African Encounters - Safaris Beyond Your Expectations

27/05/2026

🐘 When your morning shower comes with an unexpected guest...

One of my guests recently got the ultimate Tanzania safari wake-up call - an elephant strolling down the path to her tent while she was in the shower!

I happened to come down the same path moments later and had to make a quick detour onto her deck as several more elephants moved in, peacefully grazing around us.
For about 20 minutes, we stood in complete awe as these gentle giants went about their morning. Breakfast could wait.

Some moments are simply worth being late for.

✨ Ready to create memories like this for yourself? I'm leading another small group Kenya & Tanzania safari next year. If you've ever dreamed of experiencing Africa up close - this is your sign. Drop a comment below or send me a message to find out more! 🐘🌅

16/05/2026

My partners in Zimbabwe have just released a video of their newest camp, and I can't wait to stay in one of these stunning treehouses. Imagine sipping on your first coffee of the day while watching elephants at the waterhole below 😍🐘

Will you be joining me on my next Zimbabwe & Victoria Falls safari? There are just a couple of places left on this adventure of a lifetime. Get in touch now!

1 like. "Tum Tum Treehouse Lodge"

09/05/2026

Are you living your life like someone left the gate open? If you know me, you'll know that one of my favourite sayings is 'you never know what's around the corner'. It goes well with Nike's 'Just Do It'!! Tell me what your next adventure is - bonus points for pushing the boundaries a bit 🙌

08/05/2026

🎂🌿 Happy 100th Birthday, Sir David Attenborough! 🌿🎂

Today, we celebrate a true legend - a man who has spent a century on this planet and dedicated much of it to making sure the rest of us truly see it.

In October 2012, he visited Amboseli with a BBC film crew to document conservation work and lion research in the area. He stayed at Porini Amboseli Camp, the first community-owned conservancy in Kenya, and commented, “What a marvellous example of how people and wildlife can live alongside one another”.

At 100 years old, he's still working. Still reminding us what an extraordinary, fragile, and breathtaking planet we call home. 🌍

Here's to the man who made us fall in love with nature - and care enough to fight for it. 🐾🦁 🐘

Thank you, Sir David. For every documentary, every word, every quiet moment of awe you gave us. The world is so much richer for having you in it.

❤️ Share this if Sir David Attenborough has been part of your life! ❤️

29/04/2026

OK, this comment in a Tanzania Facebook group made me shake my head...

"Bring food. Sorry, I starved there. I just couldn’t eat the food, even in the nice lodges. Down to the butter, which did not taste like butter. Zanzibar was fine. But Tanzania, the food was awful. I’d go back again though, it was an amazing trip….id just pack a suitcase full of food."

That certainly hasn't been my experience in many years of delicious meals on safari - even the bush picnics are superb!

Tell me what you think about the food on safari!

25/04/2026

Why Pack Neutral Tones for Your Safari?
When it comes to packing for safari, your wardrobe choices matter more than you might think - and neutral colours like beige, khaki, and olive are your best friends out in the bush. Especially if you want to stretch your legs on a walk with your guide...

Here's why:
You'll blend into the landscape. Wildlife is incredibly sensitive to bright, unfamiliar colours. Neutral tones allow you to become part of the scenery rather than a distraction, and animals go about their natural behaviours undisturbed. The result? More authentic, up-close wildlife encounters for you.

You'll keep things safe and respectful. Bright colours can startle animals, potentially putting both you and the wildlife at risk. Dressing in muted tones is a simple way to show respect for the environment and the creatures that call it home.

I know this is a controversial point, and you'll see many comments claiming that bright colours are fine, Maasai wear them. Maasai wear bright colours when they're out herding their livestock or collecting firewood for exactly that reason - to warn off lions...

You'll be ready for the dust. Let's be honest - a safari is a beautifully dusty adventure. Red soil, dry air, and open safari vehicles mean everything gets a fine layer of grime by midday. Neutral colours don't just blend into nature; they hide the inevitable safari dust like a dream, even after a full day of game viewing.

Bonus tip: Lightweight, breathable fabrics in these shades will also keep you cooler during the heat of the day and are easy to layer up when mornings turn crisp.
Pack smart, travel light, and let the wilderness do the rest.

Get more tips in this blog post: https://africanencounters.co.nz/what-not-to-wear-on-safari/

22/04/2026

"We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children."

Today, on Earth Day, that truth has never felt more urgent.
The wild places that take our breath away - the ones that stop us in our tracks and remind us how small we are - are fragile. They don't just need our wonder. They need our protection.

Conservation isn't something we do on the side at African Encounters. It's woven into everything we do. Every safari we run directly supports the protection of the landscapes and wildlife in the regions we're privileged to explore.

Because witnessing something this extraordinary comes with a responsibility to fight for it.

🌍 This Earth Day, I want to hear from you - what place in nature changed you? Was it a sunset over the savannah? The first light of morning in an ancient ebony forest? A mokoro ride on the Okavango Delta?

Tell me in the comments. Let's celebrate what's worth protecting.

20/04/2026

Love these beautiful lamps at Lemala Osonjoi in Tanzania, created from acacia thorns by the very talented local artisan Jeremiah Paul. Lemala Camps & Lodges

15/04/2026

This is one of my favourite safari moments.
We'd barely started our afternoon game drive in the Ndutu region of the southern Serengeti when Silva, our guide, stopped the vehicle and just sat quietly.
We all scanned the ground and bushes - nothing to see. I looked up - and there she was. A beautiful lioness was resting on a branch high in a tree in front of us.
No other vehicles. No noise. Just us, her, and the vast Serengeti plains.

It was February, calving season, and the great migration was in full swing. Thousands of baby wildebeest were being born every day. And here she was, elevated above it all, resting. Somewhere hidden in the bushes nearby, her cubs were waiting for her.

We sat in silence and watched. After a while, she stretched - that long, unhurried, full-body stretch that only cats can pull off - then slowly, gracefully she made her way down the trunk and disappeared into the grass, back to her family.

We talk a lot about "bucket list" moments, but this wasn't just that. It was a reminder that the wild world is still out there - fierce and fragile and breathtaking - if we're willing to show up for it.
Show up for it. 🌍

12/04/2026

🌍 Want the best of Kenya & Tanzania? Here’s what you’re looking for!

Our Kenya & Tanzania Under Canvas safari is 11 days of pure East Africa magic - from rare rhinos at Ol Pejeta and big cats in the Maasai Mara, to the ancient wonder of the Ngorongoro Crater and the sweeping plains of the Serengeti.

You'll sleep under canvas in small, intimate tented camps - proper beds, hot showers, delicious food - with nothing but the sounds of the African bush around you. No crowds. No compromises. Just your own private Africa.

✅ All meals, game drives, internal flights & park fees included
✅ Daily departures
✅ Perfect for first-timers and seasoned safari lovers alike

👉 Find out more:

Discover the best of Kenya and Tanzania, from the Masai Mara to the Serengeti. Explore iconic wildlife destinations and intimate tented camps.