home to white and black rhinos, a chimpanzee sanctuary and as it is where the Northern hemisphere meets the south you get both the reticulated giraffe and the Masai giraffe, the endangered grevys zebra big cats as well as the African elephant. This is the only conservation area you find the last two northern white rhinos in the world, Fatu and her mother Najin. Sudan the last northern white male rhino also lived here at olpajeta conservancy in 2018 at age 45 years. You can meet the two northern white rhinos here through booing in advance. After the evening game drive, we head back to the lodge / camp for dinner and overnight.
We take early morning and evening game drives or you tailor make your day with the help of your professional safari guide in order to suit your interest since this is a privately guided safari. Other activities you can undertake at olpajeta conservancy are night game drives, horse riding , lion tracking and also a visit to Morani and getting to feed a black rhino. Visit also the chimpanzee sanctuary and learn more about this creature that we share about 96% DNA with. Visits to the hides can be done when the animals are very likely to visit the water holes.
After breakfast we leave olpejeta and head to Nyeri area and get into the Aberdare ranges locally known as Nyandarua ranges meaning the dry hide of a cow. We drive through the different levels of mountain vegetation as we come across animals like the giant forest hog, elephants, hyenas, cape buffalos’ duikers bushbucks and if lucky melanistic serval cat if not the rare melanistic leopard. We make stops for the enchanting landscapes as we ascend the ranges. Magnificent water falls like the chania falls and Kenyas biggest water fall, the karuru falls are to be found here and we get to explore them. The queens cave is not to be by passed as its not only breathtaking but it’s a story unto itself as it played as a hiding spot for Kenya’s freedom fighters the Mau Mau. It was also used by queen Elizabeth for picnic and the magura falls makes it even a more magnificent spot. We later exit the park and drive for approximately 2 hrs to Lake Naivasha for overnight
After an early breakfast we head out for a boat ride, about one hour in the only fresh water lake in the Kenyan rift valley that is home to hippos and over 400 bird species. Get pied kingfishers in action, the African fish eagle busy looking for the all-important protein source, the fish. Common carp is the most common fish here. After the boat ride we go for a horse ride or nature walk depending on your preference at the crescent island or the sanctuary farm. You can also do a bike ride as you watch wildlife, you will have a guide with you. Later drive to the Masai Mara with lunch on the way and reach in time for the evening game drive. Check in to the lodge/camp for dinner after the game drive
We have a very flexible itinerary and game drives are tailored to your interests with our experienced professional safari guide. Early morning game drive with picnic breakfast gets you higher probabilities of catching the sunrise, animals whilst they are still active. The morning serenity is just unexplainable, you just have to experience. Explore more of the spotted savannah with its diverse landscapes as to capture beautiful animals, with your lenses. The Mara river where river crossings happen in July August September is the main water body snaking its way through this paradise. Hippopotamus and the Nile crocodile call this home and it’s the best place I the reserve to catch a glimpse of them as they warm themselves in the river banks. Other rivers include the talek river and smaller tributaries like sekenani river. The sand river is another picturesque area at the Masai mara and it is right at the border with the endless plains, the Serengeti. All these as our safari guide explains more about nature as it unfolds right in front of you, getting you the best angles for that shot! After a fulfilling adventurous day, you retire back to your strategically located safari camp/lodge for sumptuous dinner and overnight
Flexible game drives with your professional safari guide
Every day you plan with your professional safari guide
After early breakfast we head out for our Last game drive. Capture silhouettes of topis , giraffe elephant or even lucky a male lion silhouette. After an exciting morning game drive, we drive back to Nairobi.
