283 stories
From the golden dunes of Namibia’s Skeleton Coast to the lush green forests of Tanzania’s Mahale Mountains, each of these lesser-visited wildlife parks and reserves in Africa boast a wide variety of natural wonders worthy of exploration and discovery.
Rwanda, a landlocked country in central Africa, is perhaps best known for its devastating history of war and genocide. Environmentally, the war had harsh impacts, as the massive migration of people to refugee camps placed significant stress on the surrounding ecosystem. Forests were cleared to provide fuel to cook with and wood to make shelters.
Botswana stretches for 224,607 square miles across the center of southern Africa, with varying landscapes of deltas, deserts and salt pans. The arid Kalahari Desert is traversed by thousands of migratory animals and offers some of the best wildlife viewing in Africa.
To celebrate his son Finlay’s graduation from high school, Ben Bressler, founder and president of Natural Habitat Adventures, planned a trip a little out of the ordinary for most 18-year-olds and their 54-year-old dads. They went to Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa.
Upon gaining its independence in 1990, Namibia became one of the first countries in the world to include environmental protection in its constitution. Today, nearly half this country’s landmass is designated as national parks, communal conservancies, and private wilderness reserves.
In the wildlife drama that is a Botswana safari, this looked like a virtual demolition zone. We had just stepped out of our kayaks, scouting for an optimal place to camp. Looking around, we realized that the island had been completely trampled.
When you think of giraffes, what is the first image that comes to mind?
Every year the endless plains of the Serengeti host the migrations of vast herds of wildebeest and zebras. As these animals seek out new grass that grows in new places following seasonal rains, lions and cheetahs stalk behind them, waiting to pick off weak members of the herds.
After seeing the mountain gorillas in Rwanda, I knew my next wildlife travel experience needed to be seeing the chimpanzees in Tanzania. Mahale Mountains National Park near Lake Tanganyika had always been at the top of my list of places to see chimps living in the wild, and I decided to make it happen.
Though our Kenya Migration safari had an endless number of highlights (including a lion-leopard standoff with two leopard cubs hiding in a den, a cheetah kill with three cubs learning how to stalk, a wildebeest river crossing, and four sets of lions mating), an early morning bush walk through the Mara Naboisho Conservancy with…
Planning an extended stay in Africa is exciting, but it also can be stressful to try and prepare for everything. There are a few key items that need to be taken care of before you leave to set your trip off on the right track.
Kenya’s Great Migration is one of the most photogenic events on the planet. The migration includes vast herds of wildebeest, zebra and elephants, as well as lions and leopards hunting their prey. Spectacular bird life is everywhere, from the vibrant colors of the lilac-breasted roller to the delicate head feathers of the crowned crane.
