How does one exactly combine Cape Town’s summer splendours with a wild Big 5 bushveld safari? We provide four fantastic summer/autumn combos!
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Tracking the Silent Giants of Africa
I have had the great fortune of having travelled in many parts of the world and have experienced many things. This was my third trip to Africa, and second to South Africa. I can say, without a scintilla of doubt, this was the most memorable, impactful, emotional and life-altering trip of my life. My wife, …
My Luangwa Valley photo safari
A photographic celebration of another successful Africa Geographic safari for clients in the Nsefu Sector of South Luangwa NP, Zambia
Marine flatworms: The butterflies of the sea
Labelled the butterflies of the sea, we often ask ourselves why are marine flatworms so vibrantly coloured? Is it simply that they can be, therefore they are? Or is there a deeper significance?
The wonderful world of nudibranchs
Nudibranchs (the naked gills) are molluscs, the flamboyant snails of the ocean. Their colours and shapes are stunning, and their multiple forms elegant and striking.
Moments Captured
Moments captured behind the lens – fantastic photography that will have you grabbing your camera and booking your African safari
Hippo teeth: Hong Kong trade threatens species in Africa
Hong Kong has always been regarded as the epicentre of the global wildlife trade. It appears however that this trade is not adequately controlled by authorities and may lead many species to the brink of extinction. Unfortunately, many news headlines announce illegal elephant ivory and rhino horn trade being processed through Hong Kong’s borders. Many …
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Best places to see wild lions in Africa
For the best chance of seeing lions in the wild, it would be advisable to head to one of Africa’s ‘lion hotspots’
Online rhino horn auction met with “disappointing” results
John Hume’s first three-day online rhino horn auction was met with “disappointing” results as there were fewer bidders than expected.
Dragon-like sungazer lizard in danger
Sungazer – it sounds like a cool name for a dragon, and even though these rare lizards look like the mighty dragons from “Game of Thrones”, the fire of their soul may be burned out permanently.
Magic of Mana
This fantastic Mana Pools photo gallery will have you grabbing your camera, packing your bag and booking your African safari with us
Killing crop-raiding elephants won’t solve problem, say scientists
One of African conservation’s most pressing issues is ensuring that elephants and humans can coexist peacefully in the same area
The rhino in the room: South Africa’s domestic trade in rhino horn
On the surface, the upcoming legal auction of rhino horn set to begin on August 21 might appear to be a harmless propaganda exercise, but it may in fact signal a deepening of the rhino crisis.
The BIG LIE about lion trophy hunting
The trophy hunting of Africa’s wild, free-roaming lions is not sustainable and has to stop – opinion piece by Simon Espley
Monochrome Magic
This fantastic black & white photography gallery of African wildlife will have you grabbing your camera and booking a safari with us
Is Madikwe the best malaria-free Big 5 safari experience?
After a few days in Madikwe we had already seen cheetahs, lions, wild dogs, spotted & brown hyenas, rhinos & elephants. By Marc de Chalain
R.I.P Giraneza, the silverback gorilla
Giraneza the famous silverback gorilla is dead. We share images and a tribute from one of our Photographer of the Year entrants
Cycads need protection from poaching
Cycads are one of the most endangered species on this planet, it’s time we educate ourselves on how to save them from extinction.
Tsavo ‘Super Tusker’, Ndawe, dies after multiple spear wounds
Ndawe was the missing link, the proof that we were looking for. We were sure that elephants made the long journey between Tsavo and Amboseli, and he was the confirmation.
Kruger elephants: Giants of the Future
This is a citizen science project to assist Kruger National Park scientists to monitor populations of large-tusked elephants in the park
Trophy hunters lied about Xanda, son of Cecil, says Oxford researcher
The Zimbabwean trophy hunter who shot Cecil the Lion’s son, Xanda, was lying about the circumstances of the hunt, says the Oxford University researcher Andrew Loveridge from WildCru.
Cecil the Lion’s son Xanda killed by trophy hunter
Xanda, the 6-year-old son of Cecil the Lion, has been shot and killed by a client of Zimbabwean professional hunter Richard Cooke, a Victoria Falls resident. Xanda, in his prime years and the father of several young cubs, was killed just outside Hwange National Park, as was his famous father. Although the hunt was reportedly …
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‘Shoot-to-kill’ policy for poachers, say Botswana academics
South Africa should implement a ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy for poachers, suggest Botswana academics Goemeone EJ Mogomotsi and Patricia Kelilwe Madigele in a report titled ‘Live by the gun, die by the gun’.
Materials for your art safari
Disasters involving art materials are nothing new to me after years of travelling and sketching in southern Africa.
Lion farmers in South Africa threaten big cats worldwide
South African lion farmers are supplying large volumes of lion bone, teeth and claws as ‘tiger parts’ to an insatiable Asian market – says a report recently published by the Environmental Investigation Agency. South Africa is the world’s largest exporter of lion body parts.
Undercover operation reveals rhino trafficking secrets
A recently completed 11-month undercover investigation by Elephant Action League (EAL) called Grinding Rhino has exposed the networks, the players and the means by which rhino horn is trafficked into China.
Why Namibia’s desert-adapted lions are being killed
Namibia’s desert-adapted lions in the Tomakas region of Namibia are being killed off in a sad whirlpool of human politics, with the recent killing of the last of the famous ‘5 Musketeers’ being one such example.
Watch: Cape leopards caught on camera
The Cape Leopard Trust has caught many wondering Cape leopards in their camera traps across the remote Cape mountains and farmlands
Magical Mahale – meetings with chimps
Trekking for chimps AND snorkeling the crystal clear waters form a paradise beach – the charm of Mahale Mountains National Park in Tanzania
Trekking the beautiful Bale Mountains in Ethiopia
This was an amazing opportunity to visit Ethiopia’s most important biodiversity hotspot and see some of the rarest creatures in the world.
Hyena cub births: the good, the bad & the gory
Imagine the excitement when guests at Nsefu camp in South Luangwa, Zambia, were able to watch a spotted hyena giving birth.
Kruger- lodges vs self drive
Which Kruger safari option is better – luxury of the private lodges in the Greater Kruger or the self-catering options in the national park?
Let’s boycott African tourism. Not
Some keyboard warriors regularly call for the boycott of an entire country’s tourism industry in reaction to the death of animals that could conceivably have been prevented.
Madikwe safari – exciting predator encounters
Plenty of predator action and large herds of elephants in this Africa Geographic photographic safari to Madikwe in South Africa
R.I.P Tullamore – the last lion of the 5 Musketeers
Tullamore, the last of the famous ‘5 musketeers’ desert-adapted lions of northern Namibia, has been killed in the Okongue area, along with a lioness and two cubs, in the ongoing battle between rural cattle farmers and free-roaming lions. The lions were poisoned. Tullamore was the last surviving member of a group of 5 desert-adapted lions …
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Niassa: splendour in peril
Niassa in north Mozambique is one of Africa’s last true wilderness areas. This superb photo gallery is a testament to this vast treasure
Jurassic Niassa
“Are we seriously landing there?” The Cessna Caravan was heading towards a massive rocky dome, and what appeared to be a short dirt track in a dense sea of woodland. But, as we skimmed over a wide sandy riverbed, the track morphed into a landing strip. We bumped down and taxied to a halt. Paradise …
ET the aardvark goes home
ET was found and brought to me at ZURI Orphanage in Namibia in August 2015. Small and alien-like in appearance, ET settled in quickly with life on the farm. We have a house full of cats and dogs but settling in an aardvark was a completely different experience. There is very little written about aardvark so we had to learn as we went along.
Titanic battle between squirrel and parrot
On the morning of the 30th May, I witnessed a tussle between one of the current occupants of the nest, a brown-headed parrot pair, and a tree squirrel which dared to venture too close to the nest.
Hiking Réunion’s Cirque de Mafate
We stood on the rim of the caldera, the immense volcanic amphitheatre of the Cirque de Mafate, on the French island of Réunion. As far as the eye could see sheer walls of lush green vegetation encircled the seemingly endless and mythical world before us.
Rhino horn trade: A considered justification
Rhinos throughout South Africa are being brutally killed for their horns. In this article I would like to focus on some of the positive contributions by the private sector and the trials and tribulations that they face in trying to keep rhinos safe.
Photographer of the Year: Commendable finalists
The judges had a tough time this year choosing our wildlife category winner in the Photographer of the Year competition as there were so many amazing finalists. It got to a point where they had whittled it down to five wildlife photographs. However, it was clear that all five were perfect contenders for first place! A tough decision had to be made…
Photographer of the Year 2017 Winners
Africa Geographic Photographer of the Year 2017 Top 101 Finalists – images that will have you grabbing your camera and booking your next safari
Hunting body president resigns over canned lion dispute
The president of the Professional Hunting Association of South Africa [Phasa], Stan Burger, unexpectedly announced his resignation on Tuesday with immediate effect.
Private game reserves are vital for conservation
Without detracting from the wonderful and critical role that our national parks play in conservation we would like to take an opportunity to focus on the positive achievements of the private sector in this regard.
Photographer of the Year 2017 Finalists
Africa Geographic Photographer of the Year 2017 Top 101 Finalists – images that will have you grabbing your camera and booking your next safari
Baby elephants to be exported to Dubai zoo
A game farm in Namibia has been issued permits to sell five baby elephants to a zoo in Dubai. The elephants range in age from four to eight years old. The sale, at an undisclosed price, will be finalised later this year when the elephants are exported.
Photographer of the Year 2017 Semi-finalists Part 2
Africa Geographic Photographer of the Year 2017 Top 101 Finalists – images that will have you grabbing your camera and booking your next safari
Photographer of the Year 2017 Semi-finalists Part 1
Africa Geographic Photographer of the Year 2017 Top 101 Finalists – images that will have you grabbing your camera and booking your next safari
Réunion Island: Trekking to the ‘Peak of the Furnace’
Located within the Réunion National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Piton de la Fournaise, also known as ‘The Peak of the Furnace’ or le Volcan (the Volcano) by the locals, has had more than 150 recorded eruptions since the 17th century, with the most recent eruption beginning on 31 January 2017. At 2,631 metres in height and about 530,000 years old, this volcano is one of Réunion Island’s most popular tourist attraction.
