Expeditions to Africa, India & Beyond

An adventure trip to Kenya and Tanzania in May offers a thrilling blend of wildlife and cultural experiences. In Nairobi, visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to see baby elephants, feed giraffes at the Giraffe Centre, and embark on a game drive in Nairobi National Park. Head to the Masai Mara for unforgettable safari game drives, where you’ll spot the Big Five and enjoy a hot air balloon ride over the plains. You can also immerse yourself in Maasai culture by visiting a local village. In Tanzania’s Serengeti, witness breathtaking landscapes and iconic wildlife, including lions, elephants, and cheetahs, with a stop at the Ngorongoro Crater to marvel at its diverse ecosystem. This adventure promises stunning sunsets and lifelong memories of the African wilderness.

We will base ourselves at the luxurious tent encampment erected in the middle of the festival’s action. From here, we will help you safely navigate through a sea of humanity and offer you a front row seat for this spiritual celebration, where photographic opportunities galore. The atmosphere resonates with the sounds of hymns, prayers, and the joyous clamour of diverse cultures converging under the spiritual umbrella of the Maha Kumbh. Pilgrims and sadhus, draped in vibrant hues, create a kaleidoscope of devotion as they embark on this transformative ritual. After imbibing and capturing the festival’s colours, chaos, and essence, we will visit Varanasi, which needs little introduction. In addition to being one of the oldest living cities in the world, Varanasi’s history as a centre for spirituality and learning goes back over 2000 years.

Around 650 bird species have been reported here, which makes this an avian hot spot. While there may be too many to name here, some of the highlights you could expect to see are the hulking Jabiru Stork, the world’s largest Stork, the flamboyant Hyacinth Macaw, Red-and-Green Macaw, Yellow-collared Macaw, Toco Toucan, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Plumbeous and Buff-necked Ibises, Agami Heron, Great and Common Potoo, Sun Grebe, Sun Bittern, Nacunda Night Hawk, Southern Screamers, Boat-billed, Cocoi and Rufescent Tiger Heron, Great Rufous and White Woodcreeper and Black Skimmers. Raptors include Black and Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures, Snail Kites, Bat Falcon, Savanna, Black-collared and Short-tailed Hawks and the Southern Caracara.

Brazil - By the Light of a New Moon
(And the Raindrops from the First Rains 😁)

Republic of Congo, Brazzaville (ROC) – Cameroon – Central African Republic – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

• Wending along the mighty Congo River in a comfortable river boat;
• Visiting colonial landmarks from the time of the Savorgnan de Brazza and Stanley expeditions;
• Botanical explorations among the more than 1000 species of plants along the river;
• Meeting the Ba’aka or the forest people, one of the last remaining groups of hunters and gatherers on our planet;
• Searching for the Bouvier’s Red Colobus, until very recently thought to be extinct!
• Looking for wild lowland gorillas, bongo and forest elephants at Dzangha-Sangha;
• Forest walks & watching eles, buffalos and birds from Wali Baï;
• Exploring riverbanks at Lobeké NP in Cameroon;
• Visiting habituated wild bonobos at Mbou Mon Tour in DRC;
• Enjoying an evening of jazz and rumba with the Congo dandies themselves!
• Optional extension to Lésio-Louna, the gorilla sanctuary 2.5 hours from Brazzaville. You will see habituated gorillas from up close!
• Taking this river voyage to its natural conclusion with a few nights at Loango National Park in Gabon (optional extension).

Whoa!

Ennedi – Zakouma – Gerewol - Manda
February 2025
7-Person Small Group Expedition
Arrive in Chad on February 3, 2025 – Depart from Chad on February 19, 2025

A Chadian Trifecta of Superb Desert, Wildlife & Cultural Encounters

Trip Highlights

• Gueltas, dromedaries, Toubou, desert crocs, petroglyphs – this is Ennedi, of course!
• The elephants of Zakouma National Park and their story of hope & the resurgence of a wildlife-rich park in a most unexpected location.
• Manda NP – we have no idea what we’ll see here at all…
• A spiritual gathering of Wodaabe youth at a Gerewol Festival in the south.