Like many safari-goers, my main reason for going on my first African safari was to see wildlife. Since then, I’ve returned many times, and in the process I’ve also developed a real appreciation for the culture and history of the people I’ve met all across the continent.
Africa is where we all began, and humans have been farming, hunting and living alongside the herds ever since. I love learning about the diverse cultures they’ve developed, and being a witness to their rituals and celebrations.
And there is much to celebrate and enjoy – from discovering our origins in the Serengeti, walking in the footprints of our earliest ancestors (and even holding some of the tools they crafted), to getting to know the indomitable Maasai of the Masai Mara and combing the Kalahari with the San.
Their evident pride in their culture is deeply refreshing in our homogenised world, and only adds to the warmth of the welcome I receive each time I visit one of their villages, making me want to return to Africa again and again.
