We Have Been Fortunate to See So Many Amazing Animals in the Wild

On February 29, 2024February 29, 2024 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, TanzaniaLeave a comment

It took going to Africa twice over a three-year span, but our trips to Eastern Africa have been among the best experiences of our lives. Between the eleven-day safari that took us to many different national parks across Kenya and Tanzania to our most recent adventure to trek to see gorillas and chimpanzees in Rwanda, it has been truly fascinating to get up-close to all of these amazing creatures. People often ask us what our favorite location or trip has been and we typically respond that it depends on the type of trip as to what was our favorite. When it comes to adventure, the trips to Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda certainly make it to the top of the list. These are just a taste of some of what we saw in Africa, but we have had some equally unique experiences in South America and in the Amazon Jungle as well.

The Big Cats of East Africa – One of the things that most people look forward to when going on safari in Eastern Africa is seeing all of the big cats like lions, leopards, and cheetahs. We certainly weren’t disappointed with our encounters as we had several that were all amazing and different in many ways. Whether watching the lion cubs at play, seeing a leopard climbing up a tree, or having a cheetah jump on the hood of our Land Cruiser, seeing these animals up close was something truly special. We saw lions at almost every park that we visited, but the leopards and cheetahs were more rare to see. We know that we were very fortunate to see the amazing variety of cats, including the caracal cat, which not everyone gets to see.

Lioness and Cub Snuggling – One of Our Favorite Photographs

Seeing Baby Animals During Our Safari – Although not all baby animals are cute and adorable, the majority of them are and we saw plenty of them during our time in Kenya and Tanzania. Knowing that the number of people going on safari during these times of COVID restrictions, it must be even more fascinating to these baby animals when they come across humans for the first time. Sometimes they were curious about our presence, but for the most part, they didn’t even seem to notice that we were there. We enjoyed not only seeing the baby animals, but also watching their interactions with the rest of their families.

Trekking to Spend Time with a Gorilla Family in Rwanda – After making the over twenty-one-hour trip from Washington DC to Kigali, Rwanda, we immediately were transported to Volcanoes National Park where the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda are located. We got a few hours of sleep and then woke up early to climb into the rainforest to locate our gorilla family. We were expecting to make our way through the jungle to observe the gorillas through the trees and perhaps have the opportunity to get a little close to one or two of them. It turned out that we would spend an hour standing and walking amongst the entire gorilla family, who continuously walked in front, behind, and all around us as we spent time with them. It was truly one of the most incredible and unique experiences that we have ever had during our travels.

The Amazing Birds of East Africa – As much as we enjoyed seeing all of the large animals in East Africa, we also saw an amazing assortment of birds. Whether the fascinating ostriches, different waterfowl like the flamingos, or other colorful birds, it was as interesting seeing all of the different birds as it was to see lions, rhinos, and giraffes. It wasn’t until we arrived back home and had time to go through all of our photographs that we realized how many different birds we were able to capture images of. We knew before we went to Tanzania and Kenya that we would see ostriches and flamingos, but the sheer number of colorful and interesting birds that we saw was almost overwhelming.

Traveling around the world offers so many wonderful opportunities to see history, immerse yourself in a different culture, or to see amazing wildlife in their natural habitats. To us, one experience isn’t necessarily better than the other, each has their own unique rewards. We are less than two weeks away from heading back to South America and visiting Columbia, which will be more of a cultural exploration. Do you have a favorite type of travel experience that makes a trip the “best trip ever”?

A Look Back at Adventures in 2023

On January 2, 2024January 2, 2024 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Nepal, Rwanda6 Comments

We were more quiet this past year than we have been previously, but that doesn’t mean that we weren’t busy. We are truly looking forward to the new year and going on new adventures, but it is always worth looking back at the places that we visited last year. We were able to go on two truly spectacular trips last year, the first being to Dubai and then to Nepal in March and the second was our trip to Rwanda in September. In between were able to visit some other places closer to our new home on the east coast including Ocean City, Maryland, as well as spending time in Washington DC.

Going to Kathmandu in Nepal was an absolutely amazing experience that we will certainly treasure forever. The highlight of the trip was taking a high-altitude helicopter to see the base camp at Mount Everest. We have spent many years hiking in the mountains of Colorado, but there is something truly magical about standing amongst the peaks of the Himalayan Mountains. In addition to seeing the incredible scenery, we also spent time visiting the temples and learning about the fascinating culture. The people were extremely friendly and made us feel welcome from the moment that we landed in the country.

Sitting on the Boat in Lake Kivu in Rwanda

Later in the year, we returned to Africa once again, this time to trek to spend time with gorillas and then chimpanzees in Rwanda. After our trip to Kenya and Tanzania in 2021 where we went on an extended safari, we made a pledge to ourselves that we would return one day to see the mountain gorillas in the wild. It was certainly worth the effort of hiking through thick vegetation of the rain forest to spend time with these docile creatures who seemed as truly interested in spending time with us as we did with them. No words could ever truly capture the awe and beauty of the time that we spent amongst these incredible animals.

Either of these trips would have been an incredible memory that would last a lifetime, but to do both of them in the same year was even more spectacular. The many, many hours that spent traveling to and from these remote locations was worth every minute for the experiences that we had and the people that we met. We have yet to share all of our stories from those two trips, so we are committed to being better in 2024 to post more about those trips as well as the adventures that we are planning on for this coming year. If this year is anywhere close to 2023, we certainly expect to have many more adventures to share in the coming months.

Some of the Best Travel Memories Have Nothing to Do With the Destination

On October 20, 2020October 20, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Travel Tips2 Comments

Whenever we travel to a place, we are always excited to see all of the amazing places that the location has to offer. Castles, ruins, monuments, national parks, or city centers are all fascinating and make for wonderful memories when we return home. However, sometimes, it is just sitting in a little bistro and watching the crowds or going for a walk along the river that become some of our favorite memories.

We Watched These Children Film a Holiday Special in Strasbourg

Sitting in an Outdoor Café in Athens, Greece

We always try to make sure that we have time to relax during our travels or to find something different to do that we didn’t know about before arriving. It is often those little surprises that weren’t planned or the time simply spent together enjoying each other’s company in a unique environment that come to our minds when we look back at our different trips. It can even be the conversations that we have with the locals in a restaurant or hotel that put a smile on our faces when we think back about our time.

Finding Some Shade on a 114 Degree Day Outside of Aswan, Egypt

Toasting with a Glass of Champagne on Christmas Eve in Prague

Taking a Stroll Through the Side Streets of Quito, Ecuador

Clearly we take the time to see as many of the important sights as we can when we visit a city or country, so our memories are often a mix of tourist locations and simple moments. Do you ever think back about a trip and remember a time that had nothing to do with a specific location or sight that you were planning on seeing?