Get your new iPhone in September. Learn its camera on safari in October.
After 15 years of iPhone camera reviews in the field, this is your chance to join me on the adventure. For the iPhone’s twentieth year, six guests will join me, Taylor McKay, and Bobby Neptune for eleven days in the Masai Mara and Amboseli.
This is a luxury safari experience — private and exclusive, limited to six guests. Private Ker & Downey camps, charter flights between parks, private cruisers with a camera-ready row for every guest, and Swarovski Optik glass to use throughout.
Exclusive means the safari runs on our clock. We’re out with the light — before dawn if we like, after sunset — with the freedom to drive where the wildlife and the light lead. The whole itinerary is custom, built for this group alone.
Bring your new iPhone and learn exactly what your camera can do, from the people who know it best. Instruction is available every day and never required — you don’t need to be a photographer to be here.
Three guides. Six guests.
Austin Mann
Host · Photographer · GuideTravel photographer and safari guide. Fifteen years of iPhone camera reviews from the field, with iPhone images published by National Geographic, The New York Times, and Outdoor Magazine.
Taylor McKay
Co-Guide · FilmmakerThe filmmaker behind many of Austin’s iPhone camera reviews. Knows the iPhone camera as deeply as anyone shooting today — and he’ll be beside you every day of the trip.
Bobby Neptune
Co-Guide · Wildland CollectiveFounder of Wildland Collective and an accomplished nature and wildlife photographer whose work spans National Geographic, the BBC, and beyond.
Eleven days, timed to light.
Nairobi
Arrive, private transfer. Private stay at Ker & Downey’s Hog House. Welcome dinner with the group.
Amboseli
One-hour private charter in. Elephants at the foot of Kilimanjaro. Private Ker & Downey camp. Golden-hour drives and sundowners.
Masai Mara
Charter across. Big cats, open savanna, the best light in Africa. Private Ker & Downey camp, exclusively ours.
Home
Charter to Nairobi, connections onward.
Every day: dawn + dusk drives timed to light, not schedules. Midday is yours — rest, edit with Austin, or keep shooting camp life. Detailed itinerary shared on your booking call.
Everything on the ground is covered.
Once you land in Nairobi, you won’t reach for your wallet.
Included
- Private camp accommodations — exclusive use
- All food & beverage
- Charter flights between parks
- Private safari cruisers & ground transit
- Professional guides & all guide fees
- All park & conservancy fees
- Kenya visa (eTA) — handled
- Swarovski Optik loaner optics throughout
- Daily shooting & instruction with your hosts
Not included
- International flights to Nairobi (NBO)
- Travel insurance — medical evacuation & travel medical coverage required
- Gratuities — entirely optional
- Items of a personal nature
Sponsored by Swarovski Optik.
Every guest uses Swarovski binoculars and spotting scopes throughout the trip — and can purchase a pair at partner pricing to take home.
Kenya, by your guides.
Small group, big adventure.
Booking is by request. We’ll talk within 48 hours. A 40% deposit confirms your seat; the remaining 60% is due 60 days before departure.
Request a Seat
We’ll get back to you within 48 hours.
FAQ
Do I need to be a good photographer?
No. This is a luxury safari first. Some guests will shoot all day; some will mostly watch elephants with a coffee in hand. Both are doing it right. If you want to grow, you’ll be shooting next to three working photographers for ten days — you’ll grow.
Do I need the newest iPhone?
Bring whatever iPhone you have. The new one releases about two weeks before we fly, so if you upgrade, you’ll have it in hand for the trip. Austin will help you set it up for safari shooting on day one.
Can I bring my traditional pro camera too?
Absolutely. This isn’t a phones-only bootcamp. Bring the big glass if you want — the cruisers have room, and your hosts will be glad to talk shop.
Is travel insurance required?
Yes — medical evacuation and travel medical coverage are required. Our camps are remote, and this is non-negotiable for your safety. We strongly recommend trip-cancellation coverage as well, since payments are non-refundable. We’ll send recommended providers when you book.
How do payments work?
A 40% deposit confirms your seat ($11,520 single / $10,520 per person for two). The remaining 60% is due 60 days before departure. Payments are non-refundable — that’s what the trip-cancellation insurance is for.
I’m traveling solo. Will that be weird?
Not at all. Six guests, three hosts — this is a small dinner table, not a tour bus. Solo travelers get their own tent.
Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?
Yes. Every meal on the trip is prepared for our group alone, and nearly any dietary need can be accommodated — just tell us when you book.
How fit do I need to be?
If you can climb in and out of a Land Cruiser and handle a few hours of bumpy roads, you’re fit enough. Game drives are long but not physical.
What’s the weather like in October?
Dry-season warmth: crisp mornings (pack a layer), warm days, extraordinary light. October is one of Austin’s favorite months in Kenya — great wildlife, thinner crowds.
Will I have Wi-Fi?
Yes, at camp — enough to check in at home and back up photos. Enough to stay connected, not enough to stay distracted.
What does the price reflect?
Everything on the ground for eleven days, private and exclusive: private Ker & Downey camps, charter flights, private cruisers and guides, all park and conservancy fees, all food and drink, and three guides hosting six guests. Comparable luxury photo safaris run $24,000+ and sell out roughly a year in advance.
The iPhone Photo Safari · October 7–17, 2027 · Masai Mara & Amboseli, KenyaOperated with Wildland Collective · Sponsored by Swarovski OptikMedical evacuation and travel medical insurance required for all guests · Payments non-refundable; full terms provided at bookingNot affiliated with or endorsed by Apple Inc.