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BOOKS & E-BOOKS

To help prepare you for your safari adventure, we have curated a selection of our favourite books and guides. Whether you want to learn about the diverse wildlife you might encounter, understand more about the destination that you are visiting, or lose yourself in a great read, our collection has something for everyone.

East Africa Guides & Wildlife Books

The Safari Companion: A Guide to Watching African Mammals
The best field guide to observing and understanding the behavior of African mammals and an indispensable tool for naturalists traveling to Africa! The Second Edition has been fully revised and includes a new preface.

The Rough Guide to Kenya: Travel Guide with Free eBook (Rough Guides Main Series)
This Kenya guidebook offers comprehensive practical information on how to prepare for your trip and provides valuable advice on what to do once you're on the ground.
This up to date edition (release date July 2024) is packed with practical information, when & where to go as well as a free download of the e-book.

Fodor's The Complete Guide to African Safaris: with South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Victoria Falls
This Fodor’s guidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time. This new edition has been fully redesigned with an easy-to-read layout, fresh information, and beautiful colour photos.

Lonely Planet Swahili Phrasebook & Dictionary
The pocket-sized comprehensive language guide is the perfect companion for travellers. With its convenient size, this guide provides the necessary vocabulary and phrases to help you confidently interact in the local language. With it's 3500-word two-way, quick-reference dictionary, this is a helpful resource that ensures you can communicate effectively and truly experience the local culture.

There is a brand new and updated version, set to release December 2024.

East African Wildlife (Bradt Wildlife Guides)
Brand new and updated version of this popular Guide, set to release January 2025.
This third edition has been extensively revised to provide a comprehensive overview of the incredible wildlife found in East Africa. This book serves as an excellent stand-alone guide, offering both wildlife information and practical visitor tips.

Stuarts' Field Guide to the Tracks & Signs of Southern, Central & East African Wildlife
This book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in identifying and understanding the tracks and signs left behind by animals. It covers a wide range of species, including mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and other invertebrates, and provides detailed descriptions, measurements, and track sketches. The inclusion of multiple full-colour photographs makes it easy to identify and interpret the tracks and signs. In addition, the book offers advice on where to look for these tracks and signs and how to interpret them, making it a comprehensive guide for nature and wildlife enthusiasts.

Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi
This comprehensive guide serves as an essential resource for bird enthusiasts in East Africa. It showcases 1,448 species of birds found in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. The guide conveniently presents the birds in a facing-page layout, allowing for easy identification and reference. With 289 colour plates containing over 3,500 meticulously illustrated images, it portrays various plumages and major races that birders are likely to encounter. The guide also includes informative sections on conservation and maps of important bird areas. This compact guide is a must-have for birdwatching in East Africa.

East Africa Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species in Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda (Wildlife and Nature Identification)
This beautifully illustrated pocket guide features over 140 familiar and distinctive species, in a lightweight, pocket-sized folding guide. Laminated for durability and includes a map highlighting key bird-viewing areas.

East Africa Wildlife: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species in Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda
This compact guide provides a comprehensive overview of over 120 species of mammals, birds, and reptiles that the area is renowned for. With its beautiful illustrations and durable laminated design, this pocket-sized folding guide is the perfect companion for any safari adventure.

Photography Books

Wildlife Photography Workshop
This updated edition (release date Oct 2024), is a comprehensive course designed by two renowned photographers. From birds and mammals to plant life and even close-up shots of insects, every aspect of wildlife photography is covered in detail. With hands-on guidance and expert instruction, this books aims to enhance the skills of any aspiring wildlife photographer, enabling them to create stunning images that truly capture the beauty and essence of the natural world.

The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Wildlife Photography: From Taking a Shot to Capturing a Moment
If you are passionate about becoming a skilled wildlife photographer, then "The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Wildlife Photography - From Taking a Shot to Capturing a Moment" is the perfect companion for your journey. This book will guide you through each step of your path towards becoming a wildlife photographer, with easy to follow layout, tips and assignments, this book will help you to unlock the secrets of capturing breathtaking wildlife photographs.

Mastering Bird Photography: The Art, Craft, and Technique of Photographing Birds and Their Behavior
Acclaimed bird photographer and author Marie Read offers a wealth of knowledge and insights in her book. With a focus on both technical aspects and artistic decisions, Read goes beyond the basics of camera choice, lens selection, and camera settings. She delves into the importance of fieldcraft, compositional decisions, and understanding bird behavior in order to create successful bird photographs. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced photographer, Marie Read's expertise and passion for bird photography will inspire and guide you in capturing stunning images of our feathered friends.

DSLR Cheat Sheet for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Camera Accessories Quick Reference Cards Photography Guides & Tips
The must-have camera accessory includes 30 pages of the most useful photography tips. These 16 double-sided DSLR cheat sheets are color-coded and suitable for any camera model, such as Canon, Nikon, Sony, and more. Concise and easy to understand, as well and small and compact they can easily fit in your pocket or clip to your camera bag. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced user, these cheat sheets are handy and cover the most common photographic situations.

Photography 101: Pocket Guide: Exposure Basics, Camera Settings, Lens Info, Composition Tips, and Shooting Scenarios

This quick reference pocket guide is ideal for photographers who are still mastering their camera and the essential concepts of exposure and composition. It is designed to provide a convenient and easily accessible resource for learning the basics, allowing you to capture exceptional photos with confidence. Whether you are on the go or exploring new locations, this ultra-portable guide will assist you in getting the perfect shot.

Holiday Reads

West With The Night - by Beryl Markham
The 1942 memoir by Beryl Markham, chronicling her experiences growing up in Kenya in the early 1900s, leading to a career as a bush pilot and the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic from east to west.

Love, Life, and Elephants: An African Love Story - by Daphne Sheldrick
In this deeply heartfelt memoir, she shares the incredible human story of her relationship with David Sheldrick, the famous Tsavo National Park warden, whose death inspired the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Her tireless campaign to preserve Kenya's wildlife and the astonishing creatures she befriended along the way are alive with compassion and humor in this indelible memoir. Love, Life, and Elephants provides rare insight into the life of one of the world's most fascinating women, and her work at the orphans' nursery where she continues to this day.

The Shadow of Kilimanjaro - by Rick Ridgeway
Explorer, adventurer, entrepreneur, Ridgeway takes the reader on an incredible journey. On foot for a month, from the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, through the plains of Tsavo, to the sea, he offers a rare ground's-eye view of east Africa as it is today, and how it once was before the incursion of European civilization.

Rhino in the Room - by Jill Hedgecock
Award-winning Rhino in the room and the sequel, Queen of the Rhino, are gripping stories told from the perspective of seventeen-year-old fashionista, Claire. Despite her initial reluctance, Claire finds herself on a safari with her father. Their safari takes a dangerous turn after breaking a critical game-drive rule. Can Claire and her dad overcome their broken relationship in order to save their own lives and the last two black rhinos from extinction? Inspired by her safari experiences in Gamewatcher’s Porini Rhino, Mara and Lion Camps and her magical encounter with the last two northern white rhinos at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Hedgecock transports readers to Kenya in all its beauty and intrigue in Rhino in the Room and the sequel Queen of the Rhino.

I Dreamed of Africa - by Kuki Gallmann
This is a very personal story, a woman’s journey of love, loss and rebirth, based on a ranch in Kenya, on the edge of the Rift Valley. Gallmann fulfilled her dream by moving to Africa at 25 with her soon-to-be husband, where they established a 90,000 acre ranch. The book is a beautifully written and at times haunting memoir of what it is like to belong to the land and truly love Africa.

The Tree Where Man Was Born - by Peter Matthiessen
A captivating and timeless portrayal of East Africa, capturing the essence of the region with vivid and revealing detail. With a blend of nature and travel writing, Matthiessen brings to life the landscapes, wildlife, and people he encountered during his extensive travels in Africa over a twelve-year period. This Penguin Classics edition, with an introduction by renowned primatologist Jane Goodall.

Born Free: The Story of Elsa - by Joy Adamson
The incredible story of Joy Adamson and her life with Elsa the lioness is truly inspiring. Joy raised Elsa from an orphaned cub to an adult, forming a deep and powerful bond with the magnificent animal. Through their journey, we are reminded of the precious connection between humans and animals, and the impact of preserving the natural world. Joy's dedication to Elsa and her work in wildlife conservation is a testament to the profound impact that one person can have on the lives of animals and the environment.

Out of Africa - by Karen Blixen
In 1914, Karen Blixen arrived in Kenya with her husband to manage a coffee farm. She quickly fell in love with the land and spent her happiest years there until the farm failed. Forced to return to Denmark, she wrote the classic account of her experiences in her beloved Kenya. This memoir captures Blixen's deep connection to the African continent and the profound impact it had on her life.

The Big Cat Man: An Autobiography
Wildlife presenter and photographer, Jonathan Scott celebrates his extraordinary life in his fascinating autobiography, where he shares his passion for wildlife, photography and his life lived in the world's most spectacular wilderness area.

A Lion Called Christian: The True Story of the Remarkable Bond Between Two Friends and a Lion
A Lion Called Christian is a touching and uplifting true story of an incredible human-animal bond. A Lion Called Christian tells the remarkable story of how two visitors to London, bought a boisterous lion cub in the pet department of Harrods and how the three of them shared a flat above a furniture shop on London’s King’s Road. Until a coincidental meeting with English actors Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers, stars of the hit film Born Free, led to Christian being flown to Kenya and placed under the expert care of the “father of lions” George Adamson who fully integrated him into Africa and a life with other lions.