I love to seek out wild places, with fantastic wildlife and few other people – and Africa has these in abundance
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Fuelled by my passion for wildlife, I completed both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Zoology at the University of Sheffield. During this time I continued to travel to Africa, undertaking a six-week biodiversity research project in Tanzania’s Kilombero Valley and later spending five weeks exploring Uganda.
Following my studies I resolved to return to Africa and took up a position with the Kalahari Meerkat Project in South Africa's Northern Cape. After one year working as a research assistant I was given the opportunity to spend a further two years working as the project manager. While living and working in the Kalahari I traveled around much of South Africa, including Cape Town and the Kgalagadi. All said, I spent three years running around after meerkats in the African bush before returning to the UK in 2015.
I joined Expert Africa in 2016 with a focus on East Africa. Since joining the company I have embarked on multiple research trips to Tanzania and have visited almost every property we feature on Zanzibar. In 2017 I was lucky enough to visit to Rwanda, spending two weeks travelling around this small yet staggeringly beautiful country. Some of my most memorable experiences with Expert Africa include trekking mountain gorillas in Rwanda; cantering past giraffes in Laikipia, Kenya; witnessing wildebeest charge across the Mara River and sleeping under the sea in an underwater bedroom off the Island of Pemba.
I am currently the destination manager for Tanzania and Rwanda, while I continue to expand my knowledge of Kenya.
Lyndsey's most recent Africa trips
Tanzania
I spent a magical two weeks travelling around Tanzania's southern safari areas, Ruaha and Nyerere National Park; these were the first places I visited with Expert Africa many years ago and it was a joy to return and to see that comparatively little had changed. These safari areas are a little more off the beaten track and I love the sense of space and wilderness that they offer, with wonderful wildlife and varied activities. The boating safaris on the Rufiji River felt very serene, while in Ruaha I spent an unforgettable morning at Kichaka walking alongside elephants. I was also lucky enough to spend two days at Usangu Camp in southern Ruaha, searching for sable antelope while seeing first-hand the impact of vital conservation work in this remote wildlife area.
- I visited
- Dar es Salaam, Nyerere National Park, Ruaha National Park
Kenya
This was my fourth trip to Kenya and it was great to be able to share the experience with my colleague Parita. We initially focussed on the Maasai Mara National Reserve and it was wonderful to see it looking lush and green after the recent rains; animals were looking fat and healthy, and as this was the low season the park was blissfully quiet. A real highlight was going on a balloon safari, silently floating over the Mara while spotting elephants and buffalo on the plains below. From here I went onto Meru National Park which is famed for being the home of Elsa the lioness and the location where the Born Free story took place. Having been inspired by Born Free as a child I had always dreamed of visiting Meru in person, and with its spectacular scenery and plentiful wildlife it did not disappoint.
Kenya
Following the global pandemic it was amazing to return to East Africa again. I realised just how much I had missed having the ability to travel, and it was also clear how delighted the safari camps were to have guests staying again. For this trip I spent a week on the south Kenyan coast around Diani Beach, followed by time in Amboseli and Laikipia, discovering some offbeat locations and safari lodges. My favourite place on this trip was Segera Safari Lodge, located in its own private conservancy, and supporting a vast number of community and conservation initiatives.
Lyndsey's previous Africa research
Reviews from Lyndsey's latest travellers
