Safari Life with Bobby-Jo

G'day Honey Badgers!I'm checking in from Ladakh in northern India at 3,500 metres above sea level, and we've officially kicked off our snow leopard expedition. Yesterday, we spent the day exploring monasteries in Hamath, learning about Buddhism and the Wheel of Life with our guide Dorje (the cat man of Ladakh). My mate Karen even helped an elderly lady down a massive set of stairs, which apparently earns serious karma points.Today we're heading up to around 4,500 to 5,000 metres into Shanglung, the Valley of the Wolves. We're on the lookout for Eurasian lynx (even rarer to spot than snow leopards), wolves, woolly hares, and golden eagles. The weather is perfect, the sky is clear, and Dorje reckons we've got a real chance. Come along as we venture deep into one of the most remote and wild corners of the planet.Come join me! 🦁 Instagram | 🐘 Facebook | 🦡 Safari ToursIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and share it with your fellow safari lovers!This is a Podvan Media production.

I'm sitting down at Ingela's house on the spectacular rim of the Ngorongoro Crater after an absolutely epic week in the African bush. In the episode, you'll meet the ultimate conservation badass, Dr Dickson Wambura, the lead wildlife veterinarian for this incredible landscape, alongside the legendary Kimani from KopeLion. Dickson's journey is one of pure grit, spanning seven years of intense veterinary work right across Africa (from Namibia to the Serengeti) after studying at Sokoine University of Agriculture. He's a true professional who's lost count of how many lions he's immobilised, working tirelessly with the brilliant team at KopeLion to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. From reinforcing community bomas in Kikesio with local guardians to tracking ageing lionesses like Nadine and the elusive Nang'ida in Ndutu, his mission is all about creating a harmonious bridge between the Maasai pastoralists and the predators that roam their borders.But working with Africa's heavyweights means facing down moments that'll make your heart stop. While darting lions is almost second nature to Dickson now, nothing prepares you for the sheer unpredictable danger of a black rhino in the thick bush. He recalls one terrifying operation where he had to step out of the safety of the vehicle and track a massive, injured black rhino completely on foot!If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review and share it with your fellow safari lovers!Come join me! 🦁 Instagram | 🐘 Facebook | 🦡 Safari ToursThis is a Podvan Media production.

This one is a little different! We’re out in the eastern Serengeti at Serenity Camp, with dust on our boots and the plains stretched out around us, and for once I'm the one being interviewed. Tim has pinched the mic, which means you’re getting a behind-the-scenes chat straight from the bush about guiding, photography, conservation, and what safari life really looks like once the engine’s off.Joining us is my long-time Tanzanian guide and dear friend, Firoz, who knows this landscape like the back of his hand. Together we talk about how we each found our way into this life, what still gives us that rush every time we head out on game drive, and why the best safaris are never just about ticking off animals from a list.We get into the things guests don’t always see at first, the pressure guides carry, the trap of chasing the perfect photo, the emotion that catches people off guard, and the way a place like this can quietly rearrange something inside you. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review and share it with your fellow safari lovers!Wanna come & join me?bobbyjosafaris.com Instagram | Facebook | Safari ToursThis is a Podvan Media production.

I’m sitting down on the edge of the Luangwa River at the iconic Flatdogs Camp, catching up with the absolute legends behind the operation, Jess and Ade. These two are total safari royalty who've spent over three decades dedicated to this wild corner of Zambia. I first met them back in 2017 while working for Conservation South Luangwa, and returning here always feels like coming home. We’re chatting right from the riverbank (with a massive bull elephant literally wandering into camp mid-conversation) about what it’s really like to transition from being wide-eyed zoology students to running one of the most beloved camps in the valley.Together, they’ve evolved Flatdogs from a backpacker’s haunt into a world-class safari destination that remains fiercely committed to conservation and the local community. But life in the bush isn't always sundowners and beers in the pool; Ade shares the heart-stopping story of the night a massive male giraffe decided to charge their vehicle in the dark, and how that terrifying encounter was immediately followed by a sighting so rare it felt like a reward for surviving the night.If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review and share it with your fellow safari lovers!Come join me! 🦁 ⁠Instagram⁠ | 🐘 ⁠Facebook⁠ | 🦡 ⁠Safari Tours⁠This is a Podvan Media production.

In this episode, I'm connecting with you from South Luangwa National Park. I'm heading up in a two-seater 1959 Super Cub to see the valley from a completely different perspective. I sit down with Gareth and Jeremiah from Conservation South Luangwa to talk about the vital role of aerial patrols in protecting this landscape. I haven't seen wild dogs for two years, and spotting a pack with puppies from the air was an incredible highlight. We also talk about the gritty reality of conservation, from identifying poacher tracks and drying racks to the challenges of navigating a tiny plane while trying to get the perfect shot. Later, I catch up with Bob Joe to discuss how they're using solar fences and chili bombs to help local communities coexist with the elephants I'm currently trying to keep away from my house-sitting front door!Come join me! 🦁 Instagram | 🐘 Facebook | 🦡 Safari ToursIf you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review and share it with your fellow safari lovers!This is a Podvan Media production.

I'm coming to you from the stunning South Luangwa in Zambia, where I've spent the last two weeks with my good friend, Dr. Matthew Becker. Matt is the Director of the Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP), and he's spent the last 17 years dedicated to the conservation of Africa’s most iconic predators. We're sitting down to talk about the vital work being done across eight Zambian national parks to protect the delicate balance of the ecosystem. You'll hear the raw reality of conservation science, from the way wild dogs use bird-like vocalisations to avoid detection by lions, to the hidden impacts of prey depletion and bushmeat poaching. We also explore Matt's personal journey, from his childhood in Montana to his early research days in Kentucky and Florida. It's a conversation about the power of mentoring, the importance of giving back to nature, and why we must preserve these wild landscapes for future generations. Please feel free to reach out on the socials:Instagram: @bobbyjosafarisFacebook: Bobby-Jo SafarisTo explore my upcoming safaris: Bobby-Jo SafarisAnd of course, if you enjoy the episode, I'd really love it if you could leave a review, and share it with your fellow safari lovers!This is a Podvan Media production.

I'm in South Luangwa, Zambia, specifically in Mfuwe. I've joined forces with Conservation South Luangwa (CSL) and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW). We're racing against the clock because an elephant calf has been stuck in the mud for hours, and its mother is pacing nearby, agitated and protective.You'll hear the raw audio from the back of the Land Cruiser as the team executes a high-stakes plan. We have to immobilise the mother to get close enough to the calf. We're talking about a tense darting operation, a mock charge that sent us into reverse, and the physical struggle of trying to pull the calf free!My stomach was full of butterflies the entire time. It's a privilege to witness the skill of the vets and scouts working to save this life. This isn't just a story; it's a documentation of the adrenaline, the risks, and the sheer strength of these animals.If you enjoy the episode, I'd love it if you could leave a review, and share it with your fellow safari lovers!Get in touch via social media:Instagram: @bobbyjosafarisFacebook: Bobby-Jo SafarisAnd to explore upcoming safaris: Bobby-Jo SafarisThis is a Podvan Media production.

I am back in Uganda, and cannot wait to share this adventure with you. We are starting in Queen Elizabeth National Park and heading straight for the water.In this episode, I take you aboard the best boat cruise I have ever experienced on the Kazinga Channel. We're talking elephants getting uncomfortably close, a hippo with a rare pigmentation condition, and a mongoose with a very questionable haircut. But the real magic happens when we head to Mgahinga National Park for the ultimate encounter.Join me, Will, Anita, and Maxine (who conquered the volcano in her 'helicopter chair') as we trek to the Nyakagezi gorilla group. You'll hear the audio from the exact moment the family surprised us, and the heart-stopping second where Rukundo, the silverback, decided to charge past us like a bowling ball. It's chaotic, emotional, and absolutely unforgettable!Get in touch via social media:Instagram: @bobbyjosafarisFacebook: Bobby-Jo SafarisAnd to explore upcoming safaris: Bobby-Jo SafarisIf you enjoy the episode, I'd love it if you could leave a review, and share it with your fellow safari lovers!This is a Podvan Media production.

This is it. This is the moment we waited over 20 hours for. My heart was pounding, my guests had tears in their eyes, and I was just trying to take it all in.After days of waiting by the river in the Northern Serengeti, we were rewarded with the biggest, most chaotic, and most emotional wildebeest crossing I have ever seen in my life. We're talking tens of thousands of animals plunging into the water, the chaos, the sound, the crocodiles... it was a complete sensory overload.In this episode, I share the raw, in-the-moment reactions from my guests (Mandy, Nancy, Will, and other Honey Badgers) as they try to process the euphoria and even the trauma of witnessing such a powerful life-and-death spectacle. It was simply miraculous.We also reflect on the trip from the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, and I take you inside a Maasai boma to sit by the fire with Alanana, who shares his story about the fight to save his family's ancestral land.This episode captures the real highs and lows of safari. It's raw, it's emotional, and it's exactly why I do what I do!Get in touch via social media:Instagram: @bobbyjosafarisFacebook: Bobby-Jo SafarisAnd to explore upcoming safaris: Bobby-Jo SafarisIf you love wild stories, hit play, leave a review, and share with your fellow safari lovers!This is a Podvan Media production.

After waiting for 24 hours over three full days in the Northern Serengeti, my guests and I were starting to lose hope. Then, on our very last day, we took a chance, drove 45 minutes to a remote crossing point, and were met with the most incredible sight I have ever seen. It was so emotional, my guests were crying, and I definitely shed a tear or two!In this episode, I'm back in Australia catching up with my producer, Rabs, to talk through the highlights of my last three months in Africa. I talk us through my incredible reunion with Rukundo, the mountain gorilla silverback in Uganda, and I share a really personal story about meeting my absolute hero, Jane Goodall, and the surprising things she had to say about David Attenborough! 😳I'd love to hear from you!Instagram: @bobbyjosafarisFacebook: Bobby-Jo SafarisAnd to explore upcoming safaris: Bobby-Jo SafarisIf you love wild stories, hit play, leave a review, and share with your fellow safari lovers!This is a Podvan Media production.

In this episode, I’m on the ground in Ngorongoro with the KopeLion team, and I walk into a situation that just completely blows my mind. I was heading into a Maasai Boma to take a portrait of one of the Ilchokuti (the lion guardians), when I was told I couldn't go in because his wife had literally just given birth inside their tiny home moments before! No doctors, no hospital, just the traditional midwives of the village. I was utterly blown away!From there, I head off with the team that are treating some injured livestock, and you will not believe what was attacking them and biting their tails clean off - to have as an afternoon snack! Join me as I spend the day with these incredible guardians, hearing their stories (with the help of my brilliant translator and friend, Kimani), and documenting the vital work they do to protect their communities and the lions they live alongside.Get in touch via social media:Instagram: @bobbyjosafarisFacebook: Bobby-Jo SafarisAnd to explore upcoming safaris: Bobby-Jo SafarisIf you love wild stories, hit play, leave a review, and share with your fellow safari lovers!This is a Podvan Media production.

OK, before I get to how I just got chased by a lion...I've gotta say, I was so angry and sad when I saw some footage online recently. Dozens of tourists had gotten out of their vehicles at the Mara River crossing on the Serengeti side, some standing on the roofs of their cars, others sitting right on the riverbank. This is completely illegal and incredibly dangerous, and it was all happening as a huge herd of wildebeest were attempting one of the most stressful moments of their lives.In this episode, I talk you through the chaos that unfolded and what I think needs to be done to protect these animals from this kind of tourist pressure. I’ve seen firsthand how overwhelming these crossings are for the wildebeest (I’ve cried while taking photos of calves being forced over cliffs), and we really need to talk about how to manage these sightings better, from permits and fines to the responsibilities of the guides.But it's not all frustration out here! I also share one of the most wholesome and beautiful sightings I've had in a long time. By sitting patiently and giving them space, I was rewarded with an intimate view into the world of a black-backed jackal family and their tiny, brand-new puppies. It’s a perfect reminder that when you sit back and respect the animal's space, you get to witness the most incredible natural behaviour. Plus, I’ll tell you about the hippo I spotted doing a hilarious ‘walk of shame’ and I finish with the story of how I just got chased by a lion!!!I'd love to connect with you via social media!Instagram: @bobbyjosafarisFacebook: Bobby-Jo SafarisAnd if you'd like to explore my upcoming safaris: Bobby-Jo SafarisIf you love these stories, please leave a review, and share the podcast with your fellow safari lovers!This is a Podvan Media production.

Well, I just had quite a big scare! My heart's still racing! Tonight, from in my tent, I spotted a VERY close Cape Buffalo! He was so close I just thought, ‘OK, this is how it ends. I get cleaned up by a buffalo’.In this episode, I’m reporting from my first week back in Kenya, and it’s been an absolutely wild start! When I’m not teaching photography, I get to take my own little Suzuki out on solo adventures, tracking the magnificent tusker elephant Fred and having some truly spectacular encounters with giraffes in a storm. But the biggest thrill (and shock) has been a certain buffalo who seems to be making a habit of waiting for me in the dark.I also sit down with some of the incredible people I’ve met in camp. You'll hear from Abby, a 19-year-old intern who reveals what it’s like to grow up on a game reserve with a very unusual pet. Then, you'll feel the rush of a first-time safari through the eyes of 14-year-old Archie, who witnesses a dramatic life-and-death struggle between lions and hyenas on his first-ever night drive. It’s been a crazy week and this is only the beginning!Get in touch via social media:Instagram: @bobbyjosafarisFacebook: Bobby-Jo SafarisAnd to explore upcoming safaris: Bobby-Jo SafarisIf you love wild stories, hit play, leave a review, and share with your fellow safari lovers!This is a Podvan Media production.