Every time I explore the vast Mara-Serengeti ecosystem I’m reminded that it truly does hold the greatest wildlife viewings on Earth. We’ve preserved some really fun and memorable moments of this magical place during a recent safari. Depending on the time of year, the Mara or the Serengeti is an absolute must for any inaugural safari, and perhaps even for a second or third safari as well! A few days under canvas in the heart of this region will be rewarded with outstanding big cat viewing, and always the chance of witnessing their mesmerizing predatory behavior.

A visit with the mountain gorillas of Rwanda and Uganda has been celebrated as one of the very best wildlife experiences on the planet. Immersing ourselves for a day or two within the tangled montane forests that are home to these magnificent creatures is something that my guests and I count as an enduring privilege. The Virunga and Bwindi forests have also been a conservation success story with gorilla populations nearly triple what they were in the early 90s! Now with some of the most stylish boutique safari lodges in Africa, Rwanda has become one of my more popular – and favorite – safari destinations.

Experiencing close up encounters with wild chimpanzees in an African forest alongside the deep blue waters of Lake Tanganyika rates for most as an ultimate safari activity. Very much the Tarzan storybook country, the forested slopes of these hillsides make for the most evocative of settings. Greystoke Camp itself is one of the most remote safari locations, keeping the romance of that real safari alive. Time spent out cruising on the lake complements the chimp trekking nicely to round out one of Africa’s best kept secrets.

It’s 2am and from my bedroom here in my Mara home I hear the lion roaring. There is no other sound that evokes such a primeval sense within us; a reminder that this is an animal for whom primates are on the menu. Having spent countless hours over the past 25 years watching these apex predators, I now imagine this one, patrolling his or her territory in the African darkness, and feel privileged to live here where the wild things still roam free.

There is something about “Simba”, the largest of our big cats, that mesmerizes us. Ever since humans could record their feelings, lions have featured in our art, as evidenced by the life-size cave lions drawn in the 28,000 year old paintings at Grotte Chauvetin in France (https://www.ancient.eu/Chauvet_Cave/).

Today, we photograph, study, listen to, and watch these magnificent beasts; the fascination continues no matter where we are. Last month, in the heart of New York City and far from our home in Kenya, we took Ollie and Halina to see The Lion King on Broadway and at the movie theater. The artistry and storytelling inspired by our feared and revered feline friends are truly things to wonder at – although we still think the hyenas got a raw deal!

Over the years, I’ve been so privileged to share the joy of my guests when they see their first wild lion. Of all the places in lion country, the Masai Mara in particular is perhaps the ultimate location for spending time with lions. In Amboseli, as the local lion population has increased over the past decade, we’ve also had outstanding experiences in our private conservancy there, Kitirua. This lion recovery has been aided significantly by the fantastic conservation work being done by our friends at the Lion Guardians program. Recently, several of my safaris have had the special opportunity to visit the Lion Guardians camp in Amboseli and get some insights into how this unique and dynamic project operates. You can learn more about their work here (http://lionguardians.org).

My own safari work, as well as Steph’s carnivore research, have enabled me to learn so much about lions and the immense challenges humans face living alongside lions in the 21st century living. Sharing ideas and discussing issues related to lion conservation can bring even more to the experience of seeing one of the most impressive wild animals on the planet, which in turn will help us conserve lions, and be inspired by them, for generations to come.

Photos by Max Melesi, taken on safari with me in June, 2019.

Over the Easter holidays I traveled with Steph and the kids to Australia. With Ollie now eleven years old, and Halina nine, it was the perfect time to bring them back to this beautiful country where I spent an adventurous childhood. During our three weeks on the eastern coast, we experienced much of what I have always loved about Oz, as well as a few new things. 

Highlights for the kids included seeing nine wombats on a night drive, a first surfing lesson at Manly Beach in Sydney, sailing through stunning Sydney Harbour, riding horses down Seven Mile Beach, successfully completing the Coffs Harbor Ocean Swims, and of course our week on Haggerstone Island in far north Queensland on the Great Barrier Reef.  

Steph and I also enjoyed a special evening out in Sydney for the Handa Opera outdoor performance of West Side Story. The exciting choreography and classic music were made all the better by the backdrop of the iconic Harbor Bridge and Opera House all lit up, and fabulous fireworks during the intermission!

Steph and the kids have been dreaming of a trip to the Great Barrier Reef for years, and I was excited to go back to that part of the world. I teamed up with my Australian travel partners at The Tailor to organize the trip to Haggerstone. The island is a family-owned and hosted destination, castaway-rustic and comparable in many ways to our own style of safaris in Africa. Snorkeling from the island and the boat each day, we saw green sea turtles and great numbers of other marine life, including countless fishes, rays, starfish, and coral. Fishing expeditions were exciting and successful due to the remote location we were in, and always involved cooking our coral trout catch for lunch on the boat – except for the crayfish ceviche and various sushi dishes! There is nothing quite like fresh seafood in such an exquisite location, especially when you have caught it yourself and the only other thing you have to do that afternoon is relax! We also made a special trip to the mainland one day, to climb the monstrous sand dunes that emerge straight out of the sea at the very northernmost tip of Australia. Our Aussie safari was such fun for all of us, but especially the kids. With so much coastline and outback to explore, with interesting wildlife and the most colorful birds, and with the cultural highlights of Sydney as well as the Aboriginal tribes and lands, Australia has so much to offer any traveler. 

During this last safari season, we’ve had a few opportunities to take helicopter safaris from one of my favorite safari lodges – Ol Malo. Andrew, son of Rocky and Colin Francombe, the founders of Ol Malo, pilots his own R44 Raven II Chopper and knows Northern Kenya’s secret spots like the back of his hand. We had a lot of fun exploring the remote and wild lands of the north, where the air is dry and the environment starkly beautiful. It’s a truly transformational experience, put it on your bucket list now!

I’ve just returned from yet another visit to the famed mountain gorillas. Since 1994, visiting these gentle giants has been a great highlight of my safari lifetime. I’ve taken countless trips into this region that evokes everything from mythology of the King Kong years to the pioneering behavioral studies on gorillas by George Schaller. Delving into the entrancing mountains and valleys of the Albertine Rift Valley, we cover all corners, from the dark days of the Rwandan genocide, to tantalizing glimpses of the Congo jungles ready to soak up all that comes their way. And each day we have our own memorable time with the gorillas themselves.

Close to 50 visits in person with the gorillas has yet to dampen my enthusiasm for the intensely enjoyable moments. Both Uganda and Rwanda are completely safe to visit, and these countries also offer so much more than gorilla tourism. Cruising the mighty Nile River in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park and trekking to habituated chimpanzees amidst the highland forests of Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park are two of my own favorite destinations in this lush region.

And as a reminder of how the fortunes of these great apes and their habitat can rebound, and yet remain so volatile, there are some great insights in this story from National Geographic:

Inside the Fight to Save one of the World’s Most Dangerous Parks

Virunga National Park in the Congo was created in 1925. Known then as Albert National Park, it was Africa’s inaugural protected area, covering 3,000 square miles of one of the planet’s least known but most rich biodiversity hotspots. In recognition of this, the Park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. However, the current conflict has made it at times a precarious place for visitors. I had the thrill of looking out across this evocative landscape back in 2002 when we scaled the Stanley plateau to Mt Margharita; Africa’s third highest peak atop the legendary Rwenzori Mountains.

A young male gives us a yawn…and a look at his already impressive teeth!

I was very happy to find this nice chameleon while we were gorilla trekking!

Two of my favorite things – a chameleon and a group of mountain gorillas.

During the rainy season over April, I kept busy working on my flying hours in my (1957) Cessna 182, 5Y-KUC, known to the family now as “Uncle Charlie.” A vintage aircraft with the latest GPS navigation systems (and a new engine!) has made for some spectacular and safe flying over what I consider the most impressive landscapes in Africa. One of these flights included flying Halina over the Great Rift Valley and up to her first pony camp near Mt. Kenya – truly a stunning location to ride, fly, hike, fish, and of course enjoy the abundant wildlife that make Kenya so unique. While Halina and I were at pony camp, Oliver and Stephanie kept busy at home, graphing animal numbers and rainfall, as well as cataloging the fascinating night visitors captured with our remote sensing camera traps; trundling aardvarks, diminutive dik-diks, and hyena-chasing-hippos amongst them!

Halina and I with Uncle Charlie – about to take off for pony camp!

Kids and their ponies at pony camp, with Mount Kenya in the background. Halina and Flashman are farthest to your right.

Halina with a small family of elephants in the Masai Mara, Kenya.

I have just sent out a newsletter, and it’s all about the elephants! 

For me, across my many years leading safaris through the African bush, the stand-out animal to observe, photograph, and simply just be amongst is the elephant. 

Since Hannibal marched on Rome in the third century BC with a cavalry of these exceptional beasts, and the western world had its first taste of the their potential might, they have captured human imagination. Two thousand years ago there were most likely millions of elephants across the African continent…

Read more here! 

Flying is part of life in the safari business in Africa, and between living in the Masai Mara and dashing to the kids’ sports matches at their school in the Rift Valley, it made good sense to become a pilot myself. Flying safaris are also a wonderful way to see this spectacular continent and they will be a big part of the next 5 – 10 years of our explorations and adventures out here.

Since passing my exams and completing my Private Pilot’s Licence, I’ve done some early flights in a Cessna 172 which have taken me to home in the Mara, as well as the Rift Valley, both near Magadi as well as up near the kids’ school – how we do school runs in Africa!