safari live guides leaving

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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Going forward please view the Safaris and chat on the WildEarth channel page by clicking here .

The youtube player and chat on this page have been removed after the sunset safari on monday, december 6th., wildearth’s daily live safaris are award-winning, expert-hosted live experiences that are broadcast from the african wilderness into your home in real-time..

Available on both the internet and television, this show enables you to interact with an expert game ranger in Africa while you watch.

Safari vehicles, guides on foot, drones, balloons, rovers and remote cams are all searching for your favourite characters.

Completely unscripted and unpredictable – this is reality TV as it is supposed to be. Authentic and REAL.

WildEarth is proud to partner with the following great lodges, safari companies and reserves:

Currently, our safaris come to you from these top game reserves in South Africa.

These destinations offer a vast expanse of wilderness that Africa’s iconic animals can roam in freely.

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Behind the scenes with the wildearth crew.

Every month, more than a million people around the world have been clicking onto the WildEarth channels, desperate to experience the magic of the African bush. Curious to know what goes on behind the scenes, Narina Exelby hopped into a vehicle for a sunset drive with the WildEarth crew.

Amera operator Sebastien Rombi and naturalist Tessa Woolgar, bringing the magic of the bush into living rooms across the globe.

It’s late afternoon – hot at the end of summer – and all across the Lowveld, safari vehicles are leaving camps, searching for surprises the bush might have in store. While many amble along, with guides and trackers leaning out to read the tracks, one – driven by &Beyond Ngala guide Tessa Woollgar – is moving with a sense of purpose. ‘We’re going to check on the wounded blonde Ross male,’ she says, shifting gear. ‘We spent time with him this morning; the viewers were very concerned.’

As well as a guide at Ngala, Tessa is a naturalist for WildEarth, a channel that livestreams game drives from five wildlife reserves around South Africa. Twice a day, unscripted three-hour drives are broadcast from the bush – and over the course of a month, more than one million viewers in 150 countries will watch from the comfort of their homes.

Earlier this morning, Tessa and camera operator Sebastien Rombi came across the injured lion during their sunrise broadcast. As Seb zoomed in on the gash on the lion’s forehead, sympathy flooded into the comments boxes of WildEarth’s YouTube and Facebook pages: ‘Ouch! Oh my – look at that wound! Poor boy. Oh my goodness! Claw or tooth puncture? Looks horrible!’ ‘There have been a lot of lionesses in the area,’ one viewer wrote, assessing the situation. ‘The fight could have been over a lioness.’

It’s easy for Tessa to find the lion – he’s exactly where she’d left him earlier, and as she sidles the vehicle closer she muses, ‘It’s incredible how loyal the viewers are. They love getting to know the animals, learning their behaviour and dynamics – and they form real attachments to the cats, especially.’

The WildEarth cameras are always fixed and positioned just behind the naturalist – which gives the impression the viewer is in the vehicle on the game drive.

Tessa’s not on air yet. Via the earpieces they wear throughout the drive, Tessa and Seb have been informed by Jarrett Mukheibir, one of the show’s directors in the Johannesburg studio, that the current live segment is on a leopard at &Beyond Phinda. ‘We can’t hear what’s being broadcast, but the director keeps us informed with who’s live and what animal they’re with. When we go live, the director feeds me any relevant questions and comments from viewers so that I can respond in real time.’

It’s this interaction that viewers love; it makes them feel an integral part of the drive, and it’s helped to build a loyal and tight-knit online community. ‘When I go into WildEarth’s live chat there are specific people I’ll always have a conversation with,’ Jen Rast, a WildEarth follower from Australia, told me as we chatted – in person – over breakfast at &Beyond Ngala Tented Camp. ‘The connection that people have with each other is a big part of what we all love about the channel.’

‘This trip has been emotional and surreal,’ Jen said as hot croissants arrived from Ngala’s kitchen. ‘I’ll always cherish the moment I saw my first lion in real life. He was one of the Ross males, sitting there looking so regal; even his mane was blowing in the wind.’

The lion Jen mentioned is the brother of the injured one we’re watching now – and it was quite likely he who caused the gash on this lion’s forehead. Tessa positions the vehicle so that Seb can catch the best view of him, then watches the screen mounted on the passenger seat as Seb zooms in on the wound. ‘See how it’s starting to scab up around the edges? It’s looking better than it did this morning,’ she says, watching the same footage viewers would see if she were broadcasting live. ‘The viewers will be relieved.’

Seb holds a hand to his ear, listening to the voice in his earpiece. ‘Signal’s not going through,’ he says. The lion barely raises his head as Tessa repositions the vehicle; a few moments pass. Seb checks the WildEarth WhatsApp group. ‘They can’t hear us,’ he says. Seb reboots his equipment. Tessa repositions the vehicle again, then again. Still no signal.

‘Getting signal out here is not an exact science – we had a great connection right here this morning,’ shrugs Gabon-born Seb, who has filmed around Africa for 10 years for the likes of National Geographic , and who’s worked for WildEarth for five years. ‘We tend to have better signal in the winter. The dense bush in the summer really hampers our connection – even though we have four connections to two service providers.’

Finding a signal isn’t the only technical challenge while broadcasting from the bush. The gear works hard – six hours a day, out in the elements – and then there are the spiders that lay eggs in the wiring; elephants that dig up the cables at the popular Dam Cam webcam; monkeys that pull wires down.

The wounded lion would make an excellent segment but, Tessa and Seb agree, they’ve been here long enough. ‘We need to contribute to the show,’ Seb shrugs. ‘It’s time to move on.’

Can they not just film this lion now, send it to the studio when they find signal and slip it into the broadcast? ‘Definitely not,’ Tessa feigns horror at my suggestion. ‘There’s always something special to see in the bush, whether it’s a golden orb spider in the early morning light, or a bird of prey, or an elephant with her calf. Every broadcast we do is live and completely wild – and that’s the magic of it.’

What’s next for WildEarth?

A vision of WildEarth founders Emily and Graham Wallington has always been to connect people with nature and instill the importance of nature worldover. With their combined experience in TV and the internet (Emily produced wildlife documentaries for BBC and Graham set up Africam) and the help of partner and shareholder Peter Braat, the couple has created a channel that, since 2006, has succeeded in doing just that… but it hasn’t always been easy.

‘When we started out, traditional TV broadcasters told us our content was too boring – but that has changed now,’ says Emily. ‘People really enjoy this kind of escape. We have so much feedback from people on how the broadcasts help them to stay present, how it helps with stress.’

Discussions are now underway for WildEarth to be shown on TV channels in the Middle East, Finland and France (with safaris dubbed into French in real time). ‘We’ve also started the Explorers Programme,’ says Emily. ‘With this, viewers sign up to become a WildEarth Explorer and get various benefits, including live fireside chats with the guides and opportunities to win prizes from our partner locations.’

Faces you might know

Tristan Dicks, Naturalist Known for his passion for leopards, Tristan has been presenting on WildEarth for four years. ‘I’m generally a very quiet and shy person, so initially I was petrified of doing live presenter guiding,’ he admits. ‘Luckily those fears have dissipated, and having the opportunity to explore the wilderness and share it with a greater, like-minded community is incredibly rewarding.’

Trishala Naidu, Naturalist Trishala – who says she’s a ‘super nerd who’s super curious’ – moved from Durban to Melbourne when she was 12 but returned to South Africa ‘because I had always been in love with the country and its natural environment. Science and understanding the natural world has always bought me such joy – and working on WildEarth has shown me how my knowledge and curiosity can enrich other peoples’ lives.’

B’kay Uhuru, Camera Operator Since he joined the WildEarth team two years ago, B’kay says, ‘my love for nature has grown and grown, to a point where people tell me that I’ve changed. My perspective on life has changed, and I have learnt the importance of nature and the role it plays in our life; how it balances itself, and how animals interact with each other.’

What the fans say

Beverly Williams, Lebanon, Oregon, USA I have severe anxiety and depression, as well as a brain tumour, and watching WildEarth has helped me relax so I can sleep. It also helps with my depression and I have fewer seizures. It’s given me a bonding opportunity with the animals; watching them grow and move on with their lives gives me a purpose to continue my life and not give up.

Jen Rast, Melbourne, Australia WildEarth has really helped me understand more about biodiversity and the role each living thing plays.

Jackie Boshoff, Centurion, Pretoria The first thing I do every morning is turn on the TVto watch the sunrise drive, and I watch again in the afternoon while I’m preparing supper. It kept me entertained during Lockdown – I’m fascinated by the Djuma Clan and I love the dynamics and family trees of the leopards of Djuma and surroundings.

Steven Chinhoi, Kariba, Zimbabwe My whole family is hooked on WildEarth. I’m a safari guide so I never get tired of watching wildlife and I really appreciate how they feature experts on different subjects, for example grasses.

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The 25 Best Safari Guides

By Graham Boynton

Safari guides hold it in their hands to make or break dreams, yet finding a good one can be vexing for the uninitiated. As a native Zimbabwean, Graham Boynton has spent decades on safari, and, most recently, 18 months traveling through the bush with guides in 6 countries to come up with this list of his 25 top safari guides. The guides listed with an asterisk (*) are affiliated with safari camps and may be requested as personal guides if you're staying at that particular camp (there's usually no additional fee involved, though generous tips would be expected). The other guides all work independently, and though some may be able to arrange your entire safari, it's usually simpler to book your trip—and the guide—through a tour operator (see "Your Guide to the Guides"). Rates below represent the cost per person per day.

15 Legendary Guides

1. *keraetswe bosigo (madala k).

Little Vumbura Camp, Botswana

Bosigo's nickname is Madala K, which, translated, means Old K. He arrived in the Okavango Delta by mokoro , a type of canoe, with his grandfather as a 15-year-old, and started out as a tracker for a hunting company before breaking away to guide photography safaris. Now in his mid-50s, he's acquired vast experience in the Okavango's Vumbura area. A Wilderness Safaris guide for almost 20 years, he is dry, laconic, and dead smart . He's also very involved in training the next generation of Botswanan guides ([email protected]; $450).

2. Gregg Hughes

SAFARI FOOTPRINTS, BOTSWANA

A biology graduate and former Wilderness Safaris guide, Hughes now freelances mainly in Botswana. He is a superb walking guide, a fact this author can testify to as he once saved my life and that of my daughter's when we were caught up in the aforementioned elephant stampede in the middle of an open plain. He combines academic expertise with immense charm , and although he often guides out of luxury camps such as Jao and Mombo, he enjoys trips closer to the soil. As proof, he's recently completed a three-month motorbike safari through southern Africa ([email protected]; $650).

3. *James "007" Pisetu

DUBA PLAINS, BOTSWANA

Pisetu began guiding at Duba Plains as the camp's first and only guide in 1996. He did all the game drives, nature walks, mokoro trips, and village tours, which gave him a unique and comprehensive knowledge of the area and its inhabitants, both wild and human. When new safari companies took over the camp—first Wilderness Safaris, then Great Plains—Pisetu served as mediator between the local communities and the companies. Perhaps his greatest skill is knowing the habits and behavior of Duba's large lion prides and buffalo herds , the dramatic, operatic interactions of which are the main reason for coming here ([email protected]; $550).

4. Paul Kiprono Kirui

MASAI MARA, KENYA

Probably Kenya's most distinguished guide, Kirui is chairman of the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association (KPSGA), and one of only ten Gold standard guides (the highest ranking) in the country, not to mention a witty and cosmopolitan companion in the bush. He grew up in the Mara as a Masai herder and knows the ecosystem, flora, and fauna intimately . With the travel company CC Africa (now &Beyond), he established East Africa's first guiding school in the Serengeti. He remains an active Mara guide and is a major activist on vulture conservation ([email protected]; $200 plus shared $290 vehicle cost).

5. Saigilu "Jackson" Ole Looseyia

ReKERO NABOISHO CAMP, KENYA

Thanks to his appearances as a presenter on the British television wildlife program Big Cat Diary, Jackson is Kenya's best-known guide, and his charm and easygoing nature are underpinned by an intimate knowledge of his Masai homeland. As a boy, he hunted animals here with his father, a hunter-gatherer, and by the 1980s he was working as a spotter for his mentor, the safari operator/conservationist Ron Beaton. Now in his mid-40s, Jackson is a partner with the Beaton family in Masai Mara safaris, and remains an active and compelling guide ([email protected]; $500).

6. Bill Winter

Bill Winter Safaris, Kenya

A charming, urbane man, Winter grew up in Kenya and was educated in the United Kingdom and at university in South Africa. He specializes in mobile tented safaris in Ol Pejeta and the Masai Mara and is now taking clients into southern Africa. He says there is nothing better than parking his vehicle in a remote piece of wilderness, brewing up a pot of tea, "and just absorbing the smells and sights of what's going on around you . That's wilderness." ([email protected]; $1,650, including accommodations)

7. Christiaan Bakkes

PALMWAG CONSERVANCY, NAMIBIA

Bakkes is an author, novelist, and guide extraordinaire who, as a game ranger in Kruger National Park, lost his left arm when he was attacked by two crocodiles. He has a biologist's knowledge of the flora and fauna, and a poet's eye for the landscape (one of the highlights of a safari with him is his recitals of epic poems around the campfire). He is passionate about this remote desert wilderness, and although he's now the warden of Palmwag conservancy and not a day-to-day guide, he's always looking for excuses to take guests into the wilderness ([email protected]; $450).

One of the great pleasures of a safari is an early-morning game drive followed by a breakfast feast in the bush. Here, a picnic on Masai land in southeastern Kenya.

8. Pokkie Benadie

SAMARA GAME RESERVE, KAROO, SOUTH AFRICA

Caitlin Morton

Stacey Lastoe

Meaghan Kenny

One of South Africa's three Master Trackers, Benadie is a Khoi (bushman) who grew up in the Great Karoo, joined South African National Parks at the age of 14, and helped in the creation of Karoo National Park. What he lacks in formal education he more than makes up for with his personal knowledge of this particular ecosystem and the wildlife. Mentored by Louis Liebenberg, the godfather of the science of tracking, Benadie became a Master Tracker at the age of 40. He is not a registered guide, but visitors to South Africa's Samara Game Reserve can sign up for a half-day training session at the Tracker Academy (just three miles from the lodge), where Benadie teaches city folk the art of animal tracking. His lessons are a rare and precious treat ([email protected]; donation based).

9. *Wilson Masiye and Juan Pinto

ROYAL MALEWANE LODGE, KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA

Masiye is another of the three surviving Master Trackers in South Africa. He's from the Shangaan tribe and speaks little English, so he works, almost telepathically, in tandem with Pinto, the erudite, multilingual, highly qualified head ranger at Royal Malewane, safari lodge to the stars. The couple have guided the likes of Elton John, Paul Allen, and Nicholas Sarkozy; Elton John in particular is a repeat guest. Pinto has also been active in fighting the current rhino poaching scourge ([email protected]; $1,245, including accommodations).

10. Richard Knocker

NOMAD SAFARIS, TANZANIA

Kenyan-born, British-educated Knocker is the first Gold-rated KPSGA guide in Tanzania. He's a founder of Nomad Safaris and guides primarily around Lamai Serengeti, his remote camp in the granite kopjes of northwest Serengeti. As with all the veteran guides, his fireside stories would work as great fiction, only they're all true, and his dry wit adds to the experience. A great walking guide—his preferred mode of safari transportation—he is also a formidable animal biologist and an activist in community conservation projects ([email protected]; $460).

11. Robin Pope

LIUWA PLAIN AND LUANGWA, ZAMBIA

Do not be deceived by his bespectacled, accountant-like appearance: Pope is a real man of the bush, and his knowledge of birds, animals, and flora makes him the best guide in his native Zambia . Honing his craft since the 1980s, he is a legendary walking guide who operates from four camps—Nsefu, Tena Tena, Nkwali, and Luangwa River Camp. He has single-handedly put Zambian safaris on the map, and although he's now based in the capital, Lusaka, he still leads walking safaris with the same passion as he did as a young guide. He's a great birder too ([email protected]; $675, including accommodations).

12. Andrew "Stretch" Ferreira

MANA POOLS, ZIMBABWE

Also known as the Elephant Whisperer of Mana Pools, Ferreira can be seen on many YouTube clips standing calmly in front of charging elephants. A tall, bearded, easygoing man of the bush, Ferreira is a former hunter who has lost the desire to kill animals but retains the hunter's bush instincts. Now he runs his own small tented-safari operation, Goliath Safaris, on the banks the Zambezi River, an area he knows so well that he can easily identify individual lions and elephants. Like Pope and Knocker, he too prefers walking safaris ([email protected]; $610, including accommodations).

13. Benson Siyawareva

NGOKO SAFARIS, ZIMBABWE AND BOTSWANA

A fully licensed guide in both countries, Siyawareva has run some of the region's most significant camps (Little Makololo in Hwange, Savuti in Botswana), in addition to helming his own guiding operation for ten years. He reads the bush brilliantly and is thus an expert tracker. His humor and bonhomie are a delight, but he takes community conservation seriously and believes that the education of African children is key to the salvation of the wilderness. He's based in Victoria Falls, where he is helping to build an orphanage ([email protected]; $400).

14. John Stevens

ZIMBABWE, BUT GUIDES IN KENYA AND TANZANIA

One of the standard-bearers of Zimbabwean guiding, Stevens is a former warden of Mana Pools National Park who led anti-poaching efforts throughout the region. He's most at home in the Zambezi Valley, and prefers walking and canoeing to traveling in a vehicle. Stevens has brilliant tracking skills and is noted for his boyish enthusiasm and unaffected, sweet disposition ([email protected]; $1,250).

15. Garth Thompson

Back in 1983, when Thompson gained his license, there were only eight such guides in the country. Today, he's widely regarded as the best African guide —he's certainly one of the most successful—due in large part to his high energy, boundless enthusiasm, and great storytelling. Though based in Zimbabwe, Thompson guides clients throughout seven countries in Africa, including the Central African Republic. He's currently taking bookings for the 2015 season ([email protected]; $1,000).

Botswana's wildlife-rich Vumbura Plains.

10 Next Generation Guides

1. simon byron.

Byron is one of the Safari Footprints triumvirate (with Gregg Hughes and Matt Copham). Born and raised in Botswana, he's another guide who knew his calling from childhood. He's earned a master of science degree in environmental science and is a passionate conservationist who has set up a conservation and education trust in his homeland. During his university days, he guided for Wilderness Safaris during holidays, so he knows their Botswana camps intimately. He's charming and friendly and wears his intellect lightly (info@safarifootprints .com; $450).

2. *Florence Kagiso

KWETSANI CAMP OKAVANGO, BOTSWANA

Kagiso graduated from the Botswana Wildlife Institute at the top of her class--she was also the only woman in her class. Soft-spoken and knowledgeable, she developed a love of wildlife in early childhood (she resisted her parents' urging to pursue a career in fashion design). Her understanding of the mammals of the delta is outstanding, and she can identify every bird that flits past as she drives her boat through waterways of the Jao Concession ([email protected]; $450).

3. *Kitso Lademo

LITTLE VUMBURA, OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA

One of the youngest qualified guides working in the delta, 26-year-old Lademo has spent the past few years guiding at Little Vumbura, an area he knows like the back of his hand. Like many Botswana guides, he is a keen birder, not to mention a quietly impassioned conservationist who passes the message on at local schools ([email protected]; $450).

4. *Charity Jemutai Cheruiyot

KICHWa TEMBo/BATeLEUR CAMP, MASAI MARA, KENYA

Jemutai is one of just four female guides in the Masai Mara. A member of the Kalenjin tribe, she grew up in the Rift Valley wanting to be a travel consultant but was offered the opportunity to train at &Beyond's guide camp in Tanzania. Her passion for wildlife, she says, was learned from Paul Karui (see above). Jemutai reads voraciously and has a fine grasp of animal biology. Her favorite time in the Mara is in the months after the Great Migration when it is quiet and the grasslands are recovering ([email protected]; $600, including accommodations).

5. *Wilson ole Kasaine

PORINI AMBOSELI CAMP, KENYA

Kasaine has a very traditional Masai background: He's one of 24 children, and his father is a distinguished tribal elder who killed lions and leopards to protect his family and property. Sadly, economic circumstances prevented Kasaine from going to university, but his first love was the bush, and today he guides guests in an area that is barely ten miles from village where he was raised. His eyesight, hearing, and tracking ability are second to none —even among his fellow Masai (wilson.kasaine [email protected]; $310, including accommodations).

6. *Johnson Ping'ua ole Nkukuu (Ping)

MARA PLAINS CAMP, KENYA

Ping, who grew up in the Mara herding his father's cattle, has been guiding for 15 years and is head guide at the Mara Plains Camp—a dream come true. As amiable as he is knowledgeable, he has a great affection for hyenas, which he claims are misunderstood and demonized, and rates the Olare Orok Conservancy, where he guides, as the best cat viewing in the Masai Mara. His favorite quote is a line from William Wordsworth: "Nature does not betray the heart that loveth." ([email protected]; $385)

7. Humphrey Gumpo

Widely considered one of Zimbabwe's top young guides, Gumpo grew up in the Kariba area, trained under the brilliant Spike Williamson, and cites Williamson and Garth Thompson (see above) as his inspirations. Gumpo, who passed the exacting Zimbabwe guiding exams with flying colors, also has his river guiding license and led Wilderness Safaris' canoe trails at Mana pools for four years. Listening more carefully to the bush, he says, has made him a better guide (humphrey@ humphreygumpo.com; $600).

8. Paul Hubbard

MATOPOS, ZIMBABWE

Because Hubbard's area of specialty extends far beyond wildlife, he's quite possibly the most left-field inclusion in this listing. The 31-year-old is a polymath who grew up in rural Zimbabwe and graduated with a master of science degree in archaeology. He's immensely knowledgeable in a number of subjects, from the Matabele War and the local architectural history to the San rock art and the archaeology of the spectacular Matopos Hills. This last, a World Heritage Site, is well worth visiting for its dramatic landscape but even more so for the privilege of being guided by this brilliant young man ([email protected]; $300).

9. Ant Kashula

PRIVATE GUIDED SAFARIS, ZIMBABWE

Academic, tracker, and engaging companion, Kashula scored the highest marks ever in Zimbabwe's exacting guiding exams. He holds a master's degree in environmental and geographical science, and believes that getting out in the bush on foot is the best way to embrace the wilderness. He will guide anywhere—his small safari company operates in 12 African countries—but his area of preference is the Zimbabwean lowveld. Kashula is an academic with unique people skills, making him one of the most impressive guides I've traveled with in recent years (ant@private guidedsafaris.com; $400).

10. Beks Ndlovu

HWANGE AND MANA POOLS, ZIMBABWE

Born near Hwange and educated at an elite private school, Ndlovu went straight into guiding as soon as he could. He guided and ran camps for Wilderness Safaris for years both in Botswana and Zimbabwe, and has won many guiding awards, including the full Professional Guides License in 1998. Now the owner of luxury tented camps in Hwange and Mana Pools, he still guides select groups at his camps and is one of the most informed wildlife guides you'll find on the continent. Ndlovu is internationally traveled, yet his soul is still in the bushveld ([email protected]; $1,000).

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Everything you need to know about going on safari in Africa with renowned expert Marlon du Toit

Embarking on an African safari is undoubtedly one of the most memorable travel experiences to be had.

I've now been on several, and the connection you feel with nature is simply indescribable. Some of my greatest travel experiences ever have come from safaris, and I regularly purchase various pieces of art and other mementos to take home with me after a safari .

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Throughout the last year of border closings and stay-home orders, I realized just how much I love safaris and it made me all the more excited to begin planning one for sooner rather than later, now that borders are opening back up and traveling internationally is becoming less of a hurdle.

I recently had the privilege of sitting down to chat with Marlon du Toit, an expert on all things pertaining to African safaris and a well-known wildlife photographer .

Du Toit grew up in a small town in the middle of Kruger National Park in South Africa and his father owned a small safari company, so animals and living among wildlife are inherent in his DNA. He grew up around wild animals including warthogs, impalas, elephants, hippopotamus, lions and more. In fact, as Marlon explains, it was commonplace for cricket games in his town to be interrupted by lions and elephants, and his neighbors even were woken up at 4 a.m. to a pride of lions congregated right outside their front gate.

We covered a lot in our discussion, from tips for first-time safari-goers to photography tips to the critical impact tourism has on sustainability and animal wellbeing.

If you don't follow du Toit on Instagram already, I highly suggest you do so -- you won't regret it! You can catch our full Instagram Live conversation here , but I'm also going to highlight some of the most important considerations to be mindful of while planning a safari, whether it's your first experience or you return regularly, and how safaris are critical to not only local economies and workers who are employed by the many reserves and camps but also to maintaining the wellbeing of the local animal populations.

Here's what you need to know:

Mythbusting: Safaris are dangerous

For many in the early stages of planning a safari, one of the principal concerns is safety. There's a perception that being so close to animals in their natural habitat is reckless and could lead to bodily harm or even death.

Yes, you'll get very close to the animals, looking many of them directly in the eyes. However, as du Toit explains, these animals have grown accustomed to safari vehicles operating in their territory, and they don't kill or attack humans left and right.

Being up close and personal with the animals is part of the unforgettable experience of a safari, and entering their natural habitat without altering their behavior truly makes it feel like you're living in a National Geographic documentary.

Advice for planning your first safari

When planning your first safari, you'll likely want to travel to a destination that not only offers a wide variety of animals to see, but also an established infrastructure of lodges and reserves which make the logistics of this kind of trip so much easier.

Du Toit notes two countries in particular -- South Africa and Kenya -- that are relatively easy to get to and have well-established national parks and private reserves that offer a first-time safari traveler everything they'd need to have a memorable vacation.

In South Africa, many safari destinations can be reached with one easy flight from Johannesburg, which itself is reachable easily from North America . And the country offers a bit of everything, from Kruger National Park to high-end private reserves like Singita and Sabi Sands that are well-equipped to meet the needs and expectations of someone traveling on a safari for the first time.

Kenya is also relatively easy to reach from most of the world, and its capital of Nairobi is just about an hour away from the world-famous Maasai Mara where you can witness the Great Migration taking place -- typically during the months of July and August. And it's close to other countries like Uganda and Rwanda where you can partake in other unforgettable experiences like trekking with gorillas.

When's the best time to go on a safari?

Generally, it's best to plan a safari for the dry season. In South Africa , this typically means from July through October.

When it's rainy, animals have more land to spread out over, since water's far easier to come by. However, when water isn't as plentiful during the dry season, all sorts of animals are forced to converge around the same water holes, allowing travelers to see a far greater variety of animals.

Are there different kinds of safaris?

Yes, there are a wide range of experiences one can have on a safari vacation.

Besides the traditional game drive, there are night drives, walking safaris, water-based safaris and much more.

As du Toit explained during our conversation, night drives (something I have yet to do) are uniquely special because after the evening sundowner (an incredible experience in and of itself), you can observe animals doing things you'd never see during the day. Lions, for example, don't do a ton during the day. But at night, lions become more active, meaning you can possibly even follow them as they hunt for zebras or giraffes.

Walking safaris, born primarily in Zimbabwe and Zambia and found mostly in private reserves, are a way to connect to nature in a way you never thought was possible before. In some reserves, the entire, multiple-day safari is on foot -- allowing one to focus on their place in nature and find their balance with it.

There are also plenty of aerial safari experiences, like hot air balloon rides or even climbing sand dunes on the Skeleton Coast of Namibia to observe animals in the morning as they cast long shadows on the white sand. Or, you can experience a safari from the water in a place like the Okavango Delta in Botswana, where you see wildlife from a canoe-like boat and where the delta's water lilies are practically at eye-level.

A safari I'm particularly interested in going on is at the Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe. These are four large pools, located on the banks of the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls. Here, according to du Toit, about 99% of the safari is on foot. You begin with a drive in the morning and then leave the vehicle behind and follow an animal -- or group of animals -- on foot for the rest of the day.

Should I take photos or live in the moment?

I was really curious for du Toit's take on the question of photography. He's a wildlife photographer after all, but I was curious if he thought first-time safari travelers should focus on the experience rather than concerning themselves with getting the perfect shot.

Du Toit, though, is in favor of photography, even on your first safari. He points out that today's technology makes it so easy to take photos, and if you decided to leave your camera at home, there will certainly be moments where you wish you hadn't.

Even if you're not an experienced photographer, you can rent cameras in many camera shops or even at some (not many) reserves. And some lodges even have their own photo studios where you can work with a member of staff to edit and even print off your photos, so you can travel home with your memories.

If you're going to buy a camera before embarking on a safari, du Toit recommends finding a mirrorless one -- they're the future of photography. They're lightweight and hardly make any noise, and ideal combination for a safari.

No matter what, have your phone with you. The camera technology found in today's smartphones is so strong and they make it incredibly easy to use. One tip from du Toit, though: Don't ever zoom.

The impact of safaris on the local economy and sustainability

Perhaps the most important thing I discussed with du Toit was the impact safaris have on the economies of many African nations as well as the positive effect they have on the sustainability and wellbeing of animals.

He explained that a total shutdown of tourism was quite possibly the worst-case scenario for the many areas in which safaris and reserves operate.

The lack of tourists occupying -- and spending money at -- the numerous safari lodges and reserves creates a situation where the properties are forced to lay off workers, leaving them without a salary and perhaps worse down the line -- without food. And then, many of these hungry former workers are desperate and turn to subsistence poaching to survive, which has disastrous effects on the ecosystem and exacerbates the already acute problems of criminal poaching and animal depopulation.

As this cycle continues, it becomes progressively harder for a given locality to break the chain, and groups dedicated to maintaining the wellbeing of animals are strained further.

All this is to say that these countries need tourists to return. Even if you don't feel it's right for your family right now, consider booking a trip further in the future. For those concerned about traveling amid COVID-19 , du Toit made a great point: Safari vacations are quite possibly the best types of trips to take if you want to remain distant from others. You arrive at the airport, are picked up by staff from the reserve and then driven to your destination where it's entirely possible you won't even encounter other guests.

And if it's the logistics you're concerned about, plenty of airlines -- particularly ones like Qatar Airways -- fly into many safari destinations in Africa regularly, so there's still more than enough opportunities to fly there in comfort and even some style.

Du Toit said it best: "Africa is ready and waiting."

Safari Live

Experiencing the wildlife of Africa in their natural habitats through daily safari rides.

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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.

Charging elephant kills an American woman in Zambia

A charging elephant killed an American woman when it flipped over the car she was traveling in at a national park in Zambia .

The “aggressive” creature buffeted the vehicle carrying six tourists and a guide, tour operator Wilderness said in a statement Tuesday. It added that the 79-year-old victim died after Saturday's incident on a game drive at the Kafue National Park in western Zambia.

A video circulating on social media apparently showing the incident shows a large elephant running toward a car, which slows down as the animal approaches its left side. The elephant then flips the vehicle over and the passengers can be heard gasping as the car rolls over.

NBC News does not know the condition or identity of the person who filmed the video.

Photos shared online of the car, which is emblazoned with the logo of the tour operator, show it tipped onto its side after the incident, with a deep dent in two of its side doors.

Wilderness, which describes itself as a “leading conservation and hospitality company” operating in eight African countries, including Zambia, did not respond to NBC News when asked to confirm the authenticity of the video and the photos.

But the tour operator’s CEO, Keith Vincent, said in the statement that the company’s “guides are all extremely well trained and experienced.”

"Sadly in this instance the terrain and vegetation was such that the guide’s route became blocked and he could not move the vehicle out of harm’s way quickly enough,” he added.

The company did not name the victim but Rona Wells, her daughter, identified her as Gail Mattson in a post on Facebook. She said her mother died in a “tragic accident while on her dream adventure.”

NBC News has reached out to the family for further comment.

“It's extremely rare to see an elephant that irate,” Marlon du Toit, a wildlife photographer and safari guide, told the "TODAY" show Thursday. “Across Africa, there are thousands and thousands of guests on safari on a daily basis with no negative consequences.”

Another woman was also injured in the incident and taken to a medical facility in South Africa, the Wilderness statement said, adding that four others were treated for minor injuries.

The exact cause of Mattson’s death was unclear, but the company said her body would be repatriated to her family in the United States with the support of local Zambian authorities and the U.S. Embassy in the capital, Lusaka.

“This is a tragic event and we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the guest who died,” the statement added.

Kafue National Park is Zambia’s largest and oldest national park, according to its website, and spans an area of more than 8,000 square miles. Vast regions of the park remain unexplored and the website says it is home to a variety of untamed wildlife.

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.

• Where to watch in the US
• How to watch in the UK and other countries
• How to watch from anywhere
• How to watch with a VPN
• Why did Padma Lakshmi leave?

Who is Kristen Kish?

• What time is it on Peacock?

Where to watch Top Chef live stream: Season 21 is here

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"Top Chef" is back, and Season 21 features a series-defining shake-up: no Padma Lakshmi. Fortunately, the Bravo series has found a new host in Kristen Kish. Keep reading to learn everything about the new season, from details on the hosting shake-up to where to watch a "Top Chef" live stream.

Since first premiering in 2006, "Top Chef" has become one of the hottest cooking-based shows out there. Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio (in addition to Lakshmi and now Kish) judge contestants on a variety of culinary challenges each season. The tasks are often tied to the region where the season is hosted. 

• See also: Where to watch Vanderpump Rules Season 11 | How to watch The Bachelor Season 28 | Where to watch Survivor Season 46

Season 21 takes contestants to Wisconsin. There, they'll face some new rules, including the fact that no immunity will be given for a quickfire win. As usual, contestants are impressive this season, ranging from a chef de cuisine at a Michelin-star restaurant to a James Beard Award finalist. This season, special guests like Clea DuVall, Matty Matheson, Art Smith, and Brittany Snow will join the judges' panel.

If you're hoping to tune in but aren't sure how to watch Bravo without cable, we've got you covered. Below, we've outlined all your viewing options, regardless of your location. 

Where to watch Top Chef in the US

"Top Chef" airs Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo in the US. Episodes are available to stream next-day on Peacock . Peacock plans start at just $5.99 per month and come with a massive catalog of Bravo reality shows, including the past 20 seasons of "Top Chef."

Peacock is a streaming service featuring NBCUniversal TV shows, movies, original series, live sports, and news programs. Prices start at just $5.99 a month on one-month deals, with further discounts available on annual plans.

If you're hoping to tune in to "Top Chef" live on Wednesday nights and don't have cable, you'll want to try a live TV streaming package that includes Bravo, like Sling TV or Hulu + Live TV. For Sling TV , you'll want to opt for the Sling Blue plan, which has Bravo. Sling plans start at $40 per month, but the service currently gives you $20 off your first month. Hulu + Live TV is the more expensive option, with plans starting at $76.99 per month, but the bundle includes access to Hulu's on-demand catalog, Disney+, and ESPN+.

For just the essentials without any extra fluff, Sling TV is the streaming service you're looking for. It's more customizable than other plans, with three options you can choose from, so you pay for only what you need. New members get their first month for $10 off.

Hulu + Live TV includes over 90 channels, along with Hulu's on-demand library and access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. Adding live TV drives up the price significantly, but it's a rolling one-month contract that you're free to cancel at any time. As live TV services go, though, this is one of the best.

How to watch Top Chef in the UK and other countries

While there's not currently a streaming service-based live option for "Top Chef" in the UK and other countries, many regions can stream the show on Hayu after it airs in the US. The service, which specializes in reality television, is available in most European countries, as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and more. You can check to see if it's available in your region on the Hayu website .

How to watch Top Chef from anywhere

If you can't access "Top Chef" through any of these streaming options, it might be time to try a VPN (virtual private network). VPNs temporarily change the location of your electronic device so that you can bypass geo-blocks and access websites and apps that might not be available in the region where you're currently located. This option will be best for Americans who are traveling abroad and simply don't have access to their existing streaming subscriptions at the moment, since all of the services we've recommended require a US form of payment.

Not sure where to start when it comes to VPNs? Our tried-and-true recommendation is ExpressVPN , which comes with a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Check out our ExpressVPN review to see why it's our go-to and keep reading to learn how to use it.

With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that makes it exceptional. Better yet, you can save up to 49% and get an extra three months for free today.

How to watch Top Chef with a VPN

• Sign up for a VPN if you don't already have one.
• Install it on the device you're planning to watch "Top Chef" on.
• Turn it on and set it to a US location. 
• Sign up for one of the streaming services mentioned above.
• Select the Bravo channel and enjoy the new episode.

Why did Padma Lakshmi leave Top Chef?

Padma Lakshmi announced via Instagram last June that she'd be departing the show after Season 20 of "Top Chef" to move forward and "make space" for other projects. She later told Variety that working on multiple shows in an on-screen and production capacity was "exhausting and untenable" but that she left the series "at a very high point, in very capable hands."

New host Kristen Kish will be a familiar face for "Top Chef" devotees. Kish won "Top Chef" Season 10 and has since developed quite a substantial online following. Kish was the chef at two Boston restaurants, Stir and Menton. Since then, she has opened her own restaurant, Arlo Grey, in Austin, Texas. 

What time is Top Chef on Peacock?

In the past, "Top Chef" and other Bravo shows have usually been available on Peacock by the following morning (about 6 a.m. ET). However, the Season 21 premiere didn't land on the streaming service until around 1 p.m. ET on Thursday last week, so if you don't see the new episode when you check first thing in the morning, you might just need to wait a little bit. 

Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here . Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected] .

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Bill Clinton reflects on post-White House years in the upcoming memoir 'Citizen'

Former President Bill Clinton has a memoir coming out this fall about his years since leaving public office in 2001

NEW YORK -- NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton has a memoir coming out this fall about his years since leaving public office in 2001. “Citizen: My Life After the White House” will cover everything from the presidential campaigns of his wife, Hillary Clinton, to his views on events ranging from the Jan. 6 insurrection to the Iraq War.

Alfred A. Knopf, which published Clinton's million-selling presidential memoir “My Life,” will release the new book Nov. 19.

“I knew as I entered this new chapter of my life that I’d keep score the way I always have: Are people better off when you quit than when you started? Do our children have a brighter future? Are we coming together instead of falling apart?” Clinton said in a statement Thursday.

"'Citizen' is the story of my 23-plus years since leaving the White House, told largely through the stories of other people who changed my life as I tried to help change theirs, of those who supported me, including those I loved and lost, and of the mistakes I made along the way,” he said.

Knopf is calling the book “remarkably candid, and richly detailed,” offering “fascinating insight into Clinton’s life — both personal and political.”

Over the past two decades, Clinton has worked on numerous charitable causes, including AIDS treatment and relief for Haiti after the 2010 earthquake . Besides “My Life,” his books have included the policy tract “Working” and a pair of bestselling thrillers co-authored by James Patterson: “The President Is Missing” and “The President's Daughter.”

He has also been involved in various controversies, among them questions over the funding for Haiti's rebuilding efforts and his association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein (Clinton, who flew several times on Epstein’s private jet, has denied any awareness that Epstein was involved in sex trafficking). In 2018, the #MeToo movement revived talk of Clinton's affair with then-White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

A Knopf spokesperson declined comment on whether Clinton would write about Epstein or other controversies.

Financial terms for “Citizen” were not disclosed. Clinton was represented by Robert Barnett and Michael O’Connor of Williams & Connolly, where other clients include Hillary Clinton, former President George W. Bush and Barbra Streisand.

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