Masai Mara Migration Safari 2025
An 8 day exclusive Kenya photographic safari to witness the awesome wildebeest migration that occurs once per year. At this time the Masai Mara is packed with animals and you might get lucky and witness the ultimate spectacle, a mass crossing of the Mara River. With award winning professional photographer and experienced safari guide Jamie Peters, 4 clients per vehicle, a wonderful safari camp with friendly staff and great food and working with one of the most reputable safari operators in East Africa. Read on for details of this amazing safari.
Our Advantages
We never like to blow our own trumpet but our safaris are different and we know what we are doing....
Jamie Peters
Jamie is a trained Army photographer and educator. He is a superb wildlife photographer with skills in videography too. As a veteran of many African and Indian safaris.working alongside Andy Rouse he is one of the best in the business.
Custom vehicles
On safari you see a lot of vehicles packed with photographers. This doesn't work for us so on our exclusive safaris we have only 3-4 photographers in the back so everyone gets an awesome view and multiple angles.
Great food, camps & team
We work in proud partnership with the best safari operator in Kenya. For this trip we will be staying at their superb Mara Bush Camp. With showers, toilets and power charging in the tent, their camps operate with sustainability in mind.
Work hard play hard
We are out as early as park rules allow and we stay as long as the light is good. On each drive we go out with a plan, which is based on experience and local knowledge, to ensure that we make the most of the golden light.
A social focus
Your safari is a holiday and so we will do everything we can to make it one you will remember. Every day we will have our breakfast in the bush, and when weather permits dine under the stars after a drink around the campfire.
Professional Logistics
Our local operator has a fleet of modern, well maintained Toyota landcruisers. We have engineers in all the camps, backup vehicles if necessary, a camp nurse in the Mara and emergency evacuation insurance to Nairobi too.
Safari Overview
September 1st to 7th 2025
4 clients in 1 exclusive photography adapted vehicle with Jamie Peters as you professional guide
£5995 per person sharing, £990 single supplement
Includes 12 game drives, full board and accommodation at Mara Bush Camp
Availability - 4 places available
Essential Facts
For this safari we are going to concentrate on the Masai Mara during what should be migration time. It's impossible to predict exactly but traditionally this is when the bulk of the wildebeest herds reach the Masai Mara in their tens of thousands. Enroute they cross two mighty rivers which can be an incredible spectacle to witness and photograph. But the migration is more than just wildebeest, it's a bonanza for cats too. Lion prides concentrate into smaller areas, cheetah families appear and usually shy leopards become bold and visible. Add to that the incredibly game rich plains of the Masai Mara with herds of giraffe, packs of roaming hyenas, and teeming birdlife along the rivers and you can see why migration time is special.
Our safaris are relaxed, personalised and fun, we get great pictures and have a great spirit too.
Read on to find out more....
The Masai Mara
The game rich plains of the Masai Mara have been a mecca for wildlife photographers for many years. With it's stunning grassland habitats, bisected by the awesome Mara and Talek Rivers, it has the most concentrated and diverse wildlife species anywhere in Africa. Our focus for the golden light sessions will be on the lions, leopards, cheetahs, servals, hyenas, giraffes, hippos and of course all the plains game and birdlife, after that we will move onto the migration river crossings to see if one might happen.
The Mara is just awesome, we will never be stuck for anything to do and will always leave camp with a plan.
About Jamie Peters
WO2 Jamie Peters was an Army Photographer for 11 years. During that time he’d been to many places photographing the army including Afghanistan, Kenya, Nepal, Ukraine and Sierra Leone. In that time he has been an instructor at the Defence School of Photography, Combat Camera Team Leader and was Chief Photographer for the NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.
Jamie has won awards for his stills and videos in the past including the prestigious and fiercely competitive Army Photographer of the Year. His real passion though is nature photography and he spends his time photographing tough species near his home. He has led many safaris with Andy Rouse me in Africa and India and his experience not only covers fieldcraft but all genres of photography and videography. His special interest is macro too.
Andy has known Jamie for 10 years and Jamie was the best man at Andy's wedding. Jamie shoots with a mirrorless Sony system and most of the images in this brochure are his fine work.
Daily Safari Routine
Our safaris are not really governed by a set itinerary, we use our experience and that of our guides to make an informed choice about the plan for the day. Our plan will depend on what we have seen the night before and what we think will happen based on experience. But here's a rough guide to the day plan:
Morning - You will be woken up whilst it's still dark with tea / coffee at your tent in the Mara by our friendly staff. We will always go out with a plan to use for sunrise, usually finding lions or cheetah sitting somewhere nice. Whilst this might not work every day, we will be successful some days. So for the first two hours we will be very very busy!! After the cats we will look for other game.
Breakfast - We will have breakfast underneath a shady tree out on the plains. After breakfast we will head down to our favourite migration crossing points to see if any of the herds have built up enough to cross. If so then we will use our experience to make the best plan to get you close to the crossing and get awesome pictures.
Lunch - Lunchtimes are always taken in camp as you need time to chill, relax and recharge. The camp is beautiful and we want to spend time chilling in them too, after all for you it's a holiday.
Afternoons - Afternoons are usually quieter, once again we will use our local knowledge to make the best plan for you. We will often look for leopards at this time, check out the cheetah or look for birds along the local rivers, returning to camp at sunset.
Evenings - Safari days are long and tiring. Once you get back in the evening a hot shower will always be waiting for you, then it’s out to the campfire for a beer or cocktail before dinner. Dinner will be 3 courses of hearty bush cuisine with a great chef. Of course we can cater for special diets too (within reason). Then, after a hearty dinner, it's time to drift off listening to the sounds of Africa.
Mara Bush Camp
Our home for the Masai Mara is Sunworld's own exclusive camp called Mara Bush Camp. It is discreetly ‘tucked away’ in a riverine forest on the banks of the seasonal Olare Orok River. It’s a camp without borders and fences, a true African experience and one where a drink around the campfire will be an incredible end to a perfect day. All 12 tents have been placed far enough apart to guarantee complete tranquillity & privacy. The luxury tents (brand new in 2021 and now on stilts) are equipped with a comfortable 4 Poster bed (double / twin available on request) with a mosquito net, en-suite flushing toilet and sink unit in the bathroom with running water, hot shower (not a bucket shower but a real bush one!), clothes rack & storage chest, writing desk & veranda furniture, 1 litre of Mineral water daily to brush your teeth, towels & shampoo / conditioner & liquid wash soap. There is a charging point inside your tent too so there is no need to fight to get a charging point anymore!
The camp is fully solar powered, but a Generator (well tucked away to ensure that there is no noise pollution) is available to provide power in order to charge all cameras & equipment.
Wifi is available in the central areas of the camp. Sunworld are an eco-friendly safari operator and all plastic is banned in the camp. So on arrival you will be given water bottles to use for the duration of your trip.The camp is operated on an eco-friendly, sustainable basis and provide employment for local people throughout all levels of the operation. In short we are going to have a wonderful stay!
Safari Vehicles
We will be using Safari Landcruisers throughout this trip which are specially modified for photography as you can see. All clients will have a row to themselves with big open windows each side. All vehicles will rotate around between the guides.
The windows in the back are roll up and can quickly be rolled down in case of rain. There is a roof hatch too with shelter from the sun. We remove most of the seats so that you can have the lowest view and most freedom. The guide sits in the front passenger seat next to the driver as this is the most obstructed seat.
They are perfect vehicles for safari and driven by experts!
Why a Safari with us?
The brand of Andy Rouse Safaris is synonymous with quality, value for money, great photography with great accommodation and food. Nothing is left to chance and nothing is done on the cheap!! In short you get what you pay for.
The Camps - Superb and right in the middle of the action, yet relaxing and quiet during the day.
Safari Guide - Jamie Peters is a superb safari guide and photographic tutor. He will ensure that, no matter what your camera system or level of experience, that you have the maximum chance of taking images to be proud of. He is a very personable guide, with a wide range of interests and is a great communicator.
Local Guide Team - we have worked with our local drive team for many years. This is an important point. They have great eyes and are willing to go the extra mile. We don’t think that there are many safari drivers who could consistently deliver such great results. We will be working with our regular expert drive teams for this trip.
The camp staff deserve a mention too. Sunworld demand the highest standards of cleanliness and politeness, our camp staff will be simply superb. The vehicles are excellent, with good windows and roof hatches. Sunworld have a very eclectic range of photographic tours visiting them, including high class tours from Germany.
Who should come on this tour?
The tour is open to anyone who has a good sense of humour and has the right objectives for the trip. These are simply that you love animals, want to experience the best of Kenya, to see the migration and want to be inspired to push your photography forwards. You do not have to be a photographer to come on these trips, we have lots of clients who are not! You must be able to be patient enough to sit in a hot, dusty vehicle for hours on end waiting for something to happen; it’s a great time to catch up on your reading.
A good social mix is very important to us, We have a fun environment to let people thrive at their own pace.
Miscellaneous
Some extra bits and pieces that I know you just gotta know!!!
1) Travel - We will be driving from Nairobi to the Masai Mara and back, approximately 4 hours journey time.
2) Temperature - Of course we cannot predict this as the world is changing! But in general it's cool in the morning, warming to high 80's in the day and down to cool again in the evening so a very nice time to come! It might rain whilst we are there, it always does in Kenya, usually at night but you never know. It can be cloudy too, who knows what the weather will do now!
3) Kit - full info will be given in plenty of time for the trip. A minimum of reach of 400mm is preferred, 500mm is better but you will need a wider angle too.
4) Branded clothing - as always you will get some cool collectible ARWP branded clothing for the trip, likely a very smart safari shirt.
Dates and Itinerary
Ok here are the dates and itinerary for this safari:
1st September 2025 - leave UK, clients arrive Nairobi late pm, transfer to airport hotel for o/n Nairobi (see arrivals package below)
2nd September 2025 - morning drive to the Masai Mara, check-in and lunch at the camp, afternoon game drive
3rd September 2025 - All day Masai Mara
4th September 2025 - All day Masai Mara
5th September 2025 - All day Masai Mara
6th September 2025 - All day Masai Mara
7th September 2025 - All day Masai Mara
8th September 2025 - Morning game drive, breakfast, check out and exit the reserve by 1000 hrs. Drive back to Nairobi with packed lunches and drop off for day room use at the Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport Hotel to freshen up and re-packing. (Alternatively, transferred to Utamaduni Market for shopping). Eventually airport drop offs for outbound departure.
9th September 2025 - Home
Obviously this assumes that you are flying from the UK, don't worry we can sort anything for you!
Price and Booking
The costs for this wonderful safari is £6500 per person sharing. You can have a twin or double bed configuration in the tents.
The single supplement is £995 if you don't want to share, since most of our clients are single travellers we have included some of this in our costs.
The price includes all park fees and licenses, accommodation for all your Mara nights on a full board basis, day hotel in Nairobi and emergency medical evacuation insurance to a hospital in Nairobi (after that your medical insurance will take over).
The price excludes your international flights (see below), tips (driver and camp staff), soft and alcoholic drinks, laundry and items of a personal nature.
Arrivals package - Since we do not know which flights you will be arriving on we have not included an arrivals hotel for the 1st as some might arrive very early / late. But for clients that do arrive on the 1st we offer an Arrivals package that includes airport meet and greet, transfer to the Crowne Plaza at the airport with assisted check-in. This is very reasonable cost at $190 per double and $160 per single on a B&B basis (and the breakfast is awesome). This will be payable in the final balance.
Competitiveness - For the remote experience, standard, ethics of the camp, the domestic flights and the expertise of Jamie Peters, his guides and Sunworld Safaris it is a great deal. Please note that Sunworld Safaris are a company with an international reputation and you can be assured that they can be trusted 100%. They are a top category member of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators.
Payment - A deposit is required to secure your place of £1500 per person. You will be provided with a booking confirmation on receipt of this deposit. The balance will be due in two installments, 90 days and 45 days before departure.
Cancellation Policies - Our cancellation policies are strict and come from experience. If you cancel and we manage to find someone to take your place then we will refund your money once we have received their final balance, no argument there. If we do not find someone to take your place then your money will not be refundable as we must protect the tour. By booking this safari and paying your balance you agree to these conditions and no discussion will be entered into. If we postpone then your payment will be held over for a replacement safari at a later date or you will of course be entitled to a full refund. If you have to cancel then we will provide you will all the necessary documents for an insurance claim.
Travel Insurance - You must take out adequate travel insurance to cover all eventualities.
International Flights
For the international flights we have given up with including them as so many of you have your own frequent flyer deals and preferences. So instead, as we do for our Tiger Safaris, we will tell you when you need to be in Nairobi and give you some flight recommendations. It's upto you then to book your flights accordingly within these guidelines and let us know what you have booked. We will then arrange pickup's etc to the team hotel if necessary, or transfers at the airport if you are coming direct. This is now standard policy for all of our safaris. Obviously we will help you with all the necessary eVisas and docs that you need for the trip after booking.
The usual flights are BA / Kenya Airways from LHR direct or Air France via Paris, both connect well. KLM offers flights from Schipol with connections from all over the UK and so does Lufthansa. Plenty of choices.
Managing Expectations
Unfortunately in light of recent experiences we have been forced to add this section. Photographers see our image collection and always expect to get the same on a trip. You have to realise that we has been doing this for a long. BUT, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT, ALL THE PICTURES THAT YOU SEE IN THIS BROCHURE WERE TAKEN IN THE MARA.
We will try their absolute best to get everyone the best photographic opportunities possible, but of course this can be out of our control as the wildlife has other ideas!!! So whilst we show leopards, cheetahs, lions and lovely birds, we absolutely cannot guarantee in anyway shape or form that you will see any of these. It can rain. It can be cloudy. The lions can go on holiday. The migration can be early / late. You must come with this realistic expectations, we do not make false promises. What we can promise is that the team will work 150% to give you the best chances and best experiences possible. That is GUARANTEED!!
Terms and Conditions
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS
ARWP LTD
1. The meaning of some words used in these Terms and Conditions.
We, us or our is a reference to ARWP LtdYou or your is a reference to the person to whom we are providing our services and who is required to pay for the services we provide. Services means the trips ( including abroad ), tours, tuition or workshops we will organise. The precise services we will be providing to you will be stated in the literature including website(s) and newsletters advertising the services on offer and as we may agree from time to time.
2. Legally binding contract
2.1. A legally binding contract between you and us will come into being when you accept the offer of services from us by booking your place.
2.2. We suggest that before you accept the offer and book your place you read through these Terms and Conditions. If you have any questions concerning them please contact us.
2.3. You should keep a copy of these Terms and Conditions for your records.
3. Providing the Services
3.1. Our aim is to always provide you with the Services using reasonable care and skill.
3.2. There are certain situations or events which occur such as but not limited to adverse weather, non or poor appearance of wildlife, Acts of God, war, acts of terrorism, riot or civil commotion, fire, strike and government or other official intervention which are not within our reasonable control and will affect our ability to provide the services. Where this occurs we will where possible attempt to recommence performing the services as soon as we are able to. In such circumstances there may be a delay before we can start or continue performing the services. Sometimes we might have to bring the start time for the services forward. If we are able to start or continue performing the services or bring the start time forward but you choose not to participate for any reason you will not receive any refund.
4. Expulsion from Services
You agree to act in a suitable and proper manner whilst participating in the services with particular reference to the safety and welfare of wildlife and the enjoyment of the service by other participants and their safety. Should you be in breach of this we reserve the right to expel you from the services and in those circumstances you would not receive any refund.
5. Cancellation by us
5.1. If we cancel the services before they start you will receive a full refund of the money you have paid to us for the services. This does not include any other payments you have made such as for flights or accommodation. It is your responsibility to make sure you have in place appropriate insurance to cover these payments in the event that you do not take up or use whatever you have paid for.
5.2. We shall not refund to you any money which you have paid to us for the services which we have paid to third parties such as for accommodation abroad, internal flights or other travel arrangements abroad which we cannot recover from a third party. We will always try to obtain a refund from the third party and will pay this back to you if received by us.
5.3. If we cancel the services after they have started for any reason you will not receive any refund.
6. Cancellation by you
6.1. Once we and you enter into a binding contract you will not be able to cancel the contract. This is so that the services we are providing can continue for the benefit of other clients. Any money paid by you will not be refunded whereas paid as a deposit or in full payment.
7. Insurance It is your responsibility to ensure that you have adequate travel or other insurance to cover all eventualities where you do not receive a refund from us.
8. Restrictions and Assumptions We will assume that all information and facts that you provide are accurate and true such as your level of fitness or health if this is relevant to the particular services. It is your responsibility to draw to our attention anything which may be relevant or which may affect you from participating in the services we provide before booking and making your payment to us.
9. Exclusion and Limitation of Liability
9.1. We do not exclude or limit liability for our negligence or negligent omission which causes you personal injury or death.
9.2. We will not accept liability for any loss of or damage to photographic or any other equipment no matter how caused during or as a consequence of the services we provide.
9.3. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have adequate insurance to cover loss or damage to photographic or any other equipment before participating in the services.
9.4. In circumstances where we may be liable for any loss or damage suffered by you which is a reasonably foreseeable consequence of a breach by us of this Agreement, our maximum liability will be the amount of payment received from you for this particular service.
10. Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999For the purposes of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 this Agreement is not intended to, and does not, give any person who is not a party to it any right to enforce any of its provisions.
11. Entire Agreement These Terms and Conditions of Business constitute the entire Agreement between us and you and shall apply to all services provided by us. The invalidity or un-enforceability of any particular term of this Agreement shall not affect the other provisions herein.
12. Law and JurisdictionThis Agreement shall be governed and construed by the Law of England and you and we agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales.
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