Ella McKendrick

21/08/2024

A couple more of our spectacular leopard sighting in Khwai Community Concession in Botswana.

We stayed with this male leopard as he gorged himself on a warthog that he'd caught earlier that day. The lack of sunlight made for difficult filming conditions but I'm quite pleased with how these came out regardless.

19/08/2024

Victoria Falls!! Seeing this natural wonder of the world has been on my bucket-list for a while and so, when I was planning my trip to Botswana, I decided to make a little detour to Zimbabwe and Zambia before saying goodbye to my favourite continent.

The most impressive views can be found on the Zimbabwe side of the falls (where these were all taken). I knew it would be wet but I wasn't quite anticipating it to feel like I was beneath a cold shower! A rain coat is definitely necessary 😉

Pictures don't do this incredible place justice - you just have to see it with your own eyes!

13/08/2024

Hyena cubs! 😍 I have such a soft spot for hyenas. Whilst many people look at them and think they are pesky scavengers, I can't help but admire them - their complex social systems and their exceptional hunting skills.

Coming across this hyena den one evening in Khwai was a delightful surprise. At first the den was quiet but then, one by one, youngsters of various ages started to amble over to the den site from the nearby mopane woodland. Things got even better when two very young hyena cubs emerged from the den, all brown in colour.

The best was yet to come however. As we were leaving, we came across a mother hyena running towards us with an exceptionally small youngster in her jaws. It let out cried of protest as it was moved to its new den. Whilst I didn't capture any photos (the sighting was so fleeting!) I did get a great video which will make an appearance on my YouTube channel in the coming months.

Do you like hyenas?

05/08/2024

It was our first morning in Savuti in Chobe National Park, Botswana. We'd heard lions roaring throughout the night, their song continuing into the early hours of the morning. Knowing they were nearby, we hopped in the vehicle and headed out to search for them.

Our guide, Lucas, had a good idea of where they would be and took us to the nearby watering hole. We paused here, cut the engine and listened. The sun was just starting to rise, turning the sky a piercing blood red. Sadly, all was quiet now except for the chirping of doves at the water hole.

We began to meander down one of the dirt tracks, following Lucas' intuition. He led us straight to this female lioness, a member of the Northern Pride. She was searching for something, sniffing the ground, pacing back and forth. Her hanging belly was an indicator that she had young cubs so we could only assume they were what she was searching for. We never did find out where they were. One theory our guide had was that a leopard had sadly taken them as she kept looking to the trees whilst following a scent trail. I can only hope they made an appearance later in the day.

The lighting was absolutely perfect and I'm quite chuffed with how these came out.

31/07/2024

Dreams really can come true 💫 I've been lucky enough to see a number of fantastic wildlife sightings over the years. However, only two have made me cry tears of disbelief. The first was two years ago, when I witnessed the great wildebeest migration crossing the Mara River. The second was when I saw my first ever African wild dogs, a bucket-list sighting that I've been dreaming of for decades.

It was on day 7 of my Botswana safari. I had come to terms at this point with the fact that I may not see any wild dogs. They had been the main ambition behind visiting Botswana but they were proving to be highly elusive. We didn't see them in neither Moremi Game Reserve or Khwai Community Concession.

On day 7 we journeyed from Khwai to Savuti, a region within the Chobe National Park. On our way a vehicle travelling from Savuti informed our guide that there was an active wild dog den in Savuti. He immediately took us there and we held our breath, not quite able to contemplate that we could actually be seeing wild dogs soon.

Sure enough, they were there. As soon as I laid eyes on the first dog, my eyes welled up and I had to try really hard to not cause a scene. It was a silent tear in the end!

Not only did I see wild dogs, but all 9 puppies came out of the den! It was magical.

There was however quite a bit of drama at the den. I'll save that story exclusively for my YouTube video which should be out in a couple of months time.

29/07/2024

This was without a doubt one of my favourite sightings from my recent Botswana trip!

It was early evening when we turned up at the large leadwood tree and noticed a partly-eaten warthog stashed in the fork of the tree. Another car was already there waiting and informed us that they'd witnessed an impressive male leopard make the kill, carry it into the tree and start to feed. The leopard was sadly disturbed by someone passing by on foot 15 minutes ago and ran off into the nearby mopane woodland.

We decided to wait for his return. This involved sitting near the leadwood tree for several hours. The sun dipped below the horizon turning the sky a beautiful blood-red colour.

Then, just as the light was starting to fade, I noticed movement in the mopane forest. Sure enough the elegant male leopard was strolling back towards the tree. He wasn't however in a hurry to resume his dinner. Instead he lay at the base of the tree, relaxing as the sky turned from red to black.

It was extremely fortunate that this sighting happened in Khwai Community Concession and not one of the government owned reserves as unlike the reserves, the concessions allow night game drives which meant we were able to stay with him.

Eventually he bounded up the tree and commenced his feast. I'll save those images for another day!

Lighting conditions were extremely challenging as, well, there was no light! We had to therefore turn to spotlights to make the scene visible and getting a good photo with them can be difficult. I'm quite happy with how these came out however, especially in black and white. What do you think?

26/07/2024

Botswana is so much more than it's impressive big cats and elephants. There are a huge variety of antelopes that can be found here. Theres are some of my favourite antelope shots from Moremi.

Here we have some impalas and red lechwe. I particularly like the red lechwe as they can run with ease through the Okavango Delta which is pretty cool to see.

24/07/2024

Whilst there were signs of lions everywhere - frequent pug marks and distant roars in the evening - it wasn't until our fourth full day of safari that we saw them. Two lionesses in Khwai Community Concession, Botswana.

The duo were resting in a wooded area, golden morning sunlight filtering down through the canopy and illuminating their coats. Initially they seemed interested in a nearby herd of buffalo and began stalking through the undergrowth. At some point they lost interest and journeyed to a channel which fed off from the Khwai River.

Once the lionesses crossed the channel, they melted away. I was incredibly impressed with our guide, Lucas, who predicted exactly where they were heading and drove away from the other cars, positioning us in the perfect spot by the river. I was amazed when the lionesses broke through the long grass, heading straight towards us. We then had the privilege of spending several hours with them, just us and no other vehicle.

22/07/2024

First one from Botswana 🇧🇼 I can't wait to share what we got up to over our several week expedition through Botswana and neighbouring countries. I'll start here with one of my favourite sunsets that I've ever witnessed.

It was the end of our second full day in Moremi Game Reserve when we rocked up on the aptly named Dead Tree Island. Flooding of the delta over 10 years ago drowned an entire forest and now their eery skeletons are a notable feature and the beautiful foreground to an epic sunset. It was the perfect place to watch the sun disappear over the horizon.

01/05/2024

What a moment this was. On our second day of safari in Kanha Tiger Reserve, we came across a pair of tigers. After spending some time with them in the early hours of the morning, they melted away into the jungle.

A few hours later, we decided to try our luck visiting the same spot where we had seen them earlier. We got lucky! I could just make out a striped pelt as a tiger lounged under a bush, not far away from the river. I watched as the tiger got to its feet and headed deeper into the forest.

Our driver and guide were extremely skilled at predicting the tiger's movements, positioning the car beside an area of forest. We were told to wait. And so we did. I couldn't believe it when moments later a large striped head pushed through the bushes, and the large male tiger appeared, heading straight for us. I captured these photos as he approached our vehicle, made eye contact with me for a few moments and then continued on his journey.

Behind him was actually a female tiger. I captured video footage of her - she moved too quickly to capture photos as well. She'll be making an appearance when I edit together a video of my time in Kanha which I can't wait to share with you!

29/04/2024

A majestic Barasingha stag in Kanha Tiger Reserve at sunset. These beautiful deers were once close to extinction. However fantastic conversation efforts have increased their numbers and they can now be seen in abundance in Kanha.

26/04/2024

A gorgeous young male tiger in Kanha Tiger Reserve. Would you believe he's not fully grown? We were lucky enough to encounter this young male twice during our safari in Kanha.

Photographing tigers in India is so different to photographing the big cats in Africa. The dense forests and the elusive nature of tigers make sightings much shorter so you have to be extremely quick to capture the best shots. Then, as quickly as the tigers appear, they're gone.

24/04/2024

A brief interruption to my India photos with a throwback to my time in Tanzania a couple of months ago.

After a long afternoon on the road after an amazing few days of safari, journeying from the Serengeti to the town of Karatu, we paused beside the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater to admire the view.

Ngorongoro is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world and is home to a plethora of wildlife, including the endangered black rhino and the highest density of lions in Africa.

Whilst we didn't descend into the crater this time due to time constraints, I have visited before and wouldn't hesitate to go back again ❤️

22/04/2024

It was our second day of safari in Kanha Tiger Reserve in Central India. On our first day of safari we had been fortunate enough to enjoy three separate sightings of three individual tigers. Two sightings were so fleeting that I only captured them on video - the other sighting I shared with you a couple of weeks ago.

As soon as we entered the reserve on the second morning, at 6:15am, we heard about a sighting. We made our way, meandering down narrow forest roads until we came upon two beautiful tigers: a male and a female. The female was shy, slinking in the shadows, whilst the male (a sub-adult - not yet fully grown) wandered elegantly down the road and we were able to capture these photos. An extremely magical moment!

10/04/2024

Kanha is so much more than just tigers! Here are some of Kanha's other residents that I had the pleasure of meeting on my safari.

1. Grey langur - the most abundant primate in Kanha Tiger Reserve
2. Chital spotted deer fawns - how cure are these guys?
3. Southern swamp deer (Barasingha) - a beautiful sub-species of swap deer found exclusively in Kanha

Thanks to .madan for helping me capture these photos!

04/04/2024

Welcome to Kanha Tiger Reserve in central India 🇮🇳

I had the pleasure of visiting India for the first time two months ago and am finally up to date enough with sharing my Kenya + Tanzania highlights that I can now share some of my favourite images from India.

I had never been on a safari in India before so I wasn't sure what to expect. I secretly (or not so secretly!) hoped to see a wild Bengal tiger but I didn't know if this was realistic.

I want to thank the extremely talented .madan for making this tiger safari happen, organising the best guides and trackers as well as some wonderful accommodation, and for his invaluable skills in helping me take the best photos possible.

I booked 2 full day safaris in Kanha rather than half day safaris so that we could be in the park early and leave late. It also allowed us to be in the park in the middle of the day, when most visitors have left, which can allow for some incredibly special sightings.

These pictures are of my first ever wild tiger sighting. She's a gorgeous female called Neelam and these were taken in the middle of the day on our first safari, when we were the only vehicle in the area. As a result, we got these special moments with her all to ourselves!

25/03/2024

It was 30 minutes before Ambosei's gate was about to close when we came across two male cheetahs. They were far way, little more than specs on the horizon, their heads just peeping out from amongst the tall grass stalks. We waited with them, hoping they would move. Alas, they didn't and we were forced to leave.

The next day, as we hopped back into the Land Cruiser and ventured out into the park once more, I hoped that we'd come across them again.

Luck was certainly on my side as our first sighting of the morning was of the two males. This time they were right beside the road, strolling majestically through the grass as the rain started to come down. They crossed the road right in front of us and began to stealthily make their way towards a dense swathe of palm trees. Their postures told us that they were stalking something that stood just behind a palm tree.

The chase was on. The duo swiftly dashed out of view, between the trees, in pursuit of a young impala. The palm forest concealed the outcome of the hunt. However, when the boys didn't return, we could only assume they had been successful and were tucking into a well-earned meal.

21/03/2024

One of my favourite lion sightings took place in Amboseli National Park. It was mid-morning and the day had been overcast; we'd just been caught up in a torrential downpour.

We knew there were lions in the area as the pride had very young cubs and so a fixed base within some thickets.

As we waited for signs of life, we saw a tawny shape appear over the crest of a hill and stroll purposefully towards us. We were in the perfect position to capture her face-on. The weather was also on our side, catching her in a beautiful beam of sunlight and so giving me some of my best ever lion photos.

The lionesses had been hunting. However, they had unfortunately been unsuccessful and looked in need of a good meal soon.

14/03/2024

Safaris in the Masai Mara 💫

The first picture is of our picnic spot in the Mara, where we stopped for a delicious lunch. Can you think of a better place to enjoy lunch? 😍

12/03/2024

Without a doubt the best leopard sighting I've had to date 😍

It was my last day in the Masai Mara and I'd only so far had a small glimpse of a leopard. You can then imagine my surprise when this beautiful female leopard jumps from a tree with a freshly caught gazelle in her jaws. Absolute magic.

23/02/2024

Two zebra stallions battling it out for mating rights in the Masai Mara.

There was a lot of biting and kicking, and despite watching them for a good 10 minutes, there was no obvious winner. The brawl continued as we trundled off into the distance.

Who knows, maybe they are still fighting to this day.

16/02/2024

It was my second day in the Masai Mara. This time we decided to enter through the Musiara Gate and found ourselves in the north western part of the main reserve. Dawn wasn't far behind us as we trundled down the Mara's dusty roads.

Before long we had stumbled across a beautiful female from the Musiara pride, resting in the bushes with two cubs. We waited with her, watching the cubs as they enjoyed a good feed.

Then movement from across the savannah caught my eye. The rest of the pride was returning from a nighttime hunt and, based on the blood splatters across one of the female's chests, it appeared to be a successful one. One by one the pride appeared over the horizon, each walking purposefully towards the shade of an acacia tree. They flopped down beside one another, sometimes giving fellow pride-members an affectionate nuzzle before giving in to sleep.

As the sun slide higher in the sky, the female with her cubs rose from her resting spot. She had a good stretch before retreating to a denser part of the bushes, out of sight of prying eyes.

Wildlife sightings can be so fleeting. Had we arrived a few moments later, these precious few moments would have all been missed. I'm therefore so immensely grateful for every single wildlife sighting I've had.

14/02/2024

A unique combination! What do you think they're saying to each other? 🦏

This was a very magical moment in the Masai Mara. Black rhinos are extremely rare. There's estimated to be only 30 individuals within the Mara and, as there is no fencing, these individuals can easily venture into the neighbouring Serengeti. Therefore the exact number of rhinos in the Mara is unclear. Black rhinos are by far the hardest of the Big Five to spot in the Masai Mara.

I didn't expect to see one. Then as we entered the Mara Triangle one morning, my guide, Gideon, received a radio call. A rhino had been spotted! However, at the same time, another vehicle pulled up alongside us and told us a leopard had just made a kill nearby.

We were torn, unsure which sighting to prioritise as both animals are rare to see. Gideon asked me what to do and I decided to see the leopard (sorry rhino!). I instantly regretted my decision when the leopard was suddenly nowhere to be found.

We tried our luck with the rhino, our chances of seeing it now slim as we had delayed reaching the sighting.

However, luck was on our side this time. The majestic black rhino was strolling through the savannah. It stopped momentarily and had this interesting moment with an ostrich before the duo disappeared.

A fleeting moment of magic in the Masai Mara.

24/01/2024

Fabulous mother cheetah, Nashipai, and two of her four growing cubs in the Masai Mara. I stumbled across this adorable family twice during my time in the Mara and absolutely fell in love with them ❤️

23/01/2024

Some of my favourite elephant pictures from Amboseli, Kenya 🇰🇪

Amboseli is famous for being home to some of the largest herds of African elephants in the world. It's frequently touted as one of the best places in Africa to see elephants and honestly, it didn't disappoint!

I was blown away by the scale of the herds. Sure, I expected lots if elephants, but I saw a herd of several hundred elephants marching towards us across the plains, a sight that I'll never forget.

19/01/2024

Chasing waterfalls in Arusha National Park!

Arusha National Park is conveniently located just north of the city of Arusha in northern Tanzania. However despite being so close to Arusha, this park is often missed off people's itineraries in favour for Tanzania's more famous parks such as the Serengeti or Tarangire. I was keen to see if people are right to give it a miss or if it's actually a hidden gem.

I was actually pleasantly surprised by Arusha National Park. One of the key draws to this park is the fact that you can go on a walking safari (like this) whereas you can't in many other national parks.

There's something very special about Arusha National Park's landscape as well. It's lush, green and coated in forest, so different to Tanzania's other safari destinations. In the centre sits Mount Meru, the second highest peak in the country. There's also a number of waterfalls that you can see including this one, Tululusia waterfall.

When you go on a walking safari, you'll be accompanied by an armed ranger. Here I am with Bryson, my armed ranger for the afternoon. I asked him if he'd ever had to use his rifle and he told me he does sometimes use it to scare away angry buffalo!

18/01/2024

After two full days of safari in the Masai Mara I still hadn't seen a leopard. Don't get me wrong, I was happy with what I'd seen, from four fluffy cheetah cubs frolicking about to a huge male lion feeding on a buffalo kill just inches from our vehicle and an extremely rare black rhino. But I'd not yet seen a leopard.

That didn't mean I hadn't gotten close. I'd narrowly missed a fantastic leopard sighting. A female took down a zebra calf and began to feed with her cub, only to be chased off the kill by a huge male leopard who then proceeded to sn**ch his grim reward in a tree before swiftly vanishing. I arrived at the scene seconds too late, only some zebra legs dangling from the tree as evidence to what happened. I waited for hours but none of the leopards returned.

On the third day we heard news of another leopard with a kill not far from our lodge. We raced to the scene only to be greeted by a huge queue of cars, all lining up to have a small glimpse of the female leopard, known as Luluka, who sat with her back to everyone. There was only one angle where she was actually visible so cars could only stay for a couple of heartbeats before allowing the next vehicle to appear. Needless to say my pictures didn't turn out great.

The next day we decided to return, hopeful that she'd still be here. Indeed she was, this time up the tree with her gazelle kill, and only a handful of vehicles were watching.

I never could have hoped for what happened next.

Luluka came down the tree with her kill and proceeded to eat, just inches away from where we were all waiting. We stayed with her for what felt like hours, watching her eat her fill until there was nothing but a few tufts of fur left as evidence.

Without a doubt the best leopard sighting of my life so far.

17/01/2024

I'm aware that I'm massively behind on posting content from my recent Kenya and Tanzania trip so over the next few weeks I'm going to make it my mission to post some of my trip highlights (somewhat) consistently before I head off on my next big adventure.

To kick-off my new posting routine I'm sharing some snaps of this young giraffe that I encountered in the Masai Mara. This energetic youngster was charging after its mother, full of beans.

One of the benefits of visiting East Africa during the short rainy season is the arrival of new grass prompts the birth of a number of animals. Baby animals were everywhere and I never get tired of seeing them frolic about!

01/04/2023

An article I wrote for 52 Perfect Days on some of the best things you can do in Dubrovnik, Croatia!

There are so many amazing things to do in Dubrovnik and in this article I share my absolute favorites including where to stay, eat, best tours, hotels and more!

21/08/2022

A big thank you to everyone who watched my recent video where I cook a traditional Senegalese dish with locals! 👩‍🍳 Your support means the world to me! ❤️ If you haven't watched it yet, you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svE1ovnl_bE