Travel & conservation company, since 1991
See how we earn 5 starsTrustpilot - 5 stars
×
SEARCH OUR STORIES
SEARCH OUR SAFARIS
Subscribe to our newsletter and/or app
Hesté de Beer writes: “We visited the chief of this boma, Yona Koromo, and his family regularly over a 25-year period. The family allowed us into their homes and invited us to be part of all their rituals. Here, the chief’s wife, who gave us permission for this photo, awaits the sun outside her hut.” Lake Natron, Tanzania

This is a copy of our weekly email newsletter. Subscribe here to receive the newsletter.


Medieval forest ruins + rhino update + Botswana specials

My name is Simon, and I am a safariholic. Being on safari peels me open like a ripe melon and washes my stresses away – the sensory overload and endorphin rush influence my body chemistry. True story.

With that in mind, check out our last-minute Botswana special offers – up to 75% off ! Sadly, these crazy prices are for SADC residents only. I know, but few locals can afford these prices, and this is their only chance to experience the fabulosity of a luxury Botswana safari. Did someone say Zarafa, Duba, Tuludi and Jack’s?

And then there is this: South African and Namibian cheetahs are being sent to India to ‘restock’ their wildlife areas – with a different subspecies of cheetah. Many factors are at play here, and there has been so much bickering and trumpeting about this issue. At last, here is a summary we can all understandIs this eco or ego? You decide.

Keep the passion

Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic


Travel desk TRAVEL DESK UPDATES: 

Longing for an escape? We have plenty of special deals on offer at the moment. Contact our team of experts to arrange your dream safari.

Legendary Botswana deals for SADC residents: This one is for the residents of southern Africa seeking to explore the bushveld over summer. We have secured large discounts for SADC residents (up to 75%!) at some of Botswana’s best lodges. This is for safaris taking place between October 2022 and March 2023. Check out this amazing list of lodges and BOOK YOUR SAFARI NOW.
Congo forest & lowland gorilla trekking – 9 days: Search for lowland gorillas, bongos, dwarf crocodiles, forest elephants and grey parrots in the dense Congo forests on this 9-day safari like no other. This is for you if you’re willing to go beyond the safari norm to explore and discover truly wild areas.

From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld

We’ve jumped from a chilly winter straight into glowing heat waves here in the Highveld of South Africa, so I greet you this week with sweat on my brow and cider in hand.

In our first story below, we explore a mysterious medieval Swahili civilisation, buried in a primeaval forest just north of the small beach town of Watamu, Kenya. A visit to the carefully preserved Gedi Ruins in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest reveals the intricacies of a once-thriving metropolis, an important but little-known medieval centre of trade in East Africa. Read more to uncover age-old tales of class division, slavery, historical cultures and international relations.

In our second story, Jamie has analysed the most comprehensive report on the status of the world’s rhinos to date. With some countries pushing to reduce the conservation status of rhinos at the upcoming COP19 in November, this summary is an eye-opener on the issues at hand.

Happy celebrating Africa to you all!


Story 1
https://africageographic.com/stories/gedi-ruins/
GEDI RUINS
Gedi was a medieval East African trade city. Today, you can visit Kenya’s Gedi Ruins to discover a lost Swahili civilisation

Story 2
https://africageographic.com/stories/the-state-of-africas-rhino/
RHINO UPDATE
Our analysis of the IUCN report containing the most recent rhino numbers, trends, poaching incidents, conservation measures & trade updates


From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson

If you happen to be living under the cartoon misapprehension that roosters crow once as the sun rises, allow me to elucidate something. They crow for many reasons, including territorially, to celebrate a successful mating and, I am convinced, purely out of spite. When there is artificial light (like city lights, for instance), they continue this throughout the night.

Now, did you know that roosters have been recorded crowing at volumes of up to 143 decibels? By comparison, a lion’s roar is roughly 110 decibels and a chainsaw around 120. Roosters can crow so loudly that they have a special soft tissue covering to protect their own eardrums.

Why this sudden poultry fascination? Because my landlords have five adult roosters, and one of them has it in for me. Cock-a-doodle-do indeed.


Magical Richtersveld

Kristi Goodman recently sought advice on visiting the desert landscape of the Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park in the Northern Cape of South Africa. Kristi writes on the forum:
“We are going to stay in the Richtersveld Transfrontier Park in early November and we’ll be travelling from Cape Town. We have looked into camping as well as the Tatatasberg Wilderness Camp. We have heard the park is huge! Is there any advice on what to do and must-visit areas?”

Check out the tips offered by the AG tribe, and offer Kristi your own advice by viewing this post on the forum (sign in or get the app to view and comment).


WATCH: Get a taste of the vast wilderness, immersive landscapes and incredible wildlife experiences that await in Botswana, in honour of our SPECIAL OFFER safaris throughout the country for SADC residents (02:26). Click here to watch

To comment on this story: Login (or sign up) to our app here - it's a troll-free safe place 🙂.


HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF AFRICA GEOGRAPHIC:

  • Travel with us. Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early / late and a few kilometres off course and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity? Browse our ready-made packages or answer a few questions to start planning your dream safari.
  • Subscribe to our FREE newsletter / download our FREE app to enjoy the following benefits.
  • Plan your safaris in remote parks protected by African Parks via our sister company https://ukuri.travel/ - safari camps for responsible travellers

AG Logo
About

We're an eclectic pack of safari experts, storytellers, admin and tech nerds and digital natives whose sole mission is celebrating Africa and doing good. We do this by creating life-changing, responsible safaris just for you, publishing informative, factual articles about Africa's incredible natural wonders and raising donations for worthy causes. This MANIFESTO explains our approach to travel and conservation.

Africa Geographic Travel
[wpforms id="152903"]
<div class="wpforms-container wpforms-container-full" id="wpforms-152903"><form id="wpforms-form-152903" class="wpforms-validate wpforms-form wpforms-ajax-form" data-formid="152903" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data" action="/stories/comment-teamag-friday-07-october-2022/" data-token="9a35bd708defad991f5c1f097a817aa5"><noscript class="wpforms-error-noscript">Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.</noscript><div class="wpforms-field-container"><div id="wpforms-152903-field_1-container" class="wpforms-field wpforms-field-email" data-field-id="1"><label class="wpforms-field-label wpforms-label-hide" for="wpforms-152903-field_1">Email Address <span class="wpforms-required-label">*</span></label><input type="email" id="wpforms-152903-field_1" class="wpforms-field-medium wpforms-field-required" name="wpforms[fields][1]" placeholder="Email " required></div></div><div class="wpforms-submit-container"><input type="hidden" name="wpforms[id]" value="152903"><input type="hidden" name="wpforms[author]" value="284"><input type="hidden" name="wpforms[post_id]" value="152460"><button type="submit" name="wpforms[submit]" id="wpforms-submit-152903" class="wpforms-submit" data-alt-text="Sending..." data-submit-text="Subscribe" aria-live="assertive" value="wpforms-submit">Subscribe</button><img src="https://africageographic.com/wp-content/plugins/wpforms/assets/images/submit-spin.svg" class="wpforms-submit-spinner" style="display: none;" width="26" height="26" alt="Loading"></div></form></div> <!-- .wpforms-container -->