Photo Safaris in Kenya (page 2 of 18)

Hi Muriel, Reading your travel journal made me want to write my own 😊—clever move, now I’ve got to remember everything 😅😂

since our first trip in 2027 to Kruger, we’ve just been dying to go back… we caught the Africanovirus, as Tony Crocetta would say 😄

Isabelle, you’re time-traveling too 😆😜

I’m not the one who’ll talk you out of going to Africa... ever since our first trip to 2027 in Kruger,

It was before dawn in Grenoble. 😉 But if you keep going back in time, we might see some amazing dinosaur shots. I’m not boarding, but I’m carrying the gear 🙂 (Hey Régis, obviously—two hours later, we’re more awake )

Oops!!! In 2017, my finger was too big for the smartphone 😂

I see some of you are following along 😊—by the way, I’m counting on you to correct and add to my travel journal 😉

I'm not going but I'll carry the gear 🙂

Oh! Cool if you carry my gear next time I’ll bring more. Thanks! 🤗

Hi Isabelle,

Your first photo sets the tone, and I totally get why you chose it to represent yourself. It really makes you want to see more!

Did you do any special editing on these first photos using software? If so, what exactly? Don’t hesitate to share details—no one will say this isn’t a photo forum since it’s part of the travel experience. When you’re curious, you want to know! Plus, some people might want to get inspired for their own trips.

I also noticed that other travel journals inspired you to create your own. Hopefully, this will inspire other readers to do the same!

Yeah Joel, these photos were post-processed 🙂 I use Lightroom and a bit of Photoshop for wildlife shots. I try as much as possible to make the right settings on the camera to get as close as possible to the desired final result. But in these cases, you already need to know the intention you want to convey when taking the shot. So, for the lion, you need to underexpose, and for the giraffes, overexpose when shooting—otherwise, you’ll have to do too much post-processing, and that’s not the goal.

Your first photo sets the tone, and I can see why you chose it to represent yourself. It really makes you want to see what’s next.

That was kind of the point —to make you want to follow this travel journal, but the next photos will be much more informative 😉

Hi Isabelle,

I’m happy to hop in the 4x4! !😎

The lion is stunning, well done!

For Kenya, I don’t know why, but it’s the country with wildlife parks that attracts me the least..😐

Still, I think it’d be easier and less expensive than Tanzania (self-drive version).

I’ve got your whole travel journal to try and change my mind for my autumn 2025 trip! !😉

(What about safety? The *Conseils aux voyageurs* site is pretty alarmist.)

Hi Agnes, Hop on, Agnes, there’s still plenty of room 😛. Thanks for the lion... his nickname is Half Tail 😉. I don’t know if my travel journal will tempt you, but personally, I wouldn’t do Kenya as a self-drive trip... I’m not saying it’s impossible, but the driving seems a bit intense! Lots of trucks on two-way roads, so cars overtake pretty recklessly 😕. We always had a guide and only visited wildlife parks, so we didn’t run into any safety issues in the country 🙂. I know I’m not much help on this, but maybe other VF members have driven around Kenya and can give you some tips .

Hi Isabelle,

Is there still a spot for me in the 4x4?

The photos are really beautiful. Can’t wait for the next ones! !

Of course... there's always room in these big virtual 4x4s! 🙂

Great photos, Isabelle, both technically and aesthetically!

BL

Thanks Bernard! 😊 Wow! An East Africa pro in my travel journal—I’ll have to be really careful about what I say! 😅 I’m counting on you to correct me and add any extra info to what I write—don’t hesitate! 😉

Nairobi / Amboseli

We wake up early—yep, we’ve got a date with African wildlife! 🙂 But first, we meet up with Régis for breakfast. He’d already spent a day at Nairobi National Park with Sylvie and Ben, who were wrapping up their trip with Félix.

So, we take over with Félix Wanight. Félix runs his own agency, La Savane Safari. He has a vehicle specifically adapted for safaris, not just a regular car like the ones we’ve seen transporting tourists on the trails.

Félix is both the driver and guide. He knows the parks we’ll be visiting like the back of his hand, he’s super competent, incredibly kind, and speaks French fluently. I can’t recommend him highly enough. Here’s the team! 😉



Today, he’s joined by David, who’ll be our cook for the first few days of our stay—lucky us! Right, Régis? 🙂



The reportage photos (accommodation, meals, park entrance, etc.) were provided by Régis and Quynh, my husband, since I barely take any photos with my smartphone. And since I wasn’t planning to keep a travel journal, I didn’t take those kinds of shots.

By 8 a.m., we’re hitting the Kenyan roads, heading to our first destination: Amboseli. The road between Nairobi and Mombasa is extremely busy. Trucks line up one after another on a two-way road, with only a few passing lanes here and there. And between those trucks, a few cars and 4x4s try to overtake whenever they can… even when they really shouldn’t. It’s better not to look too closely because we had a few close calls 🏴‍☠️. Fortunately, Félix is very cautious—he only overtakes when he knows it’s safe. As a result, covering the 240 km to Amboseli National Park takes us nearly 5 hours. It’s long, but we arrive safe and sound!



We arrive at the park entrance in the early afternoon. After completing the entry formalities, we head straight to our accommodation nearby. While we settle in, David prepares an excellent meal for us 😎.

The accommodation, Simba Cottage, is managed by KWS (Kenya Wildlife Service). It’s self-catering, which is why we hired David’s services—and it’s absolutely worth it! It has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, and a large living/dining room. It’s not brand new, but it’s very functional, and the best part is that it’s inside the park, unlike the lodges outside.

It’s 3 PM when we climb into the vehicle for our first safari... And like every time in Africa, the magic happens... the animals are there—gazelles, elephants, wildebeest, zebras...🙂



A little family, two mothers with four little ones, comes straight toward us and passes behind the 4x4.



Just before heading back, two cheetahs are on the lookout near the road.

But time’s running out... we have to get back before 6 PM. I pack up my camera gear—what a mistake! Just before arriving at the lodge, a little impala skirmish breaks out. Luckily, Quynh and Régis were quick on the draw!😛



We return from our first outing thrilled, the memory cards well used. After a good meal, we head to bed with plenty of beautiful images in our minds.🙂

The rest is here

Today, we’re joined by David, who’ll be our cook for the first few days of our stay—lucky us! Right, Régis? 🙂

Just thinking about it makes my mouth water 🤤😋🤤

No, okay, I take back everything I thought: Why lug around so many kilos of camera gear when a good smartphone is enough (just teasing ;)) Well, just look at the first 8 photos from Isa for the answer. I'm speechless. Sorry for doubting.

I'm going to steal all the photos for my next African travel journal 😏

No, okay, I take back everything I thought: Why weigh yourself down with so many kilos of camera gear when a good smartphone is enough (I’m teasing ;))

Yes, I completely agree with you... every time I tell myself the same thing when I’m carrying this darn backpack , especially since the iPhone 16 works wonders ;). The problem is that animals rarely come within 5 meters of us to get their picture taken .

Well, just look at Isa’s first 8 photos to get the answer. I’m speechless. Sorry for doubting.

Thanks Bruno Confession made, confession forgiven

I’m going to steal all the photos for my next African travel journal

No need to steal them, Bruno—I can lend you some of the tens of thousands lying around on our hard drives

No need to steal them, Bruno—I can lend you some of the tens of thousands we’ve got lying around on our hard drives

Oh really? In that case, I’d love some too!