Primal instinct

Heaven can wait

“My team encountered this isolated giraffe late one

Karibu

I have never met Reza Pakravan, and I am not sure I

Storytellers

Our writers share tales from their travels

Hwange, Zimbabwe

Hwange is one of the least visited parks in southern

Southern boy

Meet Olepeng Maitapiso – or simply ‘Ollie’ – who hails from a village deep within the Okavango Delta and has been a guide with Desert and Delta for over twelve years

High-octane Uganda

Just as Victoria Falls is known as the adventure capital of southern Africa, the same can be said for East Africa of Jinja. If you’re looking for some action on your holiday, the Pearl of Africa is a magnet for adrenaline junkies

BOOK CLUB

BY AXEL JANSSENS, WIM DEMESSEMAEKERS AND STEPHEN WALCKIERS

Blessed relief

Ann Hilton runs the gauntlet in Tanzania’s intoxicating Ruaha National Park

Game changer

Marie T Smith explains how a photographic safari truly opened her eyes

Soul food

How Gnaoua Festival changed my life, by Yousif Nur

Sketch for survival

Art initiative to raise funds for conservation

MAKING CONNECTIONS

Why do we travel? What are we seeking?

Setting the scene

With its abundance of wildlife and dramatic, spacious landscapes, Botswana is a wildlife photographer’s dream destination. Charlie Lynam shares the stories behind some of his favourite shots

Now you can own a PART OF AFRICA

Committed individuals are working together to build a private game reserve that will drive conservation projects in a remote part of southern Botswana

The ultimate Namibian road trip

Namibia is renowned as one of the world’s great self-drive destinations, with adventurers lured by its vast, open landscapes, unique wildlife sightings and a sense of escape. But what is it really like to travel around? What are the secrets you need to know before you leave, and what is the best route to take?

DREAM CATCHERS

Our accommodation guide to help you find the pick of the pillows in one of Africa’s most remarkable wildlife regions: the Lower Zambezi Valley

Mana Pools

Understanding the geography of the park will explain the structure of the accommodation available

Lower Zambezi Valley

By extending the amount of land under protection, there’s more space for lodges to spread out along the bank of the Zambezi.

Kenya safari planner

It seems we already know so much about Kenya; its better-known

Your questions answered

As with every destination you choose to visit, you’ll start the process with a head full of queries. So we asked guide book writer and East African travel specialist Richard Trillo to address some of the questions most asked by potential visitors.

Insights

Kenya’s diverse tourist attractions are well documented, but we wanted to dig deeper, to find the tips and tricks that regular travellers have discovered, and seek local advice. Perhaps their experience can enrich your next trip.

The Phoenix has risen

Over recent years several well-travelled, highly experienced safari operators and guides have told us that visiting Zakouma National Park in Chad was possibly the best wilderness experience they had had. And this from people who have spent time in many of Africa’s iconic wildlife reserves. With that recommendation, we simply had to go to see what the fuss was all about.

Pride of place

Lions are undoubtably the most revered and iconic animals

Our love for lions

Why are we so fascinated by lions? What’s the point of them, anyway? And what can a healthy lion population tell us about the wider landscape? Here we explore our deep-rooted love for the king of the beasts, for it is this passion that holds the key to their survival.

It's not all about the animals

What would you rather spot on your African safari – an ant or an antelope? Mary Askew took her children on safari and was surprised by what made it a roaring success

In praise of Padstalle

Route 62 is South Africa’s answer to Australia’s Outback

FRESH START

Recognising her work to conserve water and biodiversity hotspots in Angola, 29-yearold Adjany Costa has won the UN Young Champions of the Earth prize.

No longer business as usual

How are conservationists now viewing our approach to protecting wildlife? By Adam Cruise

Roars back to life

AWF is supporting the transformation of an important wildlife haven in Kenya while benefitting local communities. By Jeff Dunnink

Hard act to swallow

You know that post-Christmas lunch stupor, feeling like you’ve swallowed a whole turkey? Well, welcome to the world of the African rock python. By Mike Unwin

Tsowa Safari Island

Fancy somewhere a bit unusual to stay when visiting

South Africa think different

For many travellers – even those who might not have been there – South Africa feels reassuringly familiar, like an old friend we have long known. Yet it is far from ordinary. To understand it better, and to look beyond the favourites of Cape Town and Kruger, we spoke to South African-born Greg Fox of UK tour operator Mahlatini Luxury Travel

Tipping point

If there is one thing that gives travellers sleepless nights on safari it’s the tipping conundrum: who, how and what’s fair? So we sought the opinions of tour operators, lodge owners and camp managers to help solve this perennial concern

Hemingways Nairobi

A plantation-style property in Nairobi’s leafy Karen

Safari update

Joining Loisaba Tented Camp and Loisaba Star Beds on

Forthcoming openings

Specifically to allow guests to witness the annual

Ross Kennedy

As Victoria Falls Safari Lodge celebrates its 25th anniversary, we asked Ross Kennedy to reflect on the lessons learned in building a successful hospitality business in Zimbabwe, and his hopes for the future

Comedy wildlife

A laid-back chimpanzee, photographed by Thomas Mangelsen