The Maasai Mara, during the migration season, is arguably one of the greatest wildlife photography experiences on the planet. This safari takes the traditional migration photo safari to the next level by offering multiple locations in the Mara, including a location with its own private crossing point where you could watch a crossing from the deck of your tent!
In constant motion, the migration moves throughout many regions of the Mara, including the dense predator areas. From the wide-open game-filled vistas, to the remote corners of the reserve, and through the big cat territories, covering a total of 580 square miles, you will have the ability to seek out all the action! There may be a cheetah with six cubs in the Talek/Chumvi area, while there is a large pride of lions with new cubs south of the Talek River, a leopard with a cub near Snake River or a black rhino with a calf in the Mara Triangle. The advantage of staying in multiple locations is that you will not have to drive for an hour to get to a sighting, leave early to race to a gate and miss the best light, pay extra fee’s to cross into anther area of the Mara, or entirely miss out on the opportunity due to logistics. Each location has been carefully chosen for its known predator territories and dramatic Mara River crossing points. This is the ultimate way to photograph in the renowned Maasai Mara during the migration.
Each photographer will have their own seat/row in the vehicle, with two windows and roof access ensuring plenty of space and options for using clamps, molar bags, panning plates, and other gear to aid your ability to capture the best images. Our driver guides are all silver rated and have thousands of hours of experience in the Mara. They understand the needs of photographers and the importance of quickly positioning the vehicle for the best light and exceptional photographs.
You will be personally guided by Nathaniel Smalley; an award winning wildlife photographer and judge for the prestigious Natures Best Africa Contest.
His eagerness to teach and outgoing personality ensures workshop participants a wonderful experience. He will work side-by-side with you, giving informal instruction throughout the safari to help you capture dramatic and stunning images that go beyond the traditional wildlife photographs. More than just another nature photographer, Nathaniel is also a passionate conservationist. He has done extensive work with various conservation and rehabilitation organizations over the last two decades, filling every role from a volunteer assisting injured birds and mammals, to board member.
This safari is limited to only 8 photographers. This allows for greater freedom, flexibility, group dynamics, and the feeling of a more personal, private safari.
REGISTER
If you are excited to join this unique Migration safari then now is the time to register. To secure your spot, both the registration form and the non–refundable deposit must be completed. Use the ‘Register Now’ button above to access the e-registration form. At the end of the form you will be asked to confirm you email. Once you have confirmed your email, a copy of your registration will be emailed to you and our agent. To make your reservation deposit click on the PayPal button directly below. Once the safari is full, you may add your name to the wait list.
ITINERARY | Aug. 25th - Sept. 4th, 2017
* In order to provide participants with the best photographic opportunities the itinerary is subject to change based on weather, lighting and other variables.
Day 1 : August 25, 2026
Arrive Nairobi, Kenya. Our ground operator will meet you and transfer you to your beautiful accommodations.
Accommodation - Serena Nairobi
Day 2 : August 26, 2026
Today you will awake in a magical new world with the aroma of Kenyan coffee brewing. We will meet at breakfast for a safari briefing before driving to the local airport for our flight to the Maasai Mara. Excitement builds quickly as you fly over the Mara and begin seeing the wildlife below. Take out your gear, as you never know what we may see driving to camp! We will have enough time to eat lunch and settle in before heading out on our first game drive.
The Mara bush camp is positioned to blend unobtrusively into the surrounding vegetation and has an authentic safari feel of days gone by. There is no better way to experience Africa than by spending a few nights under canvas listening to the zebra’s barking, hyena’s crying and possibly hearing the roar of a lion, off in the distance. In the past few years, leopards have been regularly spotted wondering right though this camp.
The camp has a special photographers tent where we will all gather to download, back up, and work on post processing. Participants always comment on how much they love the camaraderie among other talented photographers. Learning from each other, as well as the leader, is a huge added value, as everyone brings different perspectives, knowledge, and skills. We will discuss all photograph topics, such as marketing, fine art prints, websites, and how to present your images to the market you are targeting. The goal is not only to capture a solid, diverse portfolio of images, but also to give you ideas and inspiration to market them.
Accommodation – Mara Bush Camp
Day 3-5 : August 27-29, 2017
We have 4 days in the Talak area, one of the richest predator areas of the Mara. We will focus on the big cats, including the Marsh pride, made famous by the BBC’s series, “Big Cat Diary”, the double cross pride, and the Rekero pride, which is quickly becoming as powerful as the Marsh pride. These area’s are also know for cheetah and leopards, but we will probably see elephants, hippos, Massai giraffes, common zebras, gnu, impalas, Thompson’s and grant’s gazelles, topi, hartebeest, black-backed jackals, spotted hyenas and more, as the Mara is one of the most lush reserves in Africa. On past safaris we have photographed black rhino in this area.
Our ground operator has a large fleet of vehicles, which will be scattered throughout the area. Our drivers will be in private communication with each other, giving us many eyes and ears across the entire Mara. We are close to the river; if we get word that the wildebeest are gathering, we will race off in hopes of capturing a large crossing.
Accommodation - Mara Bush Camp
Day 6-7 : August 30-31, 2017
After our early morning game drive and breakfast, we will game drive across the savanna, crossing over the Mara River, on the way to our next accommodation. Location! Location! Location! Our lodge sits high up on the hill, overlooking the vast plains and Mara River, between two of the main crossing points. We will go out on our regular early morning game drive, but if it becomes quiet as the light becomes harsh, we can return to the lodge for lunch, while still keep a close eye on what is happening around the banks of the Mara river. You can sit in a lounge chair, in front of the pool, with a cold drink and watch the great herds of wildebeest and zebra gathering as they approach the river. At a moments notice, we can hop in the Land cruisers and race down to the river! If we are not already down at the river, waiting anticipation of a crossing, we will go out on our regular afternoon game drive.
We stay at the only accommodations available on this side of the Mara River, which gives you the opportunity to photograph the herds crossing towards you. Since most safaris stay on the other side of the river, you will have photographs with a unique perspective. We spend two nights on this side of the river.
Accommodation - Mara Serena
Day 8-10 : September 1-September 3, 2017
After our early morning game drive and breakfast, we will drive down to our last tented camp, in the heart of the Mara, that sits right along the Mara River overlooking one of the crossing points. This is our own private crossing point! We can sit in the lounge tent while watching the herds gather. With cameras in hand we can walk down to the edge of the river and photograph the crossing, at eye level! No other vehicles or tourist may enter this area; only the guest staying in this camp.
We are now in the heart of the Mara, is the area were the great herds first cross over from Tanzania. During this time these vast plains could be filled with the migration and all the superb predator action it brings. You will soon understand why the Maasai Mara is the wildlife mecca of the world.
Accommodation - Entim Camp
Day 11 : September 4, 2025
We will rise early for one last amazing game drive. We will fly out directly from the Naboisho Conservancy into Wilson private airport in Nairobi. You will be transported to the Ole Sereni, which sits along Nairobi National Park, where you will have day rooms. You will be able to enjoy a leisurely afternoon around the pool, have lunch over looking the Park, and be able to clean up before you flight back home later in the evening.
Day room – Ole Sereni
HIGHLIGHTS
• Three different locations to maximize every photographic opportunity in one of the greatest wildlife destinations in the world.
• This safari is timed to coincide when the greatest migration is crossing the Mara River
• Luxurious accommodations for duration of Safari.
• Portion of Safari in a small private tented camp with our own private crossing point.
• We have private 9 passenger 4X4 Land Cruisers with only 3 people per vehicle. Every person will have their own row with 2 window seats and roof access available for the best viewing and photographic opportunities.
• Silver rated driver-guides, all hand picked for their vast experience in working with wildlife photographers.
• Extra luggage allowances to accommodate all your photographic equipment.
PAYMENTS
• USD $1,600.00 (USD) non-refundable deposit to confirm your place on this safari
• Second payment of $3,500.00 (USD) is due January 25, 2026
• Final payment/Balance is due May 25th, 2017
• We highly recommend trip and cancellation insurance.
MORE INFO
Traveling in remote locations can present challenges that may require slight changes to the itinerary. We will always try to run the tour as the initial itinerary. In the event, beyond our control, such as political unrest, natural disasters, overbookings by the lodge, where a change is required, we will do our best to keep you close to the original shooting location. It is our intention for you to have the best possible experience. We will try to notify you of any changes as soon as we are made aware of them. If, however these changes cause an increase to the price, the increase will be passed onto the participant.
† All participants are required to sign a standard medical and waiver of liability form. Every effort is made to keep participants safe during all stages of the safari, but each person is solely responsible for avoiding personal injury or damaging their equipment during the safari.
WHERE - MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE - KENYA, AFRICA
SAFARI LEADER - NATHANIEL SMALLEY
SAFARI SIZE - Min 6 / Max 8 Participants - ONLY 7 SPOTS LEFT!
RESERVATION DEPOSIT - $1,500 (USD) non-refundable deposit is due at the time of registration to secure your spot. * You may purchase travel insurance that will refund your deposit if you have to cancel your trip.
TOTAL COST - $9,995 (USD) per person. *Pricing based on double occupancy.
(Single room supplement is $1,250.00 if available)
Please Note : If a solo guest is unwilling to share, and requests single accommodations upon registration, then a single supplement will be charged. If you are a solo guest who is willing to share accommodations, we will do our best to match you with another guest of the same gender. If we are unable to match you with another solo guest of the same gender, then the single supplement will be charged, up to, but not exceeding the fee of the single supplement. In this case, whenever possible, we will make every effort to discount the single supplement, up to 50%.
CLOTHING: * I always recommend bringing light layers, we start out early in the morning and game drives can be brisk the first hour. Mid-moring it really starts to warm up, but then will cool quickly once the sun goes down. Please avoid wearing bright colors and camouflage. In some area’s of Africa, due to military reasons, camouflage in not allowed. EQUIPMENT etc:
.. A $1,500 USD non-refundable deposit is due at the time of registration to secure your spot. You may purchase travel insurance that will refund your deposit should you have to cancel your trip. . . . .. . .
INCLUDED
2. Airport transfers
3. Accommodations on shared basis
4. Guaranteed row and window seat in private 4X4 Land cruisers
5. All National Parks fees, Game Reserves entrance fees, and taxes
6. All meals Starting with Breakfast on August 26th – Breakfast on September 4th
7. Evacuation insurance to a Nairobi hospital (transport only – Cost of hospitalization NOT included)
8. Visit with the Iconic Maasai Tribe (optional, but included)
9. Mentoring by Pro photographer Nathaniel Smalley
10. Experienced safari agent to help you with pre or post safari extended travel in Kenya, Tanzania, or Rwanda....
EXCLUDED
2. Travel Insurance
3. Personal purchases (such as souvenirs, spirit liquors, telephone calls, internet, laundry…)
4. Gratuities for the guides, staff at accommodations, and airport transfers ($25 -$30 per day)
5. Optional extra activities (balloon rides, walking safaris, etc.)
6. Pre and post-safari tours
7. Meals or accommodation before or after the safari
8. International flights to and from the African continent
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WHAT TO BRING
EXPECTATIONS
CANCELATION
WHY TRAVEL WITH NATURE ODYSSEY WORLDWIDE TOURS?
We recognize that when planning your international travel for photography that there are many options available to you. To that end we’d like to share what we believe sets us apart from the crowd. Our events are organized with nature photography in mind and catered to you, our guests. We provide superior nature photography workshops, tours and safaris for every skill level, to every corner of the world. We strive to incorporate a diverse cultural experience for all our clients, specific to each destination. Extra care is invested into all stages of planning the itinerary to ensure an experience that is second to none. Every effort is made to plan exceptional meals and reserve accommodations you’ll be excited to return to after a long day in the field.
A lot more goes into properly planning a photo tour or safari than meets the eye. For example, if you’re shooting the Northern Lights in Norway, you have to plan the itinerary according to rhythm of the tides, because a full moon will ruin the vibrance of the Aurora Borealis. Likewise if you’re photographing a splashing Hippo calf on the Chobe River at dawn, your ideal camera settings might not be what you think. These days the number of Iceland summer photo tours options are as numerous as the horse population in that beautiful country. However, what many of these companies don’t realize is that under the midnight sun the best photography happens just before and just after midnight. If you visit Iceland and are shooting at mid-day, in full sun, then you are missing out on the best opportunities. This kind of information is what distinguish the very best photo tour operators from the rest, and ensures you get the very best images possible during your trip.
If you are traveling with Nature Odyssey Worldwide you don’t have to worry about it, we excel in our knowledge of these critical details. Our promise to you is that we will meticulously attend to everything that concerns an international traveler, as well as the more subtle requirements of a nature photographer. Our all-inclusive packages take the worry and hassle out of your international travel plans. All tours and safaris are planned to flow seamlessly, limiting time lost in travel or transfers and maximizing every photographic opportunity. Itineraries are intentionally flexible so that we can take advantage of unplanned photographic opportunities as they arise. Expert pro photographers that guide you on our trips aren’t just along for the ride. Regardless of your skill level we’re at your side every step and during each waking hour with the sole focus of maximizing your results and ensuring a magical experience. You’ll be provided professional advice both in the field and the digital darkroom, resulting in a stunning portfolio upon completion of your trip with us.
Together we’ll capture the world. Where do you want to go?
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