Kenya: The Great Rift Valley by Day & Night

Following the huge success of our Zimanga - Wildlife & Night Sky Photography tour in South Africa, I'm delighted to be working with Wildlife Worldwide to develop our portfolio of photography tours, particularly those that combine diurnal and nocturnal photography. For 2025, we've created a new tour to Kenya which incorporates a similar approach.

Kenya is perhaps best known for its annual wildebeest migration, but the Great Rift Valley is a vast area of wilderness and filled with some other exceptional wildlife. The 25,000-hectare Olkiramatian Conservancy, situated to the north of Lake Natron, is home to a staggering diversity of wildlife and is perfect for those with a passion for wildlife photography.

Image by Patrick McCloskey

Situated on the edge of the Nguruman Escarpment, we have exclusive use of the beautiful Lentorre Lodge for a 7-night stay. Offering game drives twice a day and exclusive use of a purpose-built photography hide, the lodge is the perfect place to base ourselves and become immersed in the host of photographic opportunities that can be found in the Great Rift Valley.

We have exclusive access to the Olkiramatian Conservancy as well as access to the neighbouring 62,700-hectare Shompole Conservancy for our game drives. There's also the opportunity to visit the nearby Lake Magadi, where we can photograph the flamingos feeding in the caustic waters. The trip has been designed to coincide with the end of the dry season, when water levels in the area are at their lowest and the wildlife is drawn to the lodge’s waterhole, thereby maximising our photographic opportunities from the hide.

Our daily routine consists of morning and afternoon photographic game drives in the conservancies, and we can spread out across two vehicles, providing plenty of space for everyone. Of course, with photography being our primary focus, we endeavour to make the most of the ‘golden hours’ every day. However, the length of each drive really depends on the sightings that we encounter. Having exclusive use of the lodge and its two vehicles affords us this level of flexibility.

In the evenings, we have the option of a night drive or a session in the onsite photography hide, overlooking the waterhole. With strategically positioned backlighting, it offers the opportunity to get some stunning images. Whilst species can never be guaranteed, previous visitors have included leopard, African wild cat, caracal, serval, striped hyena and porcupine.

The itinerary as a whole should provide many chances to photograph a wide range of mammalian and avian subjects, in different settings and light conditions, allowing you to experiment with various shots and fully utilise the tuition and guidance available. Experiencing this mesmerising region of Kenya by night and day allows us to enjoy all the variegations of its wildlife and photographic opportunities, whilst staying in an exclusive, luxury lodge in the heart of the African wilderness. What’s not to like?

Been inspired to visit Kenya? Find out more about our Kenya’s Rift Valley Wildlife Photography tour today, or contact our team for further information.