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 ...
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 ...
It was August 2021. I made the most of a rare break due to the pandemic and travelled to Zimbabwe with my family. A highlight was our stay by the banks of the Zambezi River in the far north-east with Carl Nicholson, a keen younger professional safari guide. In 2019 ...
As I stand on the western slopes of Ngorongoro Crater looking out over the vast Serengeti Plain, heads of giraffes appear and disappear between the tops of the acacias. There are times, often in January or February, when I also see long lines of migratory herds of wildebeest and zebra. ...
A safari in the African bush is likely to be one of your most memorable life experiences. It is like no other. Many of our visitors say that it was a unique, life-changing one. One of the phenomenal aspects of a safari is being in the wilds, in remote and ...
Dave and I have decided to write a series on our favourite areas in Africa. Normally in May we are preparing for upcoming dry season safaris. This year we have time to write about these magical areas while we wait for safaris to return in the wake of the Coronavirus ...
It is not easy to describe to someone who has not been what it is like to be in the midst of one of the greatest wildlife migrations on Earth. One obvious aspect is the sight of so many animals. However, the sound of this multitude is essential too; the ...
December 2018 I looked out of the window of the Cessna Caravan 12-seater aircraft as it banked and descended. The aquamarine waters of Lake Tanganyika contrasted with the emerald vegetation of the fields. A couple of days ago Laurence and Alana, my two eldest children, were at university in opposite ...
When I was last in Namibia in January 2018 I was concerned about the chances of survival for the 3 one year old cubs, living along the Hoanib River in the Skeleton Coast National Park. They were the daughters of the desert lioness Margeaux (marked XPL-55 by Desert Lion Research) ...
I sit in a mokoro, or African dug-out canoe, my eyes only a metre above the waterline. My feet are stretched out before me, with my camera gear between my knees, and I am resting on a cushion, with the expert poler standing behind me. I have no idea how ...
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 ...
