African Big Cats
Maasai Mara, Kenya
February, March, November
8 and 12 day Safaris
The Maasai Mara is regarded as one of the best wildlife viewing destinations in Africa and is renowned for its big cats, with lion, leopard and cheetah all in abundance. Our central location promises almost daily occurrences of big cat activity; there is every chance we will see lions stalking and cheetahs chasing down their prey. The Maasai Mara has been featured in the BBC’s highly acclaimed documentary series The Hunt and Big Cat Diary, and we may see many of the big cats that became stars of those series.
The Maasai Mara is like no other place in Africa; the density of wildlife is a photographer’s dream. The safaris will concentrate on zebra, giraffe, antelope, hippo, elephant, and of course the Maasai Mara’s famous big cats. We may even see serval, caracal, or a black rhino. All in all, these safaris produce life-long memories and the images often framed by the Mara’s famous sunrises, sunsets, and dramatic vistas.
To reserve your spot on this safari please email me at email@davidlloyd.net
Is This Safari For You?
All Photographers Are Welcome
Photographers of all levels are welcome. Our tour leaders are full time wildlife photographers with great experience in the field as well as in guiding and photographic instruction. Each tour offers a small client-leader ratio that allows for personal attention and customized guidance on photography.
Creative Photography
We pride ourselves on the highest level of creative wildlife photography. We’ll show you creative techniques to set your pictures apart from the rest. In addition to these we will also cover traditional techniques like portraiture, action, focusing and composition.
Image Reviews and Tuition
After our morning drives we offer tuition on photographic technique and post-processing. We also host image review sessions in a more formal setting during the week. Our goal is for you to make the most out of your experience and to take home pictures you’ve long desired.
Safari Highlights
Location
Our camp is located inside the reserve, close to the action with quick access to the main migration crossings on the river. We are located on the Mara River on one of the main crossing points where we can see wildebeest crossings from our camp itself, away from the tourist traffic found elsewhere.
Photographic Vehicles
Our new photographic vehicles have open sides and also maximise the space and flexibility that a photographer needs. Each participant has a whole row of seats, as well as provisions for beanbags and clamps on the open sides and on the roof.
Lens Hire
Lens hire is available from our base here in the Maasai Mara, so that you do not need to worry about the hiring and delivery and return of it in your home country. It also alleviates any potential problem of airline carry on weight restrictions. Currently we have 300mm and 400mm f/2.8 lenses with matching 1.4 converters in both Canon and Nikon mounts.
Documentation
Included in the tour price is an exclusive 36-page book written by David entitled Photographing Wildlife in The Maasai Mara. Other documentation includes animal and bird lists, rules and ethics guidelines, and detailed maps of the area.
In Camp Tuition
We also offer tuition in camp when we are not on drives, which may cover such topics as basic camera usage to wildlife photography techniques, focussing for wildlife, photographic composition, to flash and macro photography.
Lightroom and Photoshop Tuition
Included in the trip cost is optional guidance on image processing in either Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. We demonstrate post-processing techniques as they apply to wildlife photography. Both colour and black-and-white treatments will be covered.
Ground Transportation
Because flights from Nairobi to the Mara have strict weight restrictions on luggage of only 15 kg/person, we provide transportation for the rest of your luggage to the camp by road.
Optional Excursions
We offer optional excursions: a balloon ride at sunrise over the Maasai Mara with champagne breakfast, and a visit to a nearby Maasai village.
The Camp
Entim Private was designed with a purpose in mind; to be in the best possible location to view the wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara game reserve. For a few months of the year the migration is on our doorstep on the Mara river.
We have kept the camp eco-friendly and small, with only eight, tastefully but differently furnished, well-equipped tents. Our decor aims to enhance the surrounding environment.
All eight guest tents overlook the Mara River and are well-placed, en-suite with flush-toilets and hot showers. There is a cosy lounge area with a small library, separate bar and open fronted dining area allowing guests the experience of eating meals while watching the animals move to and from the river. The experience at Entim is not your average hotel or lodge experience, it’s about being right in the hub of one of the most famous wildlife reserves in the world and part of the Kenya safari experience.
You can view more about Entim Camp here.
Dates and Costs
February, March 2024
Feb 17 – Feb 24 – (open)
Feb 24 – Mar 02 – (open)
Mar 02 – Mar 09 – (open)
Mar 09 – Mar 16 – (open)
2024 November
Nov 09 – Nov 16 – (open)
Nov 16 – Nov 24 – (open)
The cost of these all-inclusive safaris is $6200 per person.
Bookings are secured with a $600 deposit per person,
with the balance being required 12 weeks before.
Payments to be made in $US.
A single, optional supplement is available at $1200 extra.
Financial Protection
Payments for all safaris are made through Steppes Travel which means you have the financial protection of booking through a registered tour operator. Your money is 100% safe and if one of our suppliers goes bust, your money is fully protected. Steppes Travel can also book your flights for full financial protection. Please download our terms and conditions here.
How Do I Book?
Our tour groups are small at 6 - 9 participants, so space is limited.
To reserve your spot in this tour please email me at email@davidlloyd.net
Single supplements are optional for single travellers who want their own room and tent. Otherwise single travellers are paired with another single traveller of the same gender.
For those who wish to join two dates for one continuous longer safari, we can at a cost less than two combined.
For all dates, we offer reduced costs for Kenyan residents. If you are a Kenyan resident, please enquire.
What’s Included
All park fees
One night Serena Hotel stay
Flights to and from the Maasai Mara from Nairobi
Airport transfers and transportation of luggage
Six nights accommodation and meals at Entim Camp
Exclusive vehicles and qualified driver guides
Flying Doctor emergency medical service
Local alcoholic beverages at camp
Photographing Wildlife Mara eBook
What’s not Included
International flights
Kenya visa
Non-local alcoholic beverages at camp
Tips and gratuities for camp staff and guides
Options at Extra Cost
Camera and Lens hire
Balloon ride and champagne breakfast ($450)
Maasai Village visit ($30)
Itinerary
Day 1: We are picked up from Nairobi Airport on arrival by our driver and taken to the Serena Hotel in Nairobi to relax and rest before meeting for breakfast on day 2.
Day 2: At 8:00 AM we transfer to Wilson Airport some 15 minutes away for a 45 minute a flight to our camp in the Maasai Mara. We arrive in time for a camp welcome, and then after lunch we embark on our first afternoon drive. At about 6:30 we return to camp to relax in front of the boma (campfire) before dinner at about 7:30-8:00.
Day 3: Our first full day in the Mara. We are woken with a pre-dawn tea, coffee and biscuits before we set out on our drive at around 6:30 am to photograph in the best light of the day. After a break for a picnic breakfast, we continue until about midday, depending on animal activity. Then it’s back to camp for lunch, rest, editing or backing up your images, or attending a talk or workshop session. At 4:00 we head out again for our afternoon drive as on the previous day.
Day 4, 5, 6 and 7 as Day 3.
Day 8: We have time for a 2-hour morning drive before returning to camp at 8:30 for breakfast then at 11:00 am we’ll catch our return flight to Nairobi. For the remainder of that afternoon and evening we can just relax at the Serena Hotel by the pool or at the bar before transfer to Nairobi Airport for our international flights home.
Guide Biographies
We are a small team of award winning wildlife photographers and experienced photography tutors in the field of natural history. We have won awards in Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Nature’s Best and GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and our work is published regularly. Our photographic experience extends back to the days of film, paper and manual focus cameras.
David Lloyd is an exhibiting wildlife photographer, having won awards for his work which favours a fine art style in both colour and black & white. David has been awarded four times in Wildlife Photographer of the Year. In 2011, his image A Flick of the Tail was chosen as the cover of that year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year portfolio and in 2019 he was awarded as their peoples’ choice winner for his image Bond of Brothers. His images have been published widely in the press and several photographic monthlies, in both the UK and abroad. David also holds exhibitions of his work, most recently at there Royal Geographic Society in London in 2014. His long awaited debut book As Long As There Are Animals was published in late 2014.