January 11-23, 2025 | Location: Nairobi, Kenya
A wildlife photographer's dream locale
Kenya is one of the best places on earth to see wildlife, and a trip into its vast savannah, and towering rainforest amongst thousands of animals is an experience unlike anything else. We designed our itinerary to explore the diverse ecosystems and animal species Kenya has to offer. Expect to see lions, cheetahs, leopards, zebra, giraffe, hippo, elephants, gazelle, monkeys, rhinos, hyenas, ostriches, and more!
A Premier Destination for Wildlife Photography
This all-inclusive workshop is designed for you to see many aspects of this stunning country and make the most of the trip! Starting in Nairobi we will explore the highlands in Aberdare National Park. From there we will head to Ol Pejeta Reserve to see the white rhinos, then north to Lake Nakuru to search for groups of tree climbing lions, and west into the Kakamega Forest. Finally, we will head to Lake Victoria and into the Masai Mara, the epitome of African wildlife safaris.
Deposit due upon registration. Full tuition is due 120 days before the workshop begins.
Topics We Will Cover
Wildlife Photography
Travel Photography
conservation Storytelling
landscape photography
WHAT TO KNOW
- Like any African safari, our trip will entail many hours in the car driving between locations and out looking for animals. Our landrovers are perfect for such a journey and include large and comfortable seating in addition to a pop-up roof for watching animals.
- Expect a variety of temperatures ranging from cool mornings and hot afternoons.
- Our safari lodges are charismatic and hand-picked to provide memorable accommodations on this once-in-a-lifetime trip.
- Spouse and companion discounts are available for this workshop! These discounts are for non-photographers who want to share in this amazing experience with you. Please contact us for more information.
packed with adventure
We will begin in Nairobi where we will drive to Aberdare National Park, a stunning cloud forest known for its abundant elephant populations and rare black leopards.
After searching for wildlife and trekking through the spectacular highland landscape, we will continue to the Ol Pejeta Reserve beneath the towering slopes of Mount Kenya. Internationally recognized for its rhino conservation efforts (home to the only living northern white rhinos on the planet), Ol Pejeta is home to lions, cheetahs, giraffes, elephants, wild dogs, and more.
From Ol Pejeta, our journey will take us north to Lake Nakuru to search for groups of tree climbing lions, and west into the Kakamega Forest, Kenya’s only remnant of a vast rainforest that once stretched across the entire continent.
Finally, we venture south along the shores of Lake Victoria and into the Masai Mara, the epitome of African wildlife safaris. By pairing luxurious safari lodges with some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in Kenya, we are excited to invite you on this exceptional journey!
Workshop Itinerary
The 10th is an optional (advisable) early arrival day. Airport pickup will be arranged through our group hotel close by and located on the edge of the Nairobi Game Preserve. The 11th will be a rest day to sort gear and take an afternoon safari into Nairobi National Park
After an early breakfast we will hop in our land rovers and drive 5 – 6 hours from Nairobi to Samburu National Park in the center of Kenya. After checking into the Samburu Ashnil Lodge in the late afternoon, we will head out into the park to explore before dinner.
The next two days will be spent exploring the heart of Samburu. Unlike most of Kenya which is classic African savannah, Samburu offers a much drier and remarkable desert environment. Considered one of the best places in the country to observe and photograph elephants, the park is also home to large packs of African wild dogs which will be a main focus of our explorations there. While staying at the park expect early morning and late evening excursions each day with plenty of time to relax and edit photos during the mid-day heat.
After breakfast we will venture south to the spectacular slopes of Mount Kenya. After checking into the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club we will spend the evening exploring the park’s spectacular high altitude ecosystem and vistas. This will be one of the more unique and historic stays of the entire trip.
Full day exploring Mount Kenya National Park while enjoying
some free time at the historic and utterly charismatic Fairmont Hotel.
Buckle up for a long but beautiful travel day. From Mount Kenya we will drive south approximately eight hours to Tsavo East National Park which lies in the southeast corner of the country just inland from Mombasa. After checking into the Ashnil Lodge we will spend the evening exploring the park’s dry grassland ecosystem in search of lions, cheetahs, zebras and more.
After an early morning game drive in Tsavo East, we will drive to Tsavo West National Park which lies along the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and the Tanzanian border. Check in to the Kilaguni Safari Lodge.
Tsavo East National Park is one of Africa’s premiere destinations to view and photograph an incredibly diverse array of wildlife. We will be traveling here during calving season which means there is a high chance of spotting baby animals including lion, cheetah, and leopard cubs. Our three full days in Tsavo will be spent on early morning, late evening, or full-day excursions searching for a variety of animals. Our guides are deeply familiar with this park which means if there is anything specific the group wants to find, we will be in good hands to make it happen!
At long last our incredible trip has come to an end. After an early breakfast we will return to the Ole Sereni Hotel in Nairobi where we can arrange day rooms to shower and relax before catching our late night flights home.
Past Student Work
Meet Your Instructors
Ian Segebarth
The founder and owner of Rainshadow Expeditions, Ian has spent the past decade traveling and guiding in over 40 countries, covering every continent. He has a background in conservation biology and environmental science, which has fueled his passion for nature and exploration. Ian is a highly experienced scuba instructor and technical cave diver, and has completed thousands of dives all over the world, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Antarctica, and the Caribbean. He is also a contributing photographer for National Geographic Magazine, and his film work has appeared on Discovery Channel and BBC. In addition to guiding, Ian still has ongoing research and exploration in numerous locations around the world, and he will be happy to share his expertise on these topics.
Chris Steppig
Chris is the owner and director of Summit Workshops. Summit was his first job out of college and nearly 20 years later, this is home. He is in charge of all workshop operations, scheduling, logistics, faculty, social media, marketing and sponsorship. Chris has a passion for conservation, travel, and education and the workshops are a dream platform to help others reach new heights as not only photographers but as people.
Chris is an affiliate of the International League of Conservation Photographers. The iLCP is a U.S. based non-profit whose mission is to further environmental and cultural conservation through ethical photography. This affiliation provides a tremendous opportunity to help deliver great content and also be an advisor on matters large and small. He is also a professional advisor for Outdoor Photographer magazine. Through collaboration and great communications with the editor of the magazine, there have been countless articles written by Summit Alumni in the magazine over the years.
Did we mention all-inclusive?
Costs included in tuition:
- Nairobi airport-hotel pick up/drop off shuttle
- Transport in customized pop up top 4 x 4 Land Cruisers (3 rows of seats) with 4 passengers per vehicle
- Services of experienced English speaking safari guides/drivers.
- All accommodation in Kenya
- Park entrance fees
- All meals on safari
- Bottled drinking water in safari vehicle
- Government taxes and fees
- Tips for guides, drivers, and hotel staff
Not included:
- Soft drinks and alcohol
- International Flights
- Travel Insurance
- Single Room Supplement