Project Description
The Great Migration Photo Safari
The Great Migration Photo Safari in Kenya’s Masai Mara needs no further introduction but certainly needs to be seen at least once in the lifetime of every photographer and wildlife enthusiast.
This will be the sixth year that we have visited this wonderful spectacle, and every year just gets better and better. In our opinion, the months of Late August and September are the sweet spot to capture the migration in all its glory, with fewer cars around than there are in peak season – August. Nature is unpredictable, but we have always had successful safaris in the Mara at this time of year.
We bring in our own vehicles and expert guides and include a hot-air balloon trip on every safari. Hosted by the Pangolin hosts Guts, Janine, William, Charl, Sabine, and Nelis, as well as our Mara specialist Andreas Knausenberger this safari is always a photo highlight of the year for all involved!
The great migration photo safari starts with the group meeting up at our hotel in Nairobi for a first-night dinner and a chance to meet your fellow travellers. The hotel that we use has been chosen for its position between the international airport where you will arrive and the domestic terminal of Wilson Airport, from where you will depart to the Masai Mara the following morning.
We head to Wilson Airport early in the morning to board our private chartered flight to the Masai Mara. We have decided to charter all of our flights to maximise the time that we have and also to allow for extra baggage and camera gear for the group.
The flight takes approximately one hour and then we will land at Ol Kiombo airstrip where we will be met by our team of drivers and guides in the customised Pangolin game viewers. We have three vehicles with a maximum of three guests plus one guide in each. The photo hosts will rotate through the vehicles during the safari giving you a chance to learn and receive photo advice from each of them throughout the trip.
Mara Bush Camp is chosen primarily for its location and we will spend plenty of time out in the Masai Mara National Reserve photographing in the areas surrounding the camp. The location is ideal for getting to the wildebeest and zebra crossings for which the Mara is so famous. There are several popular crossing points close to the camp.
The crossings themselves (as well as the migration route) are unpredictable…it’s nature! We do however stack the odds in our favour by being in the right location at the right time of the year with amazing guides who know The Masai Mara intimately. Any operator who guarantees crossings is not to be trusted in our opinion which is why we don’t. We have an excellent “hit rate” and will always do our level best to get you those shots that you crave.
The tents in the camp are a good size and very comfortable with ensuite bathrooms at the rear and a private seating area at the front. The staff are fantastic as is the food, so you will be taken very good care of.
The time in The Mara will involve full-day game drives each day which always prove most productive photographically. Picnic lunches will be eaten out in the field – under a tree – in between the sightings.
Along with potential crossings, the big cats are always a prime photographic target in the Mara and we will spend lots of time with the resident pride of lions as well as the resident leopards and cheetah coalitions. The open plains of The Mara always deliver!
Included in the safari package is a hot air balloon flight along The Mara River one morning. This form of flight is fantastic and a must-do, so we have decided to include it in the itinerary for everyone on this trip. Photographing as we skip along the trees metres away from soaring vultures and other birds of prey is quite simply stunning. The control that pilots have is incredible and the Governors Balloons are the only ones that spend the majority of the flight directly over the Mara River. After we land in the Mara Triangle, we are treated to a full champagne breakfast at the foot of the escarpment overlooking The Masai Mara. It’s an awesome way to start the day. The drive back towards our camp takes us through more lion country!
In the evenings we will have use of a dedicated editing area with a projector and screen for sharing images among the group. The Pangolin Photo Hosts will be on hand to help with post-production and editing of images in these sessions.
This itinerary is the perfect amount of time for The Mara during migration season and should you want to add other destinations we will be more than happy to organise this for you. We suggest perhaps visiting Samburu, neighbouring Tanzania, or perhaps ticking off another item on the bucket list with a gorilla trek in Rwanda or Uganda. Details of these extensions are in the add-ons tab above.
| Charl, Sabine, Nelis & Andreas Knausenberger | |||||
$9,950 per person sharing / $2,500 Single SupplementFor 2024 we have invited top wildlife photographer Nelis Wolmarans to join the team. Nelis has worked extensively in The Masai Mara and is also a renowned primate photographer specialising in the Mountain Gorillas of Africa. Nelis will be guiding two trips to see the Gorillas during the Migration season in 2024 and if you would like to combine the two then please click here for information. Please note that the park fees in The Masai Mara will be increasing from $70 per person to $200 per person from the start of 2024. We have included this increase in the total price. Should this decision be reversed however in the coming months (as sometimes happens) your total will reflect the lower amount. We hope that this rather drastic increase will have a positive impact on vehicle numbers and the game viewing experience. | |||||
| 27 Aug – 3 Sept | 2 – 9 September | 8 – 15 September | 14 – 21 September |
Guts, Janine,William & Andreas | Charl, Sabine, Nelis & Andreas |
$10,950 per person sharing | $3,500 Single Supplement
We are delighted to confirm that once again we will be joined by our Kenya specialist Andreas Knausenberger as well as Nelis Wolmarans who also has extensive knowledge of The Masai Mara as well as being one of the world’s top primate photographers. Nelis will be hosting two additional safaris to Uganda for those guests who would like to see and photograph the Gorillas, Chimps and Shoebills either before or after the set of dates where he is hosting with us in The Mara.
Meet and Greet at Jomo Kenyatta Airport – Nairobi
1 night at The Tamarind Hotel (close to Wilson Airport)
Return flight from Wilson Airport to The Mara
10kgs extra baggage allowance for camera gear
6 nights at Mara Bush Camp for the Great Migration Photo Safari
All meals included (plus bottled water and tea/coffee)
Game drives in private custom Land Cruisers (3 per vehicle)
Hot air balloon flight down the Mara River
Pangolin Photo Guides in attendance
International Flights
All drinks other than those specified
Visa fees if required
Laundry, gratuities and items of a personal nature.
Suggested Add-ons
If you are interested in any of the below add-ons, chat to your travel planner or mention it in the enquiry form below.
Samburu
Kenya’s hidden gem and home to the “endangered 5” and the mighty Samburu warriors. Exotic species, amazing lodge, landscapes and wonderful people. Samburu is an excellent addition to any Kenya safari itinerary.
Victoria Falls
A marvellous way to start or end a Southern Africa photo safari itinerary. A visit to Mosi Oa Tunya – The Smoke that Thunders. We have a selection of hand-picked hotels that we use.
The Chobe
Where it all began for Pangolin Photo Safaris and (in our opinion) probably the best year-round photo destination in Southern Africa. The Chobe is a half day of air travel from Cape Town.
Okavango Delta
Just a two hour flight from Cape Town and a short charter hop has you arriving in this iconic destination just in time for a quick lunch and then out on an afternoon drive.
Madikwe
South Africa’s best kept safari secret. Madikwe is home to good populations of Rhino, big cats and wild dogs. There we have a fantastic partner property – Jacis. Option on the way to Cape Town.
When we first went on a hot air balloon trip, during the Great Migration Photo Safari, we made the assumption that we might want a shorter telephoto lens (like a 70-200) rather than something with a longer reach. In fact very quicky we realised that some of the subjects we a little too far for that so we now advise that if you are taking a zoom think about a 100-400mm maybe. Bear in mind that the basket under the balloon can be a tight fit sometimes so longer prime lenses are not advisable.
Our Reviews
Verified
Woodson642024-04-07Beyond awesome!! I just returned home from a fabulous 6 nights at the Pangolin Chobe Hotel in Kasane, Botswana. Everything was as expected. The room was comfortable with reliable internet and air conditioning. Lots of work space to edit photos, multiple international plugs (no need to bring a converter) and a comfortable bed. The food was outstanding at every meal and the staff was excellent. Many of the trips were on the river and the photo opportunities were endless. The boats are equipped with gimbals which helped with managing long lenses. Our guide was always looking to put us in the best positions to get great images. All of the guides there are outstanding and if you are into wildlife photography, booking a trip with Pangolin is a no brainer. I am eagerly looking to return next year and will bring along some of my photographer friends.Verified
Chris B2024-02-17Out of this world. Much much more than one could ever have expected This was the most amazing 5 days photography of my life. I was pretty reasonable before the trip but Janine's tuition / moving wokrshop ! turned something brilliant into something amazing. In addition my wife had previously rarely picked up a camera but having borrowed one of theirs came away with a thouroghly respectable 'portfolio' of wildlife shots, some of which I failed to capture. Am hoping to return one day. Oh and in addition the accommodation and full board etc was just perfect for the style of trip we were seeking. Only downside was that British Airways had my hold luggage for the whole of our 12 day visit to Africa however that did not spoil how good Pangolin are. Oh and we met a great couple from Ohio and are still in touch with themVerifiedbeegal2024-02-15An incredible experience top to bottom I can't say enough about Pangolin. We stayed for two weeks, complete with gourmet meals (including vegan options for my husband) in portions that were too large, open bar, pool, free laundry services, comfortable beds, amazing staff, and safaris that were exciting yet exhausting. They arranged a day trip to Victoria Falls for us. And we were only rained out of one boat safari in the entire two weeks (in rainy season!) We learned from the photo hosts and guides. You get your money's worth and more here.VerifiedJamie C2023-11-29Pangolin Photo safaris - a fantastic place to stay and to enjoy the Chobe We had a fantastic time at the wonderful Pangolin, everything was terrific. The staff were wonderful, both in the hotel and the Bush and all clearly well trained and very welcoming and helpful led by Dan. Charl was just what was needed on tour and with the photographing, we feel we all learned a lot as well as having fun. The food was delicious and the Chef great fun as well with his theatrical intros! I enjoyed the pool’s pond like qualities, which felt just right for the bush! Highly recommend this for photographic enthusiasts as well as everyone who enjoys the excitement of the Chobe wild life.Verified
lumenstein940022023-11-25No place is perfect, until you go here When I had an issue with a safari in the Okavango Delta, the company I had booked through pivoted and made arrangements for me to stay here for two nights. I have but one complaint, it was ONLY two nights. There cannot be anything said about this place that is not incredible. First, the staff is friendly from the pick up, to the in house staff to the team that works to make sure that your time here is as if you are family that you have known a lifetime. Because I was not originally planning on being here, I went in blind. Well, I can tell you that if you are thinking for a second of going here you have already thought too long. Just book it! I have already spent time looking at my next trip and it will be 100% with Pangolin. The boats are amazing, the team made you look better, spent time teaching me editing tips, and just cannot say enough about this company, the people and oh, the food!! The food each night was amazing.VerifiedMPA2023-11-14Fantastic all the way around 10/10 Wow these folks do it right! We just returned from leading our clients through Pangolin for our photography tour on the Chobe. I can't say enough about them. Everything from the staff and our guide (Richard) to Dan at the front desk and Guts with operations as well as the entire team are fantastic. We are for sure going to be working with them again in the future and look forward to it!Verified
Sheree R2023-11-01How wrong was I, Totally! As it turned out. This was a holiday that my husband wanted to do. I was very sceptical about doing it. After all how much were you going to see from a boat anyway. I was afraid of using my camera, so thought this may help. It was awesome, we had 3 days on the Houseboat and 3 days in their Lodge. Whilst in the boat we got to see 2 Lions bring down an Impala, only meters away from our boat. Jarco & Ray, our guides, were awesome. The people we met were lovely and we got some great photos. This is a holiday that we have and will continue to recommend. It was totally worth it.VerifiedCuthahotha2023-10-24Photography instruction to go from zero to hero in a few short days! With plenty of tips for the more experienced of us I'll make this short, there are no superlatives good enough to describe our time with Pangolin. We booked the Best of Chobe safari as my wife's first foray from North America. I had been watching all of the phenomenal YouTube content put out by Pangolin and knew they were the company to go with. They met and exceeded every expectation I had, and I had a lot. Our guides, Ray and Charlies, were excellent, knowing the game well and how best to position our boat or game drive vehicle for the best photos. Walter served as our photo host. Not only is he an excellent photographer, but he's an outstanding teacher. I do a lot of wildlife photography, and my wife is/was a complete novice at digital photography. By the end of the trip she was turning out outstanding images, and I learned more than a few tips. Well worth it for both of us. Typically, you'll do two game drives per day, either by custom-designed photography boats or game vehicles. We had four meals daily, and the evening meals were some of the best I have ever had. Also, while on the game drives, there are snacks, water, coffee, or sodas. You won't go hungry! While we both had gear (Nikon for my wife. I carry Canon R3 and Canon R5 ) they do have a loan department from which they will provide (free of charge) Canon 80Ds and 150-600mm lenses. The photo hosts are well-versed in the major camera manufacturers and models. Again, I can't begin to praise Pangolin, Toby, and Guts for the incredible customer service and photo safari.
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