Kenya: In Pursuit of Black Leopards and Photo Hides Safari
This safari is one of the more unique trips we have offered, combining 2 photographically rich experiences: evenings spent in an underground photo hide and tracking and photographing the rare black leopards of northern Kenya’s Laikipia region.
We have selected these areas to watch and photograph the current rock star of Kenya, Giza the melanistic leopard and assumed to be related relatives of the area, as well as the nocturnal visitors at our underground hides. It isn't all about black leopards, though, as we will spend consecutive nights in an underground photographic hide, watching and photographing wildlife as they come to the water hole. We often see lions, leopard, elephants, giraffes and many other mammals.
The Schedule
October 30, 2027; (1 Night)
Private House in Nairobi, Kenya
On your arrival in Nairobi, you will be met by our local representative, who will assist you across the terminal, drive you to our boutique hotel and help you get checked in.
Our private home is very close to both airports and will make our journey to Nairobi Wilson Airport easy tomorrow morning. On the morning of the 31st our group will be transferred to Wilson Airport, where we will board our flight to Laikipia, northern Kenya. If you have the time, we do recommend arriving a day earlier to shake off the long journey and to get settled into the trip in a nice and easy pace.
October 31 - November 4, 2027 (4 nights)
Laikipia Wilderness Camp - Laikipia Plateau
Today we are heading to the Laikipia Plateau in the morning via our private charter. We will arrive in the late morning and will have a short drive to get to camp. After settling in and after a nice bite to eat we will head out on our first game drive. A beautiful wilderness area, this region of Laikipia consists of rocky outcrops, meandering rivers, valleys and escarpments with amazing views and an incredibly high diversity of mammals. Our time here in Laikipia will be flexible when it comes to game drives. As dusk and the first few hours of dark are considered the optimum time to search for leopard, we will embark on afternoon drive and stay out with the aim of being back in camp after dark.
We will focus our time on photographing black leopards on our morning and afternoon drives (the latter stretching into the night and concluding pre dinner). We have good chances to photograph Elephant, Lion, Spotted Hyena, Hippopotamus and Cape Buffalo, while other species of interest at Laikipia include the northern Kenyan "dry-country" specials in the form of the beautiful Grevy’s Zebra (an Endangered species, and the world’s largest species of zebra) and handsomely-patterned Reticulated Giraffe (sadly, also classed as Endangered).
November 4-7, 2027; (3 Nights)
Shompole Wilderness Camp - Southern Rift Valley, Kenya
Today we are taking a private plane to the southern Rift Valley, along the border with Tanzania and to a very special place. The area is in the heart of Maasailand and it is a harsh and dry environment with beautiful landscapes and good light for photographers.
We are flying to Shompole Wilderness, a small camp that is set on a spur that runs down on the plains, off the Nguruman Escarpment and near the only water in the area. The camp has one of the few water sources for the resident wildlife, and thus is very productive for wildlife viewing at camp. Shompole Wilderness has a two photographic hides, giving the group access to more than one set of experiences. These hides have ample space for photographers with beds, a bathroom, a refrigerator and lights at different angles that allow us to tailer for each wildlife sighting.
The group will head into the hides after dinner, spending the nights taking photographs of nocturnal wildlife. During the day we will head into the local Maasai community for some amazing cultural photographs, as well as spend time processing our images.
The mornings at Shompole are a time to relax, catch up on sleep and get ready for the afternoons and evenings. If you are feeling energetic, spend time at the bird hide, which is outdoors, taking photos of birds coming in for a bath or a drink.
After dinner under the stars we will head back into the photo hide, for another night of exciting photo opportunities.
The main benefits of our time at Shompole are:
We are able to see day time and night time animals coming to us, in a controlled setting
The lighting is setup in a way where we can control the angle of lights for each subject that comes in
The hides have comfortable seating and at eye-level with our subjects
Different hides, so we can rotate between them each night
November 7, 2027
Today you will enjoy an casual morning, emerging from the hide at sunrise for a casual breakfast. Departing camp in time to make it to the airstrip for your flight back to Nairobi Wilson airport. The group will be transferred to Four Points by Sheraton, near the airport, for a day room and will be transferred by the hotel to Jomo Kenyatta International airport in time for your evening flight.
NOTE: Customized extensions to this safari, including Tanzania, mountain gorillas in Rwanda, additional time on safari in Kenya, Cape Town, Victoria Falls and other destinations may be arranged through us as desired. Ask us for further information. We do anticipate running an extension to the Masai Mara for those who are interested. Once signed up we will begin the discussion about who is interested and for how long.
The Cost
The cost of this all-inclusive safari is $13,750 per person. This fee includes all in-country ground and air transportation as well as hotel accommodation (double occupancy) and all meals.
Due to the limited number of spaces available, if a solo guest is willing to share a room and we can match with another guest of the same gender, we will do so. If a solo guest is unwilling to share, then a single supplement will be charged $1,900 (please contact us if you would like to have your own accommodation as we have a very limited number of single slots available).
Please note: We will attempt to adhere to this itinerary as much as possible. However, certain conditions (political, climatic, environmental, cultural, or wildlife migrations) may necessitate changes in the itinerary. We reserve the right to alter any itinerary at any time, if necessary. We will attempt to notify travelers of changes, if they occur, as far in advance as possible. Costs incurred by such changes will be the responsibility of the participant.
What Do I Do Next?
This group will be super small so space is limited. If this exciting trip has your name on it; if you're excited by the thought of becoming a member of this trip, then now is the time to register. Remember, there will be limited space available for this workshop. When they're spoken for, that's it. If you have any questions before registering, send us an e-mail with any inquiries to hello@andybiggs.com.
Trip Details
Safari Leader: Andy Biggs
Dates: October 30 - November 7, 2027
Cost: $13,750
Single Supplement: $1,900
What's Included?
•Accommodation on a shared basis (single rooms in Nairobi).
•Private safari vehicles
•All safari activities and transfers to/from the airports and the hotels.
•Daily laundry.
•Amboseli park fees.
•Meet & Assist service on arrival in Nairobi.
•All meals and drinks at camp.
•The current Tourism Levies and all relevant Value Added Tax or Government Sales Tax
What is Not Included?
•International airfare and/or other transportation between your home and Nairobi.
•Visas
•Travel Insurance (required for this safari. We do offer travel insurance at competitive rates)
•Personal purchases (including curios, spirit liquors, telephone calls etc.)
•Gratuities for guides and hotel staff
•Pre- and post- safari tours and meals or accommodation before or after the safari