We turned off the narrow tarmac road onto a dusty track at a roadside village with scattered makeshift houses roofed in tin sheets or thatch. The landscape was stunningly picturesque and simultaneously harsh. Thick thorny commiphora bush dominated the vegetation interspersed with sporadic grassy open areas. Ring-necked doves cooed and ...
Last spring we stayed in the picturesque village of Alquézar, nestled below an Arab fortress perched dramatically on a limestone outcrop above the Vero gorge. The village guards the canyon´s mouth, a nesting haven for griffons and a pair of peregrine falcons. From this elevated vantage, the eye travels across ...
When I heard a strange sound while lying in bed at night it was comforting knowing that our kids were literally next door, and if I wanted to check on them I would not need to leave my tent. A family tent on safari is an innovative accommodation option featuring ...
Ruaha National Park is Tanzania's second largest and is undoubtedly one of my favourite parks. It covers an area of 20,226 km2 (7,809 sq mi), which is larger than Denali National Park and is more than twice the size of Yellowstone. Years ago we would seasonally set up a ...
Gillian and I met Dave at Arusha Airport in Tanzania. Local outfitter Nomad Tanzania had invited us on a recce (a reconnaissance trip to have a look at somewhere new or that has changed) to see their new Expeditionary Walking Camp. This was currently in Ugalla River National Park. This ...
Africa is still the Dark Continent. It is replete with mysteries, wonders and misconceptions, among other treasures. Consider Rwanda, for example. This is a tiny country in the Great Lakes region of Africa, a little to the west of giant Lake Victoria. Few people outside Africa know where it is, ...
Bisate Eco Lodge is tucked into the south-western slopes of a small extinct volcano offering stunning sunset views of two of the eight largest volcanoes in the Virungas (Karisimbi and Bisoke). The Virunga Mountains are a chain of mountains forming part of the Albertine Rift, and are the result of ...
The Highlands is situated high on the slopes of Olmoti Volcano, and at 2,700m (8,850ft) is the highest camp in the Ngorongoro Highlands area. The extinct Olmoti rests between The Highlands and the massive caldera of Ngorongoro Crater. This is a remote area, far from any other lodges and camps, ...
We reached a ledge where we could rest and have a picnic ¾s of the way up the formidable 3,000 ft high (over 1,000m) Western Breach. The Breach is the steepest and hardest non-technical route up Mount Kilimanjaro. Even though it is hard to breathe (there is nearly half the ...
Ngorongoro Crater is a marvel of geology. It is a fully intact 280km2 unbroken caldera situated in the heart of the Great Rift Valley. The rim of the caldera is around 1,800m (6,000 ft) above sea level. Standing on the forested and misty slopes of the eastern rim offers astounding ...
One aspect of an African safari that is often overlooked is the cultural side. The primary reason for an Africa trip is usually the big game - lion, leopard, elephant and lots more of course! But over the years, I have noticed how activities that bring guests into contact with ...
Steaming coffee was delivered to my room in the pre-dawn. I quickly got ready and made my way up to the dining area, ready for our early departure. We were staying at the luxurious Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, and today were driving down into the magnificent wildlife-packed caldera. My guests hadn’t ...
