It had been a few years since I'd been back to Namibia, the desert land where I studied black-faced impalas for my PhD, later planning a reintroduction for the subspecies to their historic range in the far north west.  

f you love elephants and would like to know more about their plight and what you can do to help conserve them in the wild, please come and join me at one of the following events in early October in Singapore and Melbourne.  Bookings are not required.

Friends in Melbourne and Singapore, I'm coming your way to talk elephants in early October so if you're around please come along to see some beautiful elephant images an update from me on all things elephantine!  More details of the events are coming soon, but for now put these dates in your diary!  All of my books will be available at these events.

There is a reason why Kenya's Maasai Mara is so famous.  Not only is this World Heritage Site Kenya's most visited reserve, famous for its high density of herbivores and predators, it also protects one of the planet's last great migrations of mammals, including about 2 million wildebeests, and a thousands of gazelles and zebras, which visit between July and October.

Are you male?  Are you a lone traveller?  Do you know someone who is and wants to go to Namibia?  Well this is your lucky day!  This is a last minute offer for a single male to join my Namibian safari THIS September (1st-8th), sharing with another single male.  Yes that's just a few months away!

Last year, Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp won Tatler's "Most Out Of This World" award.  I reckon it would have been a tough choice for this between Hoanib Camp and Serra Cafema, two of the most remote and wild-feeling places you're ever likely to visit, both of them run by Wilderness Safaris.  

We've seen some promising signs from China in the last week in relation to the ivory trade driving elephant poaching in Africa, with the Chinese government conducting their third ivory destruction in the last eighteen months and committing to phase out its legal, domestic ivory industry.  No time line has yet been given, but it is encouraging to see the Chinese taking stronger measures and the steps have been lauded by conservation organisations.

One of the most common questions I get asked about Africa is "When is the best time to go?"  The answer to this isn't as simple as you might think, and anyone who's experienced the complexity of Africa's seasons will tell you exactly that.

Is there anything as cute as African wild dog puppies?  It's definitely one of the highlights of going on safari if you get to see Africa's painted dogs tending to their youngsters a their den or on a hunt, especially given their rarity in the wild (there are thought to be only about 5000 or so left on the entire continent).  But did you know that these unique carnivores need huge areas to survive, that they are 'caring and sharing' towards each other, and that their play with each other actually serves an important purpose?

Where should you go on safari in Africa?  The choices seem bamboozling at first - Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa...  All are amazing and have their own unique angles and experiences, but I'm going to share a few reasons why I think you should consider one of my favourite safari destinations - Namibia.  If my photos below don't convince you, consider these five reasons why Namibia should be on your bucket list.