Our Story
Paul Kirui
Paul was born near Kenya’s renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve, where he spent his childhood herding cattle and developing an instinctive understanding of the bush. This early connection to wildlife inspired him to pursue formal training in natural history and guiding, earning academic credentials from institutions in both Kenya and South Africa.
With more than 30 years of experience guiding in East Africa—including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda—Paul has built a career rooted in deep field knowledge and a passion for storytelling. He discovered photography while working as a newspaper correspondent and soon developed his talent behind the lens. Mentored by renowned photographers, including the BBC’s Jonathan Scott, he has led countless photo safaris. In 2016 and 2017, Paul was honored as “Best Guide of the Year” by the Eco-Warrior Awards.
Paul has completed more than 400 gorilla treks, making him an unparalleled asset on primate-focused expeditions. His expertise also extends to big cats; since 2006, he has worked with the BBC Natural History Unit as a leopard tracker and consultant on productions such as “Big Cat Week,” “Big Cat Diary” and The Truth About Lions.
For Paul, understanding animal behavior outweighs fancy gear when it comes to wildlife photography. His evocative, story-rich images have appeared in Swara, East Africa’s premier wildlife magazine, among other regional publications. Today, Paul blends science, intuition and visual storytelling to craft safari experiences that are grounded in place and shaped by a lifetime immersed in the wild.
What's in My Camera Bag
When traveling for photographic safaris that involve a lot of walking, such as gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, I prefer to keep my camera bag as light as possible. I usually travel with one lighter camera body and leave any backup body behind during the actual trek. My preferred lenses are the 70–200mm for wildlife portraits and the 24–105mm for closer range and environmental images, together with a 1.4x teleconverter to add extra reach when needed.
For traditional safari game drives, I carry my 100–500mm lens, also paired with a converter for additional focal length in the field. My overall philosophy is simple: travel light, stay mobile, and carry only the gear that best suits the experience and photographic conditions.
Cameras
Canon R6 Mirrorless
Canon 7D
Lenses
Canon 24-105mm f/1.8 RF
Canon 17-40mm f/1.4 EF
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 EF
Canon 100-400mm f/5.6-8 RF
Canon 400mm f/4 EF
Canon 1.4x Teleconverter
Other
GoPro camera
128GB Memory cards
Charger + Extra Batteries
Car mount bracket
Justino Tripod with head
Sea to Summit dry bag
Adobe Lightroom editing program
Swarovski 10x42 Binoculars
Blak Rapid Camera Strap
What Our Guests Say
Paul is an exceptional Expedition Leader! He is very knowledgeable, can spot wildlife from a great distance and helps you understand the challenges these animals (and the various ecosystems) face. In addition, he is a great photography leader because he understands how to position the vehicle, intuitively understands what kind of photo you are going for and he helps you achieve amazing photography moments. We are planning to come back to Tanzania specifically because of the fabulous time we had with Paul. We will be requesting Paul for our next private trip!
Paul was outstanding. His passion, pride and joy for his country and the animals combined with his professionalism, helpfulness and knowledge were contagious. His humor and lyrical explanations are so much a unique part of him; it was a pleasure just to listen to him!
I can't say enough great things about Paul! He was a great guide and went out of his way to make sure everyone was well taken care of and felt important and valued. He did a great job sharing photo tips as well. You can tell he loves what he does. He shared many fun stories and had a great amount of knowledge. He never seemed stressed or harried although I'm sure he had much to take care of behind the scenes. He made sure the group was cohesive and I'd love to travel with Paul again sometime in the future.
