The first time I ever saw elephants in a national park, it was a life-changing experience. Africa offers some of the best places in the world to encounter these giants up close. As a travel expert with 10+ years on safari all around Africa, I’ll guide you through where to see elephants in Africa, why these national parks are special, and when to visit them (some times are better than others). By the end, you’ll know where to find them in Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Kenya: Amboseli […]

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When booking private flights, I’m usually gearing up to land and explore somewhere beautiful. Most of the time, when I travel by air, I don’t expect the flight to be as captivating as the place I’m traveling to, but some flight routes make booking the most comfortable private jet and sitting glued to the window an absolute must. If you’re looking for a magnificent view on the ground and from the air, these flight routes will provide you with the most stunning sights while you travel. Along the Amalfi Coast […]

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You may wonder what there is to do in Botswana. This large country has only one major city, Gabarone, and Botswana is not greatly publicized when it comes to tourism. I’m not even sure how I found out what a great destination Botswana is. But at some point in my travel research, I decided I had to go on safari in Botswana, most famous for the Okavango Delta and Kalahari Desert. Genuine hospitality, beautiful scenery, not to mention an exciting time on safari all welcomed me to this amazing country. Botswana […]

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“Excuse me, you’re going where??!” she gasps while simultaneously taking an irritated stride back, crossing her arms and dishing out that look that husbands the world over dread. “Um. Haiti,” I whimper back. And how can I blame her surprise? Just think of the things that come to mind when you hear the name Haiti: crime, armed violence, political instability, UN soldiers, endemic corruption, hurricanes, earthquakes, Zika virus, poverty, famine, cholera outbreaks and on and on…. But is news-driven negativity all there is to Haiti? Surely there must be more. After […]

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I was recently in Fort Lauderdale and of all places in a very touristy part of town I stumbled into a bar with multiple screens playing American Football and was surprised to find Chapulines (certain type of grasshopper) on the menu among a variety of ‘normal’ American foods. I’ve been thinking about the general lack of demand for edible insects in this country and seeing this on the menu made me think even further. Of course I ordered the Chapulines – they tasted about the same as the ones I’ve […]

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“There is an elephant holocaust going on in Africa today,” says Paul Maritz, the last gentleman adventurer. “Up to this point elephant counts have been done by error-prone Mark 1 Eyeballs, and nobody believes the numbers. You really can’t motivate people to take needed drastic actions unless they are convinced you have the facts. And so we need to get the facts.” Rhodesia born Paul and his brother David have created a flying machine they think can do the job: the BushCat, a lightweight, low- and slow-winged vehicle, designed for […]

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This luxury resort is located in the middle of the bush on the edge of the great Chobe National Park. The lodge is perched on the edge of a steep plateau and features eight well appointed suites – each with excellent views overlooking the Namibian plains far below. You come here for both luxury and relaxation, yet the biggest draw is Chobe National Park and its prolific wildlife. The lodge itself is small and low key yet one becomes pampered quickly in any of their elegant rooms all of which […]

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This hip and urban backpackers hangout features friendly folks, a variety of area activities, private and dorm rooms – but most of all is a central meeting point for adventurous travelers from around the world. It was founded in 1995 by backpackers. Long are the days of basic accommodation for backpackers. This place has wifi, a swimming pool, a restaurant on site, a nice kitchen and some of the tastiest mangoes that drop on the roofs during season and dare we say we saw a masseuse. Yes, you can have […]

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You can’t drive here; you can’t boat here; you can’t even walk here…you’d be eaten. We’re somewhere in the back end of nowhere, some 300 kilometers from the closest paved road; 1500 kilometers from the nearest Whole Foods. If you cry wolf here, everyone believes you. It’s the third day of a week-long safari. Not in Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia or anywhere in Africa. We’re in the sub-Arctic, on Cape Tatnum, Hudson Bay, Manitoba, 57 degrees North Latitude. We’re on foot, in knee-high Wellies, sloshing single-file behind our guide, Andy MacPherson, […]

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Ngoma Safari Lodge is located on the edges of Chobe National Park in Botswana. This fairly new property opened in May 2011 and was officially dedicated in July 2011 with his Excellency, Botswana’s President Seretse Khama Ian Khama attending the opening ceremonies. This is isolated luxury at its finest and rawest; the lodge is accessible by any of 3 dirt roads – which are more like 4wd tracks among the bush – there are no signs and you must reserve the rooms ahead of time. This is not a lodge […]

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I have acquired a Namibian souvenir in the form of a haircut or perhaps, lack of hair. That is what I get for going into an African barber – leave with a totally shaved head – most of the people here have very short hair. So now I fit in well. We are in the Caprivi Strip – a narrow band of the country bordered by Angola, Zambia and Botswana. It has a convoluted history – at times under Italian, German and South African control. Namibia became a country merely […]

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Upon finalizing my flights to South Africa from Bangkok, I told a good friend who has traveled extensively in Africa that I would kiss the African soil for him. He replied, “Kiss Africa’s ground for me, but remember: Africa always wins. No matter how much you try to make sense of all the nonsense, it’ll never make sense. Thus Africa wins.” Winning or not, the unpredictability of adventure travel in Sub Saharan Africa has always appealed to me – oh and its vast outdoor beauty and finding areas of this […]

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We arrived yesterday from Zambia crossing what is one of the muddiest border crossings I’ve been through – the divide between Botswana and Zambia near the town of Kazangula. Guys were hanging out just to carry any extra luggage on their backs through the muddy quagmire. The ferry after the Botswana customs was nothing more than a metal floor hooked to an engine – along with one other tourist, we were the only ones on this ferry. Oh and the money exchanger. He claimed to have one of the best […]

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We are always going into Bangkok for something. This time for yellow fever vaccinations – I had mine last year for Cote d’Ivoire (good for 5 years) – this time around for Syy for our January trip to Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique. Its not easy getting Yellow Fever vaccs in Bangkok – only available on the weekdays – hospitals don’t offer it so we ended up going to the Red Cross Clinic at the Snake Farm. This time of year Bangkok is just plain crowded – traffic stretched as […]

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Ooops another month just went by – and haven’t updated the blog. Was in Los Angeles again last week enjoying a plethora of activities, very warm weather and very clear skies. See video below taking from Mulholland overlooking the valley. Have a press trip up in Napa starting this weekend – first press trip where I’m actually an expert on the destination – and could easily lead a few of the tours! Then back to town for a week and off on our annual pilgrimage to Thailand for some R&R. […]

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