SOME HIGHLIGHTS

This exclusive six-night photography tour takes you to the remote Shompole Reserve, where specially designed hides bring you incredibly close to Africa’s most iconic wildlife. Situated between the dramatic escarpments of the Great Rift Valley and the shimmering Lake Natron, Shompole is a pristine wilderness rarely visited by travelers. The reserve covers over 140,000 hectares, is privately managed, and guarantees exclusivity with minimal disturbance. The landscape, managed in collaboration with the local Maasai community, is renowned for its stark beauty, wide horizons, and impressive biodiversity.

This trip is designed specifically for the passionate hide photographer. With only four participants per group, the experience is both personal and intimate. We spend six nights in two unique hides, the Plains Hide and the Kichaka Hide, positioned at active waterholes that attract everything from elegant savannah antelopes to Africa’s legendary predators.

Plains Hide sits on the open savannah, with the waterhole directly in front attracting large savannah mammals such as elephants, giraffes, buffalo, zebras, impalas, waterbucks, and wildebeest. Predators like lions and leopards also frequently visit. Nocturnal animals such as civets, genets, and porcupines appear at night.

Kichaka Hide is located in a more bushy, forest-like area with taller grass. Here, we encounter many species that do not visit the Plains Hide. The denser vegetation is perfect for smaller, shyer, and nocturnal animals. While the number of animals is lower than at Plains Hide, species diversity is high—often more exclusive. Waterholes here attract caracals, African wildcats, honey badgers, bat-eared foxes, civets, and genets.

Both hides are excellent for bird photography. Large flocks of guineafowl often visit the Plains Hide in the evening, and in the morning, large flocks of doves and sandgrouse gather. Smaller species such as starlings, finches, and oxpeckers also frequent the waterholes.

What makes this experience truly unique is the ability to control the lighting in the hide. You can choose front, side, or backlighting to create dramatic moods and images that differ from traditional safari photography. Each day brings new opportunities as wildlife gathers at the waterholes, guaranteeing unforgettable encounters and an impressive portfolio of images to take home.

If you prefer, instead of a hide session, you can photograph the local Maasai tribe in authentic settings that reflect their real culture.

THE HIDES
The hides are located in different habitats to attract different species. In both, we can control the lighting. We head to the hides at 16:00 and stay overnight, returning to the lodge around 10:00 the next morning. Food, drinks, and snacks are taken along. The hides are equipped with five beds (so everyone has a place to rest or sleep for a few hours), toilets, and Wi-Fi. A Maasai guide is always present in the hide, and at least one of us remains awake at all times to watch for animals.

At Plains Hide, the water’s edge is ten meters in front of the hide, and the waterhole is twelve meters wide. At Kichaka Hide, the water’s edge is nine meters from the hide, and the waterhole is twelve meters wide. The water reaches right up to the hide.

The hides have three types of dimmable lighting—standard front light, side light with adjustable height, and backlighting for silhouettes and highlighting dust.

Photo openings face the waterhole and to the side, with no glass in between. Net camouflage conceals the photographers. To reach the hides, we walk about five minutes, then cross a river by boat. The final stretch is a ten-minute drive by Land Cruiser from the river to the hides.

Days are spent at the lodge. We have brunch upon returning in the morning, followed by rest to prepare for the night sessions in the hides. In the afternoon, before heading out, we enjoy coffee/tea and cake, and dinner is served in the hide.