top of page

KENYA ULTIMATE SAFARI

Kenya: Amboseli, Nakuru, and the Masai Mara - 14 night safari

Join Chase on the ultimate African adventure in Kenya! Experience East Africa like never before as you journey to some of the most iconic safari destinations to witness the greatest gathering of wildlife on the planet. You will roam across the open savanna in a private and spacious land cruiser vehicle accompanied by a local guide, who knows exactly where the wildlife is to provide us the best photo opportunities. During this tour, Chase will help you capture stunning images of elephants, lions, cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, antelope, birds, and more.

​

Late autumn through mid winter is a fantastic time to visit East Africa and is often regarded as the most underrated time to go on safari. Tourists crowd the parks between the peak season from June-October when the weather is dry and cool and the Great Migration is cycling through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Shortly after this time, the crowds disappear as the weather begins to warm slightly and the short rains arrive bringing with them spectacular clouds and dramatic skies you cannot find during the high season. The short rains are defined by quick and small showers that generally occur in the afternoon, breaking apart before sunset. While many days will be sunny and dry, days with rain give the landscape an ethereal glow as waves of green emerge from the often barren and dusty plains. Not to mention, these are some of the few months where snow covers the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, giving us an amazing backdrop as we watch and photograph the elephant herds of Amboseli. 

 

While the peak of the Great Migration will have passed, there will still be thousands of wildebeest and zebra finishing off their time in Kenya as they get ready to head back into Tanzania. It is not uncommon to still see herds numbering in the thousands during this time and of course, the predators are everywhere. Finding lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas and more is a breeze as they continue to prey upon the herds and resident antelope. This is why we prefer this season to the rest as we may be the only vehicle watching a hunting pride of lions instead of sharing them with 20-60 other vehicles! To read more about this journey, scroll down through the page and get ready to head out on an African safari!

IMAGES TAKEN WHILE ON ULTIMATE KENYA TOUR

Price Includes + 

Price Does Not Include - 

  • 14 nights accommodation

  • 12 days of safari

  • All food and some drinks

  • Some alcoholic beverages

  • Photography and post-processing instruction

  • Transportation to and from NBO Int'l Airport

  • International flights to & from Nairobi (NBO)

  • Gratuities for guides & lodge/camp staff

  • Some beverages 

  • Trip Insurance (highly recommended)

SUGGESTED CAMERA GEAR:

  • DSLR or Mirrorless camera body (highly recommended to bring at least 2 camera bodies)

  • Wide angle lens (e.g. 16-35,mm 24-70mm, etc. Mostly used for up-close shots of wildlife and landscape/environmental)

  • Mid range lens (70-200mm)

  • Telephoto lens (300mm-600mm+)

  • 512GB - 2 TB worth of memory cards

  • Tablet or Laptop for backing up images and Photoshop lessons

  • GoPro

  • Tripod (if you plan on shooting stars at night)

  • Polarizing filter

  • UV filter (if you worry about sea spray on your lens)

  • Camera bag capable of carrying gear and daily necessities

POSSIBLE WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS:

  • Elephant

  • Lion

  • Cheetah

  • Zebra

  • Hippo

  • Giraffe

  • Hyena

  • Crocodile

  • Cape buffalo

  • Leopard

  • Topi

  • Waterbuck

  • Bushbuck

  • Dik-dik

  • Wildebeest

  • Gazelle

  • Coke's Hartebeest

  • Wild dog

  • Rhino (B/W)

  • Baboon

  • Monkeys

  • Gerenuk

  • Eland

  • Jackal

  • Bat-eared fox

  • Mongoose

  • Warthog

  • Porcupine

  • Serval

  • Caracal

  • Waterbuck

  • Grey crowned crane

  • Starling

  • Kingfishers

  • Marabou Stork

  • Owls

  • Eagles

  • Hornbills

  • Ostrich

  • Bee-eaters

  • White pelican

  • Python

  • Monitor lizard

HIGHLIGHTS: 

​

  • Being surrounded by over 600+ marching elephants

​

  • Witnessing the power of nature as a pride of lions hunt for their next meal or watching a cheetah run down theirs

​

  • Feeling your adrenaline pump as a big cat stares you down

​

  • Listening to the sounds of the savanna at night as lions roar and other animals add to the beautiful random symphony

​

  • Waking up to views of a snow-covered Kilimanjaro as animals graze below

​

  • Staying in an array of luxurious lodges and camps deep within Africa's wilderness

​​

TOUR DETAILS:

​

Dates: January 9th-23rd, 2025

​

Group Size: Up to 8 participants spread out across 2-3 vehicles to ensure everyone gets their own row.

​

Cost: $11,190 per person. Single supplement of $1,750 if traveling alone.

​

Payment: $1,950 deposit to hold and confirm spot. Remaining balance due 120 days prior to departure. Can be split up into multiple payments over 12 months. Please inquire when booking.

​

ITINERARY:

Day 1: Arrive in Nairobi and be picked up by a private driver. Overnight at our 5-star hotel on the edge of the city.

​

Day 2: Spend the day in Nairobi visiting the giraffe center, arts & crafts stores for African goods, and the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage.

​

Day 3: Head out to Amboseli National Park and enjoy our first evening game drive. 

​

Days 4 - 6: Spend three full days exploring Amboseli National Park as we look to photograph the large elephant herds that call this park home.

​

Day 7: Enjoy one last morning game drive in Amboseli before driving to Lake Naivasha for the next two nights.

​

Day 8: Drive to Lake Nakuru National Park before sunrise and enjoy a full-day safari while looking for leopards, rhinos, birds, and more.

​

Day 9: Spend the morning aboard a private boat photographing hippos and birds at Lake Naivasha. Drive to the Masai Mara and enjoy an evening game drive.

​

Days 10 - 14: Spend 5 full days in the Masai Mara looking for big cats and a plethora of other wildlife. We will split our 6 nights between two camps (3 nights at each) to see as much of this vast ecosystem as possible. 

​

Day 15: If time permits, enjoy a final morning game drive on the way back to Nairobi. Head to the airport for your flight home or onto another extension (e.g. mountain gorillas, Tanzania, Zanzibar, etc.).

​

Physical Requirement: Virtually none. Small amounts of walking around the lodges and camps.

  • How do I use Zoom or Skype? Where do I get it?
    Both Zoom and Skype are free to download and run on a variety of OS versions (both Windows and Mac). It is very easy to install the client. Do this before our meeting. A short time before our session, I will email a meeting link to you. Click on the link and you’ll join right in.
  • Should I do an in-person or online photography lesson?
    I always like to talk with whomever wants a lesson in advance to make sure I understand everything possible about what it is you are looking to learn. During our emails or phone calls before the lesson, we will decide what is best for you!
  • Can I get in person coaching?
    Yes, certainly, provided you (and I!) are in the Monterey Bay, California area. This is a good option if you want advice on using your camera, reading a location and choosing a composition. I recommend at least a 2-hour block of time for an in person lesson. Lessons can be given in other locations, but additional fees apply for travel. Please inquire for more details!
  • What can we photograph in-person around Monterey Bay?
    Monterey Bay has a plethora of wildlife and shooting locations as its one of North America's top wildlife and nature photography destinations (one reason I live here!). We can photograph wildlife from otters, sea lions, birds, whales, bobcats, and more or focus on landscape photography around Big Sur or the rocky shoreline of the peninsula. If you choose you would like a lesson in nearby Yosemite, Point Reyes, or somewhere further, we can set that up too! Longer trips are usually done over 1-3 nights.
  • Do I need to use my entire lesson time in a single sitting?
    It depends on what you are looking to learn! Some subjects can be taught rather easily within 1-2 hours, but many students prefer to have ongoing lessons. Maybe you want to schedule 1 lesson every week or every month or maybe you want to start with an in-person lesson and then follow-up with an online lesson where to post process some of the photos we have taken. We can decide all of this as we go along as flexibility is key!
  • My schedule changed last minute. What do I do?
    Hey, life happens. Contact me and we'll work out a new schedule. If the worst happens and we can't reschedule, you'll get a full refund.

REGISTRATION

When I receive your registration information, I will respond within 24 hours with a registration packet and more information. The remaining amount for the safari must be paid in full 90 days prior to your departure. Tour fees can be paid through Zelle (easiest and preferred), check, PayPal (2.95% processing fee), and credit/debit card (2.95% processing fee).

​

If you wish to speak to me directly, feel free to call: (425) 301-1757, or email: chasedekker@ymail.com

​

bottom of page