icons of KenyaJoin us on The Magic of the Mara, a specially tailored photographic safari, taking in the incredible up close spectacle of all the big cats. Lions, leopards and cheetah will be sought after but also giraffe, zebra, elephants and more. Regardless the subject we will proactively be on the lookout for the best photographic encounters of all the wildlife the Maasai Mara has to offer. We also have a private chartered flight in and out of your 10 full days in camp, plus a unique ratio of only 6 guests and 2 professional wildlife photographer guides. The result is an unprecedented amount of hands-on time both in the field and back at camp. Our aim is for you to come away from your safari with good photos but also, just as importantly, new skills and knowledge.
Our safari accommodates only 6 guests with a maximum of 3 per vehicle, allowing for an entire row of seats for each photographer, providing ample scope, space and flexibility for photography, even with the largest lenses.
Because we are a small group with so many days in camp, with two guides and two vehicles, you will benefit from having assistance on each and every one of your 20 game drives. This offers an unparalleled opportunity for learning and hands-on tuition.
Our photo safari offers lion, cheetah, leopard and all the game you would expect from an Africa safari experience. The huge benefit of being in the Mara North conservancy is we can freely go off-road, be out before and after dark to maximise every last bit of warm light. Most important of all, only 6 vehicles are allowed per sighting. This means because Mara North is so much quieter than the main reserve, sightings are more relaxed and provide much better opportunity to position for the best views.
With no curfew for being back in camp after or before sunrise and sunset, comes the opportunity to shoot un-rushed in the very best light the Mara has to offer, at either end of the day. With most animals, especially the big cats, more active before the heat of the day kicks in, this reduces the need to shoot in the harsh and more contrasty light found in the middle of the day.
To maximise our time on the ground, we offer a private chartered internal flight to and from camp. This allows for a 30kg weight limit, meaning you fly out to camp with all your luggage. Additionally the flight times are tailored to us, which means less waiting at the local airport and, on departure day, a full game drive on the last morning.
During down time, there is plenty of opportunity for additional learning. Sprinkled throughout your time at camp, Richard and Tom will offer several workshops and talks to give you advice, ideas and workflow tips. The aim of this photo safari is for you to go home with both wonderful photos and as much new knowledge and inspiration as possible.
This photo safari is fully booked for 2024 and 2025. Please see below for waiting list options and how to be notified of 2026 dates.
Richard Peters is a Nikon Ambassador alumni and Swarovski Optik and Datacolor partner. He has a style that is well known for capturing dramatic light, alongside having a friendly and down to earth manner. His work has been internationally acclaimed, including as a category winner in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and is one of the only British photographers to be named European Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Richard has been a judge for many competitions including the above EWPY, plus the British Wildlife Photography Awards. He is also an author and been a keynote speaker to many industry events, from close to home in the UK to as far afield as Australia.
Tom Way has spent vast amounts of time in the African bush, building a stunning and well recognised portfolio of fine-art photography. He has exhibited his work many times and sold large format prints to private and corporate clients all over the world. Tom has also been awarded in both the Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year, amongst other international competitions. As a confident speaker, he has given hundreds of talks about his work across the UK. Tom’s approachable manner, knowledge, style and dedication to getting the shot, are what set him apart from other photographers.
We have teamed up with several leading companies to offer our guests some great additional benefits. This includes Lenses for Hire, the UK's best known and most reliable lens rental company. We are pleased to offer UK residents a substantial discount on any lenses hired specifically for your Magic of the Mara safari with us. Whether you are a seasoned traveller to the Maasai Mara or this is your first experience, we are always happy to offer recommendations on lens choice. We're very happy to be able to offer you the option to rent a lens at a discounted rate, should you decide that there's a lens you don't have but would like to try or use for your safari.
Day 1: We are picked up from Nairobi Airport on arrival by our drivers and on to our hotel. After a long day of travel, we’ll get some rest before a full introduction the following morning.
Day 2: An early breakfast and briefing for the day ahead, before a 15 minute transfer to Wilson Airport to catch our chartered flight out to camp in the Maasai Mara North Conservancy. Our flight is direct so the flight time is just under an hour. We arrive at camp for a welcome talk, lunch and a short rest ahead of our first afternoon drive. We then return to camp under cover of darkness, after shooting until the setting sun has dipped below the horizon. Then a quick freshen up, drinks and dinner.
Day 3: This is our first full day in Mara North. Morning drives begin before sunrise, so that we can head out in the dark and find a subject to shoot when the sun rises. Once we’ve had the best of the morning light, we stop for a picnic style bush breakfast and refreshments, before looking out for photo opportunities as we slowly head back to camp. You then have time to rest, freshen up, eat lunch and grab a cool drink or two. Early afternoons we will look to alternate between several presentations and group image reviews. We then we head out for a late afternoon drive returning after sunset, for dinner and drinks.
Day 4-11: As day 3.
Day 12: We will have our final morning game drive before our chartered flight around lunchtime. Being a chartered flight just for us, this guarantees a direct flight with no stops, meaning we’ll arrive in plenty of time to freshen up at the hotel. From there it’s just a couple of minutes transfer to Nairobi’s international terminal for your flight home.
Deposit
$2800
2024
March 1st - 12th FULL
March 12th - 23rd FULL
November 1st - 12th FULL
November 12th - 23rd FULL
2025
March 1st - 12th FULL
March 12th - 23rd FULL
March 23rd - 3rd April FULL
November 12th - 23rd FULL
2026 SEE BELOW
Due to the popularity of this photographic safari we are currently offering a waiting list, should we get any openings. If you would like to join the list or request the safari's full brochure, please use the form.
We will have 2026 dates available as soon as we can get them, and will offer those out to newsletter subscribers before public release. Typically, subscribers book all spaces before they go live on the website. So if you would like to be among the first to receive notification for 2026, please sign up to the free newsletter here.
For your peace of mind, all bookings are taken through Safari Consultants Ltd. This ensures payments are fully ATOL / ABTOT protected.
PARTNERS
