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Dreams of Cinnabar: A Midnight Arrival in Zanzibar

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Experience a midnight arrival in Zanzibar and explore the rich history of Stone Town, the origins of the word "safari," and the legends of explorers like David Livingstone.

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The “Flat-Top” That Isn't: Exploring Kilimanjaro’s Secret Caldera

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Think Kilimanjaro has a flat top? Think again! From hand-drawn diagrams to summit photos at Uhuru Peak, explore the volcanic 'cooking pot' at the top of Africa’s highest peak.

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The Last Full Night: Resting at 13,000 Feet

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Explore the beauty of Mount Kilimanjaro from Karanga Camp. Follow along as we recharge at 12,992 feet, observing glaciers like "icy fingers," moorland chats, and the surprising sounds of John Denver drifting through the East African clouds.

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Critically Endangered: The High-Flying Griffon Vultures of the Serengeti

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Meet the bird that can fly at 36,000 feet! From its 'gut-of-iron' to its unique oxygen-moving blood, discover the incredible Rüppell's griffon vulture and the German explorer who gave it its name.

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Ants in Your Pants: From Fiction to Kilimanjaro’s Slopes

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From Charlton Heston to Indiana Jones, movies love a good ant apocalypse. But would they really eat you in six minutes? Explore the facts—and a real Kilimanjaro ant dance.

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An Amateur’s Guide to Surviving Your Own Travel Habits

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From tooth-brushing in an African sink to barefoot sprints through mamba-filled grass, learn why being a ‘savvy traveler’ beats being a white-toothed barefoot amateur.

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From Bulls to Boars: Finding Life in the “Valley of the Shadow of Death”

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Looking for some animal encounters on the Jesus Trail? Join us as we hike the ancient Wadi Hamam—the "Valley of the Doves"—and encounter five unexpected critters, from mountain gazelles to wild boar, in this vibrant "valley of life" near the Sea of Galilee.

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Required Reading for Explorers: Rachel Levin's Look Big and Other Tips for Surviving Animal Encounters of All Kinds

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Rachel Levin’s first book, Look Big and Other Tips for Surviving Animal Encounters of All Kinds offers an interesting take on our North American friends from the wild side.

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Jesus Trail 2019

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Unlike the turnpike of millions, the Jesus Trail is the road less traveled. Here the groups are small, the pace is slow, and the priorities are different. Read more about out 2019 hike.

Required Reading for Explorers: F. A. Worsley’s Endurance: An Epic of Polar Adventure

Last night I finished F. A. Worsley’s 1931 publication of Endurance: An Epic of Polar Adventure (Norton, 2000). It was terrific! The author, Frank Worsley, was a New Zealand sea captain who saw action in WW1, did merchant work around Iceland, but most famously, skippered the Endurance. The Endurance was the ill-fated ship used by Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–1916. It is also a fitting theme for this book.