Private Safaris with Marco Tonoli

16/11/2023

After days of open ocean, and years of dreaming of this day, it is such a privilege to set foot on the Antarctica Peninsula. Spending most of my life appreciating the many shades of green, orange and yellow in the African landscape, I am blown away by the beauty of blue, and just how incredibly beautiful this corner of the world is. Feeling grateful.

15/11/2023

At first it looks like clouds in the background, but then you realise it is a mountain of epic proportions, and the first sight of land as you approach the continent of Antarctica.

06/04/2022

Just back from from my first trip to India in three years, and we were treated with this spectacular moment with a huge male tiger patrolling his territory in the early morning in Kanha Tiger Reserve.

05/07/2021

After 465 days of forced sabbatical, here’s toasting to my first post Covid Safari, with many more in the months ahead. It feels great to be back in the bush. It has been amazing to see just how ready everyone is to safely welcome travellers back to Africa. Asante sana Tanzania!

20/06/2021

The end of a year long forced sabbatical, I’m heading out on Safari again! And with that, fresh new branding, exciting opportunities and many exciting adventures ahead. Here’s sharing a crazy Safari experience to kick off this fresh start, and to all those Safari Guides for “hanging on”!

19/03/2020

Absolute privilege to be part of this family. Thank you to everyone who shared these incredible experiences in 2019. Now let’s get 2020 on the way. Yes!

We were thrilled to discover so many fascinating places in 2019 in the company of some of the most adventurous, curious, spontaneous explorers on the planet...those…

17/09/2019

An epic moring in the Western Serengeti with lioness on a kill fending off young male lions and hyena. Open plains, perfect light, only two vehicles, and hours of excitiment.

06/09/2019

Expert field leader Marco Tonoli guides Apex expeditions to Africa, India and Sri Lanka. He is a skilled naturalist, photographer and filmmaker.

26/04/2019

Another incredible journey through Ethiopia with a dramatic Gelada experience in the Simien Mountains. We sat watching two bands join together for feeding, and as a bachelor group entered the scene, everything turned tense. What followed was constant harassing of dominant males and some intense group interactions. The pic says it all.

26/06/2018

Can’t think of the hours spent looking through a lens trying to get a full wing spread of an African Fish Eagle facing me in good light. This individual accommodated quite nicely. Photographed at Selinda Camp, Botswana.

19/06/2018

No way! Check out this African Wild Cat. This normally very discreet felid was out basking in the sun and couldn't have been more relaxed. It had a small wound above its tail, so we thought it must have had a tussle with something in the long grass as it was very hesitant to head back into the brush. Super view though of a creature not easily photographed. Okavango Delta, Botswana.

15/06/2018

Incredible morning following a mother leopard and cub at Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp. At first it was only the mother, but when she start calling, we knew there must be a young one nearby. This cub played around on a nearby tree before returning to its mother for a little grooming.

15/06/2018

Simply can't get enough of this country, and super excited to be back in Botswana on a private family safari. Many thanks to the team at Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp for an incredible experience, and special thanks to our safari team AK and Slim for exceptional time exploring the Okavango Delta. Will be back soon.

09/06/2018

On safari with Apex Expeditions and right into the central Serengeti, it has been nothing short of remarkable to witness the mass migration of one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on our planet. We have witnessed near a million wildebeest all concentrated on the plains of the Serengeti slowly moving west as they follow the seasonal rains, all under the ever-watchful presence of the big cats. We have truly been spoiled with countless lions, both up in trees and on the tops of granite inselbergs, as they watch the herds move through one of Africa’s greats parks.

06/06/2018

Truly one of the greatest wildlife encounters on our planet, there is very little that can compare to sitting a few feet away from the largest primate on our planet. Nearby, the youngsters clambered through the trees and rolled and tumbled over each other under the watchful eye of a very protective silverback. We spent two days trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with two different groups of Gorillas who readily accepted our close presence. Weighing close to 450 pounds with a barrel chest 6 feet in circumference, one can’t help but feel somewhat intimidated. It was truly fascinating to observe the immense power of the dominant silverback and to see his gentle and protective nature as he presided over his family. This is a MUST experience for each and every wildlife enthusiast!

05/06/2018

Leaving the dense forests of Kibale and venturing into the heart of the Albertine Rift, the landscapes changed from tropical rainforests to the open savannas of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Famous for its Topi migration, abundant buffalo, and Ugandan Kob, the highlight of our time was to find and spend the afternoon with the famed tree-climbing lions of Ishasha. High up in the branches of a large fig tree, one young male and three females lazily watched over us as they were sprawled out over the large horizontal branches high above the ground and far from irritating insects.

04/06/2018

Wow, absolutely incredible trek with Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, one of Africa’s most diverse rainforests. A short hike into the forest brought us to an incredibly relaxed group of Chimps settled up in the trees. This offered us the full array of remarkable Chimp behavior. Babies jostling with each other in the treetops, females building nests, and young males grooming the alpha male. Truly remarkable beasts and a privilege to spend this quality time with them.

03/06/2018

There is no better start to a journey through the “Pearl of Africa” than cruising down the Victoria Nile to the famed and spectacular Murchison Falls. Here we found abundant Hippo and some of the largest crocodiles in Africa, plus jaw-dropping views of the weird and wonderful Shoebill, one of the world’s most sought-after mega birds. Being the only vessels on the river also added to the sense of adventure. It was easy to get lulled back in time with stories of the early pioneers of Nile exploration, and appreciate being far, far away from the developed world. An epic start to a grand adventure with Apex Expeditions.

30/04/2018

This has to be one of the most impressive of storks. This particular male was doing his best to impress his female by prancing about on display and tossing objects up in the air to win her over. Duba Plains, Botswana.

23/04/2018

A common yet one of the most spectacular denizens on many African Safaris. The Lilac-breasted Roller. No matter how many times you see this bird, it's always worth just one more photo. Taken in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

19/04/2018

To find young bold cats with their mothers is truly one of the great finds on safari when they are still st that playful learning age. We found this female leopard and cub shortly after sunrise, and with the warming sun, play time began. Mombo Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana.

18/04/2018

The Mursi are a small agropastoralist tribe along the banks of the South Omo River. Known by many as the tribe where women still use lip plates, head adornments are still common practice, as seen in this young Mursi boy who poked out from behind this tree to glimpse the strangely dressed foreigners in his village. Ethiopia.

17/04/2018

Say no more. The infamous Shoebill, also known as the Whale-headed Stork for its remarkably large bill which has a large hook at the extremity used for killing prey, and the edges of the bills are sharp and useful to guillotine their prey. Found in areas of swamp and marsh habitat in central and east Africa, this pic was taken on the banks of the Victoria Nile in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda.

16/04/2018

Just back from India and our search for the majestic Bengal Tiger has been another huge success. In the space of 5 days alone we saw 10 different individual tigers. From wandering down the track to drinking at waterholes, a female hunting Spotted Deer and a male stealing a kill from Asiatic Wild Dogs. Another incredible journey with Apex Expeditions.

02/02/2018

Heading back for our annual pilgrimage through Ethiopia. A spectacular journey exploring one of the most dramatic landscape on the continent, with all its peculiar endemic wildlife that habits it. Here’s a clip I made some time back of this remarkable country.

Join Apex Expeditions on a comprehensive exploration of Ethiopia, an enigmatic land like no other. From the lofty peaks of the Simien Escarpment and its charismatic,…

19/10/2017

We have just wrapped up an incredible few days at Berenty Reserve in southern Madagascar with a plethora of new species. This Verreaux's Sifaka, after spending 20 minutes watching us, decided to come in close and reached out to sn**ch my phone just as I snapped this pic. Taken on safari with Apex Expeditions.

07/10/2017

This was one of those totally unexpected moments that happened while following a female leopard. After almost an hour with her, she began making contact calls for her cub, and while we were all excited to see them rejoin, none of us expected something this small and confident. The cub just sauntered out, played a little with mom and then decided we were worth investigating.

06/10/2017

Just back from another wildlife bonanza in Madagascar with Apex Expeditions. Leaping lemurs, spectacular chameleons and abundant endemic bird life all in a land of striking diversity. Here are ten of my favourite pics taken along the way.

30/09/2017

Sometimes called the dancing Sifaka, the Verreaux's Sifaka, a denizen of the Spiny Forest of Southern Madagascar is largely an arboreal species. However, when it does come down to the ground to reach the next section of trees, its long jumping hindquarters are not suitable for quadrupedal movement, so it has to resort to this comical hands in the air bipedal hop that earns it its name. We saw these two jumping down the track in Berenty Reserve a few days ago on our Madagascar Safari with Apex Expeditions.