Kenya – Amboseli Extension 2022

Marius Coetzee and his team at ORYX Photo Tours never ceases to amaze. They have guided myself and my family to Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya. Marius and his team strike the perfect balance between unprecedented luxury and epic adventure. At no time will you feel your dream trip is anything less than extraordinary. They open your eyes to worlds seen by few and experiences enjoyed by even less. There has not been a single person I have recommended to ORYX Photo Tours to who has not returned and emphatically stated that their trip was the greatest vacation they have ever been on. When you've traveled with ORYX, you cannot help but sing their praises and hope others will be lucky enough to experience the same.

Where to start? First of all, thank you and the team at ORYX for putting together seamless hassle free guided tours where everything so well planned.

Then there is Penny, she provided the best calm, relaxed and generous help and guidance on this trip. Nothing was ever any bother and Penny and she is a true professional who is willing to share for a very amateur photographer like me to get the best images I can.

The side trip to Amboseli was brilliant with so many elephants massed together along with with some big cats and birds.  The close proximity to Kilimanjaro provided daily spectacular backdrops and views. Our driver/guide Ali was so knowledgeable, calm and drove safely through very challenging conditions after the unusual big rains before we came.

Visiting the Sheldrick refuge was a great way to embed a long-term link with a successful rehabilitation project in Kenya and to follow the progress and life of an individual great icon of Africa.

Then up to the Mara this was just brilliant, the cats, other mammals, birds nestled amongst the green with sometimes dark threatening skies was outstanding. I have said this every trip but everyday there was at least one pinch me moment as we were privileged to see such natural beauty and encounters with animals. Dennis and Mark are brilliant team and they were really knowledgeable driver, guide and placing the vehicle in the best place safety and with consideration of the animals.

All three lodges were welcoming and comfortable to the point of hot water bottles in the bed, the first night I leapt out of the bed when I encountered the warmth mid bed as I thought a beastie had taken up residence! In all places the meals were outstanding.

I love East Africa and think there is one more photo tour in me with Penny as each country/region reveals new treasures and pinch me moments.

Fabulous Kenya photo safari, well organised, with great accommodations and locales. We saw numerous mammals & birds with the help of our skilled local guides, who were also very well informed & helpful. Our photo tour leader and photographer Penny Robartes was excellent – I learned a lot from Penny about photography and took some of the best photos I have ever taken. All in all, this was an excellent trip and will certainly look to undertake further trips with ORYX Photo Tours!

I had a wonderful time with Greg. He's a great person to travel with, for his photographic expertise and for his naturalist knowledge, expertise and stories.

We had a lot of fun with Greg du Toit on this Kenya predator photo safari. His skills, his knowledge of the places we visited made this photo tour truly special. If you want a down to earth person to guide you true Africa, Greg is the man!

Everything went very smoothly and Kirsten was wonderful, not only as a photographer but also how he cared for the welfare of the clients. The catering was more than adequate and the service was very attentive. The accommodation was excellent under the circumstances and I have no suggestions on how to improve. Overall a most excellent photo tour experience!

Hi Nicolette, how lovely to hear from you with such a warm welcome back! The Lake Turkana photo tour exceeded expectations and has provided some great memories. Kirsten is a more than capable leader and his photographic skills are simply outstanding. We will certainly be booking another trip!

Well, what can I say about this fantastic photo tour? Firstly, the planning from ORYX’s was tops and secondly, the efforts from Kirsten while on the tour was super tops! The camp, and especially the food, was unbelievable given its remote location. The area and shooting sessions were great!

I have been on a few photo tours in the past but ORYX Photo Tours took the concept to another level. I joined because of the photographic opportunities but also because I was so well taken care of from the first email I sent. A BIG thank you! I am a very happy client who is now tempted to explore more with ORYX!

I have had a fantastic photo safari! The time with Penny and the group based out of Nkorombo in the park was excellent. Penny’s blend of skills of leadership, organizing, people, and photography coaching all came together to make the trip a rewarding learning experience for all.

Now a few thousand photos to distill down, and I am optimistic that there are a few diamonds to be found in there.

And also starting to look at future trips, with ORYX Photo Tours, Penny, and various Serian camps all being part of the recommended mix.

The Kenya photo tour was beyond expectations. The staff was excellent and careful and they accommodated everyone's food issues. The drivers and guides were very savvy about photography. They positioned the jeep at each stop to take advantage of the light and the movement of the animal we were photographing. They were willing to stop for birds even though birds were not the focus of the trip. I am really looking forward to another ORYX photo safari. Penny was so excellent. I would travel with her again in a heartbeat.

We are just writing to say how much we enjoyed our recent experience traveling with Marius on our ‘Mega Safari’ for 5 weeks through Africa. All we can say is wow…what a trip!  We have travelled extensively and to Africa a number of times but this was designed and personally tailored in conjunction with Marius and ORYX Photo Tours to cherry pick the things we really wanted to see and photograph but had not yet managed to do so. The wildebeest migration in Kenya’s Masai Mara, the vivid flocks of Carmine Bee Eater’s annual nesting in the river bank in Zambia, quality leopard sightings and African hunting dogs. That was our must see list. We saw all these wonderful things and more..lots more! We have captured some once in a lifetime images.

During our initial discussions when considering the ‘Mega Safari’, Marius was able to suggest the best timing and arrange the best and most appropriate accommodation and link the connecting travel arrangements seamlessly  (although the calmly efficient Kirsty in the ORYX head office deserves most of the credit for that we suspect!) The level of accommodation at superb lodges was of the highest quality. Marius is great to travel with. He is not only a gifted photographer willing to share ideas and photographic tips, he simply has an ability to make things happen. He works hard at looking for the best opportunities for photographers and his knowledge of Africa means you can travel with confidence, and focus on photography and simply enjoying the ride. For those people who may be considering a photography tour to Africa we can only say that our experience with ORYX Photo Tours has been outstanding. We have travelled before with Marius and ORYX…..and will do so again!

The trip was awesome – the whole family really loved it! As for Greg himself, he was a total hit! Greg is another level. So very happy he could join us, and I doubt it will be the last time either. He certainly helped me out a lot, and also had incredible patience with my mum & sister who were beginners. Thanks so much for organizing this for us – ill definitely give ORYX a shout for our next safari.

My wife and I were in Kenya at the beginning of August 2012 for ten days with Marius Coetzee of ORYX Photo Tours. Although he could not have organised that the two million wildebeest migrate into the Masai Mara, we were lucky that they arrived three days before we did!  He organised everything else. We spent an amazing ten days taking pictures every afternoon and evening.

Marius is a consummate host. His happiness in the wild is infectious and his knowledge of animal behaviour insightful and very useful in anticipating things for a picture. He has the patience to wait for it to happen. ORYX makes high quality travel arrangements. All transfers and internal flights were facilitated with the greatest of ease, and the lodges chosen were top notch. I had the most amazing holiday, and took some really fantastic photographs.

My non-photographer wife had a fantastic time. She did not spend every photo shoot with us, but her every whim was catered for at the lodges and she recharged her batteries. Marius paid special attention to her to ensure she was not left out and checked regularly at the lodges that she was looked after.

Thank you, Marius and ORYX. I will definitely recommend you to my photographic colleagues and will no doubt become a regular client!

My partner Dee and I and two friends from the UK Jan and Max have recently returned from an outstanding two week safari Kenya photo safari in the Maasai Mara with Marius Coetzee of ORYX Photo Tours.

I have been going on safari in Africa for 40 years and I can honestly say that this was the best organized and planned safaris that I have ever been on. Marius travelled with us and I have to say he was the perfect host.

He was always enthusiastic, pleasant, on time and nothing was ever too much trouble for him. Marius is an award winning photographer but for me his best attribute was the fact that he was keen to pass on his knowledge. He was much more intent on us getting the “perfect shot ” than on getting the ” perfect shot ” himself. I can assure you that this is unfortunately not always the case with professional photographers. Marius chose outstanding camps for us and because of his unique relationship with the camp managers and guides we always received VIP treatment. As anyone who has been on safari a number of times knows the positioning of ones vehicle makes all the difference. Due to Marius’ experience and innate understanding of the animals we always seemed to be in the ideal position for photography and game viewing. For anyone who wants a safari of a lifetime and is keen on improving their photographic skills I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Marius and ORYX Photo Tours.

Many many thanks for putting together such a wonderful photo safari for us. We can’t tell you how much we appreciated all the attention to details. You guys are so passionate about Africa and the tours you put together. It really gives your clients a great feeling. I will always use you guys for traveling and would like to join some of your photo tours.

A belated and brief note …in the air now to Cambodia…to thank you for all the organization you so capably put together to make our Masai Mara and Amboseli such a success. It met every expectation and more…..much more.

The camps chosen for us could not have been better in any way. The attention to detail was superb. And of course the star of the trip was Greg with his humble but extensive knowledge of the law of the bush and animals. His sensitivity to all things  around him be it is clients….now friends…his rapport with all the African guides, his extensive insight of the flora and fauna was quite amazing to experience in his quiet and knowledgeable way. He is a gem and treasure in every sense of the word. He enriched my personal experience to such an extent that I can quite honestly say this trip has been life changing…..it has made me reflect on many aspects of my life  and I know going forward will make a marked difference.

Thank you both for making this all happen and I hope to travel with you again in the future.

I simply had the most incredible photo safari of my life!

It was awesome and all arrangements made worked like clock work. Well done to all of you in the back room for your efforts in making my safari such an incredible experience.

I have just completed my fourth photo safari with ORYX Photo Tours.

It was a trip which was specifically designed and planned for me by Marius Coetzee and which was lead by Greg du Toit.

On a safari with Greg last year we spoke about photographing the big elephant tuskers and rhino of our incredible continent.

He had no hesitation when he suggested that the best places for us to visit was Tsavo East (Satao Camp), and Solio Lodge in the Laikipia region in Kenya.

He promised to speak Marius to see if it could be arranged, as it was not one of their scheduled trips.

This was a “pioneering” trip for us, as it had never been arranged for any of the other ORYX clients before.

Despite this fact, no challenge is too big for Marius to attempt. He organized the most incredible safari for me, and that says a lot, because I have had some incredible trips with ORYX!

This safari totally exceeded my expectations, and a big thank you goes to Greg who led the trip, and Marius who planned and delivered, once again!

Then I would also like to give a huge amount of credit to Kirsty and Rainer for their efforts in all that they do, and have done to make this trip as well as all my other trips so memorable.

The ORYX Photo Tours team will be recommended where ever I can, as I had the most incredible photographic safari ever!

I commend you Marius for your vision and insight, as well as your incredible organisational skills in how you put the entire trip together, all arrangements were well organised and worked like clock work.

Finally Marius, no words will ever do justice to this incredible trip. Thank you to you and Greg for recommending it to me, and to you both for all that you did to make it such a success.

I hope that my humble photographs give you, as well as any future prospective clients a taste of what we experienced.

The birth of the reticulated giraffe was especially high on the list of our highlights, such an incredible and rare sighting, and we watched and photographed the whole event!

It was truly a trip of a lifetime and I will have no hesitation to recommend it to any of your other clients.

They are most welcome to contact me should they need any information.

Marius, as Tina Turner’s song so aptly puts it; you and the ORYX team are “simply the best” in the business!

Thank you to the ORYX Photo Tours for providing the support which made this trip a great memorable trip for us! I am sure a lot of behind-the-scenes went into the planning of these trips.

Our party of three recently traveled to Masai Mara with Greg on a wildlife photography workshop. While two of us have previously traveled to Africa on another photography workshop, it was the first trip to Africa for the third member of the team. Our experience on this trip has far exceeded each of our expectations.

The abundance and diversity of wildlife in Masai Mara was spectacular (ranging from some serious herds of wildebeest and zebras, prides of lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, giraffes and a rhino etc), providing numerous photographic opportunities. We also witnessed impressive crossings of wildebeest and zebras.

Greg was great not only because of his wealth of knowledge in wildlife, he also gave invaluable advice as to how to best capture the amazing scenes happening in front of us from both a technical perspective and also a art/creative perspective. He was generous to share with us his take on different subjects on location, and his award-winning technique and creativity. He also ensured that we were in the best location and have the best angle for each sighting, where we witnessed other vehicles being in the wrong place from a photographic standpoint. He was very friendly and approachable and was fun to be with during our times with him.

The camp selection and the guides at the camps were great (the guides had eagle-eyes to spot animals from a serious distance).

All in all, it was a great trip and we hope to come back to Africa as soon as we can!

First I want to say I agree totally with everything that David, Kim and Bob Purcell said about our Masai Mara photo safari. As Bob said, we choose the trip because we so enjoyed our previous ORYX trip with Dale Morris to the Pantanal of Brazil; we hoped the one to Kenya would have the same superb organization and accommodations, and provide sufficient opportunities to really observe the wildlife and countryside. Not only were our expectations met, they were exceeded in each and every case.

As the main person struggling to learn how to take better photographs, I really appreciated how David and Patrick, the guides, and Greg all worked together to give me the best lighting and angles and opportunities for fantastic shots. Greg was a great teacher ,first by example and second by providing guidance on settings and subjects and always being quick to answer my questions. Best of all, he was helpful without being intrusive. As I look through my many pictures, I can clearly see that the ones toward the end of the trip are better than the ones from the beginning; thanks Greg.

I was very glad we did not have to spend time in Nairobi, and Macushla house was the perfect place to set the mood for the safari beforehand and to compare favorite memories afterwards. The number of animals, happenings, and landscapes we saw is still difficult to comprehend; each day was an adrenalin rush with something unexpected and amazing always popping up thanks to the skills of Greg and the guides. Greg is an encyclopedia of knowledge and provided lots of interesting details and observations that made the trip so much more enjoyable; we really got at least two trips- a photographic one and a nature expedition. It was an unexpected perk to find that Greg was an expert on birds so we got to indulge in one of our favorite hobbies and greatly increased the number of bird species we have seen in the wild. When I mentioned that I would like to see a bush baby, a hyrax and a hornbill, Greg and Patrick managed to find me all three and we even got to hear the hornbill’s haunting call.

This photo safari was one of, if not the best, I have ever had. There were no bad moments, it was always fun , exciting and extremely pleasant. Totally awesome. I look forward to taking other ORYX photo tours in the future.

To follow up: our Kenya photo safari was truly fabulous! While our memories are fresh, I want to touch on a few points:

1) A brief adjustment time at Macushla house before and after the safari was perfect! In particular, Macushla house was a stroke of genius for the following reasons: away from population centers and terrorists , close to the elephant orphanage and giraffe center, as well as an excellent crafts cooperative/restaurant, and close to Wilson airport. Finally, it is a very comfortable and low-key facility with excellent food and staff.

2) We were interested in the ORYX Kenya photo safari because of our very positive experience with the Pantanal photo tour rather then because it was a photography tour. We are basically naturalists and birders (okay, amateurish birders): Suzanne is the only avid photographer among us. Basically we much prefer the slower pace of photography tours instead of the hectic pace of a birders’ tour. Consequently, it was a great pleasure to discover that Greg is an outstanding naturalist and birder as well as a world-class photographer. We think that there would be even more interest in Greg’s tours if your website indicated how multitalented he is. Birders and naturalists who lack an interest in photography would certainly be interested in Greg’s other skills. Greg played a very large role in assuring the success of our Safari in many ways.

3) Both tent camps were outstanding venues. All aspects of these facilities were top notch. In particular, the staff and especially the guides were highly professional. It was wonderful to see the mutual respect between Greg and the camp guides in finding just the right places for us to go and just the right things to see and do.

4) The balloon ride was frosting on the cake. I was the only one of us who had ballooned previously. We were all thrilled by it and had a new appreciation for the vastness of the Masai Mara from the height of a balloon. The perfect place for a balloon flight!

In summary: Well done!

We had a fabulous time, the other couple, Marion and Manfred, were great traveling companions and Greg is a really great guide and a pleasure to be around. The day room at House of Waine was an inspired idea; last time we came back from the Mara through Nairobi we had a really tedious time. This was so much better. Your communications and organisation have been excellent and I truly expect that we will be in touch again in due course. Nicola and Marion have already had conversations about our future travel together.

We are safely back from a fantastic Kenya photo safari. We enjoyed every minute of this trip! We loved the Masai Mara and had a fabulous time with Greg who is not only a fantastic photographic guide but also a humorous and sympathetic personality.

We like to thank you for the perfect organisation of the trip. A special thank you again for the day room. We appreciated the possibility to spend some time at the comfortable House of Waine!

We would certainly like to do another photography tour in the near future!

The Kenya photo safari was excellent from beginning to end. We had some excellent wildlife observations, particularly of predators, but also zebras, giraffes, elephants in the beautiful Mara landscape.

The camp, staff and local guides were very good, and it was great to travel with Penny given her well-deserved reputation in the Mara. The efforts Penny made with all the participants to see and capture the wildlife in a manner reflecting her style, and provide technical help from shooting to processing were beyond expectations.

Quite simply, my trip to Africa was the best 14 days of my life. Every detail of the journey was flawlessly executed by ORYX Photo Tours and I can’t thank them enough for their expertise and ability to arrange all of the details to perfection. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking to experience Africa in the way it was truly intended… And I’m thrilled to have found the perfect company to plan all of my future photo safaris, and wouldn’t dream of going elsewhere.

We had an excellent honeymoon with happy memories and seamless travel around Kenya and Zanzibar. Thank you for your assistance in arranging everything so nicely, we look forward to our next African photo tour with you!

The Kenya Mara Migration photo safari was absolutely magical – the magic of the Mara was definitely more than enhanced by the lovely Penny. She truly is a gem. Right from the time we met her at the Ole Sereni, we knew this was going to be a great trip. Penny is an amazing teacher – from advising on settings and composition, to Lightroom and editing – she was on the ball all day, and even in the evenings, when we got tutorials on editing (I was telling her she should have a YouTube channel, she would have quite a following!). All this she did with kindness and patience, and unbridled enthusiasm. Even a couple of other guests at the Nkorombo camp commented on how hardworking she is, and that we were a lucky group to have her guiding us. But more than the photography and her mad skills, Penny is one good person, and as Shobha said, ‘make sure you hang on to her’ :-)

The Best of the Mara Migration photo safari was my first real wildlife photography tour and it didn’t disappoint. There was plenty of drama and loads of excitement.

We learnt patience while sitting in our jeeps willing the fickle-minded wildebeest and zebras to make the plunge but the dangers of giant crocs lurking in the waters spooking the animals was a spectacle in itself … then there was the amazing sight of a pride of lions having a family feast and cheetahs devouring their kill, the unexpected sighting of a lone and majestic leopard – each day had its own magic.

Patience wasn’t the only thing we learnt. We had the good fortune of being led by the super-charged and incredibly personable Penny Robartes. From the crack of dawn to post-dinner post-mortems of the day, she was always on the go. She was generous with her artistic and technical knowledge. Mastering settings and composition and Lightroom ‘tricks’ was a lot of fun with Penny and there was always a large and healthy dose of humour. That makes all the difference.

We as a team enjoyed Penny’s company and her self-effacing manner makes her difficult not to like. I would go on another expedition with her in a heartbeat. I cannot recommend this trip and Penny highly enough.

The organisation and arrangements for this photo safari trip too were nothing short of superb.

Thank you ORYX Photo Tours for yet another unforgettable experience!

This was my first experience with ORYX Photo Tours and I came on this trip with high expectations, especially on the migration and river crossing part. What struck me most was the massive wildlife in the area and how close we came to it at various sightings. It is almost unreal to get to see close ups of Lion kills, Cheetah kills and a Leopard in only 3 days. The local Masai scouters in great cooperation with our ORYX photo tour guide, Penny Robartes, did a fantastic job and kept the energy up throughout 12-14 hours day trips. Excellent photo coaching by Penny on site was also a great contribution for higher quality images… Well done!! I have now added several thousands of new great images that I will enjoy reviewing in the months ahead.

I wanted to thank you again for a great Kenya photo safari. I personally learnt a great deal from you, and I know that Mark and Eszter share that view. I also appreciated the fact that you gave preference to us over your own shots – no doubt missing some great opportunities. It was exactly what I was looking for!

The photo safari was wonderful! Not only was Penny helpful with our photography and Lightroom skills, she was a great companion: Fun, friendly, insightful and educational. She made our trip all the more memorable. I am anxious to put all her Lightroom tips to use and feel much more confident in my camera skills. Looking forward to seeing Antarctica through Penny’s eyes in the upcoming weeks!

The tour has been so amaziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing and stunning. Marius did such a great job. The whole tour was perfectly organized and prepared. I cannot complain about anything, not even a small thing. I am looking forward for the next tour with ORYX Photo Tours. Thank you again and all the best!

It was an absolutely surreal photo tour (Marius, I know you’ve heard me say this several times, like a broken record) – but it truly was perfect. Everything just fell into place, not least because of all your planning and Peter’s amazing skills. The photography was epic, the company good fun, and Marius leading the group nothing short of brilliant. Whatever we dreamt of, we got – camels, donkeys, goats…sunsets, sunrises, clouds…couldn’t ask for anything more.

Thanks to Marius, Kirsty, Dasreya and the rest of the ORYX Photo Tours team for putting together a fabulous journey and experience for us. All arrangements were perfect and smoothly done. Both Rekero and Kicheche were simply superb. Hemingways was also super, I would definitely recommend this to your other guests.

The week with Greg was simply fabulous and it went by too fast. We’re already plotting with him for another set of dates. Will come back to you on this!

We share such deep gratitude to you, Marius and everyone at ORYX Photo Tours for arranging such a memorable, remarkable photo safari recently to South Africa, Kenya and Rwanda…absolutely first class! You all made our trip so painless with all the personal touches!

Also, big thanks for the shirts and caps! We’ll wear them with pride! Justin, John and Soddy were just delightful guides who made us feel like “royalty”, and were so informative!

Perhaps someday we’ll be able to arrange another trip through ORYX. Meanwhile, be well, and know you are all doing phenomenal work! With extreme gratitude!