Morocco
January 29 – February 12, 2025
Best of the Serengeti: Wildebeest Migration and Calving Season
February 16 – 26, 2025
Few wildlife locations on the planet can match the Serengeti and the abundance of wildlife and bird life. Nearly two million zebras, wildebeest, and other antelope journey yearly to the northwest between Tanzania’s Serengeti and grassy plains. It is an epic journey searching for greener pastures that inevitably draws many of Africa’s most iconic predators.
We’ve been leading safaris to this part of Africa for over a decade—you won’t find a more meticulously researched itinerary. We will be joined by experienced local guides, each well-known to us and versed in the particular needs of photographers. Photography opportunities will be unparalleled—we’ll fly directly into the Serengeti and stay in exclusive camps far from the typical crowds. We’ve also arranged for custom-designed Land Cruisers to give us great vantage on the action. Only one photographer per row in the vehicles means plenty of room to spread out gear and nearly unobstructed views. Expect to see and photograph wildebeest and zebras with their young, elephants, rhinos, and predators like lions, leopards, and cheetahs, all living in iconic East African vistas!
Unlike most African safaris, this one is geared exclusively towards improving your photography. There will be plenty of instruction in the field and our signature image reviews back at camp. There will also be plenty of time to relax and take in your surroundings in one of the most beautiful destinations on Earth. This safari is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any wildlife photography enthusiast! Extend your safari by joining us immediately afterwards for Kenya’s Elephants and Flamingos safari.
The Spectacle of the Great Migration
Few wildlife encounters can match the sheer scale of the great wildebeest migration in the Serengeti. Read more about what it’s like to witness and photograph this spectacle.
Your Pro
Location
Tanzania
Tuition
$19,995
Dates
February 16 – 26, 2025
Availability
Sold Out
Limited to 7 Guests
Itinerary
About the wildlife: This workshop offers significant opportunities for photographing wildlife, and while we do our best to maximize our wildlife encounters—based on past experiences, local knowledge, and the current conditions—we need to impress upon you that the wildlife really is wild and that we don’t control it.
This itinerary is subject to change due to weather, local conditions, and other factors.
February 16, 2025: Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport today. Our local team will greet you at the airport and then transfer to our elegant and conveniently located lodge for the night.
February 17, 2025: Following an early breakfast, we’ll transfer to Arusha Airport for our flight to the Serengeti. You will be treated to stunning views of Tanzania’s highlands and valleys and colorful patterns of Masai huts, villages, farms, and wildlife. Upon landing in the Serengeti, we’ll be greeted by our local guides and transferred to our first safari camp in the Serengeti. Today will also be your first game drive of our safari.
February 17–22, 2025: During these days, we will depart on early morning and afternoon game drives that last until sunset. Blending exhilarating proximity to nature with carefully considered creature comforts, Our camp invites you on a soulful, immsersive safari adventure. With luck, we’ll witness the herds the herds that descend on to the short grass plains to give birth. In an event that is quite extraordinary, 400,000 calves are born in the space of a few weeks. But the wildebeest are only one part of the experience, as numerous predators follow the herds and look to prey on the vulnerable new-born.
February 22, 2025: After a morning drive, we’ll fly by private charter to our next camp Serengeti. This is one of the most exclusive areas around, and we will enjoy the privacy. This area has high-density game-viewing at all times and is well-known for its large concentration of cats, so much so that until recently this area was set aside for scientific research into predators. In years past, we have had superb sightings of big cats and rhinos and an abundance of other wildlife.
February 22–26, 2025: We’ll spend our days in the field, out early before sunrise, and stay as long as possible. We will head back to camp for a midday break and then back out again late afternoon until sunset. Our camp offers exclusivity and privacy—with few camps around—as well as expansive views and decadent comfort one would not expect while on safari.
February 26, 2025: After a last game drive and breakfast, we will fly over the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Highlands back to Arusha. For those heading home, we will also have day rooms booked at our lodge so that you can shower, change, and rest up before your flight home. We will transfer you to Kilimanjaro International Airport in time for check-in and your evening flight home. For those heading onward to Kenya for the Elephants and Flamingos, you’ll have a relaxing evening at our favorite lodge in town, and next morning we’ll be taking private road transfer from Arusha to the Namanga border crossing.
Safari Camp Life—What to Expect
In short, you'll feel like you're in a luxury hotel! We've handpicked our camps for comfort, knowledgeable and friendly staff, great food, and convenience to our main objective, the wildlife. We also place considerable value on isolation and exclusivity. You won't find us in areas where dozens of other vehicles are at a sighting—you'll feel like you own the land and the animals are there just for you! Typical tented accommodations feature twin beds or a queen bed, high thread-count linens, storage for clothing, a sitting area, a verandah, and of course, en suite bathrooms with toilets, hot water, and showers. They are enormous in size, bright, open, and airy.
Our days start early, before sunrise. We'll have a quick coffee or tea, maybe a cookie, and off on our first game drive of the day. The animals are starting to stir as the day begins, and we want to be there in the best light. Depending on the sightings, we'll stay out for several hours. After a mid-drive coffee break, we'll continue until mid to late morning. We typically have breakfast in the field to maximize our game-viewing and photographing time. Back in camp, it's time for offloading cards, one-on-one instruction, or just relaxing and doing nothing. Read a book, take a walk, or take a nap and recharge. Of course, there will be lunch, and then In the mid to late afternoon, we'll again head out for another game drive, chasing the best sightings. Enjoying your favorite drink while watching and photographing the sunset is popular. Arrive back at camp after sundown, enjoy a hot shower if you like, and then join us by the campfire or in the living area for cocktails, followed by dinner.
Food in our camps is superb—you'll be served both dishes you know and local specialties, too. Of course, any dietary needs can be accommodated.We've arranged for the best safari vehicles—custom Land Cruisers that feature ample room for you and your gear and excellent visibility. And only one photographer per row of seats (note that the front seat next to the driver counts as a row). Our camps feature optional daily laundry service (but not on days we travel between camps).
Serengeti Camp Photos
Why a Muench Workshops Safari?
We know you have choices, and yes, you can spend less on another safari. We aim to give you the best possible experience, maximizing your time and minimizing the hassle while providing the best photographic experience and instruction available anywhere.
Photography and Safari Guiding: We've personally chosen only the best local safari guides for this photographic safari.
Details Matter: Our itinerary is carefully set to bring you the best game viewing and all that the region offers. We arrange things so that we're in areas that are not overly crowded with many other safari vehicles, and we get off-road when possible so we can get close to the action and our subjects.
Photography Instruction: This is a workshop, not just a tour. We will work hard on this safari, with instruction in the field and camp. Many evenings feature critiques and post-processing instruction after dinner, and during the daytime, we offer one-on-one instruction as needed. You'll come away with a wealth of new knowledge on creating great imagery and how best to process those images in Lightroom.
Years of Experience—Happy Repeat Customers: We've been leading, guiding, and teaching photographers for a long time—and we have thrilled customers who come back on our workshops again and again to prove it. If you'd like to speak to someone who has been with us on a workshop or safari, just let us know, we'd be happy to arrange a phone call.
Fitness
Easy: You must be able to get in and out of the custom Land Cruisers, and ride for several hours on possibly bumpy terrain.
Flights
Arrive Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), Kilimanjaro, Tanzania anytime on February 16, 2025. Flights out can be made after 6:00 PM on February 26, 2025. Air travel delays are common. Please arrive early, possibly even the day prior, so you don’t miss any of the workshop.
What to Bring
Please see our page How To Prepare For Your Workshop. We will send you a detailed information document 90 days before your workshop. This document will include specifics of where and when to meet, gear and clothing recommendations, and more.
What’s Included
- Double occupancy lodging. Single available for $3,000 supplement. (Limited availability.)
- All meals, soft drinks, and snacks during the workshop.
- All permits and park fees.
- Internal flights during the workshop.
- All transportation during the workshop.
- Tips for crew, drivers, and local guides.
- Multiple image reviews and post-processing sessions.
- English-speaking local guide throughout the workshop.
- Photographic guiding and instruction from Andy Williams.
- Adventure, fun, inspiration, and a great time!
Not Included
- Travel to and from Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
- Unscheduled airport transfers.
- Passport and visa fees (if applicable).
- Any meals or accommodations before or after the workshop dates.
- Items of a personal nature.
- Alcoholic Beverages.
- Medical Evacuation Insurance (required).
- Travel Medical (required).
- Travel Medical and Trip Cancellation Insurance (optional, but recommended).
- Anything else specifically not listed as included.
- Single rooming available for $3,000 supplement. (Limited availability.)
Payment Terms
- Your non-refundable deposit of $6,995 will hold your space in this workshop.
- Further non-refundable payment of $7,000 is due by July 1, 2024.
- The non-refundable balance is due not later than November 1, 2024.
- In addition to our standard Terms and Conditions, for this workshop all payments are non-refundable, and this is why we recommend comprehensive travel insurance including trip cancelation.
- Need special payment arrangements? No problem, just ask us.
Testimonials
“Andy was great as always - making sure we were ready to shoot & armed with the right information. Our guides - especially in the Mara - were outstanding, and provided really good background on animal species & behavior. ”
“This was a fantastic trip, with outstanding planning, and zero hitches. It's well worth it to do it with a company that sets things up properly. The level of instruction on the trip also was fantastic. I really am very satisfied and am thinking of my second trip already. ”
“The workshop was outstanding. My wife Susan and I enjoyed it very much and we are looking forward to going back to Africa with Muench. ”
“The workshop not only met my expectations but exceeded them. The Muench Workshops instructors gave good direction in both photography and editing and tailored it to my ability plus taking it one level up. Both had a good feel for my abilities. The instruction was perfect. The sequence of photo shoots culminated at the Eagle Festival and we were well prepared to be on our own. I learned some night photography and improved my action shots. ”
