Customer Stories #1 Kenya

Welcome to the first part of the interview series called “Customer Stories”, where we will listen to the wonderful stories and experiences our customers have to tell. Enjoy… and let yourself be carried away in this beautiful 19-day trip through Kenya, which Gerard & Antoinette have booked through Travelmarks-Photography. Speaking: Antoinette

Was this your first time visiting Kenya?

Yes, this was indeed the first time we visited Kenya. Together with my husband Gerard, I made this trip.

And how did you experience the trip in general, if you had to summarize it briefly?

Like a dream trip that matched what we needed at the time.

And what did you think was the most spectacular experience you had in Kenya?

I think the great migration. We have seen it several times. This was very special for me. This was also the reason why we wanted to make this trip and that is also the reason why we started this.

Can you describe to me how it felt experience the great migration?

For me it was mainly a feeling of “YIPPIE”. I was absolutely thrilled to be able to experience this. I work as a photographer myself and I was able to take so many pictures of the migration. It had been on my to-do list for a long time and to get this great opportunitie to capture it in a beautiful way is really a dream come true. I will be able to enjoy this for a long time to come, but I can also use it in my work as a photographer and that is very special to me.

And if you wanted to share a favorite photo with us related to the great migration, which one would it be for you?

How did you find the variety of wild life?

This was the sixth African country we went to. But our trip in Kenya was the highlight. We have really been able to admire a lot of different types of wild life here. So close together and in so many large groups. This made the trip very special for us.

How did you experience the help from Travelmarks-photography?

My husband and I made the decision at some point to visit Kenya. We then requested a quote and we found it too expensive. And the trip didn't quite match what we wanted. So then I called Mark to ask for tips. Then Mark said he would be happy to put the trip together for us. He started working on this itinerary. He then gave us tips, including the best route to take and gave us the opportunity to photograph the Masai tribes. Also where we had to be exactly and at what time. And those tips were very valuable to me.

Did you experience a lot of tourism and crowds during the trip?

Our guide told us that in places where the migration takes place more often, there are sometimes as many as 200 cars. Making it almost a fight between drivers to be able to see it. We did not experience it that way, we had at most 20 cars on each side of the river. This also made it easy to maneuver the car to a place you wanted to photograph. We've had parks where we drove half a day and we didn't meet anyone. At the same time, that is very sad because you know that the population in Kenya is very dependent on tourism. On the other hand, it also gives you the peace of mind to enjoy the beauty. This was also the reason that we wanted to go to Kenya. We have been so very busy this past year.

You have visited several national parks, which one is the best above the rest for you?

Our trip was all about wild life. As my sister said, "You go to a zoo for 19 days." But you do go to all kinds of different zoos for 19 days. And when I look at all those different national parks, I thought Sambura was amazing and Amboseli was also very special. Samburu is naturally dry and the water has risen from below, creating a very special landscape. So Samburu because of the drought and the heat. And Amboseli because of the diversity time of all animals.

During the trip you also got to know Jackson, your guide in Kenya. How did you experience this collaboration?

In a word, insane! As I just said this was our sixth trip in Africa. Either we travel ourselves or we do a private trip. Which means you are with three of you for 16 hours a day. You must therefore also have a click with your guide. You have to get along, you have to respect each other's privacy, you have to know when to have fun and when not to. And especially knowing when to give each other some rest and he was especially good at that. The other plus for me was how highly experienced he was, and that's kind of what I demand. From a photographic point of view I sometimes want to be in a certain place at 5 o'clock, or at 7 o'clock at a certain tree where the sun is just rising. I don't want a guide who just drives around a bit, I want a guide who knows where to go. And also, for example, can recognize the areas where you see certain animals. For example, he was super good at spotting lions. He recognized by the behavior of other animals that a lion was nearby. He had a lot of knowledge and experience and these were real plus points for me.

How was your experience with the Solio Ranch?

I thought it was a special park. Solio Ranch is the sanctuary for the rhinoceroses, so you have hundreds of rhinoceroses, both white and black. The area was beautiful and we saw so many rhinoceroses here. And what was funny was that everyone always has a preference for a certain animal. And I've had that with ostriches, for example, I really wanted to see dancing and jumping ostriches, our guide had that with the black rhinoceros. So he totally raved and totally loved the solio ranch and to see that black rhinoceros. And in the end we succeeded, and that was of course also a very nice experience. Solio ranch was a real addition for me.

How did you experience Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha?

It's something completely different. The environment is completely different because there is a lot of water instead of the drought, which we mainly saw for the rest of the trip. For example, we have seen hundreds of pelicans and flamingos here. gezien.

Because of this different experience, it makes it more special for me. What you also see here is that the water comes up from the ground more and more and gets higher. As a result, more and more land is absorbed by the water. Trees die and houses are flooded. This also creates a completely different atmosphere. For example, you see a lot of dead trees sticking out of the water, which I was able to take beautiful pictures of.

Did the trip meet all your expectations?

The trip actually exceeded my expectations. It was the interplay of the right environment at the right time. Good photographic thoughts were given and my wishes were listened to. I am very critical in that regard. I don't just go on a trip that I paid a lot of money for, I want to get what I want. And that has been listened to very carefully. I just thought it was a very nice and special trip.