July 2021 News Brief

There is nothing like the feeling of coming home, reuniting, finding that wilderness, and the beauty of the natural world still there.  Its particular rhythm solace for the soul, the excitement more intense.

Calvin, Michael Turner, Chris, Malcolm, Simon, Indi, Adam, Michael Lorentz, Richard and Peter have all been to different parts of the continent at the helm of safaris in the last three months. The speed with which our little corner of the industry has adapted is testament to the ingenuity that has always driven it. There are many examples.

The establishment of remote testing facilities has made it easier for each crew to quarantine before safari and once a COVID- free group has been established, it leads to the relaxed atmosphere one expects on safari. We believe that the freedom to take your mask off and forget the existence of COVID is an important part of spending time in the bush and almost defines the freedom of a good holiday. Of course, we will need to keep adapting. There are new strains that threaten to upend present protocols and others are sure to come.

As I write, it seems that most of the current vaccines are holding up against the development of life threatening symptoms.  It is certain that Africa will lag behind with vaccinations, and the more infections, the more dramatic the situation, the more the press, the harder it becomes to know what is really going on. At the same time, the acceptance that vaccinations are the only way to slow the spread has seen renewed focus on getting them to the more remote parts of the world. The Tanzanian President had her first dose a few days ago as a start to a major vaccination drive. Her predecessor had famously denied its existence in Tanzania. We are very fortunate that the Kenya crews have all been vaccinated and the drive to get to the rest of the country is underway.

We are so grateful for those that have been able to travel; the positive impact for the crews and communities is tremendous.  We remain committed to providing a safe environment and continue to find ways to make it safer still. We will also be the first to let you know if we feel we can not meet up to that promise.