Doug Macdonald's Safaris to Africa

22/12/2022

It has been an amazing last half of the year with almost back to back safaris which has kept me very busy and a big change from the COVID era which I hope is well behind us now. So I have lots to catch you up on as I take a breather over the festive season. Here is a small taste of what I have been up to which includes Mana Pools, Gonarezhou, The Vumba Mountains, Hwange all in Zimbabwe. In Botswana I have been at the Chobe Riverfront, Savuti, Khwai, Moremi and the Makgadikgadi Pans. In Kenya I was in Laikipia, Naboisho, Ol Motorogi and Swara Plains. Lots to get you updated with so there will be a few posts coming up with lots of pictures and videos to enjoy over the festive period. Happy Christmas and wonderful safari filled new year ahead.🥳

25/12/2021

Wishing everyone a wonderful festive season with family and friends and a nature filled New Year ahead. Keep safe and well and hope to see you in Africa.

09/12/2021

Another couple of pictures that I entered into the competition, some of you may even recognise the scene. Thankyou all for your kind words.

08/12/2021

Just got the great news that I have won the Zimbabwe Professional Guides Association, Best Wildlife Photographer for 2021 and Best Wildlife Photograph. Thankyou so much to the judging committe for these awards.

31/10/2021

Zakouma National Park in Chad remains as one of my favorite safari destinations and as the country reopens itself to tourism I am very excited that I will be back there guiding safaris in March next year. So if you are interested in experiencing this incredible destination please let me know and I can send some details of departures and plans that hopefully will fit you.

24/10/2021

Back from my safari and took these amazing pictures. I am sure everyone is aware of mimicry between species, such as when insects try and fool their predators to leave them alone or misdirect them. There are lots of examples of this plan by either copying body shape, coloration etc. This particular one is done by a small butterfly called a Brown Pl***oy - Deudorix antalus - In the picture you can see what it looks like side on and while we were watching it would position to have the breeze blowing exactly parallel to it and this would fan out the small section at the bottom of the hind wing and what seems to me a Praying Mantis one of the big insect predators is now looking at you - quite amazing

04/10/2021

We are doing our final preparations for a Gonarezhou safari and then I am continuing on into the adjoining Save Valley Conservancy for a 4 night walking safari on one of the section ranches there to see if this is something that we can add into our safari portfolio of places to show our guests.
The first rains are also starting in Zimbabwe with small and light scattered showers so we may find the first real rains come in during this safari which is always such a magical event to experience. Watching the speed that nature responds to this is incredible. I love this time of year.

17/07/2021

Just received a really nice set off photos from guests that we arranged a safari for in Botswana. They went to the Central Kalahari to start with for 3 Nights. This was then followed by a stay on one of the Islands in the Okavango Delta where your only activities are either on a mekoro or on foot. They then continued on with their mobile camp staying for 3 Nights about halfway between Xakanaxa and North Gate( if you know the layout of Moremi ) and then ending off with 3 Nights in Savuti. They had some amazing sightings which included amongst a big menu of animals you would expect but also Pangolin, Serval, Caracal and Wild Dogs!! A great guiding team and camps made this all possible. Thank you for the pictures and going on safari, it is always much appreciated by all those involved in these troubled times for us all.

12/07/2021

The basis of this safari was that our guests had identified conservation projects that they would like to support financially through the Ivan Carter Wildlife Alliance who partners and sources the funding for these type of projects. The first in Namibia was the relocation of Giraffe from a Game Farm in Central Namibia to the Damaraland to help boost the genetic diversity and give the resident population a general push ahead. During this time the guests were right on the front seats of seeing the complexity of these projects and be able to get first hand experience and information of what happens behind the scenes in conservation work that very few people would ever see and understand.

12/07/2021

I will do the safari report on this conservation based safari in two parts as they are very different from one another. The first part concentrated on relocation of giraffe in Namibia and the other had more focus on support for research in South Africa, both equally as important as the other.

07/07/2021

I am back home now after travelling between Namibia and South Africa for a safari that focused on conservation work in these countries which gave us a front row seat in what happens behind the scenes that most people coming on safari to Africa would never see. As soon as I have all my pictures sorted out I shall post the whole story.

21/06/2021

Just travelling through a very quiet OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg on my way to my next safari in Namibia. This airport is a real eye opener as to what has happened to travel in Africa. It can be summed up by the situation at the restaurant in the airport "the coffee machine is broken and only instant coffee available ...." - true story.
Anyway I am on route to Namibia for a safari that is all about conservation work where my guests will be front and centre for a giraffe relocation from Okonjima to Huab and then finishing off in Kruger NP where we will be helping with Rhino De-horning and elephant collaring. A real hands on safari experience with some more normal safari activities of drives and walks during our down time. Should be a great learning experience for us all.

28/05/2021

28/05/2021

Nouabale - Ndoki National Park is in the far North of Republic of Congo (Not the DRC). The journey to the park is an adventure all on its own but well worth it. Watching these gorillas who are habituated for research purposes is really interesting as they go through periods of much activity , feeding, playing and moving about. Then they all seem to go to sleep for 20minutes and then back at it. In this video these were youngsters wrestling and you can see in the back ground another wrestling match going on.You can also hear the soft clicking in the background which is the trackers and researchers who use that as their signature so the Gorillas know they are okay and not to worry.

20/03/2021

One of the many highlights of Zakouma National Park is seeing the clouds of Red-billed Quelea that come into drink in the morning and afternoon. It is a mesmorizing sight to see and difficult to capture the volume of birds that come. What you see here is happening in many other places in the park and around you. It is an incredible sight with so much going on.

16/03/2021

The proposed mining venture inside the Lower Zambezi has now received consent from the courts and Government of Zambia. It's amazing how we as a species are supposed to be the cleverest with all the evidence we need to show how our planets diversity is dying as a result of this type of activity and impacting our own existence but still we feel this is the best way forward.

16/03/2021

http://chng.it/Zy55VZwHCB

Halt open cast copper mining in Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia!