Luxury or Necessity? 

Our severe storms made international headlines recently. A few weeks ago, I embarked on a drive through the remote region of Northern Kenya to explore new areas for an exciting itinerary. During breakfast one morning, the day before we continued our journey to Turkana, we heard distant singing from women, so we decided to investigate. These women were singing prayers and dancing as they made their way to the river. Intrigued, I followed them for nearly two hours, captivated by the experience. The irony was evident: their prayers for rain were answered almost immediately. About three hours into our 4.5-hour drive, heavy rain began pouring down. As we passed the security barrier at the wind plant, we encountered a seasonal river nearly overflowing its banks, highlighting the power of nature.

We returned to the barrier and waited there with security for several hours until the rain eased. Once it did, we resumed our journey. However, when we got to the river, we still had to wait another 30 minutes for the river levels to decrease before crossing safely. Within less than 1 kilometer apart, we encountered multiple rivers to cross—one after another. After nearly 30 river crossings, we finally arrived in Turkana around 9:30 PM, having spent eight hours driving instead of the expected hour-long journey. We set off early the next day and endured another 14 hours of driving due to ongoing weather challenges. My plans for morning and afternoon shoots had to be abandoned. Although I typically don’t stay in one place for just one night, this trip was squeezed into a tight schedule at the last minute. It wasn’t the first, second, or even third time I had encountered unexpected severe weather in such remote tribal areas.

This year, the rains arrived unexpectedly in January, a time that’s usually dry. The usual rainy season in April and May was marked by exceptionally heavy rains. The weather in Kenya and worldwide has become incredibly unpredictable. This shift in Kenya’s weather patterns, which began nearly a decade ago in 2016, has made planning trips during the dry season, which used to be straightforward, nearly impossible to anticipate. This had me pondering the challenges when designing photographic experiences in wildlife safaris and tribal expeditions. 

Weather is now an essential factor to consider when deciding on a tribal trip to a remote area. Many remote tribal tours focus on a quest to see as many tribes as possible, racing through a country, often spending just one night in each place, enduring long hours of driving to arrive at villages late in the afternoon, leaving at sunrise, and repeating the cycle. Most of these trips are arranged well over a year in advance during what should be the dryer months.  However, unexpected weather changes, as seen in Kenya and many other parts of the world this year, can disrupt plans significantly. You might spend most of your time driving and miss out on much of what was initially planned.

I have always designed my tribal expeditions, focusing on exceptional experiences, as I believe they lead to more vibrant and meaningful photographs. My strategy involves immersing the group in local communities where I’ve built relationships. To do this, I set up mobile tent camps near villages for added comfort and convenience. While this may be seen as a luxurious approach that comes with a higher price tag, I see it as essential for genuinely immersing oneself in the rich tribal culture that’s increasingly rare to find. What some might call “running and gunning” for photos in villages seems like a hollow victory in comparison.

Rather than planning a full circle itinerary, which generally means a lot more driving and less time in each village. I generally like to drive my way up, spending more time in each special location, maximizing our time in the field, and then arranging a charter flight back to the arrival city, saving 2-3 days of driving. Again, while this may be considered a luxurious approach with a higher price tag, I see it as essential for genuinely immersing oneself in the rich tribal culture and maximizing your investment. 

Are mobile tent camps and charter flights simply luxuries or vital for a more profound experience? Considering the increasingly erratic global weather patterns, I see the comfort of staying in carefully chosen locations and utilizing a single charter flight as a significant advantage. This approach reduces the risk of weather disturbances affecting our experience. Therefore, after what I recently experienced (not the first time), I consider mobile tent camps and charter flights indispensable for ensuring the best possible experience.