Shompole

The best wildlife photography trips at Shompole are small-group, week-long hide holidays, & NaturesLens runs dedicated departures every October. Each week gives six full nights of overnight photography from two specialist photographic hides, the Plains Hide & the Kichaka Hide, positioned beside separate waterholes at Shompole Wilderness, within Shompole Conservancy in Kenya, with controlled lighting, gimbals & beanbags provided, single-occupancy accommodation & no more than seven photographers. Our next departures led by David Miles are 3-10 October 2027, 12-19 October 2027 & 25 October-1 November 2028. The hides offer opportunities to photograph species such as African Civet, African Elephant, African Leopard, African Lion & Bat-eared Fox after dark, with the experience built around low-light behaviour rather than general sightseeing. Shompole lies in southern Kenya’s Rift Valley, close to the Tanzanian border & within sight of the Nguruman Escarpment, whose steep, forested slopes rise abruptly from the surrounding lowlands. The area forms part of a community-conserved wilderness where acacia woodland, open savannah, & seasonal wetlands fed by natural springs create a mosaic of habitats supporting a rich diversity of wildlife. This blend of permanent water sources amid an otherwise arid landscape draws game from across the wider ecosystem, making Shompole a productive & varied setting for wildlife observation, particularly given its lower visitor numbers compared to Kenya’s more established reserves. Shompole supports an impressive range of large & elusive species, from African Elephant, Giraffe, Plains Zebra, & Impala grazing across the open plains to Grant’s Gazelle favouring drier ground. Predators are notably well represented, with African Lion & African Leopard present alongside both Spotted Hyena & the more secretive Striped Hyena, offering excellent opportunities to observe competing carnivore guilds. Nocturnal drives reveal a further layer of activity, with African Civet, Common Genet, Porcupine, Spring Hare, & Bat-eared Fox frequently encountered after dark, alongside owls such as the Marsh Owl, Spotted Eagle-Owl, & the striking Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, whose deep calls often mark the transition into evening. Curious what keeps photographers coming back? Read our piece on why photographers keep returning to Shompole. If you are weighing up where to go, our guide to the best wildlife photography trips at Shompole explains how a week in the hides works, how Shompole compares with the Maasai Mara for photography, & how to tell a genuine wildlife photography holiday from one where photography is bolted on.