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! 

There are few destinations left where, upon arrival, we feel like we are immediately transported back in time, to a rich, tangled wilderness worthy of Tarzan himself.

One place that has endured the transition to the digital age but retains the feeling of wild Africa is the Mahale Mountains in western Tanzania. Here, the remote yet unparalleled Greystoke Camp is nestled into thick forest where it meets sandy beach along the shore of Africa’s longest and deepest lake, Tanganyika.

Greystoke Camp

A room with a view

Here we spend our time walking in the lush and beautiful forest of the foothills, up close and personal with our relatives, the chimpanzees. These chimps have been studied for more than fifty years, and we gain stunning insights into the lives and loves – as well as political dynamics – of these fascinating creatures. The local guides really bring it all to life for us with their energetic explanations and personal histories of individual chimps.

Meeting the locals

Walking along the river with the chimps

Looks like a place Tarzan could have called home

We also thoroughly enjoy our time on and in the lake itself. We paddle in kayaks, fish for native species of cichlids, and just cool off in the heat of the day.

We even get to know Big Bird, the orphaned pelican who has made himself a regular fixture around camp and particularly enjoys the afternoon boat rides on the lake.

Cruising the lake via wooden vessel offers views of hippos submerged beneath us in the clear waters, lots of fun diving contests off the top deck, and plenty of opportunities for sundowners ….with Big Bird participating in everything!

Cruising Lake Tanganyika

Hippos swimming under the boat

Paddling with Big Bird

Time for a swim and a sundowner!

Mahale after dark

Big Bird is famous on YouTube! You can see his GoPro video if you click here.

I take my guests to Murchison Falls National Park whenever I get the chance. Although this place in northwestern Uganda is not on many peoples’ radar, I find that a day on the Nile here is unlike any other day on safari.

We stay in a private mobile camp along a stretch of the Nile just upstream of Lake Albert, and below Murchison Falls – treacherous rapids and twin waterfalls of some 40 meters in height.

Murchison Falls

Our camp along the Nile

An early morning game drive on the north bank of the river can be spectacular. The park is a golden and green savanna full of honey-colored kob and oribi, dotted with buffalo, giraffe, ground hornbills, and patas monkeys. There are several prides of lions here, and leopards are often seen resting in the tree branches.

Murchison Falls National Park

Uganda kob

Ground hornbill

We spend the rest of the day on the water. Our boats are perfect for both fishing and cruising, as well as for getting close to the bottom of the falls. In the midday heat, we enjoy the river’s cool breeze as the wildlife come down to drink. We catch baitfish hiding along the water’s edge, and then put out serious lines with the hopes of catching a big Nile perch! We even fish at the bottom of the falls, and disembark for a hike up to the top to get a feeling for just how mighty the Nile really is.

Cruising the Albertine Nile

Colobus monkeys

Elephants along the edge of the Nile

A lone giraffe coming down for a drink

The bottom of Murchison Falls

Fishing for Nile perch at the bottom of Murchison Falls

Ollie with a nice catfish

Hauling in the Nile perch

Ollie with the 15kg (33 lb) Nile perch!

Solomon and Halina at the top of the falls – the first trip to Uganda for both of them!

Being on such big water means that the birding is exceptional here. Thousands of cormorants commute to the nearby lake each morning, kingfishers dive for food next to the boat, egrets pluck bugs from the backs of elephants as they graze on papyrus, and bee eaters feed their chicks nestled in holes in cliff banks. Drifting by these scenes closely, in silence, is incredibly relaxing.

Madagascar bee eaters

The giant kingfisher

A very relaxed croc!

We also have a very special viewing of one of nature’s most interesting species – the shoebill. On most birders’ bucket list of sightings, this huge bird can reach almost five feet in height and has the world’s largest bill. We were able to get quite close to one of these prehistoric-looking creatures, and even saw him successfully catch a fish!

The shoebill is hunting…

…he strikes…

…and he gets a fish!

We return to camp at dusk to enjoy drinks by the fire on the riverbank, followed by dinner in the open mess tent. We fall asleep surrounded by the sounds of the river’s nightlife, a unique chorus of hippos and frogs.

The end of the day

After a spectacular safari season, my family and I spent a week on northern Mozambique’s Vamizi Island, a small, 12-km long isle of the finest sugar sand and coastal bushland in the Indian Ocean. Remote and somewhat difficult to get to, it is a perfect destination for families as well as couples. There are just four exquisite private villas and one small ‘lodge’ consisting of several well-spaced, independent rooms within a 5-10 minute walk along the beach from the main dining area and bar.

With some of the best diving and snorkeling in the Indian Ocean, sea turtle nests, humpback whales, giant coconut crabs, and too many assorted hermit crabs for two children to ever count, Vamizi demands to be visited more than once….

Here is a little photo safari from our trip:

Our first glimpse of the island.

Dining by the sea

Ollie snorkeling with the fish above the staghorn coral.

The first of many, many hermit crabs.

Our own private beach.

Coral and clam.

Discovering a starfish.

The bedroom of our “kitala”.

The lovely, open bathroom in our “kitala”, complete with Africology bath products made with African essential oils.

The verandah of our kitala.

Fresh fruit and homemade bread for breakfast.

The chef’s homemade muesli and jams.

Weaver birds were building their nests and courting at the bar.

The Vamizi Noodle Thief strikes again!

Hermit crabs big….

…and hermit crabs small!

We found speckled moray eels in tidal pools.

Herons hunted along the shore.

Sunset at the old Portuguese lighthouse on the tip of the island.

A visit to the Muntu Nkulu estuary on the other side of the island.

A subspecies of blue monkey called the samango monkey inhabits Vamizi as well as coastal Mozambique.

A

On our last full day in the Masai Mara this season, we stumbled upon the aftermath of what must have been a mighty battle between male lions. Lying battered and forlorn on the open plain was the defeated intruder, who had recently ventured into the territory of the two impressive males who dominate the part of the Mara Triangle that includes our favorite campsite.

As we pulled up to the scene, one of the resident males, huge with a blond mohawk, softly roared as he sauntered past the loser, who could barely move his front legs or even lift his head under the weigh of his blood-soaked, rumpled mane. He had suffered at least one wicked bite to the top of his head. We weren’t convinced he would even be able to make it to the shade and water just 150 meters away.

Meanwhile, over the slight rise to the northwest, the dark-maned victor – the other resident male – was now enjoying a honeymoon with one of his pride females, and he looked none the worse for wear with but a few scratches on his flanks, chest, and shoulders. He appeared truly regal in the Mara light. We may have missed the actual battle, but it was clear what had happened – we were witnessing for ourselves some of the drama recently brought to life on the pages of National Geographic by David Quammen and Michael Nichols. (Read “The Short Happy Life of a Sergengeti Lion” here)

The next morning, while reveling in our last Mara sunrise for perhaps a couple of months, we set out to find the wounded male, to see if he made it through the night. We searched the bushes lining the small stream closest to where the fight had occurred, our eyes focused downward. Solomon casually told me to stop the car. We assumed he had seen the lion, but he had actually spotted a leopard in a tree right next to us. Luckily Solomon was also looking up!

We watched the little female for at least 15 minutes in the dawn light and were actually puzzled by her reluctance to hop down the tree trunk to go out of sight. She instead moved like a chameleon and attempted to go higher into the dense foliage of the tree. Solomon enlightened us again: he spotted the injured lion in a thicket just below the leopard tree. Eventually the leopard decided the lion was not a threat, slinked down the tree, and silently disappeared upstream. We left the lion in peace hoping he would live to fight another day, but we were informed by the rangers of the Mara conservancy that he succumbed to his injuries later that day.

Watching this drama unfold reminded us of what a special place the Masai Mara continues to be. Being tucked away in our own camp in a private corner of the reserve, we were fortunate to experience – on our own – the quintessential purity of  ‘nature red in tooth and claw’, and that feeling of true wilderness that is getting harder and harder to find.

The king came away with just a few scratches

The defeated intruder under the weight of his injuries

The king mating with a pride female

The leopard went up high in the tree

She finally came down

The king’s right-hand man

The king of the Mara

The Ngararambuni Nursery School.

The Ngararambuni Nursery School barely appears out of the thick grey volcanic dust of Mt Kilimanjaro, less than 10 miles southwest of Amboseli National Park. If you didn’t already know it was there, you would easily drive by and miss it. Yet as we get closer, we can see dozens of Maasai children aged 2-10 sitting quietly on five crooked wooden benches placed under the scant shade of a single acacia tree, all of them sort of enclosed by a low ramshackle boma (bush fence). The children watch us drive up and tumble out of our Land cruisers. We wander into the boma and join everyone under the tree, are introduced to Joyce, the head teacher, and then the quiet ends  as we are engulfed in song….

The only nursery school for miles, Ngararambuni is supported entirely by safari guests. Here, the local children learn Swahili and English, basic math, and some geography – instead of spending all of their days herding livestock. Joyce runs a very tight ship, and their time at Ngararambuni prepares the children for primary school. Although the school is minimalist in many ways, it is a true grass-roots community project, and provides what is needed for young learners facing a rapidly changing world at their doorstep.

Through Ker & Downey and The Kenya Wildlife Trust, safari profits pay for the teachers’ salaries, food, books and learning materials, and basic infrastructure and repairs. We also visit the school whenever Amboseli is on the safari itinerary. Our guests are always smitten with the show that the kids put on for us, and nobody can resist joining in the singing, dancing, and footballing.

Ngararambuni is a very special place for us and many of our guests, as Ker & Downey guides have had a relationship with the local community for over 40 years. For us it is even more personal, as this is where Solomon ole Lenkaja – our spotter and Maasai liaison – is from. Solomon was actually a teacher at the school before he came to work with us, and several of his own children now attend Ngararambuni. A respected elder in the community, Solomon is instrumental in reinforcing the connections between safari tourism, wildlife conservation, cultural traditions, and education in the area.

During our stay in the area, the nursery school is just one stop during a full day of Maasai culture and activities. We often visit the new Embaragoi Primary School (also assisted by K&D and KWT), and several of our recent guests have organized significant donations of books, games, and sports equipment to the schools. We spend time at Solomon’s house, and meet his extended family and learn all about the traditional Maasai way of life. In the afternoon, the community descends on our camp for the “Maasai Olympics,” which includes spear and club throwing competitions, tug-of-war, and running races – after everyone dons their war paint, of course! We finish the day with drinks and traditional dancing on top of the hill next to camp, and see if any of our guests can jump higher than a Maasai warrior in the shadow of Kilimanjaro.

For many of our guests this day is the most meaningful of their safari: we are looking forward to sharing this experience with a new family on Christmas Eve!

Nairobi, Kenya

While I am away on safari, Stephanie continues to monitor the wildlife coming and going from our home in the Langata suburb of Nairobi. As some of you may know, we have been on “lion lockdown” in the evenings due to regular visits from a few suburban lions. Today an entire troop of baboons visited the house and caused complete chaos amongst our dogs. Here is a picture of one of the male baboon thugs, caught using a camera “trap” in our garden.

-Nairobi, Kenya

We’ve launched our new website, with a new logo and blog. As my safari interests have grown both locally and internationally, I have slightly changed my identity to reflect this growth. “Howard Saunders Safaris” has become a brand in its own right and you’ll see this clearly in the new website and other materials. While I remain a partner and director at Ker & Downey Safaris here in Kenya, I am also embracing new African and global travel interests.

All of my Kenya safaris continue to be operated with the Ker & Downey luxury safari tents that guests have so enjoyed over the years, and every hand-crafted journey that I design and run will continue to be within the top class of personalized travel available. So please explore my new website and subscribe to the blog for some exciting updates from the safari season that we just kicked off!