Gorillas & The Great Migration Signature Photo Safari

Our Kenya photo safari was such a wonderful trip. We saw so may animals in different situations and our group got along very well. The Nkorombo Camp is outstanding and the staff exceptionally friendly, helpful and so special. Everybody there made it absolutely special. Thank you! You made my birthday absolutely unique! We loved the food in the camp and also in the field. There is really nothing to complain. We only can say thank you. Penny Robartes is a great tour leader. She is very caring and empathic. You always feel welcome and you always get answers or all questions, no matter how basic they might seem. Her attitude and her positive character makes every trip special. She’s a great tutor and gets never tired. Radio Penny is always online 😉. Thank you Penny! It was my second trip with you and not my last.

This was my sixth trip with ORYX Photo Tours and my third with Penny Robartes as guide. As always, all the arrangements were perfect - from the information provided pre-trip by Nicolette (especially with the constantly changing Covid-related requirements) to the accommodation, food and the photography guidance from Penny.

It’s a given that when on safari, one should be prepared to see nothing - however, a combination of the excellent skills of our guides and drivers (thank you George Xanti and Kim James!) from the Serian Nkorombo and, perhaps an alignment of the stars, made this an action-filled trip to the Mara.

We had a chance to practise low light photography one beautiful morning, when there was a sighting of a pride of 17 lions as the sun came up; we were witness to a stand-off between a lion and a hippo (!), with the same lion chasing a hyena, followed a little while later by a chase and wildebeest kill…all before breakfast one day.

The guidance provided by Penny was invaluable. Each time I travel with her, I learn something new. Her generosity and clarity with which she shares her vision, tips and techniques always floor me - thank you so much Penny, you're a gem!

This trip was not just about photography - it was about going home to the warm welcome of the lovely Serian Nkorombo family, renewing friendships while forming new ones - and making memories to which photographs could never do justice, but which are indelibly etched in my mind.

Huge thanks to all at ORYX for making this happen!

This week in the Mara was outstanding. We went from one highlight to the other. Never saw neither Lions that close nor a kill before. Our tour leader Penny Robartes was so passionate and aware to make sure this week was exceptional. Her tutoring helped me to make better images and to get a complete new way of interpreting scenes in the field. Thank you Penny. I will come back!

This is my 7th trip with ORYX Photo Tours and that fact itself should stand as an outstanding testimonial! When booking with ORYX, you don’t have to worry about any of the arrangements or logistics, you can just be rest assured that it will all be well taken care of. This latest ‘Best of Mara’ Tour was no exception. We were extremely lucky in our sightings and witnessed some incredible encounters. One can never be certain with Nature, but we had a special experience every single day! Our guides and drivers were simply outstanding at getting us to where the action was. Penny Robartes, with whom I have travelled many times and someone I consider a friend, is most generous with her skills and knowledge and is the most attentive photography lead you can ask for. She is truly a wonderful travel companion and teacher. Our accommodation for this trip was Alex Walker’s Serian Nkorombo Camp, a camp I had stayed at 5 years ago. Going back after all these years felt like a home coming, such was the warm welcome of the beautiful staff of the camp. We had the most wonderful and comfortable stay there. Thank you ORYX for yet another unforgettable experience!

I am back in Dallas after what was a most extraordinary trip to Kenya!  Aside from the delay in departure from Dallas which caused me to miss my connection in Doha, the trip was flawless from a logistical perspective.  Everyone you arranged was at the appointed place at the appointed time and I never once felt any concerns about making this trip alone.  It was completely liberating! I did see the wildebeest and zebra crossing the Mara and it was just as magnificent as I had imagined!

Overall, this is probably one of the best trips I have ever taken.  By going on my own I was able to do and see exactly what I wanted and I really loved that approach.  So, guess what…I will probably be calling on you again for something similar on the next trip.

Thank you again for making this such a wonderful experience.  I have really enjoyed working with you and look forward to planning the next adventure!

A truly fabulous and enjoyable trip. It will long live on in our minds and hearts. We would definitely recommend ORYX Photo Tours to others and look forward to booking our next tour ourselves!

The pre departure organisation and admin was excellent. We really appreciated Nicolette's prompt, informative communication, especially the way she dealt with our questions and concerns around the COVID situation. Her flexibility and pragmatism was excellent.

Penny was a great teacher and a great tour guide leader. Clearly she is an excellent photographer in her own right but it takes much more than this to be a good tour leader. Her interpersonal skills are first class and we really enjoyed her company both on the vehicles and over drinks/meal times. We were a party of mixed experience and skills but by the end of the trip we all felt that we had learned a great deal and that our photography had significantly improved. Penny explained things very clearly and calmly, taking time to ensure that each one of us had the necessary help and instruction. We wanted to pack a lot into our safari and we certainly managed that with long and exciting drives, followed by informative and constructive post-mortems and reviews of the pictures we had taken. Penny was always there with a smile on her face, very attentive, committed and full of energy making sure that as a guest we had a great experience all round. We would certainly recommend her as a tour leader and would love to do another private photo tour with her.

Such a great Kenya photo safari with ORYX Photo Tours, and perfectly organised by Nicolette! Due to Covid the preparations for this tour were quire complicated but as soon as I had arrived at the hotel in Nairobi, I felt that this trip was the best thing I could do in this strenuous time. Our camp in the Masai Mara war a real safari camp, comfy, cosy and I loved it! The food was excellent, our guides and drivers as well, and Penny is the perfect photo tour leader: great knowledge, a very good teacher and a very charming person. You will definitely see me again!

Our Kenya photo tour was magnificent! My dad and I had a marvellous time. Penny was fantastic--patient, professional, kind, helpful, passionate, and an all around wonderful person! The location, camp hosts (THANK YOU Roshin!!) and staff were amazing - so friendly, & willing to help do whatever they could to make our stay over the top great! (While my dad didn't care for the hot water bottles in bed at night, I thought it was a fabulous extra!)

Our guides and drivers were brilliant with their knowledge of the area the animals and people in the Masai Mara. They were funny, fun, kind, helpful, and made our game drives and (lovely) meals in the Bush all the more special because of their personalities, attentiveness, and sharing of their vast knowledge! They were also impressive with knowing where and how to get in the best position for the best angle/lighting/view to take pictures of the amazing animals they were so good and spotting and getting us to. They were just as an important part of our experience as the animals and the location.

We appreciated the communication of ORYX as we prepared and planned and had a lot of questions pre-tour. And for their help as the Covid travel restrictions and requirements changed (more than once).

Thank you for a fantastic tour, ORYX Photo Tours! If we have the opportunity to go on another photography tour in the future, ORYX is at the top of our list!!

Our Life of Predators photo safari in the Masai Mara trip was well-organized, superbly led and very fun. The result was unique image-making and a week well spent. Thank you ORYX Photo Tours!

Having travelled to Africa multiple times before and having fallen in love with its wildlife and nature, this was my first photo safari with ORYX Photo Tours. The overall experience was clearly beyond my expectations.

From my first email contact with Nicolette, I have felt very welcomed by everyone. Every detail of the tour was well planned and perfectly organized. Given all the rapidly changing Covid regulations, the ORYX team made sure everyone of us was able to meet all requirements and even arranged a Covid testing in the bush while we were on game drive.

Returning to the Mara with its abundance of wildlife felt marvellous. Our base for the following six days was Alex Walker’s Serian The Original, a serene and beautiful "classic" bush camp in the best sense of the word with a prime location right by the Mara river, superb food and exceptional staff, who made me feel at home from the first moment. I loved my spacious and comfortable tent by the river and enjoyed falling asleep to the sound of the hippos around every night.

Penny, our photo tour leader and photographer, is a real gem. She is an excellent photographer, a brilliant teacher and an inspiring travel companion, always generous in sharing her knowledge, skills and vision. Penny made every effort to ensure everyone was feeling comfortable all the time and assisted whenever necessary. You could feel every moment, that her aim is providing her guests the best possible experience. I owe her a lot of inspiration for my personal photographic development.

I’m already looking forward to my next photo tour!

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 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.

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.

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.

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!

We had a wonderful week with Penny in the Mara! So much wildlife and wonderful lodgings. Penny spent so much time helping me advance my skills from last year and Cindy really got so much out of it as she came in similar to my experience last year. Penny is so wonderful to work with and her approach to photography is refreshing. Thank you to all the ORYX Photo Tours team for once again making such a memorable Kenya photo safari for Cindy and I!

My August photo safari trip with ORYX Photo Tours was to see the great migration in Kenya, and it was magical! I have been on many safaris previously but the depth of knowledge about Kenya from ORYX is unsurpassed. I am convinced it would be the same in any other country where ORYX provides tours.

My experience started with Nicolette, my initial contact, actually listening to what I wanted to do on this trip, and creating a fabulous itinerary within my budget. Next, being guided by Marius Coetzee, owner of ORYX Photo Tours, and everything was perfect. Again, I am confident that any guide within the organization would meet ORYX’s exact standards. I was incredibly impressed with the effort that ORYX invests in finding and knowing the right local guides. By “right” I mean knowledgeable about animal behaviour and equally as important passionate about guiding.

I went to see the great migration and to specifically learn more about photography. What I learned in 10 days would have taken me months to learn online or with another company. I have now moved my bucket list for trace to ORYX Photo Tours. You would be well served to travel with ORYX!

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!

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.

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 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 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!