The Friedman Archives Blog: Kenya Trip Report

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Kenya Trip Report

[Ed. Note - This post is an amalgamation of two blog posts from Dec 15, 2024 and Feb. 14, 2025.]

Kenya

I led a photo safari in Kenya back in November 2024 - a trip designed specifically for the unique needs of photographers. Suffice to say everyone had an over-the-top great time, so much so that we're doing it again in 2025. That's the mark of a pretty good trip. Here's a few shots from that trip. (Click on any picture to view larger and sharper.)

4 giraffes with Mt. Kilimanjaro in the background.

Optically, this lens is outstanding.

Lucky shot. :-)

Portrait of a Maasai Warrior. (See "Wireless Flash Workshop" section below. :-) )

Me holding the Sigma 60-600mm lens

I miss the rains down in Africa.

The Accommodations

Glamping at its finest.

The best way to describe our accommodations was “glamping” – high-end tents, extraordinarily clean, fresh bedsheets and a private bathroom with western toilet. Showers had to be scheduled ahead of time, at which time someone would come with one large bucket of hot water and one of cold, pour them both into a large canvas bag, then raise the bag up for potential energy. The showers were actually quite pleasant!

Each day was similarly structured... Breakfast at 7 AM, then embark on a morning safari (when it was still cool out); lunch at 1 PM, then a siesta until early afternoon. Afternoon safari would then commence; then dinner at 7, then sometimes an evening outing after dinner. Evening safaris are accompanied by near-IR spotlights from the jeep, so as not to disturb the animals too much but still make them photographable.

Lots of animals out our tent screen.

Sounds like a packed schedule, yet there was lots of time for socializing. (As it turns out, my readers are very friendly people! J )

One thing there really wasn’t time for, ironically, was to go through our pictures and share best ones. There were simply too many images to plow through – all I had time to do was empty my memory cards, make a backup, then go socialize (or get some sleep). The great philosopher Kenny Rogers taught us that you don’t count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table. They’ll be time enough for countin’ (or picture going throughin’) when the safari’s done.

Relaxing after a full day of shooting.

Delivering hot and cold water for the showers.

Monkeys were everywhere. They broke into our tent
twice and stole our trail mix!

The Food

On the plus side, the food was delicious and very western. Gourmet chefs prepared 3-course meals including desserts which everyone enjoyed. On the minus side, if we wanted to taste local cuisine, we’d have to go elsewhere. Sometimes we'd eat at the camp; often times tables were set up in the bush and we'd feast outdoors. And if you like alcohol, there's plenty to be had - all included!

The Staff

This, I think, was the best part – in order to work at a Gamewatchers camp you have to take a 2-year school where you learn encyclopedic-level knowledge of all the animals, their habits, movements, and after awhile, their social order. Not just knowledgeable tour guides, they all understand the importance of good light to a photographer and go out of their way to drive the jeep close to the animals with the sun in the right direction.

But in terms of helpfulness, absolutely everyone in the camp went above and beyond, whether it’s wiring up a tent with electricity to accommodate a CPAP machine, to sending a forgotten iPad to the airport in time for departure, absolutely everyone made sure we had a great trip.

Same Time Next Year?

Everyone had such a good time that we all vowed to do it again in November 2025! Details are still congealing, but if you're thinking of joining us this year please send me an email at Gary at Friedman Archives dot com and I’ll put you on the notification list.

You can see my favorite pictures here. And some of the favorite photos from the participants here.