Heli Safaris from Ol Malo
During this last safari season, we’ve had a few opportunities to take helicopter safaris from one of my favorite safari lodges – Ol Malo. Andrew, son of Rocky and Colin Francombe, the founders of Ol Malo, pilots his own R44 … more
Back to the Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda
I’ve just returned from yet another visit to the famed mountain gorillas. Since 1994, visiting these gentle giants has been a great highlight of my safari lifetime. I’ve taken countless trips into this region that evokes everything from mythology of … more
Flying from the Mara – to pony camp!
During the rainy season over April, I kept busy working on my flying hours in my (1957) Cessna 182, 5Y-KUC, known to the family now as “Uncle Charlie.” A vintage aircraft with the latest GPS navigation systems (and a new … more
My top five places for elephants
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 … more
Learning to Fly
Flying is part of life in the safari business in Africa, and between living in the Masai Mara and dashing to the kids’ sports matches at their school in the Rift Valley, it made good sense to become a pilot … more
July in the Masai Mara
My first safari in Kenya this month was rewarded with some truly impressive big cat sightings! Several of our resident Mara leopards were on good form, and the entire “camp” pride of lions settled down on our driveway during the … more
Safaris in Southern Africa
This June and July we’ve had some really fun safaris through Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana. These are all wonderful countries with experiences that complement what so many of you have experienced here in East Africa. We enjoyed time floating above … more
Islas Galápagos
In May, Steph and I followed the equator around to Ecuador for a voyage through the wildlife mecca that is the Galapagos Islands. Charles Darwin visited the archipelago in 1835 and brought the world’s attention to one of the most … more
The elephants of Amboseli
Late last year, I returned to our exclusive Kiturua Conservancy near Amboseli National Park. Boasting the greatest density of elephants in all of Africa, a close encounter with these graceful beasts is expected here. And we were not disappointed! Within … more
A walk with the Hadza
Once in a while an experience is truly exceptional, even for a guide who’s been at it for twenty years. This July I had the privilege of traveling to the land of the Hadza people on the shores of Lake … more
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