Current News

As African safari specialists, we get lots of interesting stories from all over Africa every day. We also have our own thoughts on different issues related to safari holidays. We'll update this news page regularly with the latest offerings from Africa, Hampshire and Scotland.

Come and See us

We will be out and about at various events this summer and would be delighted to chat about Africa in general or any safari plans you might have. We will be at:

Highclere Horse Trials - 29, 30 August

A Recommendation For Two Excellent Books On Zimbabwe

I've just finished reading two great books on Zimbabwe - Christina Lamb's book 'House of Stone' and Douglas Roger's book 'The Last Resort'. Both are very readable and recommended..........

Uganda Introduces Two New Gorilla Families for Tracking

Aardvark Safaris is very pleased to hear the news this week that from June 2010 the Uganda Wildlife Authority will introduce two new gorilla families for gorilla tourism in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

A Solitary Wild Dog Forms Unusual Relationships

A wild dog left on her own was not expected to be able to survive without other pack members. However, despite the lack of other dogs, she was not on her own for long.

Pack for purpose - small space, little effort, big impact.

We're often asked by clients if there's anything they can take with them that will be useful to local people in the areas they are visiting. Pack for a purpose is a great new site that's got some excellent ideas.

Londolozi Goes Green With An Electric Game Viewing Vehicle

Based in Londolozi’s private area in Kruger’s Sabi Sands, we think it’s the first of its kind……

What did you do in the holidays?

I’m sure most kids hate this question from their teacher at the start of a new term. However Liam Stanton has more to tell than his friends who’d eaten too much and played on their Wii consoles.

Free flights in Botswana for June and July riding safaris

Guests staying for seven nights (or more) at African Horseback Safaris between June and mid-July will receive free flights from Maun to camp, saving approximately £360 per person.

The Pope and The President

Robin Pope has been leading safaris to the remote Liuwa Plain, on Zambia’s border with Angola, since the 1990’s. During his latest visit a VIP called into camp unexpectedly and stopped for a chat.

The Chyulu Hills are Green again

Like much of Kenya, the Chyulu Hills have had good rain over the last two months. Grass is becoming green and thick, wildflowers are sprouting, and wildlife and horses are feeling relieved.

Leopard News from Kicheche Camp

Perhaps the greatest year Kicheche have ever had for leopards. All last year Supuu and her two mixed sex cubs provided stellar sport for all, being seen on about fifty consecutive days. Well those halycon days are over as she has disappeared.

A Walking Wonderland

Walking Wild in Laikipia Masai-land is a walking safari experience through some of Kenya's best wildlife-viewing habitats, and some of the most stunning landscapes in Africa.

Ride with Lucinda Green in South Africa

We have six places on a seven night trip to join an exclusive riding safari in November 2010. The trip is run by Wait A Little and will be hosted by six-times Badminton champion Lucinda Green.

Against The Odds

Whether you are a predator or prey it’s probably not ideal to stand out from the crowd. However a lechwe in Botswana is certainly doing that.

How Cute Are These Puppies?

Madikwe National Park in South Africa has always been known as a good place to see wild dogs. One of the two packs local to Jacis Camps currently has six puppies...............

Lettuce In The Desert

The high quality of food produced on safari is often a pleasant surprise to our guests. Many camps also grow fresh produce close to the lodge, a particular challenge when you're in the middle of the desert............

Up Close and Personal with Marine Life at Rocktail Bay

Rocktail Bay Lodge and Rocktail Beach Camp, both on South Africa's rugged and wild KwaZulu Natal coastline enable guests to have some fantastic snorkelling and scuba diving opportunities, as Tor found out during her visit there last September. Turtles, large Potato Bass, Eels, Octupus and Rays were among the names mentioned in her log book after her two dives there.

And More Gorilla News

Humans may be restricted to spending an hour with the gorillas when they go gorilla tracking, but no-one told the gorillas at Bwindi they couldn't spend longer around humans.

Gorilla News from Rwanda

Some rain has come to Rwanda's gorilla tracking park and changed gorilla behaviour. Additionally one of the larger groups, the famous Susa group, appears to have split into two groups with the dominant males avoiding each other.

Colourful furnishings from Likoma Island, Malawi

Aardvark Safaris’ Sponsored Students Gain Silver Guiding Award

In March 2006 I was delighted to attend the ceremony to recognise the first set of guides to graduate from Koiyaki Guide School. Since then Aardvark Safaris’ first sponsored student Mika Kileku has worked at Kicheche Camp in the Masai Mara. His guiding career is going from strength to strength as you can read here.

Sarara – bigger & better

Sarara is a small camp in a very remote area of Northern Kenya. While they are keen not to lose the simplicity which their clients have loved, they are determined to ensure the experience gets better all the time. They recently let us know about some of the improvements to the camp, the wildlife viewing and the protected area……

Lunar Rainbows on the Mighty Zambezi

Most of us smile to see a rainbow produced by light being refracted and reflected through raindrops. At the Victoria Falls it’s also possible to see rainbows produced in the spray from the falls at high water levels – not only during the day, but at night from the light of a full moon

New seven night riding itineraries in the Masai Mara

Offbeat Safaris has put together a selection of seven day rides in the Masai Mara to complement its normal ten day rides in the Masai Mara and Amboseli – perfect for good riders who can only take a week off work.

Black Rhino on the increase in Namibia

Namibia is the last place on earth that the black rhino roams freely outside reserves. However as recently as 1982 its survival as a species was in question with an estimated number of fewer than 50 animals. However a recent census carried out by Namibia’s Save the Rhino Trust has found that numbers have increased strongly over the intervening years and are now probably three times higher than at the organisation’s inception 27 years ago.

Caracal spotted during the day in the Mara

A recent email from Kicheche Camp in the Masai Mara thrilled us as it had a stunning photo of a caracal during the day. Typically nocturnally active this female was seen with her cub.

Namibia's Recent Radical Rains
Author: Victoria Langmead

This year has seen unusually high rainfall in parts of Namibia. Victoria reports on its effects on this desert country and gets some comments from fundi Andre Schoeman.

The Big 5 vs The Little Details
Author: Richard Smith

Although seeing the Big 5 is most people's safari dream, Richard argues that a good safari guide will show you much more than the obvious things.

Scots and Penguins on The Beach
Author: Gale Brown

During our stay at Constantia Uitsig, close to Cape Town, we headed off on an adventure for the day, armed with a fabulous picnic hamper.

Find out where we we went for the day.......

The Boteti River Flows Again
Author: Jo Gordon

The Boteti River in Botswana hadn't flowed for fifteen years making life for local wildlife incredibly harsh. Jo and Francis see it after it begins to flow again and witness the return of greater numbers of animals.

Why go to Meru National Park in Kenya

Alice has been getting some great feedback from clients who visit Meru National Park in Kenya. Here she tells why it's getting such rave reviews.....

Binoculars - What do you need?
Author: Francis Nauman

It's a question we are often asked before people travel and Francis Naumann gives his thoughts here about whether you can share with other travellers or a £3 pair from the garage will do

Reforest Nsefu - 2008 report
Author: Richard Smith

The Reforest Nsefu carbon offsetting scheme, based in the Luangwa Valley in Zambia, which we have promoted to our clients, has planted lots of trees and been promoting three brick stoves. Read about their activities in the 2008 report

We were sent a copy of this new book last week and everyone in the office was impressed, as was my daughter when I took it home for her to see. Here's my thoughts on the book.

Ol Malo eye project update

When Victoria climbed Mount Kilimanjaro a year ago, she raised over £3,300 for the surgical eye camp run by Ol Malo lodge in Kenya.  She received an update email a few weeks ago which in her words ‘makes me go all goosepimply’.

I’ve just dealt with a query regarding the wildebeest migration and whether one camp in the Masai Mara Reserve is likely to be a better place from which to view it.

Having read a couple of negative reports on Tripadvisor, it got me thinking about its user generated content and why there were negative reports when all the feedback I was getting was positive?

Memories of a great safari are important and in many cases people work hard to get photos of the wildlife. A good camera is vital and there’s now a choice for those in the UK who don’t own a digital SLR