Mention Africa and lions, cheetahs, gazelles, elephants, rhinoceroses and leopards come to mind, but none of these animals are uniquely African, as they are also indigenous in Asia. For instance one of the three surviving species of elephant in the world, the Indian elephant, is Asian. So which mammal is ...
Today is World Wildlife Day. Each year the United Nations chooses a different theme to highlight the threat to wildlife on our planet and raise awareness. This year the theme is "The future of elephants is in our hands". Sadly, this statement has never been more true. I was born and ...
If you have ever been to Greystoke Camp, hidden in the rainforest and nestled on the shores of giant Lake Tanganyika, your stay there will no doubt have been burned in your memory. Aside from its idyllic setting, and the "Robinson Crusoe" character of this remote camp, it is also ...
The Engs family from California asked us where we recommend for their fourth safari with us, this time over Christmas. They loved their safari in Zimbabwe, but Christmas is not the best time to visit the Miombo/Mopane belt (northern South Africa, southern Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe). It is however, an ...
The views change dramatically as we drive through the pass. We left the small hotel in Alquézar after breakfast, where buildings of brick and reddish sandstone are plastered with an earthy clay and have red tiled roofs, nestled in a land of grey and red limestones, which has been aged ...
In East and Southern Africa it is the rainy season during April and May. For most of my life this period has conjured up images of abundance, greenery, mud, adventure, with a bit of steamy warmth. As this is not the best time to be on safari, I have traditionally ...
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 ...
Uganda is not a big cat destination, and becomes a place we often visit to track the rare mountain gorillas. This is a fantastic experience but, whenever I am in a country, I have a yearning to see more of it. In January I was guiding a safari there tracking ...
This was one of the rare occasions when us three brothers could do something together. My younger brother, Sam, lives in Australia, I now live in Spain, and Damian is the only one left in Africa – in Tanzania. Damian Bell started and runs a non-profit organization (Honeyguide Foundation) that ...
My younger daughter has been on safari several times. However, since she was two years old, when we moved to Spain, these experiences have been far apart. This time, two years since her last visit, I watch her become totally immersed in the activities of this African world, its smells, ...
The Serengeti Plains are divided into two conservation areas - the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The Serengeti National Park provides full protection to all the wildlife, and humans are only permitted there as either researchers or employees of the national park, or as paying guests (tourists), ...
In October I was on safari in Laikipia County in Kenya. This multi-use area covers about 9,500 km2 (3,700 mi2) and straddles the equator between Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountain range. Although most of Laikipia is at high altitude, it is fairly dry country and is generally more suitable ...
