In the third and final dispatch from my annual East Africa adventure with our advisor partners, I find myself back in Uganda, one of my favorite places. My love of this country goes far beyond the amazing gorilla interactions and biodiversity. It’s the people. Now before you roll your eyes, let me explain.
Back in July 2003, just after I was married, my wife and I were on our way to Africa. En route, we stopped in London to visit her grandparents. For those of you don’t know, Purvi’s family was forced out of Uganda, among the many thousands of Indians Idi Amin exiled. Her grandparents, past 100 years in age, recounted their experience in detail. As I was from Kenya, my family and were very familiar with Idi Amin and what was happening there. This was the first time, however, that I heard this story firsthand, and I hung onto every word. As I think back to that time, its amazing how far Uganda has come with tourism now a top five export and foreign investment welcomed.
There are a few countries in the world that exemplify the power of tourism, Rwanda, Colombia, and recently Sri Lanka and Uganda. These are modern miracles, transformed by tourism, and the benefits include Uganda’s relative stability and a growing gorilla population. The partnership between the gorilla trekking initiatives in Bwindi and the community partnership with the Batwa tribes is an ambitious initiative with a clear goal in mind. It is this transformation that draws me into countries like this. They are real-life examples of sustainable tourism at work. Of course, it’s not perfect, then again when is anything absolutely without roadblocks.
Then there is the gorilla experience. This latest visit was a bit different. During my habituation experience, my guide, Lamech, was a familiar face. Pre-pandemic, we were on a previous trek together in a different part of Uganda. Though we had not spoken in years, we each remembered that time and were both grateful to see that the other was still in this industry post-pandemic. Even the experience was different from all previous experiences in both Rwanda and Uganda. This time, I revisited a family I had been tracking for a year. I fully expected the Silverback to be challenged as the Blackback was almost ready last visit. Instead, as you will see in the accompanying video, I had the honor of seeing a 3-week-old gorilla, brought into this world by one of the older females. Watching each mature male come down off the tree and visit with the mother and baby, even hugging, was a sight I still can’t stop thinking about. For the many times I have tracked the gorillas in both Rwanda and Uganda, I may be a bit desensitized to the adrenalin and impact. Nope, it’s still the same rush.
My first interaction with the Samburu tribes of northern Kenya was as a child. Back then, the experience was not as immersive as it is now. In the years since, and the development of the Northern Rangelands Trust, the experience is more authentic, and more contrived, depending on whether you are in a game reserve or a private conservancy, which camp, and the operator.
I first met Storm and Rob when they were in Shimla, India, working at a historic hotel resting at the foothills of the Himalayas. Originally from South Africa, this couple fell in love with Kenya over a decade ago and ran a luxury camp in Laikipia that we love to use. Fast forward, and they have now developed their own camp deep in Samburu land near the boundaries of the Matthews Range. The fact that they opened near the end of the pandemic, told me it was a labor of love, and the size of the risk they were taking illustrated how committed they were to this camp.
I knew my visit would be magical, but I had no idea how magical. When their 12-year-old son Angus was the first to greet everyone with a smile that could shine through the atmosphere, I knew it was the right decision to visit. Not only was it great to reconnect with Storm and Rob, I also saw just how committed they were to the Samburu people they employ, a model Big Five has followed and gravitated towards for many years. Our second dispatch showcases this experience, which as I write this, still gives me goosebumps.
I’ve been on safari since I was 4 years old, and this experience is right up there with my first safari. Enjoy the video!
This is my Origin
Origin stories are the best kind of stories no matter if it’s about a superhero, or an everyday Jane or Joe. It is a story about craftsmanship as I was taught very early on, the story about how someone was made, not what they became. I liken this to a stitch pattern on a quilt or the grain on a tree, where each movement tells you something about the labor of creation. We as people are no different, each scar, each memory, and each experience is the stitch pattern on our lives.
How fitting then, that I begin our 2024 East Africa dispatch and my origin story in Nairobi, in the same month in the same city that Big Five began 50 years ago. The fact that I get to start the next 50 years in the same place is something that is most definitely part of our origin story. My first nights in Nairobi split between the iconic Norfolk Hotel, which has the same pool I spent time learning how to swim in as a child, long before the Fairmont name existed in Kenya, and my favorite boutique hotel in Nairobi, Manzili House.
Now, in Nairobi, the standard visits involve the Giraffe Centre and a few of the museums. This is great, however, there is such a great local art and food scene in Nairobi, it’s a shame anyone wanting authentic experiences misses this. The culmination is my favorite street food joint in the city, where Kenyan cuisine means Indian cuisine. This is the food I grew up eating with my parents both in Nairobi and along the Kenyan coast, and I must disclose, it’s got a kick!
Stay tuned to this dispatch as we head off the beaten safari path during one of our favorite months to be on safari.
So they say, and in certain countries, it is a necessity due to a long period of turmoil or what seems to be a series of false starts. The fact is that countries that endure these periods don’t waver on the higher commitment to sustainable tourism which is a topic for a Master Class in itself. Countries that fit that bill include Egypt, Colombia, Uganda, and Rwanda; however, a country that defines enduring, but is often left out of the conversation, is Sri Lanka.
Interestingly enough, my colleague Colin, who happens to be a former guide in India and the sub-continent for many years, knew there was so much more to the country and began showcasing Sri Lanka as a Big Five destination as early as 2009 amid the global economic collapse. Colin had guided many times through India and Sri Lanka, and there was just something about the destination that drew him in. Is it the mythological story of Lord Hanuman leaping off the peaks or the resting lion’s head placed so perfectly at the turn of the era that it is almost perfectly aligned with the gateway to Asia? Or maybe it’s the ancient capital that draws so many similarities to the ancient kingdoms nearby. It also could be the history of ancient crowns with the vivid story of their ascent and well-documented collapse. No matter the topic, the era, or the historical context, there seems to be a direct and indirect correlation back to Sri Lanka that dates to the turn of the common era and before.
In recent history, Sri Lanka has not had an easy road. In the 15 years we’ve operated there, it’s had calamities from the well-documented civil conflict to the recent political unrest. While most countries were given the chance to recover post-pandemic, Sri Lanka did not have that opportunity until now. The future is bright and the times we have been patiently waiting for are here, with Sri Lanka a shining star in our trending destinations of 2024.
Is there a particular you are asked almost daily, something so frequently asked that you rank it on the same level as “Are we there yet?” What would that question be and does your answer vary over time? Is it based on who is asking? Are you the consistent type that responds with the same answer down to the syllable and word count? For Big Five the question is centered around when we will begin actively offering Japan. I think I get that question at least twice daily and have had to politely decline most requests.
Now, you may be wondering if I am certifiable or just plain nuts. Though there is a plausible reason for both in my case, the math is the real reason, and it never lies. When Japan’s borders first opened, we focused on letting those who postponed their pre-pandemic journeys access to be among the first to explore Japan. When we started to accept general inquiries, we noticed some issues with the infrastructure short-circuiting due to demand outstripping supply. When we dug deeper, we saw repeated patterns of stop-sell notices, and then announcements of new tourism taxes to slow the tourism momentum to a more manageable level. We worked for 50 years to earn your trust, and we don’t take it lightly. We show it with actions over simply telling you to trust us, and in this case, waiting was the right thing to do.
The shortage of guides, drivers, and tourism staff in general is more complicated than just over-tourism. The number of qualified guides in Japan (qualified is the keyword) dropped 60% from pre-pandemic to today. During the pandemic, many of the best guides left for other industries. Now in other countries, this was to temporarily replace lost income, however, in Japan, the reason is more obvious – to avoid a 3-year gap in the resume. As the Toyo Woman’s Cristian University said, “High-quality guides who can really look after customers are the most important, and they are definitely in short supply… The value guides can bring is to turn people into Japan fans. With their language skills and deep understanding of the country’s charms, they can convey Japan’s appeal to the world.” This was the main reason we waited, out of respect to the norms of the culture, and to allow the best guides to shine. We have always believed less is more, and that is more of a truth in Japan than anywhere else.
We are finally at a point where we are comfortable setting realistic expectations and accepting requests for Japan where we are the right fit. We have some amazing new experiences in the pipeline including a few President’s Picks aimed at those who are active and want to go beyond Tokyo and Kyoto.
