Fiona's most memorable experience
“It is so hard to narrow this down! However, I think tracking gorillas in Uganda has to be one of my favourites. We had to work hard to see them, trekking for 3 hours through hot thick forest, up and down steep muddy slopes, clambering over trees, and wading through streams! However, it was worth it, being on foot, having to work for it, and being without the protection of a car makes it even more special! Spending an hour with these incredible rare animals, at times only an arm’s length away, was awe-inspiring, spine-tingling, and slightly scary! They were so human-like, gentle and social with each other, it was easy to forget they are also immensely strong wild animals who deserve respect. An unforgettable experience.
On a visit to Tanzania, I went walking with Maasai guides from the Empakai Crater in the Ngorongoro Highlands, down into Lake Natron. This area is stunningly beautiful, and once you are away from the main crater there are very few people, except the occasional Maasai warrior. This is Maasai land. Learning about the Maasai way of life from the guides whilst walking through this wild, remote area is really special.
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to explore northern Ethiopia by helicopter, which was extraordinary! Flying by helicopter, whilst removing you slightly from the reality of life on the ground, enables you to get to some really remote areas. One great memory was landing in the bottom of an extinct volcano in the Danakil depression, an area very few people reach, swimming in the natural volcanic pools and finding fossils that had been untouched for centuries. Just highlighting the extraordinary diversity that the continent of Africa can offer.”