Kenyan Photo Tours specialises in guided tours of Nairobi National Park, the best place to get up close and personal with the big 4 - lions, leopards, rhinos (both black and white), and buffalos, and all the wildlife that calls it home. We believe that dedicating all of our attention to this one location allows for a more fulfilling and personalised experience, allowing us to spend all day every day out in the park photographing, instead of spending hours on the road travelling between different parks. However, for those wanting a bit more, we have the option of a multi park tour coming in 2026. Our expert guides will take you on an adventure of a lifetime, showcasing all the beauty that the park has to offer, whilst keeping your safety and comfort in mind.

We can also arrange a day trip to Lake Nakuru/Nakuru National Park, with its rich bird life, flocks of Flamingos and Pelicans, and endangered Rothschild Giraffes, and/or Hells Gate, the inspiration for The Lion King, where you can get out of the vehicle and take a hike through the park. It should be noted that there are not really any predators in this park, hence being able to walk. You should consider the animals you want to see before selecting this park as a day tour.

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Starting in 2026, we are adding the option of a multi park tour, incorporating some of Kenya's favourite and most diverse parks for those who want to experience a bit more of what this captivating country has to offer.

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Amboseli National Park

Sat in the shadow Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, the Amboseli National Park is one of Kenya's most popular parks. The name "Amboseli" comes from a Maasai word meaning "salty dust", and it is one of the best places in Africa to view large herds of elephants up close. Here we can explore five different habitats, ranging from the dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli, wetlands with sulphur springs, the savannah and woodlands.

Amboseli hosts all of the big five, as well as hundreds of bird species. Coupled with its dramatic landscapes, it provides something for all of your photography interests. 

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Tsavo East National Park

The sight of dust-red elephants wallowing, rolling and spraying each other with the midnight blue waters of palm-shaded Galana River is one of the most evocative images in Africa. This, along with the 300km long Yatta Plateau, the longest lava flow in the world, makes for an adventure unlike any other. The park forms the largest protected area in Kenya and is home to most of the larger mammals, vast herds of dust-red elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, pods of hippo, crocodile, waterbucks, lesser Kudu, gerenuk and the prolific bird life features 500 recorded species.

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Tsavo West National Park

From the sight of fifty million gallons of crystal clear water gushing out of from the under parched lava rock that is the Mzima Springs to the Shetani lava flows, Tsavo West is a beautiful, rugged wilderness. The savannah ecosystem comprises of open grasslands, scrublands, and Acacia woodlands, belts of riverine vegetation and rocky ridges, including the Poacher's Lookout where visitors can see the teeming herds in the plains below. Tsavo West offers some of the most magnificent game viewing in the world and wildlife includes elephants, rhinos, hippos, lions, cheetah, leopards, buffalos, and diverse plant and bird species including the threatened corncrake and near threatened Basra Reed Warbler.

Between Tsavo East and West, it presents us with the best chance of spotting the elusive leopard.

These parks also have some wildlife hides at ground level right on the edge of watering holes. Subject to availability and locally paid fees, we can try to secure an afternoon at one of these hides.

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Samburu National Reserve

Samburu National Reserve is a game reserve in Northern Kenya, known for its diverse wildlife, unique landscapes, and the Samburu people's traditional way of life. The reserve is located on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River, which draws in a variety of animals. It's particularly famous for its "Samburu Five" – Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, Somali ostrich, and beisa oryx – which are exclusive to this region of Kenya and won't be found in the more Southerly parks.

The climate in Samburu is also noticeably different to the other parks, being North of the equator, it is usually 5 or 6 degrees hotter. 

As we travel to Samburu, we can stop at Nanyuki, the equator town, and watch a demonstration of how water changes direction depending which side of the equator you are standing on. There is also a host of curio stalls located here, where you can buy some locally crafted gifts.

Due to the distance of Samburu, we will probably have to make an overnight pit stop on the way back, this is usually around the Naivasha and Nakuru area.

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Ol Pajeta Conservancy

For conservation enthusiasts, Ol Pajeta is a must visit.

The Conservancy boasts the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa; in 2013, it reached a population milestone of one hundred eastern black rhinos. It also houses the two last remaining northern white rhinos in the world, who were moved there from Dvůr Králové Zoo in the Czech Republic, in an effort to save the species and establish a breeding program. The Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary is situated here which provides a haven for orphaned, abandoned, and rescued chimpanzees. It is the only place in Kenya where chimpanzees can be seen. The Conservancy is host to the "Big Five Game" animals among a large selection of other African animals. It also operates a livestock program that serves to benefit local farmers and wildlife. 

Ol Pajeta is also the final resting place of Sudan, the worlds last male northern white rhino, whos grave can be visited among the grave stones of other rhinos that have spent their last days here. 

Whilst a visit to Sudans grave is a sombre experience, it serves as an important reminder, particularly as wildlife photographers, the importance of the conservation work places like Ol Pajeta are doing.

Many of the lodges within the conservancy offer a night time game drive. You can use this as an opportunity to practice low light photography, or simply enjoy the chance to see how the animals behave at night. This can be arranged and paid for directly via the lodge on arrival. 

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Maasai Mara National Reserve

Perhaps Kenya's best known park. The Mara runs along the most Southerly border, joining Tanzania, and the park itself runs into the Serengeti.

Large carnivores are found in the reserve. Lions are the most dominant, and are found here in large numbers. Spotted hyenas are another abundant carnivore, and will often compete with lions for food. Leopards are found anywhere in the reserve where there are trees for them to escape to. East African cheetahs are also found in high numbers on the open savanna, hunting gazelle and wildebeest. African wild dogs are quite rare here due to the heavy competition they face with lions, who can often ravage their populations. Their packs also roam and travel far distances throughout the plains, making it hard to track them. Smaller carnivores that don't directly compete with the latter include African wolves, black-backed jackals, African striped weasels, caracals, servals, honey badgers, aardwolves, African wildcats, side-striped jackals, bat-eared foxes, striped polecats, African civets, genets, several mongoose species, and African clawless otters. It should be noted that many of these smaller species are nocturnal and can be hard to locate. 

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