Africa
My research for Rough Guides, Travel Africa magazine, National Geographic Traveller and others has taken me to many parts of this fascinating continent.I’m often asked which are my favourite places in and around Africa. Here are just a few.
Mali
... a cultural treasurebox, birthplace of some of the greatest musicians to grace the African continent
Zanzibar
... the very name evokes spices, rich perfumes and tropical intrigue
Namibia
... the most awe-inspiring desert landscapes on earth
The Gambia
... friendly and accessible, the perfect introduction to West Africa
Canary Islands
... windy days, warm nights and thought-provoking landscapes
Gabon
... Africa’s last Eden, home to lowland gorillas, forest elephants and chimpanzees who have yet to lose their fear of man
Mozambique
... intriguing islands and some of the best scuba diving in the Indian Ocean
Zambia
... home of the walking safari, one of the most exciting ways to experience the southern African bush
Destinations
To date, I’ve covered over 30 countries in Africa and visited many of its islands.NORTH AFRICA Egypt, Morocco
WEST AFRICA Cape Verde, The Gambia, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Senegal, Sierra Leone
CENTRAL AFRICA Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, São Tomé & Príncipe
EAST AFRICA Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zanzibar
SOUTHERN AFRICA Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
ATLANTIC ISLANDS Azores, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Madeira, São Tomé & Príncipe
INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS Madagascar, Mauritius, Quirimbas Archipelago (Mozambique), Zanzibar
Recent research
I have produced writing and photography on a wide range of topics and themes, including the following.Botswana
Okavango Delta
Wildlife-watching and horse riding
Elephant research
Luxury safari lodges
Canary Islands: in depth
Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Tenerife
National Parks including Mount Teide and Timanfaya
Sightseeing and tours
Whale and dolphin watching, hiking, watersports and other outdoor activities
History, art and architecture including the work of César Manrique
Beaches, resorts, country villages, volcanoes and cultural centres
Rural tourism, including renovated rural heritage sites in Fuerteventura
Accommodation, gastronomy and wine
Cape Verde: in depth
Island hopping
Property investment, sustainable development and the growth of the tourism industry
Sightseeing, hiking, watersports, birdwatching and adventure activities
Carnival
Traditional music and culture
History, colonial influences, contemporary culture
Beaches, resorts, historic towns, rural villages
Accommodation, eating and drinking
Central Africa: Cameroon, Central African Republic and Gabon
Touring Douala and Limbé, Cameroon
Tracking western lowland gorillas in the Dzanga-Sangha Reserve, CAR
BaAka Pygmy culture and forest lore
Fernan-Vaz gorilla rehabilitation project, Gabon
Game drives and river trips in Loango National Park, Gabon
Ecotourism, adventure and cutting-edge safari experiences
Ethiopia
Addis Ababa: injera, coffee, museums, culture and the Ethio-jazz scene
Gondar
Ecotourism and trekking in the Simien Mountains
The Gambia: in depth
Sightseeing, tours and activities
Responsible tourism and community tourism
Birdwatching, river trips and other activities
Beaches, resorts, towns and villages
Accommodation, eating and drinking
Traditional music and culture
Kenya
Nairobi and Nairobi National Park
Maasai Mara, nearby conservancies and the Great Migration
Northern Kenya safari: Meru, Laikipia, Samburu, Kalama and Sera conservancies, Mathews Range, Mount Kenya
Rhino and elephant conservation in northern Kenya
Madagascar
Antananarivo
Anjorozobe and the highlands
Fort Dauphin and the southeast
Masoala National Park and the northeast
Flora and fauna of the spiny forest, littoral forest, montane rainforest and tropical rainforest
Forest conservation, wildlife-watching, cultural encounters and coastal adventures
Responsible tourism and community tourism
Madeira
Mountain hikes, levada walks and the annual Madeira Islands Walking Festival
Nature tours in the national park, including the island’s World Heritage listed laurel forests
Funchal
Sightseeing, accommodation, gastronomy and wine
Christmas and New Year celebrations
Malawi
Lake of Stars Festival, Lake Malawi
Morocco
Gnawa and World Music Festival, Essaouira
Mauritius
Sightseeing, watersports and adventure activities
Beaches, resorts, towns and villages
Accommodation, eating and drinking
Mozambique
Maputo and southeast Mozambique
Pemba and the Quirimbas Archipelago
Ecotourism and community tourism
Scuba diving, dolphin watching, island hopping and luxury island lodges
Colonial history and contemporary culture
Namibia
Windhoek and the south (Swakopmund / Sossusvlei / Namib-Naukluft)
Etosha National Park and the north (Kunene / Kaokoland / Damaraland / Bushmanland)
Conservancies, community-managed conservation and rural poverty reduction
Conservation professionals in action
Tracking and viewing desert-adapted wildlife including rhinos, elephants, lions, giraffes and antelopes
Himba, Herero and Bushman culture
Upmarket camping safaris, self-drive safaris, guided safaris, luxury safari lodges
Sightseeing and wildlife-watching
Rwanda & Burundi
Kigali and Bujumbura
Ruhengeri (Musanze) and Volcanoes National Park
Cyamudongo and Gisovu, Nyungwe National Park
Gisenyi, Lake Kivu and Gishwati Forest
Kibira National Park and Vyanda Forest Reserve
Tracking mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in the wild
Gorilla and chimpanzee conservation and research, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony
Kayaking and canoeing on lakes and rivers
São Tomé & Príncipe
Sightseeing, adventure activities and budding ecotourism
History and culture
Colonial towns and rocas (plantation estates)
Fishing villages and village life
Accommodation, eating and drinking
Principe: Bom Bom Island, beaches, colonial history, scuba diving, quad biking and other activities
South Africa
Cape Town: Table Mountain, sightseeing, shopping, restaurants, winelands and wine-tasting
Johannesburg & Soweto: museums, heritage, contemporary culture
Eastern Cape: rural South Africa
KwaZulu Natal: Durban, Indian Ocean coast, Drakensberg
Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand and the other private reserves of the northeast
Self-drive and luxury safaris
Specialist safaris: frogging, community projects
Township tourism
Nelson Mandela’s South Africa
Tanzania
Serengeti National Park and the Great Migration
Southern Tanzania: Saadani National Park, Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park
Western Tanzania: Mahale Mountains National Park, Gombe Stream National Park, Kigoma and Lake Tanganyika
Fly camping, walking safaris, birdwatching, tracking chimpanzees
Uganda
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kyambura Gorge and Kazinga Channel
Kibale National Park
Murchison Falls National Park, Budongo Forest Reserve and the River Nile
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Tracking mountain gorillas and chimpanzees
Batwa culture and other indigenous traditions
Zambia
South Luangwa National Park
Kasanka National Park and the annual bat migration
Lower Zambezi National Park
Wildlife, nature, safaris, walking safaris, safari guides, lodges, camps and bush camps
How to improve your wildlife photography on safari
Zanzibar
Stone Town
Spice plantations
Red colobus monkey sanctuary, Jozani-Chwaka Bay NP
Swimming with dolphins, Kizimkani
Tingatinga paintings
Scuba diving and snorkelling
Beaches, resorts and accommodation
Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls, Hwange, Matobo Hills, Eastern Highlands, Gonarezhou, Malilangwe, Great Zimbabwe
Harare, Bulawayo
Sightseeing, safaris, adrenaline activities, wildlife-watching, responsible tourism
Hotels and safari lodges
Effects of economic and political instability on tourism