Our value-priced Big Game Explorer Safari is a great way to experience the majestic sights and sounds of some of Africa's best game parks.

The trip visits Nakuru NP, famous for its flock of thousands of flamingoes and for its white rhinos; Samburu NP, with its more arid terrain and home to the Rothschild giraffe and Grevy's zebra; Amboselli NP, set in the shadow of Mount Kilimajaro and famous for its elephants and Masai Mara NP, possibly one of the finest parks for game viewing in all of Africa. We'll try to time our trip to the Mara to coincide with the onset of the wildebeest migration - and if we are lucky, we may get to see the famous "river crossing", where thousands upon thousands of wildebeest cross a river alive with hungry 18-foot Nile crocodiles!

TRIP OBJECTIVES AND DATES

While we can run this trip at any time, we recommend 2 particular periods:

• February, the rainy reason, which also coincides with the birthing of wildebeest calves
• June-September, which is the onset of the annual migration of the wildebeest and zebra from Tanzania into Masai Mara - termed one of the greatest natural spectacles in the world today

PRE-REQUISITES

All participants are required by law to obtain yellow fever immunization prior to visiting Kenya. Failure to do so will result in 3 days of quarantine upon return back to India. All participants are also expected to arrange their own visas and airfare - Photo Safari India can also help with airfare arrangements with prior notice.

RECOMMENDED GEAR

For Africa, a 300mm lens is the bare minimum needed for photography - however, bring the longest lens that you can: 400 or 500mm lenses are best. Also bring a standard wide-to-short-tele zoom, for taking scenics and landscapes. A tripod is not going to be useful on the trip - but a beanbag is strongly recommended. It can get very dusty out there, so remember to bring plastic bags for covering your gear when not in use.

On this trip, photo opportunities will be so numerous and widespread that you can easily run through 4-5 rolls of film in a given drive. Film will be next to impossible to get while on safari, so do remember to stock an adequate amount. A good rule of thumb is - plan out your daily shooting, and then double it. Remember - you can always take the extra film back with you, but there is no solution to running out of film. Digital shooters - please carry a portable hard drive, external storage device or CD/DVD burner: you will need it!

ITINERARY

Day 1: Pick up from hotel or airport and get together for a pre-departure briefing and introduction, where we will review our itinerary, what to expect and the photography elements of the tour. Depart for Samburu National Park, stopping for lunch along the way. Game drive en route. Check into permanent tented camp in Samburu. (Lunch, Dinner)

Day 2: Early morning game drive (6:30am) in Samburu National Park, returning for breakfast around 10:00 am. Review of subjects, lighting and techniques. After lunch and siesta, go for another game drive in the afternoon. (B, L, D)

Day 3: Early breakfast, followed by a final game drive en route to Nakuru National Park (lunch along the way). Evening game drive.(B, L, D)

Day 4: Morning and afternoon game drives in Nakuru NP. Evening discussion on trip so far, techniques and desired shots for upcoming days. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Morning departure to Masai Mara NP. Game drive in Mara en route to the lodge (B, L, D)

Day 6: All day game drive in the Mara, with picnic lunch in the savanah (B, L, D)

Day 7: Morning and afternoon game drives in the Mara (B, L, D)

Day 8: Final morning game drive in Mara, and return to Nairobi by evenibf. Overnight in hotel in Nairobi. (B)

Day 9: Check out of hotel, catch international flight home or travel onwards.

GENERAL NOTES

These trips emphasize quality game viewing - which means in-depth observation of the animal. The idea is to try to produce pictures that go beyond the ordinary.. and to achieve that requires patience. Patience could mean sitting and observing a particular animal for anywhere from half an hour to half a day... but usually, this is rewarded with some spectacular images. The trip leader and the guide both have extensive knowledge of animal behavior, and will make suggestions based on this.

All travel is done either in an open-top Land Rover or pop-top minibus. These can take 5 or 8 people respectively, but we limit ourselves to 3-4 shooters per vehicle, so that everyone has ample room to shoot and keep his or her gear. Typically, our day is structured around the best times to shoot - early morning and late morning. We will try to spend as much of this time as possible in good photographic locations: meals and traveling are, if needed, fitted around this. This will mean early morning departures with a relatively light breakfast. It may also mean delayed lunches, if we find something interesting to photograph. Yes, this can be a bit of an inconvenience, but the benefit is a chance to have a wild experience not possible anywhere else on the planet.

This is a value-based trip, geared towards those who want to enjoy quality game viewing and photo opportunities, but not spend large sums of money on fancy accommodation. Accommodation is mostly in comfortable lodges in the heart of the game parks, or in permanent tented camps. Cultural programs and sumptuous dinner buffets (with a full range of vegetarian options) ring in the end to a perfect day of game-viewing. In a couple of locations, we may camp (in spacious walk-in tents) so as to give you a taste of the wild - especially the night sky and sounds of the African bush.

PRICES

Price for the trip varies between $1,500 - $2,000 per person, inclusive of all park fees, vehicle, accommodation, meals (vegetarian options available) and guide fees - actual price will depend upon group size and time of departure.

Not included in the price are tips, personal expenses, alcoholic beverages and such.

BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS

To make a booking, please email us at info@photosafariindia.com

Bookings are not confirmed until we receive a 20% deposit. We accept payment via wire transfers or via Paypal. The balance is due 45 days before the trip.

If cancelling before 45 days, the full sum will be refunded (minus the 3% transaction fee, if you have paid using a credit card via Paypal). For cancellations between 15-45 days from the trip date, we levy a 25% cancellation charge. For cancellations within 15 days of the trip date, the cancellation charge is up to 75%.