Expert Reviews
Dusty Red Elephants
Tsavo East is huge with vast open landscapes. There are far fewer tourists here than in some other more popular reserves in Kenya, so it feels far wilder. Tsavo East is famous for its big herds of dusty red elephants, which make for iconic photographs, especially at dawn and dusk. Lodges tend to...
Dusty Plains and Big Game
Located in northern Kenya, in the land of the nomadic Samburu people, the hot and arid hills and plains of this national reserve are home to rich and varied wildlife, including lion, leopard, cheetah, the distinctive Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, hippo, crocodile and wild dog. On my last...
Extinct Volcano Crater With Good Roads and the Big Five
Bordering the Sun City casino complex, Pilanesberg is not exactly an untamed wilderness where only lions dare tread. No, this 572-sq-km reserve, with its good network of tarred and gravel roads, was designed to offer a manageable slice of African bush to local city folk. However, I enjoyed touring...
An Abundance of Life
The enormous 22,935km2 Etosha National Park typifies the stark yet scenic nature of Namibia’s arid environments. The grasslands and mopane woodlands that comprise the majority of the region are often dry and dusty, and I always find myself sneezing on game drives there. One could easily assume...
Dry scrub and lush wetlands
Lochinvar is a national park of two halves: the dusty, scrubby bit to the south, and the wet bit to the north. Coming by road from Monze (a junction town about 30 minutes’ drive from the entrance gate), you’ll drive for about 40km through a tract of dry grassland and miombo woodlands that is...
Desert Adventures for Beginners
I love a road trip to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. As deserts go, this one is very accessible and you don’t need to prepare for a full-on expedition to head out here. The accommodation in the park is comfortable and very reasonably priced. Camping is a great option too (as long as you come...
An Altogether Different Country
If you think of Uganda and picture forests and hilly banana plantations, then the northeast will be a revelation: wide stretches of flat ground with a scattering of tiny villages and the mountains of Napak, Kadam and Moroto frame expansive horizons. Pian is one of the few places in Uganda where you...
Malaria-Free, Big Five Safari
Madikwe is a malaria-free reserve about five hours’ drive from Johannesburg. I’ve had incredible rhino viewing here – both white and black varieties. The rest of the Big Five is present, too. Leopards are hit and miss – I’ve seen one, but apparently that was lucky. Wild dogs are frequently...
A Huge Region That Proves Traditional Pastoralists, Commercial Farmers and Wildlife Can All Co-Exist
The Laikipia region stretches from the western flank of Mount Kenya into Kenya’s little-visited northern territory and has a landscape that includes open grassy plains, semi-desert acacia bush, high altitude plateaus and forested valleys. It isn’t a national park or reserve, but is divided into...
Small in Size, Big on Heart
What it lacks in size, Moremi more than makes up for with its spectacular density and diversity of wildlife. Covering just under 5,000 square kilometres, the park hosts lion, cheetah, rhino, buffalo, elephant, wild dog and all manner of antelope as well as more than 400 bird species. We’d barely...
Sandy Plains and Starry Skies
Four of the Big Five inhabit Namibia's premier National Park (no buffalo), along with hyena, cheetah, bat-eared fox and honey badger, among others. Antelope can be spotted from afar on the sparsely vegetated, flat 'sandscape' whose dusty roads stretch far into the distance. In this arid park,...
Samburu’s Wilder Eastern Cousin
Set in the same part of Kenya as Samburu National Reserve, from which it is separated by the main road running north to Ethiopia, Shaba is a little-known reserve that enjoyed a brief flirtation with fame when ‘Survivor Africa’ was filmed there back in 2001. Fittingly, this tract of open acacia...
A Vast Desert Wilderness With Impressive Populations of Large Mammals and Birds
The vast Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a true wilderness in the Kalahari Desert with striking red sand dunes and sparse vegetation dotted with isolated camel thorn trees. Our game-drives were superbly rewarding and the dry riverbeds of the Nossob and Auob showed the animals off to spectacular...
The Stark Beauty of Namibia
Most of Namibia’s environment is arid and harsh, and yet there are few people who wouldn’t call this country beautiful. The desolate landscapes of the Namib Desert are picture perfect. Photographers, myself included, love to get creative here. I would be happy to come back to Namibia over and...
Three Safari Circuits, Endless Adventures
Having travelled extensively across Africa, I’m often asked, “What’s your favourite country?” It’s an impossible question, because every destination has its own character and appeal. But if I’m pushed for a single answer, I usually say Tanzania. Few countries can rival the sheer quality,...
Africa’s Best DIY Safari
In 2026, Kruger’s centenary year, South Africa’s flagship national park continues to divide opinion. On the one hand, some argue that its developed infrastructure – complete with paved roads and large public camps – undermines the wilderness vibe. On the other hand, many self-drive,...
Waterberg Biosphere: Big Game, Mountains, and Wilderness Adventures
Just a few hours north of the hustle and bustle of Pretoria, the Waterberg region has long been a popular weekend getaway for South Africans. The area is renowned for its rugged mountain scenery and a patchwork of animal-rich bushveld savannah reserves. In 2001, 15,000km² of this wilderness was...
Wild Adventures in a Land of Giants
Mana Pools, a pristine wilderness larger than Surrey, became a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1988. The mile-wide Zambezi runs along its northern border, forming a natural barrier between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Back in camp at the end of the day you can sit with a sundowner and watch the sky change...
A Sanctuary Offering Fun Bush Adventures and the Smaller Species of Game
At the end of the Ezulwini Valley (‘Valley of Heaven’), 45-sq-km Mlilwane is the oldest protected area in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), founded by the Reilly family in 1961. The terrain is mainly grasslands and open floodplains stretching up to the striking granite peak of Nyonyane Mountain...
Classic Safaris and Off-beat Adventures
Kenya was long Africa’s classic safari destination and still offers among the continent’s best all-around wildlife experiences. Its pluses include an efficient and reliable safari infrastructure, a down-to-earth feel, good-value accommodation, and an outstanding mix of wildlife, coast and...
Zimbabwe’s Classic Big Five Reserve, for Old-School Safari Adventures
Hwange is the pride of Zimbabwe’s safari circuit, despite having suffered from chronic underfunding in recent years. It still has huge numbers of elephants. Within minutes of entering this enormous park, I found myself watching a large herd approach a waterhole for the elephant equivalent of a...
Great Apes, Great Landscapes, Great Adventures
Most people understandably come to Uganda for its gorillas. Almost half of the world’s population of around 1,060 mountain gorillas lives in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla national parks, and spending that precious hour with them has become a “must-do” for anyone who loves...
Go for the Gorillas, Stay for the Forest
Seeing Bwindi for the first time was an emotional moment: there it was, the fabled rainforest. Everyone told me I’d love the gorillas, but no-one mentioned it was the forest that I would fall for. Disclaimer: gorillas were never top of my travel bucket list. In fact, I’d ended up in Bwindi by...
That Postcard…
The instantly recognizable snowcapped peak of Kilimanjaro rises iconically above a scene of emerald greenery in which elephants munch contentedly on flat-topped acacia trees. We’ve all seen the postcards… But in reality, although Kili does indeed form a backdrop to Amboseli National Park, I...
Elephants!
Amboseli is the location for those classic images of herds of elephants below Mt Kilimanjaro. Having said that, it is surprisingly difficult to get that iconic shot of a cloud-free mountaintop with elephants nicely spaced out in the foreground. Some of Africa’s last big tusker elephants roam here....
Birding in the Kafue Flats
Lochinvar National Park is a highly rated birding destination. It protects a section of the Kafue Flats, a massive seasonal floodplain of the Kafue River. As there is nowhere to stay inside the park, we based ourselves at Moorings Campsite, about 50km from the entrance. Once inside the park, you...
Elephants, Elephants and More Elephants
This 165km²/64mi² reserve – located a mere 345km/214mi from Nairobi in the southeast corner of Samburu District – is co-located with Buffalo Springs National Reserve. There is now a separate entry fee for each, and the bridge between the two has been broken for years. Separated by the scenic...
Flamingo Heaven
The hordes of flamingos that once inhabited the shallow waters of Lake Nakuru NP left sometime ago for another nearby lake, Lake Bogoria – although the situation can change and many have now returned to Lake Nakuru. I was stunned by the sheer numbers of these beautiful creatures wading delicately...
One of Northern Kenya’s Desert Gems
There’s a good reason why Joy Adamson set up her leopard research operations in Shaba National Reserve and these days many people return to relive those famous experiences (albeit on a markedly more grandiose scale these days) at the luxurious Joy’s Camp. Big cat sightings are far from...
The World’s Largest Desert Lake
Lake Turkana is not, in my view, primarily a wildlife destination, though you are likely to see the like of gerenuk, Beisa oryx and various dry-country birds including Somali ostrich on the long dusty drive there, while crocodile are plentiful in the lake itself. The main attraction is the remote...
Scotland in Africa
This is a great park to come to after a lengthy safari in hot, dusty, open game-viewing vehicles when you’re dying for some cool mountain air, but don’t come for big game viewing because there isn’t any. Golf, trout fishing and hiking will keep you busy. The scenery’s lovely (if you can...
Diverse, Polished Safari Destination
South Africa is a sensationally beautiful country, from its wildlife-rich bush, tropical beaches and cool cities to its rugged mountains and dusty deserts. I’ve been living in SA for three years now and it’s clear I’ll never run out of new places to visit. For safari, it’s often the country...
White Dust and Waterholes
Etosha’s harsh landscape is not to everyone’s taste: the wilderness of dusty, rubble-strewn thorn scrub surrounding the vast, featureless salt pan is impressive rather than beautiful. The wildlife, however, is consistently outstanding and includes numerous elephant, large antelope herds and...
Dry-Country Delights
Samburu, though popular, does not enjoy the fame – or receive the visitor numbers – of some of Kenya’s larger reserves. Nonetheless, this is an excellent park. Its dusty thorn bush and scenic mountain backdrop represent a last frontier before the barren lands of Kenya’s north, and have quite...
South Africa’s Top Big Five Wilderness on the Botswana Border
Madikwe Game Reserve is an incredible place. Although provincially managed, Madikwe operates like the prestigious Sabi Sand Game Reserve and wildlife viewing is as good, if not better. Visitors are taken on twice-daily game drives in open safari vehicles in search of the Big Five and much more. The...
Where the Wild Things Are
Despite living across the border in South Africa and criss-crossing the African continent for both work and pleasure for many years, Botswana had somehow managed to elude me. Last year Botswana finally beckoned and it did not disappoint. If ever there was a country that encapsulated the rawness of...
A Brilliant Past and an Outstanding Future
Yes, Zimbabwe is still beset with political and economic difficulties but none of this affects visitors much, especially those who book their stay with travel agencies and prepay most of the trip. Despite everything, Zimbabwe remains many people’s favorite country in the region, with great...
From Game-Packed Hot Spots to Little-Known Wilderness
Kenya’s stunning landscapes include rainforest, beaches, deserts and mountains, but it’s the first-class wildlife watching that keeps so many visitors flocking back. Not only is it one of the best places in Africa to see the Big Five, it also counts among the world’s most important...
East African Landscapes at Their Best With the Enticing Additions of a Kilimanjaro Climb or Zanzibar Beach
Most itineraries in Tanzania are designed around the world-famous Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, and for good reason. The fabulously impressive African landscapes and sheer concentration of game are the reasons they’re so popular, where I for one have always had incredibly rewarding...
Pilanesberg: Busy & Beautiful
Pilanesberg is so easily reached that my first experience of the park was the antithesis of everything I love about the African wild – paved roads, traffic jams, and tour guides with loud microphones. The fact that there were rhinos, both black and white, in numbers, lions, elephants, and rumours...
Kruger: South Africa’s Most Prolific Park
Kruger belongs in the elite of African wildlife parks and experiences. At once a byword for abundance and hugely accessible, Kruger is a brilliant place for first-time safari-goers. The infrastructure of paved roads is classic South Africa, and there are numerous guided activities, and excellent...
Rwandalicious
Rwanda might not be the most obvious safari destination for many but after 15 years of regular travel around the country, I find Rwanda has a broad range of interesting activities – and plenty more in the pipeline. The eye-wateringly expensive US$1,500 price tag for gorilla tracking will deter...
Kenya’s Ultimate Adventure
Let’s get some of the ‘boring’ factual stuff out of the way first. Firstly, Lake Turkana per se isn’t a national park. However, there are three parks on or bordering the lake: these are Central Island National Park, South Island National Park and, on the northeastern shores of the lake,...
Africa’s Phoenix Rising
It is astonishing how this country has reinvented itself and turned itself around after previous atrocities. Rwanda is now one of the most exciting and vibrant African countries. It is remarkably clean and safe, with smooth tar roads, good communications and everything works. Although the distances...
South Africa’s World-renowned National Park
Love it or hate it, Kruger is one of the most popular safari destinations in Africa. You might hear safari purists lambaste South Africa’s premier national park for being ‘a glorified zoo’ with its paved roads and too many people, but there is good reason for Kruger attracting the safari...
South Africa’s Most Iconic National Park
Kruger Park is such a vast entity that it is difficult to summarize in a few paragraphs. The most accessible and by far the busiest part of the park is the southern sector, which generally offers the best wildlife viewing. The top wildlife-viewing roads are in the vicinity of Lower Sabie and Skukuza...
Hunters Among the Dunes
I’ve always been surprised by how little attention this unique park receives. This may be because its semi-desert habitat lacks certain wildlife – elephant, zebra, hippo and buffalo are all absent – or because there are no famous lodges. Either way, this is good news for the independent...
South Africa’s Flagship Park with Excellent Facilities and Unrivalled Game-viewing
South Africa’s largest park most certainly fulfils most visitors’ expectations of seeing magnificent herds of game roaming across acacia-studded savannah. After countless visits at different times of the year, I have found it can get a little crowded in peak holiday times, and sharing a view of...
Exploration of the Remote and Sparsely Populated Extreme Northwest of Namibia
With remote gravel roads and rugged terrain, this region is best known for self/four-wheel-driving. Most of the roads are challenging, and some of the mountain passes are no more than coarse scree and jagged rocks, but the greatest appeal of Kaokoland is the wonderful sense of space and isolation....
Elephants in the Shadow of Africa’s Highest Peak
Amboseli National Park doesn’t need an introduction. It’s all about Kilimanjaro and big tuskers, preferably all at once. I was hopeful when we woke up to a clear silhouette of Kibo peak, thinking it would be easy to get that killer shot – elephants walking single file in front of Africa’s...