Northern Kenya Photo Tour - full itinerary

Our Northern Kenya photography tour presents an extraordinary journey through East Africa's most captivating landscapes and diverse cultures. From the dramatic volcanic scenery of Hell's Gate National Park to the pristine wilderness of Lake Turkana, Kenya offers an unique collection of photographic opportunities showcasing natural splendour and rich cultural heritage.

We traverse the Great Rift Valley, capturing flamingo-filled lakes and ancient geological formations spanning millions of years of evolution. The northern frontier reveals tribal communities including the traditional Turkana, Samburu, Rendile and El Molo people, offering intimate glimpses into unchanged centuries-old ways of life.

Kenya's wildlife reserves offer exceptional opportunities for capturing Africa's Big Five alongside endemic reticulated giraffes and Grevy's zebras. Contrasts between the arid northern deserts and lush central highlands create diverse landscape backdrops, while traditional markets and cultural ceremonies provide vibrant documentary subjects.

Throughout this adventure, we balance challenging terrain with comfortable accommodations, ensuring we capture the golden hours while maintaining the comfort our senior photographers deserve. From sunrise boat rides on pristine lakes to sunset game drives in renowned reserves, every moment is crafted to maximize photographic potential in this land of endless horizons.

Please keep in mind that this is a research tour so we may need to make some adjustments to our daily schedule
depending on our circumstances. This should, however, be a pretty accurate outline of the itinerary:

Day 1: August 8
Arrival in Nairobi
We will arrange for you to be picked up from the airport and transferred to our comfortable city hotel. There will be a meet ‘n’ greet with Maciej at the hotel starting at around 6pm, followed by drinks and dinner with the group.

Day 2: August 9
Nairobi — Lake Naivasha
After breakfast, we leave Nairobi and drive toward the Rift Valley, stopping at the scenic viewpoint for our first landscape photography session where we can capture the dramatic geological formations. We continue to Hell's Gate National Park and take a walk through the famous gorge, where we hike and photograph the distinctive volcanic terrain and towering rock formations.

We check into our atmospheric lakeside lodge, the former home of Joy Adamson of "Born Free" fame. The lodge sits in a spectacular location with sweeping views across manicured lawns to Lake Naivasha. While traditional rather than modern, the intimate property offers genuine African character with just a handful of rooms. In the evening, we visit the museum and enjoy a documentary screening about Joy and George Adamson's conservation work.

Day 3: August 10
Lake Naivasha — Lake Nakuru
We begin our morning with a photographic boat ride on Lake Naivasha at sunrise, capturing the golden light reflecting on the water and the diverse birdlife that inhabits the lake. After breakfast, we proceed to Lake Nakuru National Park in the Great Rift Valley, arriving at our comfortable lodge in time for lunch.

The afternoon game drive reveals abundant wildlife in this renowned park, once famous for its vast flocks of lesser and greater flamingos. We photograph over 400 bird species including white pelicans, plovers, egrets, and marabou storks. The park is also one of the few places in Africa to capture the white rhinoceros and rare Rothschild's giraffe. The dramatic contrast between the alkaline lake with its ancient bird populations and the surrounding acacia woodlands creates compelling compositions.

Day 4: August 11
Lake Nakuru — Maralal
This morning, we leave Lake Nakuru and drive toward the edge of the Great Rift Valley, stopping at Thomson Falls to experience traditional Kikuyu songs and photograph the magnificent cascading water. After lunch, we continue to Maralal in Samburu country, a three-hour journey offering beautiful scenery and wildlife spotting opportunities through the Elmaiso animal park area.

This drive provides our first encounters with the Samburu people and their livestock - camels, goats, and cattle spread across the landscape, offering authentic glimpses into their traditional pastoral lifestyle. We arrive at our safari lodge for dinner and rest, preparing ourselves for the adventures ahead in Kenya's northern frontier.

Day 5: August 12
Maralal — Loiyangalani
After breakfast, we depart for a challenging drive through rough terrain heading north. Along the way, we stop at the Lesiolo escarpment for landscape photography overlooking Mount Ngiro, the sacred Samburu mountain. The dramatic vistas provide excellent opportunities for wide-angle compositions.

We make a brief stop in Baragoi, with spectacular views of the Elberta plains. This scattered trading centre marks the traditional divide between the Samburu and Turkana territories. We pass through South Horr, an oasis occupied by Samburu tribesmen, where we break for lunch in this remote jungle setting.

In the evening, we arrive at Loiyangalani, a small town whose name means “a place of many trees” in the native Samburu language, and check into our desert hotel which is located beside Lake Turkana, Africa's largest desert lake. The lake is a unique ecosystem, and distinguished as the world's largest permanent desert lake as well as the largest alkaline water body.

Day 6: August 13
Turkana
Loiyangalani serves as the meeting point of four distinct tribes: Turkana, Rendile, Samburu, and El Molo. We spend the majority of the day with the Turkana people around Lake Turkana, previously known as Lake Rudolf. We visit three different Turkana villages, documenting their remarkable survival strategies in this challenging region of Kenya's northern frontier district. If time aallows, we may also visit one of the local Sambura villages but this will of course depend on how the day progresses.

The lake's jade-green waters provide a stunning backdrop for portraits of the Turkana people in their traditional colourful attire. We capture their ancient fishing techniques, vibrant traditional dances, and authentic daily life activities against the dramatic landscape of towering volcanic mountains and endless desert horizons stretching into infinity.

Day 7: August 14
El Molo Land
Today we visit the El Molo tribe, Kenya's smallest and most endangered ethnic group which is sadly at risk of extinction. Their survival depends entirely on fishing tilapia and crocodiles from the harsh alkaline lake waters. We document this remarkable community's unique adaptation to one of Africa's most unforgiving environments and their resilient cultural traditions.

We visit the desert museum, which displays a range of artifacts and tools used by the northern tribes throughout history. We also photograph the Turkana and Borana communities, capturing the diversity of cultures that converge in this remote region. The stark desert landscape provides dramatic backdrops for environmental portraits of these remarkably resilient people.

Day 8: August 15
Loiyangalani — Ngurunit
After breakfast, we head south through the rich hills surrounding Mount Ngiro and Mount Kulal, both sacred to the Samburu people. This area is believed to be the original homeland of the Samburu tribe, and we visit traditional villages to photograph their authentic way of life and time-honored traditions.

The journey to Ngurunit takes us through diverse terrain, providing excellent opportunities for dramatic landscape photography. We check into our authentic desert camp, a unique accommodation experience that brings us closer to the traditional nomadic lifestyle of the region while offering comfortable amenities under starlit skies.

Day 9: August 16
Ngurunit
Today after breakfast, we explore Rendile country, taking a walking safari through the desert to visit the Migris river, a crucial watering point for both wildlife and domestic animals. This seasonal river, with its distinctive white sand spreading over 50 metres wide, features traditional Rendile singing wells that serve as the main water source for their animals.

We photograph wildlife sharing these ancient watering holes with camels and goats, and possibly an elephant. Village visits reveal the Rendile people's remarkable desert survival skills, including camel and goat milking, their primary sustenance in this harsh environment. The interaction between humans, domestic animals, and wildlife creates compelling documentary opportunities.

Day 10: August 17
Ngurunit — Samburu National Reserve
After breakfast, we set off on an exciting drive through the rugged sand dunes of the spectacular Chalbi Desert, featuring stunning panoramic views of majestic Mount Kulal. We cross the southern Chalbi desert and enter the remote Kakuya desert along the mighty Ewaso Ngiro river, which flows northward toward Ethiopia where it joins the Omo basin.

These vast plains, home to the Rendile people, offer excellent opportunities for environmental portraits and landscape photography. We arrive at Samburu National Reserve in time for an evening game drive, searching for the reserve's special species including Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy's Zebra, Beisa Oryx, and the blue-necked Somali Ostrich - species rarely found elsewhere in Kenya. We stay at our comfortable safari lodge.

Day 11: August 18
Samburu
We spend a full day exploring this fascinating and remote wildlife reserve located in Kenya's dramatic semi-arid Northern Frontier district, where ancient volcanic landscapes meet endless savanna plains under expansive African skies. The scrubland north of the equator provides a unique backdrop for wildlife photography, with lunch served in the bush.

We continue our search for the elusive leopard, lions, cheetah, and elephants during early morning and afternoon game drives. The reserve's distinctive landscape and endemic wildlife species offer exceptional photographic opportunities, from wide-angle habitat shots to intimate animal portraits in golden light.

Day 12: August 19
Samburu — Nairobi
We begin with an early morning game drive, maximizing our final wildlife photography opportunities in the golden dawn light before returning to the lodge for a hearty breakfast. We then set off on a scenic drive through agricultural Central Kenya back to the bustling capital of Nairobi, arriving in the evening.

The journey through the fertile highlands provides a striking contrast to the arid northern regions we've explored, with abundant opportunities to photograph terraced farmlands, vibrant rural communities, and the dramatically changing landscape. We check into our comfortable city hotel for our final restful night.

Day 13: August 20
Departure from Nairobi
After breakfast at the hotel, we arrange for you to be transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your outbound flight. If you would like to extend your stay, we would be happy to put you in touch with our local tour operator who can assist with additional arrangements to explore more of Kenya or continue to other East African destinations.

We hope this photographic journey through Kenya's diverse landscapes and cultures has provided memorable experiences and compelling images, and we look forward to sharing future adventures together.