HOME Blog Two Weeks, Four Photographers And A Million Wildebeest

Two Weeks, Four Photographers And A Million Wildebeest

As soon as local travel opened up, a team of four accomplished Kenyan photographers and filmmakers flew to Angama Mara to capture the drama of the Great Migration in near total solitude. This is their account of how they spent their days from sun up to sun down
The Angama Guest Area as photographed by Mutua Matheka


As photographers and filmmakers, it’s our dream to be immersed in the ideal conditions to tell our stories. Reflecting on our trip, it seems like everything just came together, from the incredible flight to the warm welcome at Angama Mara, the friendly staff that supported us every day to the wonderful guides who made sure we always seemed to be at just the right place at the exactly right time. For artists, this is what makes the difference between a good image and a great one.

A slice of life at Angama Mara. Photographs by Clement Kiragu

With the ambience set to perfection, each day in paradise began with excitement, full of hope of what the new day may offer. Every morning at 6am we made our descent down the Oloololo Escarpment to make the most of the golden first light of the day in the heart of the action. The Mara Triangle offers a great canvas for artists like us.

The unusual design and vibrant colours of the lodge are a dream to capture. Photographs by Mutua Matheka

In the mornings, the amazing landscapes transform into a dreamy scene when the sun rises and the rays pierce through the mist and trees. We have independently been to the Maasai Mara many times, but this visit was special. As it was the middle of a pandemic there were very few tourists in the Mara. Of course this was a difficult time for many hotels and people working in the tourism industry, but it favoured us as photographers who wanted to document uninterrupted nature.

From dramatic crossings to peaceful elephant scenes, we saw it all. Photographs by Josh Kisamwa

During the full days out on safari - picnics in tow - we were able to witness one of the best migrations any of us has ever experienced without the usual vehicle congestion at the river crossings. Each of us has witnessed how unpleasant our fellow man can be in interrupting animal behavior for their own entertainment and photography, so it was great to experience this change. It was also amazing to be with responsible guides who are completely in love with what they do, and have the utmost respect for wildlife.

As anyone who has been on safari knows, as the sun goes down on the African horizon, you have to have a sundowner or bush dinner. We looked forward to this each evening. It was that time of the day when you could take it all in at the bonfire, exchange stories of the day with other guides and travellers as you sip on a cocktail and watch the sun fade away. It’s the perfect ending to a day.

We enjoyed all the spoilings of guest life at Angama Mara. Photographs by Mutual Matheka & Trevor Maingi

Now, imagine having that perfect day for a two whole weeks.
We would like to thank the Angama management, the staff and the photography studio team for the invaluable support that made our job a dream trip. Keep up the exceptional work of providing an excellent safari destination and most importantly supporting the local community through your various projects. We can’t wait to come back!

Filed under: The Mara

Tagged with:

Angama Safaris , Photographic Safari , Safari Photography , Travel East Africa , Wildlife Photography

About: Clement Kiragu

Clement Kiragu is an award winning Wildlife Photographer and a signed Natgeo Fine Art Galleries Contributor. His work has been published in Books such as Remembering Lions, Remembering Cheetahs, Africa Geographic Year book and other publications around the world including National Geographic, Natgeo Fine Art, The Mirror, Daily Mail, Africa Geo just to name a few. Clement also runs private guided safaris in Africa and if he is not stuck in the city, you will always find him chasing that good light on the African Plains.

Browse all articles by Clement Kiragu Meet the angama team

Keep Reading

Beautiful Darkness 2 September 2022 Beguiled by reports of a mythical black panther, Andrew ventures into the heart of Laikipia to find it By Andrew Andrawes
This Week At Angama #131 7 August 2020 This Week at Angama we bring you something different. Four world-renowned Kenyan photographers and documentary filmmakers came to stay to capture the Great Migration in their unique styles, bringing their fresh perspectives to the greatest show on Earth By Mwikali Ndambo
Going Once, Going Twice! 9 June 2020 Steve Mitchell announces the new auction platform for The Greatest Maasai Mara Photographer of the Year and writes about the conservation good work that this Angama Foundation initiative continues to enable By Steve Mitchell
Herd Mentality 22 September 2023 When on safari, it may seem odd to come across a young boy with his herd of goats or cows, but as Alfred, one of Angama's Naturalists, explains, this is a way of life By Alfred Shungur
Join the Conversation (2 comments)

Comments (2):

Jesse Anderson

29 September 2020

We were priviledged enough to be able to spend three weeks in Kenya a few years ago. It was so beautiful and really wanted to stay. Its a different world. Between my son and I we came home with over 15,000 photos. What memories. We were not there during the great migration, though. Maybe another time!

    Nicky Fitzgerald

    30 September 2020

    Thank you so much for this lovely post, Jesse. Kenya surely has to rank right up there as one of Africa's most diverse and beautiful countries. That, together with the warm hospitality shown to all travellers by Kenyans, makes it a destination not to be missed and even better, to be visited time and time again.

Leave a Comment:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked*