In January 1991, my wife, Irene, and I undertook a photographic safari to the Republic of Tanzania. We were typical tourists, traveling without a great appreciation for, or deep knowledge of, what we were about to experience. After fourteen days of touring three National Parks and a conservation area in the Republic, riding many hours in the back of a Land Rover and witnessing first hand a few days in the lives of thousands of wild animals, Africa had worked its magic. We left Tanzania with a great appreciation for Africa and the wonders that it has to offer, and we left with a strong desire to return.

Our initial trip and subsequent safaris have found us camping in the middle of Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater; enjoying sundowners around the campfire at night; canoeing down the Zambezi River; being sprayed by the mist from Victoria Falls; the target of a charging cow elephant defending her calf; mud bathing in the Zambezi River; listening at night to the grunts of lions, the hoops of hyenas and a myriad of other sounds we’ve never heard back home; surrounded by a herd of elephants strolling through our campsite; parked in the middle of a pride of twenty lions; and much more. The safaris offered substantially different experiences: the savannas of northern Tanzania and Kenya versus the denser vegetation of Zimbabwe; riding in Land Rovers in Tanzania contrasted with the minivans used in Kenya and open trucks predominantly used in Zimbabwe; the ability to canoe and hike in Zimbabwe which we generally could not do in Tanzanian and Kenyan National Parks; boat rides on the Rufiji River; and the thousands of animals in Kenya and the northern Tanzania National Parks v ersus the lesser number and more skittish animals found in southern Tanzania and Zimbabwe. However, the constant of our safaris has been Africa, its vistas, its endless skies, its animals in their natural state and its unexplainable allure. This, together with the unique adventures that a safari brings, has lured us back to Africa and will continue to do so for years to come.

What exactly is the “safari experience”? An African safari can best be described as a sensory experience. You first awaken to behold the beauty of the first morning light, catching the scent of dung and wild animal musk. As the day unfolds, the animals take center stage. A graceful giraffe is spied gently and expertly stripping the thorny acacia of its leaves. The powerful elephant gouges a century old baobab tree searching for food. The surge of a stampeding wildebeest herd can be felt as they cross the Serengeti. The spine tingling call of the fish eagle is heard as the magnificent bird soars overhead. The lion devouring a young zebra gives a visual definition to the phrase “the circle of life.” Evening approaches. The fiery orange sun sinks into the horizon. Safarists sit by the campfire sipping an indigenous brew. For those with adventurous palates, a sampling of a local delicacy is savored. Polite conversation is shared as the day’s events are reviewed and recounted. Eventually, the sun gives way to the moon. A galaxy of stars illuminate the night sky, refuting the nickname of the land, “the dark continent.” Satiated by the evening meal, the safari group makes its way back to the campfire to be lulled to sleep by the dance of its flames. A permanent fellowship has replaced the politeness of the earlier hour. Their solidarity is Africa!

The following are our thoughts and reflections on our photographic safaris. Nothing herein is meant to be scientific. In fact, some of the information contained in this book may be inaccurate, for which we beg your indulgence, or some of it may be outdated since the safaris described herein cover a span between 1991 and 2003. Our intent is to encourage those who have considered a similar adventure to undertake it, and to help assuage the concerns that you may otherwise have about venturing into the unknowns of Africa. If, at the same time, you gain a better appreciation for some of the plights and wonderment of the wild animals inhabiting Africa, so much the better. And, if you do travel there, you too may experience the wonder of seeing a white giraffe staring at you across a clearing in one of the many National Parks of Africa.