Biography
Ben's first trip to Africa took place in 1997 when he decided to backpack around Kenya for 3 months finishing on the islands off the Lamu archipelago. Having previously travelled extensively in Europe and to further flung holiday destinations he found nowhere that compared to Africa. Since that first Kenyan trip Ben has returned many times to Africa and enjoyed a host of wonderful experiences. This includes tiger fishing on the Zambezi, whale watching in South Africa, tracking wild dogs in Tanzania, swimming with whale sharks in the Indian ocean and trekking across the Altas Mountains in Morocco. Since joining Audley he has continued exploring East Africa and is looking forward to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. During his free time Ben enjoys playing squash and walking his dogs to the pub.
My Most Memorable Experience
My most memorable experience was swimming with whale sharks in the Kisimani Channel close to Mafia island. These huge sharks can weigh up to 25 tonnes and grow to around 20 metres long. Floating in the water, my first sighting of a whale shark was a 7 foot wide open mouth coming straight up from the bottom of the sea towards me. At the last second she closed her mouth and turned to miss me. Although a non-aggressive species this was a nerve-wracking and memorable experience.
My Favourite Destination
Ruaha National Park in Tanzania. This is an amazing unspoilt National Park deep in the heart of Tanzania accessible only by light aircraft.The wildlife is plentiful but it is so far off the beaten track that you may not see another vehicle during your stay. The quality of the guiding here is arguably the best in the country and the variety of game is phenomenal. This is one of the few last strongholds of wild dogs - the most effective predators in Africa.
My Favourite Accommodation
Oliver's Camp is a proper authentic Bushcamp with huge comfortable rooms and a wonderful ambience around the camp fire in the evenings. Located at the southern end of the park the wildlife viewing is great and you can enjoy some excellent walking safaris. The food and hospitality is superb and lying in bed listening to the sounds of the bush is a brilliant way to finish the day.