What is unique about this African Safari workshop?

1. Experience the life cycle of wildlife in National Parks, Conservation Area (mix with local communities/herders), and rescue center (2nd chance)
2. Three distincts environment: red clay soil (Tsavo), march land (Amboseli), savannah (Masai Mara)
3. One of the best time of the year for photography: Clouds, healthy animals, babies ... with guides that I have been working with for years!

We are going to visit 5 different locations. Tsavo East National Park, where we will find some of the largest herd of elephants in Kenya; Tsavo West National Park, where we will experience a myriad of species; Amboseli National Park, where we will photograph wildlife against Kilimanjaro as a backdrop; Amboseli Conservation Area, the largest corridor of elephant migration; Masai Mara National Reserve, where we will photograph wildlife in the African savannah.

We are going to have a private visit at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Rescue Center. This is amazing organization that rescue elephants to give them a future, protect wildlife against poachers, etc.

Our photo safari is designed to maximize wildlife viewing (aka minimize driving time and distance, choosing hotels at close proximity to the photoshoot locations), whether it is for serious photography or simply the thrill of observing animals in their natural habitat.

The safari is scheduled during an exciting time of the year, when many animals have their young. The landscape is green and lush, the air is fresh, and there are few tourists. This is the time of the year, where you will experience Africa in peace, without countless vehicles surrounding wildlife.

The places we'll visit are top notch for wildlife. You'll travel in 4x4 vehicle, with a full row seat assigned to you. With such layout, you’ll get very unique perspective.

You'll also benefit from group lectures (focus on image quality, workflow speed and accuracy) and one-on-one reviews where we discuss “what can you do next, how can you expand your comfort zone, make images that are not found thousand times on google”. The experience will enable you to enhance your photography, to work on personal projects, and to discover who you are as a photographer. Our style is to open your eyes, mind, and creativity to possibilities that you thought were not reachable. Bring your dreams to reality in this once in a lifetime workshop.

We’ll have exquisite nature and wildlife and the following added experience:

1. Oliver Klink's technical expertise covers the gamut from iPhone, to DSLR, to mirrorless camera, to digital medium format camera. You’ll receive first hand advices that he uses on a daily basis with his various cameras. He will build your confidence so you get ready for “the shot”.
2. Oliver teaches you how to photograph and find a vision for your photographic endeavor. There are no substitutes to nightly image reviews, one-on-one instructions, and guidelines to best capture these amazing scenes. You’ll be able to get creative day after day and get inspired by the wealth of knowledge he shares.
3. Our group is kept to 8 people maximum, which enables us to be nimble and find the best spots to experience wildlife.
4. Prime dates for the trip. The animals are healthy, have their young, and contrast with the background (lush green). We also avoid the tourist and holiday rush.
5. We will photograph in three very diverse environments. Red clay at Tsavo, Kilimanjaro as a backdrop in Amboseli, African savannah at Masai Mara National Reserve.
6. Come back home with images and experience you dreamed about. It is finally going to be real!
7. This is a true 16 days safari. The trip starts and ends in Nairobi. No gimmicks about including traveling days from and to your home country.
8. We will photograph daily on safari game drives and from the lodges. Some lodges have amazing views of wildlife gathering around water holes.
9. Parks scouted for best wildlife opportunity, unique photoshoot opportunities - A safari workshop designed for photographers to make dreams come true!

Hope to see you shortly at our Kenya Wildlife Safari.

Agenda Logistics Difficulties Is it for me? Instructors Extensions

Workshop

Kenya: Wildlife Safari
December 1 - 16, 2022

Itinerary

Note: Itinerary and activities might change based on weather conditions and activities we find on the spur of the moment. Our local experts and the contacts made over the years are incredible source of information to locate unique activities. As the group is kept small, we are able to attend special events, without overwhelming the local communities and be welcomed with open arms.

16 days on the ground to photograph and explore African wildlife

Day 1 (December 1): On your own arrival in Nairobi
• We can arrange airport transportation and hotel for you

Day 2 : Tsavo East National Park
• Early morning drive to Tsavo East
• Afternoon game drive

Day 3-4: Tsavo East National Park
• Full day game drive
• Tsavo East National Park is the largest park in Kenya and noted as one of the largest wildlife sanctuary on the planet!
• Some of Kenya’s largest elephant herds are in Tsavo East Park, so you will likely see these grey-skinned animals in several locations. What you may not expect, though, is the color of their skin being partly red. These elephants dust themselves with the red-brown Tsavo murram soil, so photographing them creates evocative images that are the envy of many visitors. Prides of mane-less lions, some sharing the DNA from the man-eater lions of Tsavo along with herds of buffalos are also been frequently seen in the park. Dispersed amongst these animals are giraffes, zebras, lesser kudus, coke’s hartebeests, grant’s gazelles, klipspringers, impalas, waterbucks, gerenuks, hunter’s hartebeests and many more sought-after fauna. In the rivers, you may see hippos enjoying the refreshing water that cools them throughout the day.

Day 5: Tsavo West National Park
• Drive to Tsavo West
• From the lodge, we have an excellent view of the wildlife, sunsets and the vast Taita Hills Sanctuary. The entire lodge is elevated so you are right above all the action.
• Afternoon game drive

Day 6: Tsavo West National Park
• Full day game drive
• Photograph the natural behaviors of leopards, cheetahs, mane-less lions and other predators stalk impalas, gazelles, elands, zebras, fringe-eared oryx, dik-diks and other prey animals from the cover of dense bush and deep shadows. This immense action unfolds against a vigilant backdrop of grazing and foraging elephants, giraffes, buffalos, protected rhinos and other large herbivores. Walk under tree canopies filled with scampering vervet monkeys, baboons, galago and other tree dwellers.

Day 7: Amboseli National Park
• Drive to Amboseli National Park
• Afternoon game drive
• Amboseli is famous for its big game and its great scenic beauty – and the landscape is dominated by the towering Mount Kilimanjaro. Amboseli lies immediately north-west of Mount Kilimanjaro, on the border with Tanzania. The Park covers 392 square km, and forms part of the much larger 3,000 square km Amboseli ecosystem.

Day 8-10: Amboseli National Park & Conservation Area
• Full day game drives
• Wildlife sighting with Kilimanjaro in the background
• Exploration of the elephant corridor conservancy

Day 11: Masai Mara National Reserve
• Morning game drive thru Amboseli National Park
• Afternoon game drive at Masai Mara National Reserve

Day 12-14: Masai Mara National Reserve
• Full day game drives
• Wildlife sighting with the African savannah as a backdrop
• The Masai Mara has wildlife in abundance: the reserve is home to the Big Five, and you're pretty much guaranteed to see lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant on any trip

Day 15: Masai Mara National Reserve to Nairobi Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
• Drive to Nairobi
• Afternoon private visit at Sheldrick Wildlife Trust orphanage

Day 16 (December 16): Departure Day
• Transfer to Nairobi International Airport
• Conclusion of the workshop

Logistics

Upon signing up for the workshop, you’ll receive a detailed coursebook and recommended reading material.

Logistics
- Plan on arriving in Nairobi on December 1 (anytime) – Airport (NBO)
- Departure on December 16 (anytime) from Nairobi
- All ground transportation and accommodation provided
- All meals included
- All entry fees included

Recommended equipment
Clothing: (temperature ranges from high 50's to low 80's)
- Comfortable layered clothes (need warm for the early morning)
- Sturdy shoes (protected toes)
- Hat, sunglasses, and sun screen
- Rain gear/windbreaker

Camera Equipment:
- Digital or Film camera (bring your camera manual)
- If available... two camera bodies
- Recommended lenses
• Portrait and action shots: 50-400mm+
• Grand Landscape: 24-200mm

Accessories:
- Bean bag
- Optional: Tripod for evening/night photography
- Additional memory cards (Average 2,000 images per day)
- Small notepad (notes, observations, write down questions)
- Extender (1.4x, 2x)

Photography Review Equipment (Recommended):
- Laptop (with power cord), memory card downloader
- Post processing software (Lightroom, Photoshop, plug-ins)
- External hard drives (backup)

Equipment Rental and Purchase (if you need to rent lenses we recommend the following places):
- borrowlenses.com

Workshop Structure
- The itinerary is built with flexibility so we can leverage the atmospheric conditions
- Early morning rise to catch the sunrise. Late evening for sunset
- We depart early morning in our 4x4 jeeps with a lunch box, exploring various parts of the parks. - During the day, we will discuss animal behavior and how to best capture them
- When we return to the lodge in the evening, you will have a chance to relax and get ready for dinner. We will talk about creative idea how to capture wildlife
- We will have a private visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
- At the end of the workshop, you will have experienced the ecosystem of wildlife and humans in Africa

Participants' Responsibility
- Book transportation to Nairobi, Kenya – Airport (NBO)
- Have a valid passport to travel to Kenya (expiration at least 6 months)
- Apply for Visa (Kenya)
- Bring your certificate of full vaccination

Not included:
- Personal expenses, meals, alcoholic beverages
- Extra night(s) in Nairobi (for early arrival or late departure)
- Travel Insurance
- Tips to local staff

Trip Cancellation & Travel Insurance Suggestions:
Here are a few recommendations but please browse around as services and prices vary.
• Travelex Travel Select http://www.travelexinsurance.com (800) 228-9792
• Travel Guard http://www.travelguard.com/ or Travel Insurance Services http://www.travelinsure.com.
• Travel Insurance Services (Walnut Creek, CA) http://www.travelinsure.com/cobrand/select/photoex (800) 937-1387
• Atlas International Insurance (HCC Medical Insurance Services) http://www.visitorsmedical.com/atlasinternational.html
• TEN (Travelers Emergency Network) Emergency Evacuation Coverage https://www.sevencorners.com/insurance/HW7C6YH
• Medjet Assist 1-800-527-7478 https://medjetassist.com

Difficulties (Medium)

- Bumpy drives in 4x4 jeep
- Patience is key as we’ll spend quality time at each location to observe wildlife, capture unique images and mood
- Temperature: Average mid 80F
- Possibility of rain showers
- Sunrise at 6 AM, Sunset at 6PM

Is it for me?

YES, if …
- You want to discover some unique parks in Kenya. Each park is chosen for the richness of the wildlife in the setting (Kilimanjaro as a backdrop, red clay, African savannah)
- You need a gateway, find inspiration for your photography, and come back home with images that wow you
- You want to expand your photography comfort zone, create images of personal nature
- All levels welcome. You need to be familiar with operating your camera as the instruction focuses on creativity

Rules for attending IncredibleTravelPhotos LLC workshops during the Covid 19 pandemic and Legal Disclaimer

As we live in a pandemic world, we want everybody to have a safe, productive and creative experience during the workshop. We are following the recommended guidelines set by the CDC and Santa Clara County Health Department. By signing this document, you understand and will adhere to the rules to protect yourself and others.

1. You need to bring your own mask. Bandannas are not a mask.
2. Wearing a mask is required upon arrival at the workshop. Mask will cover mouth and nose at all time.
3. You will have your temperature checked upon arrival and prior to every session.
4. You will track your temperature, starting 10 days before the workshop, and share your chart the day before the start of the workshop. Chart will be printed and workshop temperature check will be added to your chart. If temperate analysis shows an unusual trend, the person will be asked to leave the workshop. No refund will be provided.
5. You will sanitize your hands upon arrival. Hand sanitizer will be provided.
6. Social distancing will strictly be enforced during the workshop (6 feet apart).
7. If we have meals together (In the off-the-beaten path workshops, people cooking their own food), we will social distance in an outdoor setting.
8. Not adhering to the above rules is a reason for immediate dismissal from the workshop. No refund will be provided.
9. We want everybody to feel comfortable. Thank you for the understanding!

I have read and will adhere to the rules. _______ (initial)

LEGAL Disclaimer:

I acknowledge the contagious nature of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 and that the CDC and many other public health authorities still recommend practicing social distancing.
I further acknowledge that IncredibleTravelPhotos LLC has put in place preventative measures to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus/COVID-19.
I further acknowledge that IncredibleTravelPhotos LLC can not guarantee that I will not become infected with the Coronavirus/Covid-19. I understand that the risk of becoming exposed to and/or infected by the Coronavirus/COVID-19 may result from the actions, omissions, or negligence of myself and others.
I attest that:
* I am not experiencing any symptom of illness such as cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell.
* I have not traveled internationally within the last 14 days.
* I have not traveled to a highly impacted area within the United States of America in the last 14 days.
* I do not believe I have been exposed to someone with a suspected and/or confirmed case of the Coronavirus/COVID-19.
* I have not been diagnosed with Coronavirus/Covid-19 and not yet cleared as non-contagious by state or local public health authorities.
* I am following all CDC recommended guidelines as much as possible and limiting my exposure to the Coronavirus/COVID-19.

I hereby release and agree to hold IncredibleTravelPhotos LLC harmless from, and waive on behalf of myself, my heirs, and any personal representatives any and all causes of action, claims, demands, damages, costs, expenses and compensation for damage or loss to myself and/or property that may be caused by any act, or that may otherwise arise in any way in connection with any services received from IncredibleTravelPhotos LLC.
I understand that this release discharges IncredibleTravelPhotos LLC from any liability or claim that I, my heirs, or any personal representatives may have against IncredibleTravelPhotos LLC with respect to any bodily injury, illness, death, medical treatment, or property damage that may arise from, or in connection to, any services received from IncredibleTravelPhotos LLC.

Name:_______________________________
Date: _______________________

Signature: ____________________________

Instructors

Oliver Klink is a fine art photographer based in Los Gatos, CA. His book Cultures in Transition won nine awards for best photography book of 2019. He was selected as B&W photographer of the year (2018) by Dodho magazine, the Best” Emerging artist in 2016 by BWGallerist. Cultures in Transition body of work was selected as Top 50 Critical Mass Award (2016 & 2018). His image, “Herding Instinct” won the grand prize at the Rayko International Photocontest in 2014, others have received “mentioned” in the Black and White Spidar Awards and Color Awards in the past 5 years. “Processing images with a personal style is a passion. You can relive what you saw at the point of capture with your artistic mind”, says Oliver.
Oliver’s images have been exhibited om four continents. He is a master print maker using various technology.

Oliver Klink has been photographing in Africa since 2006. His image, “The Great Migration” won the grand prize at PhotoCentral Gallery Spring Show in 2013, others have received “mentioned” in the Black and White Spidar Awards for the past 5 years. “On my first trip to Africa, I wanted to see everything. I spent more time driving from famous locations to famous locations. After so many years, I have minimized the travel time to stop at parks that are unbelievable for specific species. This workshop is not a “zoo tour”. During our first review session, I will ask you: “Can this image be taken in a zoo?” Our local guides are passionate about wildlife and eager to be the first one out in the morning and last one in in the evening. Time spend in the field is key to embrace this one in a life time experience.”

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call Oliver Klink (408-910-6701) or email oliver@incredibletravelphotos.com