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Is there anything as beautiful as sunrise in Botswana? Well, not much, but it can get even better when a hippo walks through the magestic, pre-dawn burnt glow, creating a silhouette only Africa can create in the wee hours of the morning as you set out on your game drive. Pure magic!
Every safari has its breathtaking moments, sometimes several in a day, and that, for me, is the joy of Africa. I like to call them 'joy explosions', those moments when you think your heart might literally leap out of your chest with happiness. My wonderful safari group this year made it yet another magical journey and their depth of appreciation of these moments was such a thrill for me. I can't tell you how much I love sharing my passion for Africa with others, even after three decades of African travels. Seeing people's faces light up when they see their first lion walk right by the open vehicle, or hear a spotted hyena call at night for the first time or see a herd of wild elephants enjoying a mud bath, is just awesome.
On this group safari we had a couple of very special encounters. One occurred at Mokolwane in Xudum concession in the Okavango Delta, a stunning part of Botswana where the recently released wonderful Netflix film 'Living with Leopards' was filmed. In our first evening in this area, after spending some waiting to see if a leopard we'd seen briefly cross the vehicle tracks might hunt an impala, we set up our sundowner drinks and nibbles in an area a little way away. There, in an open grassland, we all paused to watch and appreciate the sun set with an Okavango gin and tonic. While we were all relaxing and enjoying the sky turn peach, someone mentioned that there was a spotted hyena walking past a few hundred metres away.
As we all watched, the hyena stopped and looked at us for a moment, as if considering what to do next, and then changed direction and started walking decisively straight in our direction. All eyes were on it as it continued to walk towards us, closer and closer and closer. The carefree chatting stopped...
I glanced at one of our guides to determine if this was the sort of behaviour that hyenas usually exhibited in this area. He looked very calm as he told me we were fine. Everyone in the group stood perfectly still, which is pretty much what you should do in this situation. In the words of my good friend and author, Peter Allison, at times like this, whatever you do, don't run!
The hyena didn't slow down and continued walking towards our gathering until he was somewhere between five and ten metres in front of us. At that point, the hyena stopped. It lifted its head, probably smelling the biltong (dried meat) in our sundowner snacks, and considering whether it might constitute an easy meal. After about a minute, the hyena decided the small morsels of meat in our snacks weren't worth its time and it turned around and walked away in the same casual manner in which it had come. But wow, what an encounter and what a privilege to be the subject of this amazing wild animal's curiosity at such close range!
One of the things I loved about being in this area was the excellent and amicable working relationship between the Mokolwane safari guides and the film makers who were based there. We actually randomly ran into the film maker and one of the stars of the show, Brad Bestelink, in the bush at Mokolwane, while he (like us) was out looking for leopards!
The predator sightings in this area were outstanding, from African wild dogs at a den, rare sightings of cheetahs, several leopards and lion prides. We were very fortunate to see an aardwolf on one of our evening drives back to camp, a real thrill for me as I hadn't seen one for a couple of decades! A stand-out sighting was seeing two leopards stuck up a tree, under which a pride of nine lions were devouring a freshly killed warthog. The film makers who were there told us one of the leopards had killed the warthog, started to drag it up the tree when a lioness grabbed it off the leopard. The leopards did not look very happy as they were stuck up the tree, prevented from coming down by the lions, who were devouring their own kill right in front of them. Lions don't like sharing!
Khwai Private Reserve also produced exciting days in the bush and this area now has so many elephants. They came out in the dozens on our first day at Sable Alley Camp, walking right beside us as we were having lunch and providing quite a distraction as you'll see in my instagram video @matsonandridleysafaris . The elephants were feeding right through camp that day and prevented a few of us getting back to our rooms after lunch as they provided the kind of road block only Africa knows how to provide! (Watch my instagram video here!)
We topped off the safari with a couple of days at Meno a Kwena Camp where we enjoyed wonderful sightings of the zebra migration and lots of elephant bulls in residence. This is also one of the places to go for the traditional San Bushmen cultural experience. Check out my instagram @tammiematson to see a very cool video of the Bushmen calming a wild scorpion using the palms of their hands and mouths. It's pretty awesome!
Thank you to my wonderful group who joined me in Botswana this year and I know we will meet again in Africa soon!
If you are thinking of going on safari in 2025 or 2026, or would like to join one of my guided group safaris in Botswana, Tanzania or Rwanda, please reach out now to secure your place and to ensure we can find you space in the camps. Availability is always tight in the best areas, so planning a year in advance is the best way to ensure you have a good choice of options in your price range. With three decades of experience in African safaris and conservation, and the experience and personal touch to ensure your safari is unforgettable for all the right reasons, Matson & Ridley Safaris is here to help make African dreams come true.
Contact us today to plan your safari!
"We had no idea what to expect from a Safari in Africa. To say it exceeded our expectations is a massive understatement. We fell in love with Botswana, the people and Safaris. Tammie organised most of our trip and any extra information we needed she always came back with a quick and informative reply. We would highly recommend using Tammie and Matson Ridley Safaris and will be using them again in the future for our next safari. Thank you for an unforgettable, awe-inspiring and extraordinary experience".
Mel, Gold Coast, Australia
"From my perfectly matched roomie to the ideal group size, the epic experiences and community feel within the group. The selection of camps, the guides and staff at each of the camps were amazing. Every detail was well considered, right down to bush-babies to keep us warm. I have never experienced so many 'joy explosions'"
Janet, Cairns, Australia
"You know you are truly alive when you are living among lions"
Isak Dinesen
It's that time of year again... I'm delighted to share the dates of my Botswana safari for 2025! Next June my small group of up to twelve travellers will join me in three of my favourite parts of Botswana. My group will explore the Okavango Delta, Khwai Private Reserve and Makgadigadi Pans National Park from 2-10 June, experiencing some of the best wildlife areas in Africa with me.
The safari kicks off at Mokolwane Camp, deep in the heart of an almost untouched part of the Okavango Delta in Xudum concession. National Geographic and Netflix film maker Brad Bestelink is based here and for good reason - the area is teeming with all the Okavango predators and has the third highest density of leopards in Africa. This small, relaxed, remote camp is tucked into 200,000 hectares of wilderness and has excellent populations of elephants, lions, giraffes, hyenas, crocodiles and hippos, as well as countless birds. Elephants love the Molokwane palms for which the camp is named.
Next, we're off to Little Sable Camp in the Khwai Private Reserve, a 200,000 hectare reserve bordering the Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park. On our safaris in this wildlife-rich part of Botswana we often come across critically endangered African wild dogs, leopards, lions and sometimes even cheetahs and sable antelopes. You can experience classic game drives, mokoro trips and boat safaris here (dependent on water levels). Every day is an adventure in Khwai! This camp runs in partnership with the Khwai local community, delivering direct benefits of income and jobs to local people adjoining the reserve.
While here, you'll have the chance to spend a night at the extraordinary Skybeds. Imagine a two-level tower in the middle of the African bush overlooking a waterhole frequented by elephants. With no roof, just a mosquito net over your head, this means you'll have the most incredible view of the star-studded African sky from your cosy, warm bed. With only three skybed towers, this intimate setting is an experience like no other and you can expect to hear lots of night time visitors to the water hole. You'll have the chance to spend some time at one of our favourite wilds near this camp, which, in the late afternoon of the dry season, attracts elephants aplenty, with your view being from the level of their feet - simply incredible!
Finally, we finish our safari at Meno a Kwena Camp bordering the semi-arid Makgadigadi Pans National Park. Famous for its elevated view over the Boteti River, this camp has one of the best views of the great zebra migration that you can get. We will go into the national park to experience the zebra migration up close and also to spend time with the many elephant bulls that live in this area. An optional activity is to spend some time in Meno a Kwena's floating hide on the Boteti River for a closer view of hippos, zebras and elephants, and to spend time with the San Bushmen who live here for part of the year.
To join me on safari from 2-10 June 2025, in a group of up to twelve people, drop me a line here and I will send you the itinerary. Botswana is one of the safest and easiest places to visit in Africa, and continually provides the top notch wildlife experiences that our guests expect, which is why I take a group there every year. Our partner in our Botswana safaris is the Natural Selection Foundation and your safari directly contributes to this in addition to ensuring that the areas we're visiting are conserved for the future of wildlife and for local communities to benefit. Read more about the impact of Natural Selection safaris here.
Don't forget that in addition to the safaris I personally lead, we also have excellent local guides who can take you on safari all across Africa, from Rwanda where you can experience the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, to Namibia's famous sand dunes and desert-adapted wildlife. We specialise in arranging safaris focused on the great migration in East Africa and have over a decade of experience of picking the timing and the places where you will experience the ultimate wildebeest migration experience. If you have a great idea for a group safari and you'd like me to lead it, do reach out for a conversation about my private guided tours. If you're thinking of going on safari any time soon, why not reach out to us for a chat about what's possible?
As 2023 draws to a close, like many of us I'm reflecting on how I've grown this year and what changes I want to make in 2024. What challenges did you face this year and how did you overcome them?
Recently I found myself standing in front of a crowd of about 250 people in Brisbane who were from a government agency talking about what it's like to step outside my comfort zone. The irony is that for many of us (me included) public speaking is way outside our comfort zones. Many of my experiences in Africa as a wildlife conservationist have helped me learn through experience how to breathe through tense situations, like the day I was charged by lionesses in Etosha National Park as I unknowingly approached their kill on foot, somehow, miraculously avoiding being eaten by them as only a half hour later they killed a springbok right beside our car. And then there was the more recent time on safari in Botswana when an elephant bull leaned on our open safari vehicle and 'sensed' my forearm with his trunk. Once a spotted hyena tried to climb into my car and into the driver's seat. On several occasions I've almost stood on a puff adder. Such things are all in a day's work in Africa, but what I find fascinating is that every time something like this happens, the same biological reaction kicks in.
Something purely natural takes place in our bodies when the amygdala starts to do its job by recognising a dangerous situation. Our bodies flood with adrenaline. Your brain becomes hyper alert, your pupils dilate, your blood flows more quickly and breathing and heart rate accelerate. Other organs, unnecessary to the fight or flight response, shut down, like our digestive system (causing a suppression of appetite). We are all animals, and because of that, we are deeply wired to feel fear and respond to it. No one likes the feeling of fear, but feeling fear is not the problem - it's a feeling we need in order to respond. If African animals have taught me anything it's that fear is essential for survival. How do you think impalas got so common? They are really good at responding to fear, barking loudly and jumping around with white fluffy tails raised in the presence of a predator. They feel the fear and they use it to their advantage. It's how you respond to fear that matters.
Standing up in front of a crowd of people telling stories about Africa and sharing my own fears and vulnerabilities, I found myself using the same techniques to push down my nerves and use that (very uncomfortable) feeling to propel myself on to the stage. After a while behind the podium, my body seems to understand that the people in the audience are not actually a pride of dangerous lions and the fear response relaxes. But I always look back at moments like these with the sense that no matter how awful that feeling of fear is, it's always worth it because there's no growth in the comfort zone.
Something does happen when you push yourself outside your comfort zone. You very often do rise to the occasion and find yourself growing in confidence and with a new sense of perspective as a result. The problem is that in modern life, the biggest surprise we might get is if the local barista serves us the wrong type of milk in our latte. Think about your day today. We all get up, have a cup of tea or coffee, maybe walk the dog if we're early risers or perhaps hit the gym. We go to our job, earn a few bucks, pay the mortgage and the bills, maybe save a few dollars. In general, most of the people reading this blog lead pretty comfortable lives, not having to worry about putting food on the table or potentially having your home bombed.
But comfort rarely leads to growth and it also doesn't equal happiness. One of the best lessons I was ever taught was by a bunch of school kids at Humani Primary School in the Save Valley Conservancy, Zimbabwe, back in the mid 1990s. The kids at this school, like so many schools in Africa today, had to walk many kilometres to get to school each day through bush that could potentially see them walking into an elephant or a lion. They had almost nothing in material terms - torn clothes, bare feet - but they had the biggest smiles on their faces. Just going to school for them was something they were so grateful to be able to do, because not all kids got to go to school. Those kids taught me that having a lot of stuff isn't going to make you happy. What a gift that learning was. I remember returning to Australia at the age of sixteen and seeing so clearly that, in my world, people lived really comfortable lives, but it didn't seem to be enough. In Australia, it's now recognised that 43% of people will experience a mental health issue at some point in their lives.
When I take people to Africa, or arrange their private journeys, I love to see people stepping outside their comfort zones and experiencing the joy of that fresh perspective and being in the present moment. It sometimes takes a couple of days for the feeling to kick in after the build up of getting to Africa. Getting on a long flight to the other side of the world to a country you don't know much about other than what you've seen on television (which is probably just the bad news) can be incredibly daunting, especially if you haven't done it before. Then when you get there, staying in a large canvas tent, walking back to your room at night with your guide while lions roar in the not-too-far-away distance, listening to wild elephants foraging on trees in camp, and hearing sounds that are so unfamiliar and strange that you have absolutely no idea what's going on out there - it's spine-tingling stuff! It can be quite mind-blowing for many people to be so far outside their usual safe, familiar spaces. But it's also completely inspiring.
What you come to realise after you've been to Africa at least once is that getting outside your comfort zone is a large part of what the magic of an African safari is all about. You're not going to be physically uncomfortable on our safaris (let's face it, most of our safari camps are quite luxurious!), and your safety is something that's taken extremely seriously, but you are going to be doing something different and seeing new, wild things and challenging yourself mentally (sometimes physically if you go on a gorilla or chimp trek in Rwanda) and doing all sorts of things that will lead to a change in perspective. You may not realise it at the time, but people tell me all the time that their trip to Africa changed the way they see the world completely. And I think we all need that. Purpose and perspective are my goals for 2024.
If you're ready to take the bold step and go on safari in Africa, I have one room left on my Botswana safari from 10-18 June 2024 and we have some great deals for independent and guided travel to all of our African safari destinations for next year, so please get in touch and let's make 2024 the year you step into Africa's magic cauldron of wonderful surprises. Best wishes and a joyful festive season to your family from the Matson-Ridleys. See you for some African inspiration in 2024!
This month we celebrate ten years of Matson & Ridley Safaris!
What a whirlwind of fantastic adventures and newfound friendships the last decade has brought into our circle. When Andy and I started Matson & RIdley Safaris back in late 2013 in Singapore, I was soon to give birth to our (now nine, almost ten year old) son, Shep. It was the beginning of a whole new era for our family in so many ways. Our boys have travelled with us to Namibia, South Africa, Kenya and Rwanda and we are planning on adding Botswana to that list very soon to visit the habituated wild meerkats on the Makgadigadi Pans. Life's too short not to build precious members with loved ones and there's nowhere like Africa for a life-changing, bonding experience. Most safari camps will take kids over the age of six and your children will LOVE this holiday as there is nothing else like it.
Looking back at this year, many of our guests who booked pre-Covid went on their long-awaited safaris and I wanted to share some of the highlights here. We are so grateful for all your support over the last decade. Please continue to spread the word and we hope to see you on safari soon!
Now is the time to book for 2024 so please don't wait to reach out to us to organise your safari for next year. You can now sign up to my Botswana safari next June, from 10-18th. I have two rooms left on this very special, personally guided safari in the Okavango Delta, including the zebra migration in the Makgadigadi National Park.
Choosing when to go to Africa can be half the challenge, so in this blog I'm focusing on two of the seasons you can consider travelling in Africa which are at two ends of the price spectrum but both absolutely brilliant in their own way. East and Southern Africa have quite different seasons, so in this blog I'm only considering East Africa. Deciding when to go is really important and it's worth talking to us early on so we can ensure you book camps in the right areas for the wildlife and at the best time of year for what you can expect to see.
green season in the serengeti, Tanzania
Aussies Pru, Lee, Natalie and Lynn travelled as a small group to the Serengeti in late May this year, during the green season. The big secret about travelling in the green season (December to May) is that you'll pay half the price of the peak season in Africa's winter months (July-August) and you won't be sacrificing on wildlife sightings because wildlife is brilliant year-round in the Serengeti and the climate is mild. You'll see amazing sunsets due to the clouds in the sky and enjoy feasting your eyes on green grasses after the wet season and lots of baby animals. Pru's group found the wildebeest migration on the open plains between Dunia Camp and Namiri Plains Camp in May, Pru toasted to her fortieth birthday with a stunning hot air balloon flight over the Serengeti followed by a champagne breakfast, and Lee got to test out her fab new camera (I'm sure you'll agree from her photos below, it's a good one!).
"It was a magical trip. I don't think I realised the impact it was going to have on me before I went. I guess we'd been talking about it for years, when it actually came time, I was like oh gosh, here we go! We got lucky with the animals; you got us the best guide. He understood our Aussie humour and he delivered on all the things we asked for. Being out on a game drive, hot water bottle in hand, wind in your face, was a moment I'll never forget."
Lee Vereschildt (first time in Africa)
"I never expected the level of professionalism shown by guides and staff at camp. I was blown away by my animal encounters and truly didn’t know what to imagine and it certainly exceeded my expectations. I wish I could think of something to tell you that needs improvement as I understand the importance of quality improvement, however I can’t for the life of me think of anything. My experience was 100% amazing and I can’t thank you enough for contributing to this amazing first travel experience for me. It’s going to be hard to top this one."
Natalie Thorpe (first time in Africa)
great migration & river crossings
Late July, August and early September is usually a great time to experience the famous crossings of the thousands of wildebeests across the Mara River as the great migration makes its way up north out of Tanzania into Kenya and then circles back to the Serengeti again. This is peak tourist season in East Africa because the time when the wildebeests are crossing the river is very short, only a couple of months. Book well ahead if you are thinking of going during peak season to avoid disappointment. Our guests, Trevor and Vickie from Melbourne, experienced the migration in full swing this August and Vickie's words and photos tell the stories better than I can below.
"An amazing experience that completely exceeded our expectations. We have really missed that sense of serenity that one gets from being in the bush and away from everything material! All the staff were knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Don't change a thing! We also like that Matson & Ridley Safaris are an ethical safari company."
Vickie - Melbourne, Australia
Thank you Vickie, Lee, Natalie and Pru for sharing your wonderful photos and words with us! The incredible photos below have been shared by Vickie Burt.
Returning to Botswana with my safari group this June was truly balm for the soul. It wasn't just that we'd waited so long (five long years since first arranging it, with a global pandemic in between), but that Botswana worked its magic so much that every hour there seemed to be one heart-exploding moment after another. Quite a few of my group, hailing from all around the world (Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, Dubai/UK, Japan/China and Melbourne - a truly global entourage!), were on their first time to Africa. It's always special to host people who are experiencing Africa's wonder for the first time, but for me, after five years I even felt a bit new to Botswana all over again. It was pure heaven remembering how extraordinary this part of Africa is and why it's so famous as a safari destination. And thankfully I still knew the difference between a lilac breasted roller and a wood pecker. Phew!
The safari kicked off with a few days exploring the Makgadigadi Pans National Park where the dazzle of the zebra migration was in full swing. The elephant bulls in this area were constant visitors, even in our camp, Meno a Kwena, where elephants frequently fed on the trees near our rooms overlooking the river. The view of the Boteti River is one of the best in Botswana and our afternoon spent in the floating hide was pure magic as zebras and elephants filtered down to drink in a dust haze of stripes and wrinkled hide, while hippos on a sand bank basked oblivious to the mayhem in the winter sunshine.
The San Bushmen experience at Meno a Kwena is something our guests always enjoy immensely and for many of this group it was a highlight of the trip. Taking a cultural walk with a family of Bushmen isn't something you get to do every day. The first people of Africa can teach us so much about living in harmony with the land and their sense of humour always has us in stitches. This time, one of the men showed us how to hold a scorpion and even how to put it in your mouth, something you should not try at home!
From there it was off to the luxurious new Dukes Camp in the Okavango Delta. After such a great few days at Meno a Kwena, we had no idea what a treat we were in for in this area. From multiple leopard sightings, including spending time with one drinking and protecting his warthog kill, to baby spotted hyenas at their den, a visit by a honey badger, and spending time with a pack of critically endangered African wild dogs, it was hard to imagine this getting much better. And then it did, with half of our group in one vehicle finding themselves watching the African wild dogs as they made a meal of an impala. Watching Africa's most efficient predators at work is one thing, but it didn't stop there. Moments later, spotted hyenas came along and then it was war, an all out brawl of hyenas and dogs! What a spectacular experience to witness and I know this is something my guests will never forget.
Next it was off to Little Sable Camp in the Khwai Private Reserve, an area that directly supports the local community through the partnership between Natural Selection and Khwai community. A huge elephant bull greeted us to make us welcome as we came into camp, giving everyone their chance for an elephant selfie as we crossed the bridge into camp. Early one morning in this area we witnessed three male lions crossing the wetlands (these big cats do swim in the Delta) on a chilly winter morning, more leopards (yes, by now my group were convinced there were more leopards than lions in Botswana!) and lions (mums with cubs, no less, and some big, scarred males!). On our last day in the early morning we spotted some hippos running across a plain in the reserve as we were driving to the air strip. After scanning the area with my binoculars we realised there were African wild dogs running as well, but it was a herd of lechwe they were chasing, not the hippos. Never a dull moment in the Okavango and when it comes to safaris, it's really not over til it's over!
The whole group took some amazing photos home from this safari, but we were also fortunate to have an Australian professional photographer who is based in Hong Kong, Mark Ralston. Mark has let me share a few of his brilliant pics of the hyena and wild dog interactions below. They are something else!
Photo: Mark Ralston
Photo: Mark Ralston
Photo: Mark Ralston
Our guests have been on some incredible safaris this year and in upcoming blogs I'll be sharing some of their memories from Tanzania, Rwanda and Namibia. Stay tuned for these updates in coming months and don't forget to follow us on facebook and instagram @matsonridleysafaris.
We are now taking bookings for my Botswana safari from 8-10 June 2024. This safari will be just as incredible as the one just past, so if you haven't experienced Botswana on one of my journeys please contact me here for the itinerary and secure one of only twelve places available. As with all the safaris we organise for our guests in Botswana, whether it's hosted by me or on an independent journey that I arrange for you, our partners at Natural Selection take the best care of you and ensure that 1.5% of every booking goes right back to conservation in addition to US$50/person/night towards their conservation and community levy. Our safaris are a cut above the rest. Just ask our guests! Contact me now to sign up.
"This has been an amazing trip for me…I would even say life changing, but I don’t know how or in what way…I just know that I have learned so much and unknown doors have been unlocked, but I won’t know which to open until they are presented to me…let’s see what the future holds and I look forward to what comes next…". Marlene Han, Singapore
"One thing we noticed during the trip was the number of animals. It felt to us there were far more animals( as in greater numbers of each species) than 12 years ago when we first travelled to Botswana and we feel this is evidence of the conservation approach that is being adopted by locals, tour companies and governments. It is such a fab thing to see." Kerry Guthrie, Australia
"Everything we saw and did surpassed all my expectations! Tammie was so knowledgeable and interesting. She did such a fantastic job of organizing and coordinating everything for us. I feel that I got the best Safari experience I could’ve had." Dianne Guy, Canada
Tammie's Botswana safari group, June 2023 at Meno a Kwena with one of our guides, Mpaphi
Thank you to all of my safari group from Botswana this year and to all the fantastic guides, management and behind-the-scenes staff at Natural Selection for giving us the experience of a lifetime. Africa is so much more than a holiday and until you experience for yourself you won't know just how much it will enrich your soul.