Experiences

Four of the five are found readily across the Kenyan and Tanzanian circuits. Rhino is the one that shapes an itinerary: Lake Nakuru and the Laikipia conservancies give you the strongest chance in Kenya, and the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. Leopard asks for patience and a guide who knows which riverine trees to check. We will build the route around whichever of the five matters most to you, and be straight with you about the odds.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest holds close to half the mountain gorillas left in the world, split across habituated family groups. The trek to reach them is genuinely demanding, sometimes several hours up steep, tangled ground, and the hour you are permitted once you find them is strictly kept. Permits are limited and must be secured months ahead, which is the single most important thing to know when planning a Ugandan trip.

Travelling with children changes the shape of a safari rather than ruling anything out. We shorten game drives, build in pool time through the heat of the day, and use lodges that genuinely welcome younger guests rather than merely permitting them. Amboseli and Lake Nakuru work particularly well for a first family trip: the drives are short, the game is visible and the transfers are manageable.

A photographic trip is planned backwards from the light. That means being in position before sunrise rather than after breakfast, staying with a sighting for an hour when it is working, and a vehicle you can brace against with an open roof and no other guests to work around. We keep the group size to your party alone and pair you with guides who understand why you want to wait.