Description
This nine day photographic safari (which may be extended by a further four days) offers a perfect introduction to African wildlife. We stay in a comfortable camp in Kenya’s Masai Mara and spend as much time as possible on the surrounding plains in search of the varied wildlife that is found there. This includes the area where the BBC’s Big Cat Week, Disney Nature’s African Cats and many other wildlife documentaries have been filmed and many of the feline stars of the series are often seen. It also has a huge variety of other animals and birds to observe and photograph.
The safari starts with a morning flight from London Heathrow, arriving in Nairobi in the evening where we will spend the night. The following morning we take a short flight to the Masai Mara, where we will be met and transferred to our home for the next seven days. After lunch we will take our first game drive to explore the beauty of the local area. Each day we will take picnic breakfasts, and usually lunch, to truly experience life in the bush and appreciate all it has to offer.
We stay in a tented camp set up in a delightful valley with comfortable, large, twin or double bedded tents each with en-suite bathroom facilities consisting of a basin, shower and a flush toilet. Tents are furnished with proper beds, and table and chairs are provided on a covered veranda. The camp has a tented lounge with a selection of reference books and easy chairs - the perfect spot to relax in the heat of the day. Power for recharging batteries is available throughout the day. The camp is ideal for those wishing to experience the real African bush away from large, often noisy and impersonal lodges.
The size of each group is no more than eight and each client will be guaranteed a window seat in the camp’s specially adapted four-wheel drive vehicles which are ideal for photography. The professional driver/guides who will remain with us throughout the tour know the area extremely well, are experts on the animals and birds, and understand the needs of photographers. Game viewing drives are taken on the plains each day. As an option bush walks, a tour of a Masai village and visits to the local school can also be arranged.
Peter Smart from Wild Arena will accompany you. Peter is a wildlife photographer, escorting tours to a variety of countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, India, Sri Lanka, Borneo, Indonesia, Brazil, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands and the Arctic. Peter treats it as a genuine privilege to introduce people to the wildlife, landscapes and people of the countries he visits and his knowledge, organisational skills and sense of fun ensures that not only will you have excellent photographic and game-viewing opportunities but also a highly enjoyable holiday!
The safari is arranged by African specialists, Safari Consultants Ltd, a fully bonded UK tour operator; your financial protection when travelling with us. A further four nights may be added to the start of the safari upon request. Safari Consultants can also arrange a customised extension to your safari which may be to the delightful Kenyan coast which is great for snorkelling, another National Park in Kenya or to exotic Zanzibar.
In addition to providing great photographic opportunities, Wild Arena’s tours are designed to offer a wide appreciation of the natural beauty of Africa’s wildlife, people and the environment. The itinerary provides you with the maximum time in the field so we can offer you the best photographic opportunities, including giving help when it is needed. We aim to give you a highly enjoyable holiday and for you to feel that our knowledgeable guides have provided you with unique opportunities to view and capture images of the natural world.
Wild Arena also offer a wide selection of photographic workshops in the UK which many of our delegates have found to be an ideal way to develop their photographic skills, try new equipment and ask questions before embarking on their safari.
This exciting safari offers wonderful and varied game viewing and photography. It offers a large concentration of Lion, Leopard and Cheetah which justifiably makes the area home to Big Cat Week. View our exciting itinerary overleaf then visit our website to see more amazing images and reports from previous trips.
Please contact us regarding any questions you may still have or to discuss the possible extensions to this tour. You are advised to make your reservation immediately once you have decided to join us, as places are strictly limited on this wonderful introduction to Kenya: A Taste of Africa.
Flights:
Price per person without international flights. Estimated cost of economy class international flights from London, UK of £655 per person giving an estimated total price of £3950 per personat prevailing exchange rates at the time of preparing this tour information
download Kenya: A Taste of Africa 2013Itinerary
Day 1 London, UK - Nairobi, Kenya. Morning departure from London’s Heathrow airport for the flight to Nairobi, Kenya. We arrive in the evening and are transferred to a hotel where we spend the night.
Day 2 Nairobi, Kenya - Masai Mara, Kenya. Transfer to Wilson Airport for the scheduled short morning flight to the Masai Mara. Arriving late morning, we are met and transferred to the camp and are game-viewing on the way! After lunch we will take our first full game drive on the local plains before returning to camp for dinner and an evening around the camp fire. (BLD)
Days 3 to 7 Masai Mara, Kenya. Five full days of game-viewing and photography. Each morning we will leave camp before sunrise and, after a couple of hours game-viewing, we will stop on the plains for our picnic breakfast with the wildlife all around us. After breakfast we will continue our game-drive and return to camp for lunch and a short break in the middle of the day. We then return to the plains in the afternoon which finishes with us stopping at a picturesque location to enjoy a sundowner drink as we watch and photograph the setting sun. On some days we will plan a longer itinerary and take a picnic lunch with us and rest under a tree during the heat of the middle of the day and to visit the area where we may find some of the stars of the BBC’s Big Cat Week as well as experiencing more general game viewing and photography.
The diverse habitat enables many different species to co-exist including Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Serval, Caracal, Elephant, Black Rhinoceros, Masai Giraffe, Cape Buffalo, Eland, Burchell’s Zebra, Topi, Coke’s Hartebeest, Wildebeest, Waterbuck, Impala, Thomson’s Gazelle, Reedbuck, Hyena, Jackal, Hippopotamus, Crocodile, Baboon, Vervet Monkey, Warthog, Mongoose and many more. In addition over 500 birds species have been recorded in the area of which 50 are birds of prey.
During our stay there will be the opportunity to learn more about the people and culture of the area. Optional visits may be arranged to a Masai village, a local school we have been supporting and the local town on market day. It is also possible to take a nature walk with an experienced guide to learn more about the plant and insect life of the area, and gain a wider appreciation of the habitat. These options are generally arranged outside prime game-viewing time, and there will always be the option to continue game viewing or an earlier return to camp for some relaxation or to review photographs. Although we will often be out all day, on those days we return to camp for lunch there will be the opportunity for informal tutorials on various aspects of photographic technique and equipment to supplement the guidance provided by your Tour Leader in the vehicle. (BLD)
Day 8 Masai Mara, Kenya - Nairobi, Kenya. On the final morning we will have a game drive and picnic breakfast as usual. After lunch we transfer back to the airstrip and take the short return flight to Nairobi. On arrival we will be taken to a restaurant for an optional dinner and then later transferred to the international airport to board the overnight flight to London. (BL)
Day 9 London, UK. Early morning arrival into London Heathrow.
Please note:
- The itinerary is provisional and subject to change depending on local conditions
- Not all wildlife mentioned can be seen well at all times of the year & some activities mentioned may not always be available
- Meals included are as shown - B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Venue
Kenya
In the Masai Mara we stay in a tented camp established in a delightful valley. The camp has comfortable, large, twin or double bedded tents each with en-suite bathroom facilities consisting of a basin, shower and a flush toilet. Tents are furnished with proper beds, and table and chairs are provided on a covered veranda. Power for recharging batteries is available in the camp throughout the day. The camp is ideal for those wishing to experience the real African bush away from large, often noisy and impersonal lodges.
Summary
Price Land Only cost of £3295 per person based on two people sharing twin accommodation, plus estimated cost of economy class international flights from London, UK of £665 per person, giving an estimated total price of £3950 per person. A further 4 nights in the Masai Mara may be added at the start of the safari; details upon request.
Duration 9 days
Single supplement £295 subject to availability. If you are a single person booking this holiday you do not have to pay single supplements, if you are happy to share. If you are travelling by yourself you will be paired with another single client of the same gender. However your booking is accepted only on the understanding that if no roommate is available then you accept a single supplement will be levied. Single supplements are payable if you specifically request to have a room to yourself. If you have requested single accommodation we will do our best to secure this although this may not always be possible.
Deposit £300 per person required to confirm booking.
Travel insurance You must be covered by insurance, which must include adequate cover for baggage, medical expenses and the cost of repatriation should you become too ill to continue, including air ambulance.
Group size 4 to 8 plus photographic guide
Fitness Level Easy wildlife touring in four-wheel drive vehicles. This tour is suitable for guests of most levels of fitness.
Photography Level This tour is suitable for all levels of photographic experience. The Wild Arena guide will be available throughout the tour to support and advise clients.
Cost includes Hotel/lodge accommodation on a twin share basis (unless single has been requested) on a full board basis, transfers for group departures using our chosen airline, all internal flights and transport as per the itinerary, sightseeing tours where specified, all wildlife activities escorted by English speaking driver/guides, park fees, laundry, all drinks, mineral water, services of Wild Arena photographic guide throughout the tour
Cost excludes International flights from the UK, airport taxes, transfers for Land Only packages and group tours when choosing your own flight arrangements, visa fees, medical examination (if required) & vaccination costs, personal expenditure, all drinks, mineral water, laundry, telephone calls, etc, porters, guides & other tips, meals not specified (dinner on final evening in Nairobi), personal clothing & equipment, travel insurance, optional trips, trekking permits, increases in park fees and taxes levied by the Government on the tourism sector, fuel surcharges, charges incurred as a result of delays beyond Safari Consultants control, anything not specified in the Cost Includes.
Booking procedure Wild Arena African photographic tours are organised through Safari Consultants Limited, a fully bonded UK tour operator holding ATOL licence 3783. Also bonded through AITO Trust (No. 1091) and holding an IATA licence. Your financial protection when travelling with us.
All clients will be required to complete a Safari Consultants Limited Booking Form which supersedes any information presented on Wild Arena’s web site or other Wild Arena promotional literature. Bookings will be subject to acceptance of Safari Consultants’ Terms and Conditions and the following will also apply for this tour:
1. Safari Consultants reserve the right to cancel the tour if the minimum numbers specified is not reached at least 45 days prior to the departure. In this event, you will be offered the chance to travel individually or to receive your deposit back in full
2. In the unlikely event that Peter Smart is unable to join the tour, Safari Consultants reserve the right to send a suitable replacement if available. In such circumstances, the tour will not be cancelled and no compensation will be paid
3. The tour is based on shared accommodation but a single supplement may be paid for single accommodation, subject to availability
If you would like to request a copy of Safari Consultants Ltd booklet providing General Information, Terms and Conditions and Booking Form or you have any questions regarding any of our tours or workshops then please don’t hesitate to get in touch
