This week, Kenyans and environmentalists are mourning the death of their Tree Lady. Wangari Maathai was a most remarkable woman who dedicated her life to sustainable development, democracy and peace. She was 71. This charismatic Kenyan woman was known around the world as well as in the hallowed halls of international governments as the Tree [...]

Wildlife pic of the week: The African Buffalo
The African Buffalo is a respected member of the Big Five even though he might look like a mellow bovine. His cousins in the East, the Asian Water Buffalo, can be domesticated. Not this guy! He is extremely dangerous, and is capable of killing a lion. He is on the trophy wish list of big [...]
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Massive Whale Sharks – Mozambique
With that feeling of summer in the air – (normally Cape Town winters are wet and grey, so all this sunshine is totally unusual) – I can’t get away from the water! Mozambique has also been in the news a bit this week with President Armando Guebuza reflecting on the role of tourism in eliminating [...]
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Rhino Poaching – Are we winning the war?
There is so much in the news at the moment with regards to Rhino Poaching. It’s hard to work out if we are winning the war or losing it, but there certainly are many people involved in fighting this terrible trade. I was in a book store over the weekend in Cape Town and there, on [...]
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The New Lake Niassa Reserve – Mozambique
Things often take a while to happen in Africa so until they are official one doesn’t like to make too many assumptions. I’ve heard today that after 6 years in the making, a new lake reserve has been declared – the Lake Niassa Reserve in Mozambique. More commonly known as Lake Malawi outside of Mozambique, [...]
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Neil’s close Encounter with Gorillas
One of my colleagues Neil recently attended a friend’s wedding in Rwanda (how is that for something different!). So while he was there, trekking with the endangered mountain Gorillas was a highlight that he could’t miss. I sat down with him once he was back and asked him a few questions that I thought would [...]
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Why visit the Mountain Gorilla?
With Gorilla permits in Uganda being reduced for the low season (October, November, March & April) to $350 per permit rather than the usual $500 per permit, l thought I would tell you a bit about these wonderful animals and what it is actually like to see them, in the wild within touching distance! One [...]
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Hello Liesl, I am so pleased with this trip to Botswana. The country was beautiful and green. The weather was very comfortable. We saw many of the animal life, certainly a successful safari with lions; leopards; cheetah; painted dogs; elephants; hippos; giraffe; zebra; impala and much more. The lodges were marvelous, really. The food was great, no one became ill. Everything went exactly as planned, everything. I thank you so much for arranging this adventure for our family. I am so impressed that a trip of this sort with so many different arrangements to be made, that it can go as flawless as it did. We had a great time. Thank you so much, and thank you to all that did such a memorable and remarkable job in a service of providing a great safari. Happy New year! I will send a picture or two.
Dear Jeffrey, Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping me plan probably the best trip of my life. You and Liesle helped me look like a pro in the eyes of my family! Everything went smoothly. There are so many highlights. I'd like to list just a few. We all fell in love with Charlie. He was the perfect fit for our family. The kids were still talking about him days later when we were on safari. We also really enjoyed our driver/ guide at Savuti. (Richard) He was really informative. We also felt very safe with him. I really felt like we were in the wilds while we were there. We were not as enamored with our guide at Chiefs but really enjoyed the rest of the staff. There was a couple there studying the plant life. Since I love to garden I tagged along with them one session instead of going on a drive to see the animals. I finally swallowed my fear of Class V rapids and decided to go rafting. It was so much fun. The hard part was walking/crawling my way down the hill/ mountain. I was very shaken by the time I got to the bottom. JIm gave me about two seconds to gather my wits and then he threw me in the raft. Believe me when I say there's no way I would be able to hike back out. My thighs hurt for three days. One guide was nice enough to help me down. Again our guide was great fun and we felt very secure with him. The other raft lost people after the first set of rapids. There's nothing like going with your family and spending a great deal of time with them without the interruptions of cell phones, TV. and computers and discovering you still like them at the end of your trip. All kidding aside everyone had a great time. They'll already dreaming up the next big trip. Lori
Dear Jeff and Camille – So nice to get your holiday greeting and bad me for not ever writing “officially” to thank you both for the most amazing experience of my life – Simbambili and my safari experience. Your nose and ears must have been itching dozens upon dozens of times as I’ve recounted my adventure to friends and family and colleagues – and most recently, in our holiday letter. It still seems a bit like a dream…Funny, people have said things like, “Wow, now you can check that off your bucket list.” And I always reply, “Check it off?! Now I just want to go on safari again and again!” My time at Simbambili was life changing and life enhancing and there’s something about Africa that seems to have gotten under my skin. Guess that happens doesn’t it? Endless thanks to you both for helping to make my childhood dream come true! You guys rock! Happy holidays and all good things to you in the New Year ahead! Warmly, Melissa
Tom and I are now at almost the end of our time at our Londolozi stay and it has been absolutely incredible. I never dreamed of seeing all the things that we have seen: a lion pride eating a giraffe that they killed a couple of days before, a small herd of about 20 elephants just walking calmly by our range rover, a leopard pulling a warthog out of its den (we arrived after it had killed the warthog—which I was glad not to witness); lions mating, a leopard eating an impala up in a tree; incredible things. The staff and the rangers have been great. The food is wonderful and way too abundant—I am afraid to go home. Thank you for your assistance in making it happen. Best regards Marjorie
Hi Liesl, I'm in London waiting for my flight back to the ice and snow, and I have to be honest - everywhere you booked us was absolutely beyond amazing! Plettenberg Bay (Starfish), the Garden Route farm (Malvern Manor) and especially Nottens were fantastic and great value. In 2008 my profession had a World Congress in Cape Town and I was accompanied by 12 North Americans. The trip was great, BUT I needed to find a better travel agent. YOU GUYS passed with flying colours! Will keep in touch, Vic










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