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Sudan has twice as many pyramids as Egypt – this is their little-told story
The ‘Black Pharaohs’ and the rise of the Nubian Empire For a period of 200 years, around 3000 BCE, Egyptian pharaohs sent their army south along the Nile in search of gold, granite for statues, ostrich feathers and slaves. They built forts, and later temples, to demonstrate their dominance over the Nubians. The Nubians were […]
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Africa’s Top 9 Conservation-led Safaris
The World Travel and Tourism Council offers some figures. In 2019 wildlife-based tourism generated more than US$29 billion annually for Africa and employed 3.6 million people. The entire School of Wildlife Conservation (SoWC) revolves on the premise that to improve wildlife conservation in Africa truly; it must be owned and driven by Africans, benefit people, […]
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Explained: The A – Z of going on an African safari
A is for Angola Angola was once famed for its giant elephants (a 12-ton male was spotted here in 1974), but poaching during the country’s 27-year-long civil war took a big toll on both human and animal population. Angola has been at peace for two decades and their wildlife reserves are on the road to […]
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Zimbabwe’s brilliant female environmental lawyer (and urban farmer) shares her Harare
Takudzwa’s conservation journey started in Hwange National Park. Her father worked there, which she says birthed an innate desire to protect wildlife and the environment. Today, Takudzwa’s experience includes co-authoring a Handbook for Prosecuting Wildlife Crimes and developing the first virtual training on wildlife crime and the law for authorities in Zimbabwe. She has drafted […]
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So, what exactly is the story of Great Zimbabwe?
At its peak, an estimated 18,000 people lived in the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe. Although only 200 to 300 members of the elite classes are thought to have actually stayed inside its massive stone buildings, watched over at night by guards standing on the walls, while the majority lived some distance away. Great […]
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Swapping a successful conservancy for the classroom – and why it matters for African conservation
Q&A with Richard Vigne, the new executive director of the School of Wildlife Conservation Since its creation in 2016, 302 students and alumni from 32 countries across the continent have been part of the School of Wildlife Conservation (SOWC) programmes. The school in Kigali offers professional programmes at all levels of the career journey. Can […]
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A behind-the-scenes safari with Governors’ Mugie House
Kenya’s Laikipia Plateau is considered the country’s pastoral heartland, dominated by livestock farms harkening back to the colonial era. It’s also an essential wildlife corridor connecting West Laikipia to the highlands of Mount Kenya. In recent years, the landscape has morphed into one of East Africa’s most exclusive safari destinations, brimming with wildlife, dotted with […]
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Top 10 things to know when planning your first African safari
There are some questions to consider right off the bat: are you looking for a romantic getaway? Perhaps a family-friendly holiday? Do you want a rugged adventure or are you strictly interested in getting pampered at a luxury lodge? Those are the kind of top-level questions you’ll need to start considering. Africa can be expensive […]
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Mapping the Makgadikgadi motherland: a quad bike cruise to Kubu Island
I have butterflies before we set off. An unquashable exhilaration. I had visited Kubu Island before, but in a comfy 4WD vehicle from the south, a well-trodden track that leads into the Makgadikgadi from Botswana’s diamond-mining town of Lethlakane. This would be my fourth visit but on a far more unorthodox ride. Also read: What’s […]
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Climbing Mt. Kenya: A guide to The Mountain of God
When the chance came along to explore Mt. Kenya for five days, I jumped at it. I had the chance of seeing it through my own eyes and the eyes of my guide (Jacob), the cook (Jose) and the porter (Tesh). These three people were the backbone of my explorations of Mt. Kenya. How to […]