Canonical URL: https://natureslens.co.uk/specific-location/great-rift-valley/ Specific Location # Great Rift Valley NaturesLens visits Great Rift Valley on small-group wildlife photography holidays in Kenya, with time here planned around African Civet, African Elephant, African Leopard, African Lion and Bat-eared Fox rather than general sightseeing. Current itineraries using Great Rift Valley include Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness, with photography shaped around hide, boat-based, flight, night or low-light and landscape and behaviour photography sessions. The Great Rift Valley cuts a dramatic swathe through Kenya, its escarpments & volcanic peaks framing a mosaic of soda lakes, savannah grassland, acacia woodland, & scrubby bushveld. This vast tectonic trench, part of a fault system stretching across East Africa, creates a striking & varied landscape of steep valley walls, open plains, & shallow alkaline lakes that support a wide diversity of habitats within a relatively contained geographic corridor. The interplay of altitude, volcanic soils, & water availability makes it one of Kenya’s most ecologically rich regions, offering photographers sweeping vistas alongside intimate wildlife encounters across grassland & woodland edges. Wildlife here spans the full spectrum of East Africa’s iconic savannah fauna. Large mammals such as African elephant, giraffe, plains zebra, & Grant’s gazelle graze the open plains, often alongside impala, while the valley’s predator guild includes African lion, leopard, & spotted hyena, with striped hyena representing a scarcer, more elusive counterpart. Smaller & nocturnal species add further depth, including African civet, common genet, porcupine, spring hare, & bat-eared fox, most active after dusk. Birdlife is equally rewarding, with marsh owl, spotted eagle-owl, & the powerful Verreaux’s eagle-owl frequently recorded, their presence reflecting the region’s mix of grassland, rocky outcrops, & wooded margins ideal for both hunting & roosting. Single occupancy Maximum 7 guests Experienced guidance 3 departures - [![Join Us For The Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness Photography Safari](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/A-Leopard-Drinking-Water-at-Night-Causing-a-Superb-Reflection-photographed-at-Shompole-Wilderness-with-NaturesLens-1024x768.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole-wilderness/) Special Offer ### 3rd - 10th Oct 2027 - Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness **Location:** Kenya Photograph the nocturnal wildlife of Shompole Wilderness in Kenya's Great Rift Valley. Two waterhole hides, varied species & experienced guidance. **7 nights** w. **Single occupancy** for **Was: £6999 Now: £6499** Guided By **Pui Hang Miles** [View Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole-wilderness/) - [![Join Us For The Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness Photography Safari](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/A-Leopard-Drinking-Water-at-Night-Causing-a-Superb-Reflection-photographed-at-Shompole-Wilderness-with-NaturesLens-1024x768.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole/) Special Offer ### 12th - 19th Oct 2027 - Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness **Location:** Kenya Photograph the nocturnal wildlife of Shompole Wilderness in Kenya's Great Rift Valley. Two waterhole hides, varied species & experienced guidance. **7 nights** w. **Single occupancy** for **Was: £6999 Now: £6499** Guided By **Pui Hang Miles** [View Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole/) - [![Join Us For The Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness Photography Safari](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/A-Leopard-Drinking-Water-at-Night-Causing-a-Superb-Reflection-photographed-at-Shompole-Wilderness-with-NaturesLens-1024x768.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole-wilderness-2028/) Limited Places ### 25th Oct - 1st Nov 2028 - Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness **Location:** Kenya Photograph the nocturnal wildlife of Shompole Wilderness in Kenya's Great Rift Valley. Two waterhole hides, varied species & experienced guidance. **7 nights** w. **Single occupancy** for **£6999** Guided By **David Miles** [View Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole-wilderness-2028/) - ## What to Photograph at Great Rift Valley - [African Civet at Great Rift Valley](https://natureslens.co.uk/field-guide/where-to-photograph/african-civet-at-great-rift-valley/) - [African Elephant at Great Rift Valley](https://natureslens.co.uk/field-guide/where-to-photograph/african-elephant-at-great-rift-valley/) - [African Lion at Great Rift Valley](https://natureslens.co.uk/field-guide/where-to-photograph/african-lion-at-great-rift-valley/) - [Bat-eared Fox at Great Rift Valley](https://natureslens.co.uk/field-guide/where-to-photograph/bat-eared-fox-at-great-rift-valley/) - [Common Genet at Great Rift Valley](https://natureslens.co.uk/field-guide/where-to-photograph/common-genet-at-great-rift-valley/) - [Giraffe at Great Rift Valley](https://natureslens.co.uk/field-guide/where-to-photograph/giraffe-at-great-rift-valley/) - [Grant’s Gazelle at Great Rift Valley](https://natureslens.co.uk/field-guide/where-to-photograph/grants-gazelle-at-great-rift-valley/) - [Impala at Great Rift Valley](https://natureslens.co.uk/field-guide/where-to-photograph/impala-at-great-rift-valley-2/) - [Leopard at Great Rift Valley](https://natureslens.co.uk/field-guide/where-to-photograph/leopard-at-great-rift-valley/) - [Marsh Owl at Great Rift Valley](https://natureslens.co.uk/field-guide/where-to-photograph/marsh-owl-at-great-rift-valley/) - [Plains Zebra at Great Rift Valley](https://natureslens.co.uk/field-guide/where-to-photograph/plains-zebra-at-great-rift-valley/) - [Porcupine at Great Rift Valley](https://natureslens.co.uk/field-guide/where-to-photograph/porcupine-at-great-rift-valley/) ## Great Rift Valley questions ### What are the best photography trips for wildlife at Great Rift Valley? NaturesLens runs small-group wildlife photography holidays that visit Great Rift Valley, planned around time with the subjects rather than sightseeing. Current departures are [Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole-wilderness-2026/) (15-22 October 2026), [Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole-wilderness/) (3-10 October 2027), [Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole/) (12-19 October 2027) & [Wildlife of Shompole Wilderness](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/kenya/wildlife-of-shompole-wilderness-2028/) (25 October-1 November 2028). ## Great Rift Valley questions ### Who leads the photography holidays at Great Rift Valley, & how big are the groups? Pui Hang Miles & David Miles lead the NaturesLens trips that visit Great Rift Valley. Groups are limited to 7 photographers, so everyone has space to work & receives individual guidance, with the exact maximum shown on each trip page. ## Great Rift Valley questions ### What wildlife can I photograph at Great Rift Valley? Species featured on the NaturesLens trips that visit Great Rift Valley include African Civet, African Elephant, African Leopard, African Lion, Bat-eared Fox, Common Genet, Giraffe & Grant's Gazelle. Which species you see depends on the departure & the season, & as with all wildlife photography, sightings can never be guaranteed.