Keep Travelling | Travel Stories & Cultural Experiences

Safari in Ruhua, Southern Tanzania

Episode Number: 83 Property / Guest Name: Julia Bishop – Hodi Hodi Episode Summary: Rael Zieve speaks with Julia Bishop, Director of Hodi Hodi in southern Tanzania. Julia explains the meaning behind the name Hodi Hodi and the warm African welcome it represents. She shares how international guests can reach the camp through Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar. The conversation explores Hodi Hodi’s location near Ruaha National Park, its rooms, facilities and relaxed safari atmosphere. Julia talks about the camp’s farm-to-table food, wildlife, walking safaris and night safari experiences. She also explains how Hodi Hodi works with nearby communities to protect 17,000 acres of land and support local projects. Guest Information: Julia Bishop Director Hodi Hodi Southern Tanzania Key Takeaways / Topics Covered: Why southern Tanzania and Ruaha offer a quieter alternative to the better-known northern safari circuit. How Hodi Hodi combines wildlife, local food, personal service and community-led conservation. Guests who book a three-night stay can receive a fourth night free, including full board and activities for the additional day. Contact Information: For more information, contact Rael Zieve at rael@keeptravelling.africa [rael@keeptravelling.africa] Blog Post: https://keeptravelling.africa/blog/tanzania-safari-near-ruaha-national-park/ [https://keeptravelling.africa/blog/tanzania-safari-near-ruaha-national-park/]

Serengeti Safari in Tanzania

Episode Number: Episode 82 Property / Guest Name: Nancy Ngotea – Tanzania Wild Camps / Serengeti Safari Lodge Episode Summary: Rael Zieve speaks with Nancy Ngotea from Tanzania Wild Camps. Nancy shares why Kilimanjaro International Airport is a strong gateway for northern Tanzania safaris. She explains why Serengeti National Park remains one of Tanzania’s standout safari destinations. The conversation explores Serengeti Safari Lodge, its central location, luxury tented rooms and guest experience. Nancy talks about wildlife, game drives, balloon safaris and why three nights in the Serengeti works best. She also shares her thoughts on Tanzania’s Southern Circuit, hospitality, conservation and the beauty of Africa. Guest Information: Nancy Ngotea Marketing, Sales and Reservations Officer Tanzania Wild Camps Serengeti Safari Lodge Key Takeaways / Topics Covered: Why Serengeti National Park is such a powerful choice for a Tanzania safari. How Serengeti Safari Lodge combines location, comfort, service and wildlife access. Why Africa offers far more than wildlife, with people, culture, food and hospitality all shaping the journey. Contact Information: For more information, contact Rael Zieve at rael@keeptravelling.africa [rael@keeptravelling.africa] Blog Post: https://keeptravelling.africa/blog/serengeti_safari_lodge/ [https://keeptravelling.africa/blog/serengeti_safari_lodge/]

Gorillas, Rivers and Rainforest with Kamba

Episode Number: 81 Property / Guest Name: Kamba – Republic of Congo Safari Experience Guest: Glance Eloye-Nzoutani Episode Summary: The Republic of Congo is one of Africa’s quieter safari stories. Not because it lacks wildlife, beauty, or depth, but because many travellers have simply not discovered it yet. In this episode of Keep Travelling: Your African Story, Rael Zieve speaks with Glance Eloye-Nzoutani from Kamba, Africa’s first trained wilderness guide in the Republic of Congo. Their conversation opens the door to a very different kind of safari world. Deep rainforest. Western lowland gorillas. River journeys. Swamp forests. Towering trees. Warm local communities. And three Kamba camps, Ngaga, Lango and Mboko, each with its own character and setting. This is not the classic open-plains safari many people first imagine. It is greener, slower, more layered, and full of small details that stay with you long after the journey ends. In this episode, you’ll discover: * Why Glance Eloye-Nzoutani’s wilderness guide training is so important for tourism in the Republic of Congo * What makes Kamba’s three camps, Ngaga, Lango and Mboko, so different from each other * Why Ngaga is such a special place for western lowland gorilla tracking * How canoeing, boardwalks, river decks and forest walks shape the Kamba experience * What wildlife guests may see, from gorillas and hippos to bongos, spotted hyenas and African grey parrots * Why the Republic of Congo should not be confused with the Democratic Republic of Congo Guest Information: Glance Eloye-Nzoutani works with Kamba in the Republic of Congo and is recognised as Africa’s first trained wilderness guide in the country. In this episode, he shares his guiding journey, his love for the forest, and his hopes for the future of tourism in the Republic of Congo. He also explains how Kamba is helping to raise guiding standards, support safer wilderness experiences, and show travellers a side of Africa that still feels beautifully untouched. Key Takeaways: * Kamba offers a rare rainforest safari experience across Ngaga, Lango and Mboko, with each camp giving guests a different view of the Republic of Congo. * Western lowland gorillas are a major highlight, but the experience also includes forest elephants, hippos, bongos, spotted hyenas, birds, insects, plants and river life. * Glance believes tourism in the Republic of Congo is growing in the right direction, helped by better guiding, stronger standards and travellers who want something different. Contact Information: For African travel enquiries, contact Rael at rael@keeptravelling.africa [rael@keeptravelling.africa] Blog: https://keeptravelling.africa/blog/kamba african rainforest/ [https://keeptravelling.africa/blog/kamba african rainforest/]

Kamba Africa: Deep Into the Congo Rainforest

Episode Number: 80   Property / Guest Name: Kristina Plattner https://kambaafrica.com/ [https://kambaafrica.com/] Episode Summary: In this episode of Keep Travelling: Your African Story, Rael Zieve speaks with Kristina Plattner, Managing Director of Kamba African Rainforest Experiences, about one of Africa’s most unusual and powerful safari journeys. This is not the classic open-plains safari many travellers already know. Kamba takes guests deep into the Congo Basin, the second-largest rainforest on earth, where safari becomes slower, quieter, wetter, wilder, and far more immersive. In this episode, you’ll discover: *  Where Kamba is located in the Republic of the Congo, and how guests travel from Brazzaville into Odzala-Kokoua National Park  *  Why Lango Lodge is such a special part of the Kamba circuit, sitting beside a forest bai created by elephants  *  How guests arrive by kayak, walk through rainforest, and become part of the landscape before even reaching the lodge  *  What wildlife can be seen, from western lowland gorillas and forest elephants to buffalo, bongo, hyenas, parrots, butterflies, and tiny forest insects  *  Why the Republic of the Congo is different from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and how Kamba helps guests feel looked after from arrival  *  What travellers should know about seasons, age limits, visas, yellow fever requirements, malaria precautions, and the full all-inclusive Kamba experience  Guest Information: Kristina Plattner is the Managing Director of Kamba African Rainforest Experiences, a collection of remote rainforest lodges based in the Republic of the Congo. In this conversation, she shares how Kamba introduces guests to Odzala-Kokoua National Park through gorilla tracking, river journeys, forest walks, wildlife viewing, and deeply immersive rainforest travel. Key Takeaways: *  Kamba is ideal for travellers who have already experienced a classic African safari and now want something rarer, quieter, and more adventurous  *  The experience is built around rainforest immersion, with gorillas, forest elephants, waterways, walking, kayaking, and small-group travel at its heart  *  Kamba helps with the full Congo journey, including internal charter flights, transfers, permits, accommodation, meals, drinks, and visa support  Contact Information: For enquiries, collaborations, or African travel planning, contact: rael@keeptravelling.africa [rael@keeptravelling.africa] Blog: https://keeptravelling.africa/blog/kamba-africa/ [https://keeptravelling.africa/blog/kamba-africa/]

Climbing Kilimanjaro: What It Really Takes to Reach Africa’s Highest Summit

Episode Number: 79   Property / Guest Name: Climbing Kilimanjaro – Tanzania Brian Raffio – Senior Account Manager Episode Summary: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is one of Africa’s great adventure travel experiences. It is not a technical climb, yet it asks something real from every traveller who takes it on. In this episode of Keep Travelling: Your African Story, Rael Zieve speaks with Brian Raffio, Senior Account Manager at Climbing Kilimanjaro. Brian shares the story of a company that began with a porter on the mountain, grew through guiding, and has now become one of the larger operators helping travellers reach the summit each year. This is a practical and motivating conversation for anyone who has ever wondered whether they could climb Kilimanjaro. Brian explains how to get there, how fit travellers need to be, what training helps, what the different climb lengths mean, and why altitude acclimatisation is so important. He also gives a clear look at life on the mountain, from food and camps to porters, toilets, summit night, emergency support, oxygen, helicopter rescue, weather, wildlife, and the feeling of standing above the clouds at around 19,000 feet. In this episode, you’ll discover: • How Climbing Kilimanjaro started and grew from humble beginnings • The best travel routes into Kilimanjaro International Airport or via Nairobi • How much training is needed before attempting the climb • Why 6-day and 9-day routes offer very different acclimatisation experiences • What food, camp life, porters, toilets, and summit night are really like • How altitude sickness, emergency oxygen, and rescue support are managed Guest Information: Brian Raffio is the Senior Account Manager at Climbing Kilimanjaro. In this conversation, he shares practical advice from inside one of the mountain’s established operators, covering routes, costs, preparation, group dynamics, summit conditions, porter support, safety, and what travellers should know before taking on Africa’s highest mountain. Key Takeaways: • Kilimanjaro is not a technical climb, but travellers should train properly and prepare for long hiking days at altitude. • Longer routes can improve acclimatisation, which may give travellers a better chance of feeling strong near the summit. • Summit night is tough, emotional, and unforgettable, with many climbers reaching the top as the sun rises above the clouds. Contact Information: Should you want to contact me directly, please email: rael@keeptravelling.africa [rael@keeptravelling.africa] Blog Post: https://keeptravelling.africa/blog/climbing-kilimanjaro/ [https://keeptravelling.africa/blog/climbing-kilimanjaro/]