What is it like travelling in Africa? What are your most memorable experiences in Africa? What are the best places to visit in Africa? Where can you do the best safaris in Africa? These are questions I am often asked. Why do I get asked so much? Well, I meet a lot of travellers in my job guiding luxury private tours and I get to spend a lot of time with clients. Long conversations inevitably center on travel so, once they learn I spent several years guiding safaris in Africa, it doesn’t take long for the questions to follow.
What’s it like travelling in Africa?
This is probably the most difficult to answer. But I usually start with “Awesome and awe-inspiring”. The positive experiences you can have far outweigh any of the difficulties you might encounter. There is an incredible variety of experiences, so means everyone is catered for. You can get completely off the beaten track yet find amazing luxury, there are some of the most remote places on the planet, as well as some of the best known. Africa may be best known for its wildlife but there are also an incredible variety of cultural experiences.
I’m not going to ignore the difficulties. Often it’s not for the faint-hearted, it can be rough. It can be dusty, hot, and tiring. The food can be a bit different than what you might be used to when travelling. There are multiple health issues to be aware of. But don’t let these put you off, because these issues pale into insignificance once you have experienced what Africa has to offer.
What are your most memorable travel experiences in Africa?
This is the big question. Africa is a continent filled with incredible experiences that are as varied as the continent itself. There are so many memories I have taken with me of amazing African experiences – too many to list here. But here are the ones I think overall my guests and I would rank as the best experiences in Africa.
My Best African Wildlife Experiences
Seeing Gorillas In The Wild
Seeing gorillas in the wild is one of the great African travel experiences and one of the world’s best wildlife experiences. It also definitely ranks as my top travel experience. I was fortunate to have lead around 10 groups to see gorillas in the wild in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. They really are magnificent creatures and, for me, are the most rewarding animals to see in the wild. Highly endangered, they live a tenuous existence in just a few remaining refuges of national parks in and around the borders of Rwanda, DRC, and Uganda in central Africa.
The most well-known are the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda, made famous by the book and movie “Gorillas In The Mist”. This fame makes them quite difficult to see due to the sheer number of people booking visits to see them. Waiting lists and costs these days are huge.
The Eastern Lowland Gorillas, known also as Grauer’s Gorilla can be found in a small pocket of protected rainforest in Eastern DRC called Kahuzi Biega National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Less well known than the Mountain Gorillas, it was here that I took several groups deep into the jungle with the local chief gorilla tracker, John Kahekwa. John grew up in a village close to the park, was employed as a tracker since the early 80’s, and knows the gorillas intimately. He regards many of them as his friends, and clearly, they regard him the same way. His friendship with an adult silverback (dominant male) named Maheshe, became legendary.
John now runs a foundation called the Pole Pole Foundation that operates grassroots projects designed to protect the critically endangered gorillas of Kahuzi Biega National Park. Pole pole (pronounced po lay – po lay) is a commonly used term in East Africa meaning “slowly slowly”, “careful”, or “take it easy”.
Groups are strictly regulated to maximum 8 people per visit. Led by local trackers who visit the gorillas every day, visitors are allowed to stay for one hour in the vicinity of the gorillas, with only one visit allowed per day. The fact they have seen people so often (called habituation) has made them very relaxed around groups of viewers. So much so that they sometimes treat us as their entertainment.
On one memorable trip I led, a young English couple got a bit closer than any of us bargained for. Our group trekked for about an hour, following the trackers through thick brush, up and down muddy slopes, until they finally found a family of about 20 gorillas relaxing next to a small clearing. We had been sitting together watching them for about 30 minutes when some of the young ones became interested in us and moved closer. Climbing a small tree behind us, one of them broke the top branch, which came down right where the couple was sitting. Unable to move quickly enough, Michael became entangled underneath the small branches. John reassuringly told him all was fine, and to just stay where he was if he felt OK. The youngster must have found this amusing and walked along the branch until he was directly over the top of Michael. Looking straight down at him, the young gorilla playfully picked off a twig and leaves, reached down, and gently shook them towards Michael’s face. Our initial concern for Michael turned to laughs as he was clearly being made the butt of a joke, as the gorilla made several grunts. The young gorilla then decided to leave the scene, but not before giving the whole branch a good shake as he moved back along the branch.
Helping Michael out from under the branch, he emerged with the biggest smile and the most amazing memory to last a lifetime. None of us could wipe the smiles off our faces all the way back to the base. We had all witnessed an incredible, gentle interaction between one of our group and a wild species, that would be remembered and talked about as long as we live.
On another memorable trip, we got up close and personal with Maheshe. John spotted the gorillas after no more than 30 minutes trek into the jungle. He then led us to the edge of a clearing and asked us to crouch and sit under some trees. We watched as the family of about 20 passed the time, youngsters playing with whatever they could find to entertain themselves, mothers gently grooming each other.
John continued making the gentle grunting and cooing sounds he had started when first spotting the group. This finally attracted the attention of the giant silverback, Maheshe, who glided quietly on all fours into the clearing, passing less than a metre from members of the group. We had been instructed to not speak or make quick movements or look directly at his eyes so as not to upset the giant male. Maheshe sat down next to John, looking at him and gently grunting and grumbling. We were all in absolute awe of the scene, it was so hard to imagine you could be so close to such a massive, powerful animal in the wild. After about 10 minutes of quiet sitting, suddenly Maheshe leaned onto one side and brought down his giant fist in a thump on the ground right next to John’s arm. In an instant he was gone, shooting past us into the jungle, screeching and rapidly slapping his massive chest as he went, making a loud popping sound. Everyone just about jumped out of their skin, but John was still sitting there calmly with a big smile on his face. “No problem, he is just playing”. “Just playing! He could have broken your arm!” one of the group exclaimed. “No, we are brothers. He would never hurt me.”
The other members of the gorilla group also started moving off into the bush. We could hear them, almost laughing at us as they went. It was a moment in time that none of the group will ever forget. We had closely witnessed the sheer beauty of the gorillas, their gentle nature as well as their immense power. It is a wildlife experience for anyone with an intrepid nature.
***Click here to see the Gorillas of Kahuzi Biega on an unforgettable private African Exceptional Journey with Jeff and Kat.
Camping in The Serengeti National Park
The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is home to the greatest migration of animals on the planet, and the site of another of my most memorable experiences. I have stayed in beautiful wildlife lodges in the Serengeti, but camping in the national park is unfenced, so animals can wander through at any time.
One night we were camping with a group on a clear full moon night. Some of the group were enjoying sitting around the campfire chatting after dinner, some were getting ready to go to their tents to sleep. Someone commented they could hear what sounded like thunder in the distance. We stood quietly trying to listen to what was definitely not a thunderstorm, but a distant rumble. A rumble that was gradually getting louder.
It was soon apparent that it was actually a stampede of hundreds, if not thousands of animals. As it was getting louder I asked the group to gather closer to the safari vehicle for safety. A full moon meant there was just enough light to make out some movement in the distance, dark figures bobbing above the long grass. Then, without warning, the rumble became a crashing sound as thousands of hooves came straight towards our camp, bursting out of the scrub and into the clearing of our camp. I yelled to take cover and as we huddled behind the vehicle hundreds of wildebeest and zebra came thundering past, some high jumping and others scattering at the sight of our tents, vehicle, and campfire.
In an instant they were gone, leaving behind a cloud of dust and the rumble of pounding hooves going off into the distance once more. We all stood there, stunned that we had just had a stampede through our camp, laughing, clapping, and smiling at each other at our good fortune to have seen the spectacle and to have come out unscathed. Excitedly we gathered back around the campfire, talking about what we had just seen. “What caused them to stampede?” Very quickly my mind processed what was going on. Something had spooked them, was it a pride of lions? We couldn’t hear anything like lions on a kill feeding, so could they still be following the herd? I called out “Get in the truck!” Everyone dropped what they were doing and hurriedly climbed into the vehicle. We waited, trying to hear or see if there was any sound or movement. Several minutes passed and, just as we were starting to relax, a lioness quietly padded into our clearing, followed by another, then another. Lifting their noses, sniffing the air they were clearly trailing the herd, but soon had their attention diverted by the smells and sights of our campsite. A total of 5 lionesses made their way through our camp, one came right beside the truck where, minutes before, someone had been brushing their teeth. We watched safely from inside as she sniffed one of the tyres. Others sniffed at the camp seats and a couple of tents. But soon their attention went back to the task at hand, and they slipped quietly out of the camp and into the darkness.
With all of the adrenaline after witnessing the action of the stampede and then watching a pride of hunting lionesses sniffing around the campsite, I’m sure none of the group slept too soundly that night,.
***Click here to experience the wilds of the Serengeti and Tanzania on an unforgettable private African Exceptional Journey with Jeff and Kat.
Canoeing With African Elephants
The Zambesi River is one of Africa’s great rivers. It is the lifeblood of the people and the wildlife of the Zambesi basin. Along its path lie some of Africa’s great natural wonders, such as Victoria Falls. It is also dotted with some of the most significant wildlife areas in Africa, home to millions of Africa’s animals.
One of the lesser known places along the Zambezi sits on a remote stretch of border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, called Mana Pools National Park. I took a small group of travellers here for a wildlife experience like no other, canoeing and camping along a stretch of the Zambezi with one of the largest concentrations of elephants, hippos, and crocodiles in Southern Africa.
Paddling two-person canoes along stretches of the meandering river, past pods of grumpy hippos, basking crocodiles, and bathing elephants might not be for the faint-hearted, but it is a way to see wildlife and the landscape from a very different perspective. No noise, no pollution, just the sound of water gently lapping against the sides of the canoe. You hear everything around you. Your senses are attuned much more to the sounds and smells of the river and its wild inhabitants.
We spent 5 days exploring the river, immersing ourselves in nature. At the end of each day, we did get to relax in a bit of luxury, though. A camp crew went ahead each day and would set up the camp, including spacious, comfortable tents, and cook us some fantastic food. We would arrive and just be able to sit back around the campfire with a cold beer or wine and talk about the day. Charles, our river guide, was highly trained in guiding, highly skilled in understanding the river and the animals, and highly tuned in to what was going on around him.
Getting off the beaten track, off the roads and truly into a wilderness area with nobody but your other group members around you, even for a short period is, for me, one of the best travel experiences I have taken with a group.
My Best African Cultural Experiences
Dancing With The Maasai
Straddling the borders of Kenya and Tanzania is the home of the Maasai. Fiercely independent, the Maasai have largely managed to keep their traditional, semi nomadic pastoral ways and society going. Travellers to this part of Africa will inevitably see the Maasai, but most will only have contact through a dance performance at a lodge or by stopping at a “tourist village”. Luckily, during my time in Africa, I got to know a Maasai man named Phillip who, after gaining a high education and qualification in science, had returned to his traditional lands after spending many years abroad working. Phillip invited many of our groups to camp at his property in Southern Kenya for the night, and we were often visited by groups of young Maasai men and boys who lived in villages nearby.
They would come in and greet us and sit around the campfire watching what we were doing around the camp often joining in and having a few laughs with us. Some had learned a few words of English but communication was most often through sharing a smile and a laugh, showing off their elongated ear piercings and scars and checking out any jewellery being worn or anyone in the group with a tattoo. On every visit I made there the night would almost always culminate in the high jump dancing and unique rhythmic singing style Maasai are famous for. It is almost a competition between the young men to jump the highest, standing together in a group and jumping vertically several times in time with the singing.
Over time I befriended some of the men, sometimes bringing small gifts for them. They would always greet me very warmly on arrival with singing and smiles and lots of laughs. One time I brought a gift of the traditional red coloured cloth that initiated men would wear for my favourite, Joseph. He was a quiet young man who always had a smile on his face and loved interacting with the groups. He was so pleased with this gift he insisted on giving me a gift as well – his spear. At first I tried to resist taking it as I didn’t expect anything in return and felt it was something that Joseph would need, but Phillip explained that the cloth is very valued as a gift and that he would be able to get another spear easily, he wouldn’t be without one for long.
I felt very privileged to have developed a friendship like this with a person from such a different culture, and to be able to introduce them to my clients. It is something I have carried with me in all of my travels. Always smile and laugh with people, all people, no matter what the background. It opens people up and as a result you will get to experience so many different worlds when you travel.
***Click here to experience a meeting with Maasai and see the wilds of the Serengeti and Tanzania on an unforgettable private African Exceptional Journey with Jeff and Kat.
Rwandan Tribal Warrior Dancers: “The Chosen Ones”
Music and dance play an incredibly important role in African cultures across the length and breadth of the continent. From village drummers competing for presidential honours in Burundi to Maasai warriors proving their manhood by being the one to jump the highest, I was able to introduce many groups to some incredible African cultural performances and performers. For me, the most exhilarating and exciting has to be the Rwandan “Intore” dance performance. When I took a group to see the famous Urugangazi group, near Butare in Rwanda, their performance was regarded by many as a highlight of the whole trip.
The Intore, were originally elite soldiers of the traditional tribal armies. Translated as “The Chosen Ones”, they were not only trained as warriors but also in spectacular dance including high jumping using a remarkable technique allowing them to jump over 2m40. They dress in spectacular fashion as well with a long head dress and colourful garments. Nowadays the professional dance groups also perform traditional drumming and women’s traditional dances as well.
***Click here to experience the amazing Intore Dancers on an unforgettable private African Exceptional Journey with Jeff and Kat.
