safari live guides leaving

17 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Safari Guides

By jennifer m wood | dec 4, 2015.

Once the domain of thrill-seekers and Ernest Hemingway, safaris have officially gone mainstream. In 2014, African Business Magazine reported that Africa’s tourism industry is the world’s fastest-growing. At the heart of its safari industry are the guides who help wildlife-seeking adventurers experience the continent’s Big Five in their natural habitats, and occasionally remove a snake or baboon from their guest quarters. We talked to the team behind Nat Geo WILD’s Safari Live about the realities of life in the bush.

1. YOU HAVE TO BE A PEOPLE PERSON.

Though knowledge of the terrain in which a safari guide works—and the animals that call it home—are essential to the job, they're not the most important requirement. “I’ve come across many guides over time who have great knowledge of the bush, great passion for the bush, but they don’t like people,” admits Pieter Pretorius , safari guide and host of Nat Geo WILD’s Safari Live . “And that’s not a good start for a guide. Because in the end, the key part of guiding really is working with people … That’s really what a guide does, is enhance the experience for people when they go on safaris.”

“A friend of mine once said that it’s 10 percent of what you know and 90 percent of what you are that makes you a good field guide,” says Stefan Winterboer, a professional field guide and presenter for Nat Geo WILD’s Safari Live . “So you definitely have to have a love for people. Also, you’ve got to be a likeable person; you’ve got to be a bit of an entertainer, a bit of a rogue. But you also have to have an aptitude for picking up things in the natural world. So you’ve got to have a naturalist aptitude as well.”

2. IT CAN TAKE 15 YEARS FOR A SAFARI GUIDE TO REACH THE TOP OF HIS OR HER GAME.

“As far as getting a job, there are standards that need to be met before you’re allowed to practice as a guide,” Winterboer explains. “That registration is not too difficult to obtain. However, you progress according to the qualifications that are set by a nongovernmental agency, the Field Guides Association of South Africa, which is a section 21 company, meaning that it is registered as the industry’s voice at a governmental level. And they have a variety of different qualifications that you can get. And it’s knowledge matched with experience, matched with practical application of everything. And you can study for 15 years before you reach the top qualification.”

3. SCIENCE-MINDED TYPES DON’T NECESSARILY MAKE THE BEST SAFARI GUIDES.

“Surprisingly, an in-depth knowledge of ecology and the fearlessness of a Zulu warrior are not prerequisites,” says professional field guide and Safari Live presenter James Hendry. “Ecologists often make poor guides because they bore their guests to tears. Guides who exude bravado terrify their already-fearful guests by getting too close to animals—and they terrify animals for the same reason. People skills and an ability to communicate are skills a guide needs. The rest can be learned from books and mentors.”

4. PATIENCE IS A MAJOR PREREQUISITE.

When asked about the most important characteristics a safari guide must have, professional field guide and  Safari Live presented Brent Leo-Smith says, “The main skill required is patience. Patience with people, patience with animals.”

5. THE ALL-KHAKI DRESS CODE IS SORT OF A MYTH.

“As wonderful as it is to be wearing all green and khaki, most animals see in black and white,” says Leo-Smith. “So generally you want to avoid wearing dark blacks and bright whites. Pretty much you can get away with almost every color apart from black or white.”

6. WAKE-UP CALLS ARE PART OF THE JOB.

Like any itinerary-driven venture, safaris run on a very specific schedule. So it’s part of the safari guide’s job to wake guests up in the morning. “If the guide oversleeps, the guests oversleep,” says Pretorius. “We often don’t put alarm clocks in their rooms. Being a guide is really just being a host. As a guide, you’re the first person the guests hear from in the morning, and the last person they see in the evening."

7. THEY SOMETIMES DOUBLE AS RESCUE PERSONNEL.

“One of the most fascinating tasks I’ve ever had to complete was driving a trailer of diesel fuel for a generator through a big storm,” Pretorius recalls. “I mean, there were trees blown over and rivers flooded, and here we were driving through all of this in a safari vehicle towing a massive half-ton trailer of diesel. ... It was almost an hour’s drive under normal conditions. And we were driving in this seriously big thunderstorm. You could hardly see.”

“The most bizarre thing I’ve probably been asked to do is jump into a flooded river to get a rope to the other side to attach it to a tree so that we could ferry supplies by rope and pulley to a group of tourists and rangers who were stuck on the other side,” Winterboer adds. “The only way to get this rope across was to jump into the river and swim it with a rope attached to me. Which, in hindsight, was the dumbest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

8. MECHANICAL INCLINATION COMES IN HANDY.

As the “go-to person for your guests—from waking people at all hours of the night to dealing with medical emergencies like heart attacks, falls, broken arms, strokes, etc.—if something happens, you get a call and then you figure out a way to handle it,” says Winterboer. “You also have to be mechanically minded. In remote locations like this, if your vehicle breaks down, you have to know how to fix it. Or else you risk getting stuck.”

9. FINDING SNAKES AND SCORPIONS IN A GUEST’S BEDROOM IS FAIRLY COMMON.

“Getting a distress call from your guests to remove either a snake or scorpion from their bedroom is a fairly common but surprising task,” admits Scott Dyson, a field guide and  Safari Live presenter. But creepy crawly things aren’t the only uninvited critters who’ve made their way into guests’ quarters on occasion. “When I worked at one of the luxury lodges a few years ago, I got called to a guest’s room to chase away the baboons,” says Leo-Smith.

10. THE DANGER IS MINIMAL.

One of the biggest misconceptions about safaris, according to Pretorius, “would be that it’s dangerous. It can be dangerous. But mostly, it’s a beautiful experience. It’s not a sort of dangerous or scary experience that you live through. It’s a beautiful experience that you are enriched by. Yes, there are lions and leopards and other predators that could eat you, but we are part of their habitat and they ignore us for the most part. And a good guide knows when to bring guests around animals and when to avoid potential bad situations. Reading animals’ behavior is key to succeeding in this role.”

11. GUESTS’ EXCITEMENT CAN BE CONTAGIOUS.

“My favorite part of the job is seeing guests’ reactions when an awesome situation unfolds, or when they realize the beauty of the environment,” says Dyson. “I feed off the excitement of newcomers to the bush. It’s important to feed off their energy. We, as guides, tend to get complacent and get to see the same things every day. But by seeing guests’ reactions, it reminds us of how lucky we are to be working in a place like this.”

12. GUESTS, LIKE ANIMALS, CAN SOMETIMES BE A LITTLE FEISTY.

“Sometimes the animals don’t play along with your plan and sometimes you can have difficult people—especially if you have different groups on the same vehicle,” says Leo-Smith. “Actually managing the dynamics among different people is tricky. Sometimes you can have Americans, Germans, and British people all with very different outlooks on what we should be doing, and you try to make them all friends, basically. I’ve actually had guests try to physically punch each other on safari before, and my tracker and I had to separate them. The one thought the other was asking too many questions and monopolizing the guide’s time.”

13. THERE REALLY AREN’T THAT MANY BUGS.

“Don’t stress too much about the amount of bugs out here,” says Winterboer. “There are not that many. Some people don’t want to travel to Africa because they’re scared of getting malaria or being bitten by something or being infested by swarms and clouds of bugs. And while that can be true in some areas, it’s not true about most safari destinations. It’s not clouds and swarms of bugs here.”

“You do see some really entertaining people arrive with their bug-off clothing,” says Leo-Smith. “I don’t even think they make those things in Africa—these DEET-impregnated shirts and pants—they all come from the States. I think the strangest thing I’ve ever seen is actually a couple of guests from Hong Kong who wore these completely mirrored sun visors. They looked like RoboCop. It came down and covered the whole face.”

14. AMERICAN TOURISTS ARE THE EASIEST TO SPOT.

“You can spot tourists coming from the States a mile away,” Winterboer says. “They’re all wearing these quick-dry pants with the zip-off bottoms and the clothes that never fit them and the most bizarre variety of hats that I’ve ever seen in my life. When in reality, you could just wear next to anything.”

15. THE PROXIMITY TO WILDLIFE CAN BE ALARMING TO GUESTS.

“We get very, very close to animals here in Africa,” Winterboer says. “And it sometimes overwhelms guests who are not used to the fact that all of a sudden, they could be sitting in an open vehicle a couple of feet away from something that could jump in and kill them, or bump the car over.”

“Guests are always surprised by the close proximity that we can get to animals without disrupting them, which is great because guests get much closer than they expected and often that excites them,” Dyson says. “One minute you can be driving, and the next you’re meters from a lion or a leopard. Your heart starts racing. It’s always great to watch the guests’ reactions.” Hendry adds: “Sitting 30 feet from a pride of lions or having a leopard go to sleep in the shade of your safari vehicle is a completely otherworldly experience.”

16. THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF SAFARI OPTIONS.

“Think carefully about what you want,” suggests Hendry. “Wildlife? Luxury? Scenery? Action? Remoteness? There are all sorts of options, from pampered luxury to hardcore camping safaris—each with its own benefit. You could come to a luxury South African lodge, eat Michelin-star food, have a massage after your morning and afternoon safari and then relax next to your own plunge pool with a spectacular view. You need as much physical fitness for this as you do to get out of bed! Alternatively, you could go on a walking safari in Zambia, camping and cooking on fire. It all depends on how much you want to be immersed in the wild and what your tastes are. In short, you can safari like an explorer of old or you can do it like a celebrity.”

17. IT’S NOT A FUN JOB ALL OF THE TIME.

“Obviously when you look at it from the outside, it’s a wonderful and romantic job, with sunrises and sunsets and lions and elephants all around you,” says Leo-Smith. “But there are also flat tires, broken oil sumps, radios that don’t work, staff that doesn’t arrive on time, bad roads, and bad weather. There are just problems sometimes with logistics and keeping it all up and running.”

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The best virtual safaris

While people around the world are stuck in lockdown, there’s nothing to stop the world’s wild animals continuing life as normal – and an increasing number of virtual safaris are helping transport us to them.

Because although a trip to Africa isn’t an option right now, a mix of live cams, a live virtual safari, 360-degree videos and virtual video tours mean you’re spoiled for choice when you’re looking for the best virtual safaris.

Live safaris with WildEarth

South African travel company andBeyond has joined up with WildEarth to stream this twice-daily live safari directly from South Africa, with guides heading out to hunt for the Big Five – and other African wildlife – in vehicles armed with remote cams.

Each lasts for around three hours, with the sunrise game drive starting at 6.30am and a sunset safari from 3.30pm local time (UTC+2). And rather than just watching, you can interact with guides and ask questions by using #wildearth on Twitter or via YouTube .

There’s even a version for kids which lasts 45 minutes, covering the first part of the afternoon game drive – guides only answer questions asked by children during this time, and parents need to sign them up at wildearth.tv/kids , with questions emailed to [email protected] to keep the experience age appropriate.

You can also sign up for special (paid) experiences as well as catching up on previous day’s safaris around Kruger National Park, Ngala Private Game Reserve and Djuma Private Game Reserve if you don’t fancy an early morning start.

Singita live safari, South Africa

Head out on a live safari with a guide and resident photographer from Singita Sabi Sand in South Africa, which take place at least twice a day.

Added to the Singita Instagram page , you can see tips on how to identify and track animals as well as spotting lions and baby elephants.

Virtual safari at Ulusaba Private Game Reserve

Part of the luxurious Virgin Limited Edition collection, the Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa runs a virtual safari on Instagram once a week, with the chance to see the area’s leopard cubs, as well as lions.

The virtual safaris take place on Mondays but you can also watch the highlights afterwards too.

Tembe Elephant Park

You can find the largest elephant population in Africa in Tembe Elephant Park, not to mention spying hippo and buffalo using a live feed from Explore .

Focused on a watering hole in the reserve in South Africa, it’s also a great spot to see some of the park’s other creatures, including a chance of spotting lions and rhino as they head down to drink too.

You can also check out the Sanparks live camera at Addo Elephant Park – one of several live cams, as well as versions updated with new photos every few minutes if you’re struggling to stream .

Naledi Game Lodge, South Africa

There are a string of webcams dotted around Naledi Game Lodge, in the Balule Game reserve at Kruger National Park in South Africa. Home to the Big Five, it’s a great place to discover a range of African wildlife as there are cameras covering watering holes as well as the savanna.

The Cat Eye Game Lodge livecam is one of the best if you’re hoping to see leopards – for another highlight, watching a pride of lions drinking , including their cubs, is unmissable.

Or the Africam livecam at Naledi Dam sees a variety of wildlife, including birdlife, plus elephants and antelope.

Lion cubs at Manyeleti Game Reserve, South Africa

If you want a guarantee of animal sightings on your virtual safari – or don’t have two hours to watch – Tintswalo Safari Lodge in South Africa’s Manyeleti Game Reserve creates a 10-minute edit of the day’s safari highlights to look at.

Uploaded to their Facebook page late afternoon or early evening, along with weekly highlights, there’s the chance to see some of the cute lion cubs playing.

Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa

Savanna Private Game Reserve in South Africa’s Sabi Sand reserve also creates a regular ‘Stay@Home safari’ on its Facebook page , uploaded towards the end of the day with 10 to 20 minutes of highlights.

Don’t miss a very close encounter with a bull elephant and the chance to see leopards in the long grass and up a tree.

Or Nkorho Bush Lodge, also in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, has some great options if you’re looking for a nighttime view of the savanna. The camera uses infrared technology at night to see the wildlife as it passes across this unfenced stretch into Kruger National Park, as well as for a chance to see nocturnal species.

Asilia Africa

For the complete safari at home experience, check out the 360-degree videos from Asilia Africa where you can transport yourself to one of the company’s luxurious tented camps as well as seeing wildlife.

Get a close-up of a lioness investigating the camera while another one works through a carcass in the background, a lone hyena in Tanzania’s Selous National Park or elephants eating baobab in Ruaha National Park, among others.

Gorilla corridor

The chance to spot gorillas in the wild is on many bucket lists, but a live cam from Explore can whisk you directly to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Here, a forest corridor connects the apes’ night quarters with their forest habitat at the gorilla rehabilitation and conservation programme, GRACE. Keep an eye out for some in the trees, others relaxing in the grass.

Crocodiles at Madikwe Game Reserve

Waterholes are always a great place to see wildlife, and the Tau Waterhole in South Africa’s Groot Marico region, near the border with Botswana, is no expection.

The fifth largest game reserve in the country with a variety of different habitats, it was populated with 10,000 animals from other national parks to help conservation efforts, when it opened in 1991. Expect to see zebra and elephants drinking, while the waterhole is also home to the Nile crocodile.

Boost your safari knowledge at Shamwari Game Reserve

If you’d like more from your virtual safaris than animal spotting – however tempting – you can learn more about the area with the head ranger at Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa’s Eastern Cape.

The Shamwari Lockdown Series on YouTube covers everything from how to identify tracks and prints to the plant life found on the reserve, not to mention some highlights videos of the big five found in the area.

Longleat virtual safari 

If you want a taste of a safari that you might be able to see in real life before long, there’s a 30-minute tour of Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire to tide you over.

The virtual safari, which mixes video footage and photos, and is narrated by Kate Humble, lets you head into the East Africa Reserve to see giraffe and zebra as well as Longleat’s lions, plus tigers, cheetahs and wolves.

You even get to venture virtually into the Monkey Drive Through without any risk to your own car!

If the virtual version has whetted your appetite, check out my tips for visiting Kenya with kids , including planning a family safari

PIN FOR LATER: THE BEST VIRTUAL SAFARIS

First published on Armchair-Travels – for more virtual bucket list travel content, check out my  virtualtravel guide

Main image courtesy Depositphotos

Award-winning family travel blogger and mum to the mini traveller, aka Minnie. Together we've visited Europe, America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, tried a cruise and a road trip, and survived countless long-haul trips. London (UK) based. Serious beach habit.

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LIVE Safari

Escape into nature with WildEarth any time of day and view an array of African animals – in real-time .

WildEarth offers award-winning live safari experiences .

These are broadcast directly from the African wilderness to your homes via the Internet or the 24/7 WildEarth channel.

Broadcasts are suitable for kids , adults , and families alike.

WildEarth has seasoned game rangers , safari vehicles , drones , balloons , rovers , and remote cams searching for all your favorite animals.

As the WildEarth safari live broadcast is in real-time, everything is completely unscripted and unpredictable .

This is reality TV as it should be – authentic and REAL.

Watch WildEarth Safari Live Now

WildEarth’s safari live brings you live safari broadcasts hosted by expert guides in Africa .

These broadcasts usually come to you from the Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa), Tswalu Kalahari , and even the Maasai Mara (south-western Kenya).

See More on WildEarth Safari Live YouTube

When the live stream is offline , you can still enjoy all the latest safari recordings below .

Or visit the official WildEarth YouTube channel  for even more interactive wildlife experiences .

NB : To choose past events in the video player, click on the playlist icon as shown in the screenshot below.

WildEarth Safari Live Broadcast Schedule

Wanting to watch WildEarth live today?

There are daily safaris taking place each day during sunrise and sunset .

Check out the broadcasting schedule.

WildEarth live sunrise safari

Start your day off with a WildEarth safari live stream.

Watch as the sun lights up the African savanna and the animals begin to go about their morning routines.

When: Monday to Sunday.

Central African Time (CAT) : 05:30 am – 08:30 am.

WildEarth live sunset safari

WildEarth sunset safari live broadcasts are a popular option, too.

Experience the African sunset and watch as some animals take their slumber while others come out to play.

Central African Time (CAT) : 15:30 pm – 19:30 pm.

See a WildEarth Safari Live Now

The African wilderness is one of the most beautiful places to explore.

For those wanting to interact with the many animals found here, you can watch a WildEarth live safari now on YouTube or on the following WildEarth channels .

Open your eyes for…

Big cats , elephants , hippos , plus many other mammals, birds and reptiles.

What did you spot today?

Feel free to comment below to share your latest wildlife sightings. 😉

Cheers and enjoy your virtual safari!

Bonus : For a truly magical experience, visit Africa and discover its wildlife live and in person. To do so, check out these incredible safari deals and start planning your next adventure.

==> More LIVE webcams

==> Best Wildlife Videos

==> Top Wildlife Photos

17 thoughts on “LIVE Safari”

I’ve just found your streaming on You Tube. Didn’t think I’d ever be interested in elephants spraying behind their ears or drinking first, or why young bull calves start to walk at the rear and then, finally, declare their independence and peel off forever. But, there you go! I think the commentary is what makes it so interesting. So, thank you. I’m hooked.

I noticed the Masai Mara park is not participating so much at all.

Any reason?

Hi Jacques,

Safari Live is mainly active in the Masai Mara during the Great Wildebeest Migration. That being said, WildEarth recently decided to stop their broadcasts from the Mara – for now.

“We love the Mara and would have loved to make it a permanent feature in our broadcasts again. However, while our situation is slowly improving, we still need to be very prudent with our spending and the Mara is a very expensive location to operate from.”

More info here: https://wildearth.tv/2020/11/wildearth-will-be-stopping-our-broadcasts-from-the-maasai-mara-for-now

Hope this helps,

How do you ask a question on the live safaris?

Great comment!

The best way to ask your questions is to do it via Twitter, using #SAFARILIVE.

Or you can chat on the safariLIVE stream on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV6HJBZD_hZcIX9JVJ3dCXQ

Beautiful show!! Please continue with Kyle (Tswalu Kalahari) – he is just fantastic. Dylan (Tswalu Kalahari) the attention seeker, was so over the top and preferred being in front of the camera. Would love to see more of Phinda and Mala Mala.

Glad you enjoy it, Angela. 🙂 Feel free to send your feedback directly via:

https://wildearth.tv/contact/

I absolutely love watching live from Djuma, Ngala, Kalahari, Maasai Mara, and Phinda. Love when we get to see from Maasai Mara. I watched big cat diary and follow the marsh pride and all the lion prides through the years. Thank you for all you do, it brings me so much joy.

That’s awesome, Jessica! Thanks for your kind words.

What a fantastic program, thank you so much!

Glad you like it, Darnell! 🙂 The whole team at Safari Live is doing a fantastic job!

What about Wild Dogs? Do you have some of them there?

African wild dogs do indeed live in the area where SafariLIVE operates. Though you will have to be very lucky to spot them: it’s an endangered species after all! Besides, wild dogs are always on the move in search of food.

Game viewing chances are higher in Sabi Sands where they have been seen on several occasions in the past 3 months.

Good luck and happy spotting! 😉

Hello Michael,

If I wanted to make each of the guides a wood burnt picture of their favorite creature to display my appreciation for their devotion to their job. How would I go about that endeavor?

I would need all of their favorite animals except Tristan, he is the Leopard Hunter. The rest have not emphatically stated their precedence several times.

I can send you examples of what I have done if needed.

Keith Cooper

Great idea! 🙂

Best is to contact them directly. You can find all the details here:

https://wildearth.tv/contact

Hello all. Very few comments on cheetah.

Brent, I thought I was looking at James Statham!

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How A ‘Wildlife Soap Opera’ Hopes To Change The Face Of Conservation

I sat staring, my jaw hanging open. No more than 10 feet from me, Xongila, an adolescent female leopard, was practicing pouncing on a lifeless impala. The prey was still fully intact — its fur gleaming, its black eyes open, and its mouth gently pulled back. It was clear that this was a fresh kill, hunted just hours earlier.

Xongila paced away a few feet, then turned her head and stared at the carcass. She moved slowly towards her prey a second time — back arched, shoulder blades protruding. With a swift move, she was on top of the impala, biting directly into its neck. I glanced around our jeep at the other passengers — Angeli Gabriel, writer and host with National Geographic and Alex Goetz and Justin Grubb, winners of the company’s “Wild to Inspire” film contest . Everyone wore the same expression: “I can’t believe I’m watching this right now.” We all cringed in unison as bones cracked like hard candy under Xongila’s bite.

James Hendry, our NatGeo WILD safari guide , explained that Xongila was practicing important hunting skills, which would be essential once she was on her own. Her mother, Karula, was known by the NatGeo team as an excellent caregiver, having successfully raised 10 cubs (a huge feat in the big cat world). She sat nearby, unfazed by her daughter’s mischief. Karula kept nodding off as the young leopard went back and forth between her mother and the impala carcass. The two cats were up on a hill, out in plain sight and our view of them couldn’t have been clearer.

Watching this play out, I was struck by how similar the scene was to a mother and child relationship in the human world. Child playing with a toy at a safe distance, mother napping nearby while keeping an eye on the child. At one point Xongila accidentally bit down on her mother’s tail, and Karula barred her teeth and hissed with irritation.

This scene was one of many during my four days on location with NatGeo WILD’s safariLIVE that helped me truly understand what co-founder, Emily Wallington, had tried to explain upon my arrival at the private reserve. As we rumbled along a dusty road, I asked her how this new series would push conservation efforts. The show, the first of its kind, will take viewers on a live safari and give them a chance to get up close and personal with wildlife without ever leaving the comforts of their living rooms.

“The idea is really to get people to fall in love with these animals,” Wallington told me. “There’s a story in these animals’ day-to-day lives. A story that will lead you to feel invested in them. That’s our method of conservation….rather than to talk about poachers or to recite facts.”

A safari soap opera? At first, I wasn’t totally convinced. But as I sat and watched Xongila play with her kill, as the sky behind her slowly darkened, I understood exactly what Wallington meant. We ended up tracking Karula and her two cubs for three days and I found myself thinking about them each night as I settled in my room at the Djuma Game Reserve’s Vuyatela Lodge . I wondered if Karula had reunited with her son, Hosana, after they lost each other when a pride of lions moved into their territory. Had Xongila eaten the impala yet, or was it up in the tree somewhere? What if another animal got to it first?

Just as Wallington predicted, I’d grown deeply invested in the well-being of these animals. The producer of the show, Geraldine Kent echoed the sentiment when she told me, “You can’t protect something you don’t understand.” By allowing us to follow along, the NatGeo team offered up an immersive glimpse into the complexities of the animal kingdom. We had time to notice and appreciate how similar these species were to us, how difficult it is to survive, and how intricate their world truly is.

After a mesmerizing afternoon with Xongila and Karula, I was completely satisfied. If I’d gone home that night, I would have told my family and friends that it had been the best safari of my entire life (I’d spent a semester abroad in South Africa in my early 20s and had visited Kruger National Park ). Little did I know, the leopard encounter was just the beginning of four days of slack jawed, “Is this really happening?”-type encounters.

The following morning, at 5am sharp, we set out in our trusty jeep “Rusty” to see what the new day might bring. Perhaps we’d see a zebra or giraffe. Maybe a tortoise or the infamous “go-away” bird. As we bounced down the rocky road, sleepy and bundled against the cold morning breeze, a voice crackled through the radio.

“James, come in. We found the Nkuhuma Pride. They are feasting on a buffalo just east of you.”

The energy in the jeep shifted. Alex and Justin scrambled to set up their cameras, Angeli fumbled with her phone to open Snapchat, and I started scanning the horizon—I wanted to be the first to glimpse the pride. We drove through shrubs, knocking down saplings like a charging elephant, then skidded to a stop in a clearing. In the distance, we spotted two adult females and five cubs huddled around a giant buffalo. As we drew closer, I saw that the abdomen of the massive beast was completely hollowed out and the lions were busy tearing meat off the spine. The females grunted and moaned as they fought over the best parts, while their cubs wrestled and played nearby, their bellies full.

We noticed that one of the females seemed distracted — agitated even — looking off into the distance. We followed her gaze, but couldn’t spot anything. Hendry explained that there must be something we were missing. Sure enough, the pride suddenly started to run away, leaving the kill, while the cubs fought to keep up.

As we raced after the pack, Hendry radioed to the other NatGeo WILD jeep, which was filming live, “Two cubs are missing, they may still be with the kill.” The lioness would periodically stop and turn back, looking for the cubs that she’d left behind. Just as concerned, we also kept our heads on a swivel, anxiously waiting for the missing cubs to catch up. It was getting late and we were expected back at camp, so eventually we had to leave the pack, not knowing if the cubs made it to safety.

That evening, hunched over a feast of pork ribs and mashed potatoes, the crew discussed what may have happened. “A group of anti-poachers must have gotten too close.” Hendry turned to us when he noticed our puzzled looks. “Lions are terrified of humans on foot. As long as we’re in the jeep, we don’t pose a threat, but the second we are standing upright, they want nothing to do with us.”

That seemed to be the only reasonable explanation at the time. It was later reported over the radio that the two cubs had made it back to the pride, safely — our crew let out a collective sigh of relief.

As Emily Wallington explained, it’s stories like these that keep fans hooked on NatGeo WILD week after week. During their SafariLIVE drives, airing online twice daily, the audience is even more involved — asking questions which are answered live during the show. Recognizing that the younger generation is truly the future of conservation, Wallington also launched a “school drive” program, dedicated specifically to grade school students. During these drives, only students can ask questions (via Skype), while the rest of the viewers listen in. I rode along on one such drive, and we spotted a leopard tortoise that poked his head out curiously to take a peek at us. The students were thrilled by this small interaction.

“Jacob wants to know how long a tortoise can live” Jamie Paterson, a Natgeo WILD SafariLIVE guide announced. Jamie then answered the question and went on to discuss predators, the speed at which tortoises move, and how to distiguish a tortoise from a turtle.

Viewers of SafariLIVE not only learn to love these animals, but also understand what it means to live in harmony with them. The tortoise was not touched or picked up because, as Jamie told students, “When scared, a tortoise will urinate, and this can cause dehydration out in the heat of the African sun!” During our evening drives, guides were careful not to shine the flashlight directly at a prey animals, because it would compromise their vision and make them more vulnerable to predators.

On the flip side, when a lion pride was hit with a very rare disease among wild animals — white muscle disease — the crew, while heart-broken, did not intervene as they watched two cubs become paralyzed and die. Some viewers begged the crew to do something, as this disease can be treated, but the guides understand that ultimately human engagement in these situations doesn’t benefit animals in the wild. It’s clear that the guides are setting a standard for how humans should interact with wildlife and the audience is internalizing this message.

On our last day at the reserve, I woke up antsy. I still hadn’t seen elephants. I’ve always loved elephants for their high intelligence and how they seem imposing yet gentle. Plus, who could forget The Jungle Patrol led by Colonel Hathi in Disney’s The Jungle Book ? As a child, I was sold when little Hathi Jr. plead with his dad to let Mowgli join their herd. But as with any wildlife experience, Safari LIVE makes no guarantees about what you’ll see. That is really the magic of it all — the suspense of not knowing.

We packed into the jeep that now felt as familiar as the family van, and sped off. Soon we stopped by a lake to see hippos. We waited in silence with our binoculars pressed against our eyes. Nothing. A bird sat on a log and took a sip. The water rippled. Someone in the jeep yawned. Hendry started the engine. We drove on, all eyes squinting in different directions, hoping to catch one last glimpse of these beautiful animals in their natural habitat before the trip ended. An hour later, it seemed as if the animals had agreed, “Show’s over. You’ve seen enough.”

I sat back in my seat, deciding to enjoy the warm breeze and the sounds of the plain….

I sprang up to see one single elephant munching away on a leafy tree just a few feet from us. Soon, we saw others appear, one by one, as if on cue. Hendry explained that this was a herd of adolescent males who were trying out their independence, like any teen would, by wandering off on their own.

At first, they didn’t notice us at all. Hendry explained that the smell of the engine masks the human scent, and because we were not standing upright, the animals felt safe. But with the engine off, a gust of wind blew our scent towards the elephant nearest us, and he suddenly looked over and saw us for the first time. He stopped chewing and moved in closer, flaring his ears and stomping his feet. Then took another step in our direction. We kept looking at Hendry nervously, expecting him to start the engine, but he didn’t move. The elephant stomped once again and a tense moment passed between us as we all waited to see what would happen next. Finally, he lost interest and went back to a bush to continue feeding.

“ That is the most nervous I’ve been on this trip !” Alex Goetz, who was sitting closest to the elephant, said.

Hendry responded, “If this was an adult male, we would have been gone a long time ago. But this is an adolescent trying out his scare tactics. I knew he wouldn’t actually attack.” We were all glad he was right.

After a truly wild week, I reluctantly left the sanctuary with a newfound appreciation for the difficult, beautiful, infinitely complex, and deeply enthralling lives of animals in the wild. As James Hendry put it, “Contact with wild animals opens a channel for me as a human through which I can touch the wilderness…” after four days with their crew, I understood precisely what he meant.

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2024 Guide to the Best Places to Live Across Canada

Choosing a new place to live can be an exciting challenge, especially in a country as big and varied as Canada. Each year, cities across the nation offer different advantages depending on economy, culture, and community developments. This guide to the best places to live in Canada can help you find your ideal city, considering factors like employment opportunities, housing affordability, quality of education, healthcare, and lifestyle.

From bustling metropolitan centers to serene suburban communities, this list reflects a diversity of options catering to families, young professionals, and retirees. You can examine each destination’s unique characteristics, from economic landscapes and recreational opportunities to cultural offerings and community atmosphere.

Whether you’re drawn to the coastal views and vibrant urban life of Vancouver or the historical charms and bilingual culture of Quebec City, keep reading for a clear picture of what each of these top places has to offer. Here are the top five cities and towns across Canada that can provide an enriching living experience for you and your family. 

Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver is often celebrated for its spectacular natural scenery and vibrant cultural scene, making it one of the most livable cities in the world. Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Coastal Mountains, Vancouver has many abundant outdoor activities due to a mild climate.

From the sandy beaches of Kitsilano to the expansive Stanley Park , residents and visitors can enjoy hiking, cycling, and watersports right in their backyard. The proximity to world-renowned ski resorts like Whistler provides winter sports enthusiasts with endless opportunities. 

The city’s economy is diverse, spearheaded by industries like technology, film, and tourism. Vancouver’s tech scene is particularly dynamic, with everything from ambitious startups to major players like Amazon and Microsoft. This developing tech hub is supported by a highly educated workforce and a collaborative spirit that drives innovation. The city’s status as “Hollywood North,” thanks to its thriving film industry, adds a layer of glamour and economic vitality.

Calgary, Alberta

Calgary is known for its spirited energy and strong economic growth, making it an appealing destination for entrepreneurs and businesses. Traditionally driven by the oil and gas industry, Calgary has been diversifying its economic base and now thrives in technology, financial services, and clean energy.

This economic diversification has led to a resilient job market and attracted a vibrant, young workforce from across Canada and around the world. The city also benefits from having one of the highest head offices per capita concentrations in Canada, making it a key player in national business networks. 

One of Calgary’s best attributes is its proximity to the Rocky Mountains. This geographical advantage allows for an active lifestyle that’s hard to match, with activities like hiking, rock climbing, skiing, and snowboarding all just a short drive away. The city is also known for its extensive urban pathway and bikeway network, which spans over 1,000 kilometers, creating opportunities for active commuting and leisure activities that encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Ottawa, Ontario 

Ottawa, as the capital of Canada , not only serves as the political center but also as one of the top places to live due to its high quality of life. The city is a center point for federal employment, providing many career opportunities in government departments and agencies. This steady flow of federal jobs helps maintain a low unemployment rate and stable economic conditions.

Ottawa also has a growing tech industry, nicknamed ‘Silicon Valley North,’ which diversifies its economic base and offers ample job opportunities. The real estate market in Ottawa offers stability and growth potential, thanks to the city’s steady economy and influx of professionals. Housing options range from urban condos in the bustling downtown core to spacious suburban homes perfect for families.

The market has consistent demand, driven by high employment rates and a reputation as a safe and affordable place to live. For those looking to invest in property, Ottawa provides a less volatile option compared to the hotter markets of Toronto and Vancouver, while still offering houses for sale with significant appreciation potential, making it an attractive option for homeowners and investors.

Toronto, Ontario 

Toronto,  Canada’s largest city , is full of culture and has one of the most diverse populations in the world. This diversity is a cornerstone of the city’s identity, offering residents and visitors a rich cultural experience. Neighborhoods like Chinatown, Little Italy, and Greektown allow individuals to immerse themselves in different cultures through food, festivals, and retail.

This cultural mix is celebrated throughout the year in city-wide events like Caribana, one of North America’s largest street festivals, and the Toronto International Film Festival, which attracts global cinephiles. 

Toronto is the economic capital of Canada, home to the Toronto Stock Exchange, and the fifth-largest city in North America by population. It is a hot spot for finance, business, telecommunications, and media, with many domestic and international corporations. 

This ensures a dynamic job market and continually attracts a skilled workforce from across the globe. The city’s growing influence in tech innovation, particularly in artificial intelligence and fintech, highlights its status as a leading global city with several employment opportunities.

Quebec City, Quebec 

Quebec City stands out with its distinctive Old World charm and deep-rooted history. The city’s architecture, with its cobblestone streets and the iconic Château Frontenac towering over the St. Lawrence River, is a picturesque setting that feels like stepping back in time. Old Quebec is the historic heart of the city with a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracts millions of tourists. For residents, this means living in a place that values preservation and celebrates its historical heritage on every corner. 

Living in Quebec City means embracing a lifestyle that balances modern amenities with traditional European charm. Residents enjoy the benefits of a vibrant cultural scene, economic stability driven by tourism, and a close-knit community atmosphere. This unique combination makes Quebec City not just a place to visit, but a wonderful place to live, offering a quality of life that is both enriching and secure.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right place to call home is a decision that influences your lifestyle, career, and overall happiness. Each city listed offers a unique blend of attractions. Whether you’re seeking the excitement of urban life in Toronto, the entrepreneurial spirit of Calgary, or the stunning natural environment of Vancouver, Canada’s diverse cities cater to a wide range of preferences and lifestyles.

While considering your next move, think about what aspects of daily life are most important to you—access to top-tier schools, job opportunities, recreational activities, or cultural experiences. Remember, the best place to live aligns with your personal and professional goals, making you feel connected and content. Hopefully, this guide helps you find a Canadian city that feels like home, where you and your family can thrive and enjoy all that this beautiful country offers.

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