The East Africa Travel Podcast by Diary of a Muzungu

It's cold in the mountains: a fire crackles in the hearth at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge in the foothills of the Virunga volcanoes, as we sip ginger tea and honey and discuss Kwita Izina, Rwanda's annual gorilla naming ceremony.

In Episode 35 of the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast, I join thousands of people for Kwita Izina, where the latest newborn mountain gorillas are given their names. Recorded live among the traditional Intore dancers, the episode brings you drumbeats, the cheers of the crowd and entertaining moments with the VIP namers. You'll also hear from three guests with a long history in gorilla conservation and tourism in Rwanda. Together, we discuss:

Who names the gorillas? And what do the names mean?

Ian Redmond OBE first came to Rwanda to work with Dr Dian Fossey, and was part of the famous documentary of Sir David Attenborough with the gorillas. The young gorillas Ian met in 1976 have all died, mostly of old age. Why does he call that "a conservation success"?

How do children in a Rwandan family give a newborn its names, and how did Dr Dian Fossey and Rosette Rugamba embrace that tradition for naming gorillas? Emmanuel Bugingo of Partners for Conservation explains.

How do visitors help protect gorillas?

Why is Rwanda expanding Volcanoes National Park, the mountain gorilla habitat, when many national parks face pressure to give up land for development?

Interested in tracking gorillas? I explain how a trip to Rwanda can get you a free invitation to Kwita Izina, and how to contact me, Charlotte, if you'd like help planning a trip to track gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda.

What's the connection between gorillas and international footballers? Rwanda tourism specialist David Toovey explains.

Welcome to my world!

Join me as we learn how a family naming tradition became a global celebration, and meet a few of the people who named Rwanda's newest gorillas.

Tune in to the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast by Charlotte Beauvoisin, author of Diary of a Muzungu, ATTA® Media Voice for Action Award Winner, for the dawn chorus of a tropical rainforest, gorilla tracking adventures and the sound of waves lapping on an Indian Ocean beach. Join me on my morning nature walks (mind we don't slip in an elephant pothole!) and listen to illuminating chats with conservationists and intrepid travellers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Sign up to my occasional newsletter.

Visit www.eastafricatravelpodcast.com for detailed transcripts.

Join me next week as we hang out with more cool people doing awesome stuff to protect our planet.

Birdsong, banter, and a burst of turquoise - the sight of one, two, three shining blue kingfishers has left me buzzing with excitement!

In Episode 34 of the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast, we leave the bird ringing table at Sunbird Hill to continue my conversation with legendary birder and tour leader Malcolm Wilson. His travels really define the spirit of adventure!

Listen as we sip tea with ambassadors (and pity the donkey thrown into the air by a jubilant crowd in Khartoum!)

• How did a 1927 bicycle, bought from a scrap yard for the price of a cup of coffee, kick off an epic journey across Europe down the Nile and deep into Africa?

• What was it like cycling through the Sudan's desert at night, pursued by hyenas?

• Stranded without water, an arsenic-laden local remedy in the Central African Republic saved Malcolm's life

• Why did his first attempt to enter Uganda in 1985 end in a hasty retreat back to the DR Congo (then known as Zaire)?

• What makes Uganda such an ecological wonderland?

• Hear about Uganda's first bird guide training programme, the pioneers who now run their own safari companies, and the origins of the Queen Elizabeth National Park Bird Observatory

• Why does Malcolm call the African Bird Club-sponsored Village Bird Clubs around Kibale Forest "the most spectacular bit of conservation work ever"?

Join me, Charlotte Beauvoisin, author of Diary of a Muzungu on location to hear how one person's passion for birds trained the first generation of Uganda's expert birders.

Welcome to my world!

Tune in to the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast for the dawn chorus of a tropical rainforest, gorilla tracking adventures and the sound of waves lapping on an Indian Ocean beach. Join me on my morning nature walks (mind we don't slip in an elephant pothole!) and listen in to illuminating chats with conservationists and intrepid travellers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Sign up to my occasional newsletter.

Visit www.eastafricatravelpodcast.com for detailed transcripts.

Follow Charlotte Beauvoisin, Diary of a Muzungu on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

The air on the edge of Kibale Forest in western Uganda is alive with anticipation as we gather round the ringing table to see which feathered firsts will be revealed by our birding experts.

In Episode 33 of the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast, the muzungu adds tantalising new bird sightings to her lifelist and I sit down with legendary birder Malcolm Wilson and explore the science - and magic - of bird ringing.

Listen as my guests handle delicate sunbirds and dodge sharp raptor talons as we discuss:

• Which nocturnal animal did I identify through its footprint on my morning walk along the forest trails?
• What's the scientific purpose behind bird ringing?
• Which rare bird species and elusive wildlife were attracted by the newly dug pond at Sunbird Hill?
• Chattering Yellowbill is the new name for which shy forest cuckoo? (And why does the renaming of birds drive amateur birders like me around the twist?)

Join me, Charlotte Beauvoisin, author of Diary of a Muzungu on location to hear how one person's passion for birds trained the first generation of Uganda's expert birders.

Welcome to my world!

Tune in to the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast for the dawn chorus of a tropical rainforest, gorilla tracking adventures and the sound of waves lapping on an Indian Ocean beach. Join me on my morning nature walks (mind we don't slip in an elephant pothole!) and listen in to illuminating chats with conservationists and intrepid travellers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Sign up to my occasional newsletter.

Visit www.eastafricatravelpodcast.com for detailed transcripts.

Follow Charlotte Beauvoisin, Diary of a Muzungu on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

The all-night bus trip across the Kenyan border passes in a blink of an eye knowing that I'll soon be gazing out of the train window at Tsavo's elephants! From midnight border checks to a spice-scented market in Mombasa's Old Town, the muzungu's making her sustainable travel visions a reality (or at least trying to) in this sometimes-gruelling cross-border journey by bus and train.

In Episode 32 of the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast, I complete my multi-leg journey from Uganda to the Kenyan coast for a sustainable tourism summit at Serena Beach Resort & Spa.

Recorded on location - just for you - you'll hear:

• How did I travel all the way from Kampala to Mombasa using public transport (and what is my top tip for bypassing downtown Nairobi)?
• Why do you need to swot up on the strict security rules before riding Kenya's SGR train down to the coast?
• Which wildlife highlights can you spot on a 'free safari on rails' across Tsavo National Park (with or without binoculars?)
• The kindness of strangers. How does travelling solo open the door to the most memorable travel moments?
• How does a major coastal resort run on 90% solar power, eliminate single-use plastics, and protect nesting sea turtles? I chat with Serena's Alphaxad Chege.
• What is it really like to cross the legendary Likoni Ferry alongside thousands of foot passengers on the way to Diani? (And would you do it?)

Join me, Charlotte Beauvoisin, author of Diary of a Muzungu, as I board the train to the coast, hop on a tuk tuk, and explore Swahili cuisine in Mombasa.

Welcome to my world!

Tune in to the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast by Charlotte Beauvoisin, author of Diary of a Muzungu, for the dawn chorus of a tropical rainforest, gorilla tracking adventures and the sound of waves lapping on an Indian Ocean beach. Join me on my morning nature walks (mind we don't slip in an elephant pothole!) and listen to illuminating chats with conservationists and intrepid travellers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Sign up to sign up to my occasional newsletter.

Visit www.eastafricatravelpodcast.com for detailed transcripts.

the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast Sitting on a wooden bench next to the River Nile, I drink my morning cappuccino while watching sunbirds and monkeys. The chill vibes of Jinja on Lake Victoria are a welcome respite after escaping Kampala's hot, congested streets. In Episode 31 of the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast, I map out my cross-border route by public transport from Uganda into Kenya en route to Mombasa.

• From a glamping yurt to a five-star beach resort - the surprising range of places I sleep in along the way.
• "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" well, almost! How to travel across East Africa - by car, bus, train, boda boda motorbike, ferry, and even a tuk-tuk.
• The nerve-wracking reality of applying for tourist visas over a weekend.
• My tips for navigating the confusing "one-stop-shop" land borders in the middle of the night (and how I nearly left my luggage behind at customs).
• Why is Jinja called the adrenaline capital of East Africa?
• Historical reasons to visit Jinja (there's so much more to Uganda than gorillas!)
• Essential tips for independent travellers (and recommendations for those who prefer travelling with a tour operator who organises everything for you).

Join me, Charlotte Beauvoisin, author of Diary of a Muzungu, as I pull up a sun lounger next to the Nile and sketch out my travel plans (and wait nervously to see whether my immigration documents reach me in time to board the bus!)

Welcome to my world!

Tune in to the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast by Charlotte Beauvoisin, author of Diary of a Muzungu, for the dawn chorus of a tropical rainforest, gorilla tracking adventures and the sound of waves lapping on an Indian Ocean beach. Join me on my morning nature walks (mind we don't slip in an elephant pothole!) and listen to illuminating chats with conservationists and intrepid travellers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Sign up to sign up to my occasional newsletter.

Visit www.eastafricatravelpodcast.com for detailed transcripts.

Standing on the sun-bleached white coral sands of Kenya's famous Diani Beach with a crowd of excited holidaymakers, I watch tiny turtles emerge from their sandy egg chamber for their maiden scramble into the sea. In Episode 30 of the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast, I explore the fascinating world of marine conservation with the passionate Diani Turtle Watch team.

Recorded as-it-happened on the beach, you'll hear:

• How a chance meeting at Diani's Sea Turtle Festival turned into an exclusive invitation to witness a live beach hatching (and the five rules I had to follow).
• Why Diani Turtle Watch volunteers – and the occasional visitor – move turtle eggs from one beach to another
• How the temperature of the sand dictates a turtle's sex (and why it takes up to 30 years to find out the results)
• Where do they go? The mystery of the baby turtles "20 lost years" at sea.
• Plastic pollution: the deadly threat to turtles from "ghost nets" and plastic bags that mimic the jellyfish that turtles love to eat.
• How local hotels are becoming more sustainable, from building walls out of recycled bottles to composting organic waste for their vegetable farm.
• How tourists can get actively involved in marine conservation - even on holiday.

Welcome to my world!

Tune in to the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast for the dawn chorus of a tropical rainforest, gorilla tracking adventures and the sound of waves lapping on an Indian Ocean beach. Join me on my morning nature walks (mind we don't slip in an elephant pothole!) and listen in to illuminating chats with conservationists and intrepid travellers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Sign up to my occasional newsletter.

Visit www.eastafricatravelpodcast.com for detailed transcripts.

Follow Charlotte Beauvoisin, Diary of a Muzungu on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

The air resonates with the sound of tree frogs as I chat with a Ugandan legend. In this special, longer episode, we celebrate the life of the late Mzee Silver Kyamukama - and the life-saving survival tricks of our beloved poacher turned ranger! In Episode 29 of the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast, Mzee traces his extraordinary transformation from being a prolific poacher to a lead ranger with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Jane Goodall Institute, from hunting with nets and dogs to tracking chimpanzees and mastering the study of butterflies.

Join us outside the Forest House at Sunbird Hill on the boundary of Kibale National Park, as Mzee recalls:

• The honour of hunting for the King of Toro.
• The heart-wrenching story of the baby baboon that followed him home one day (and how this moment completely changed his life).
• How saving a single tree from being chopped down sparked an entire 43-acre rewilding project.
• The gruelling daily 12-hour routine for habituating chimpanzees - the background story on which the success of chimp tracking tourism depends.
• Do you run? Or do you play dead? How to outsmart an angry buffalo.

Join me, Charlotte Beauvoisin, author of Diary of a Muzungu, as we discuss tricks for finding your way out of a dense forest if you get lost - and how you can learn the forest's secrets with the young team that Mzee shared his knowledge with.

Welcome to my world!

Tune in to the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast for the dawn chorus of a tropical rainforest, gorilla tracking adventures and the sound of waves lapping on an Indian Ocean beach. Join me on my morning nature walks (mind we don't slip in an elephant pothole!) and listen in to illuminating chats with conservationists and intrepid travellers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Sign up to my occasional newsletter.

Visit www.eastafricatravelpodcast.com for detailed transcripts.

Follow Charlotte Beauvoisin, Diary of a Muzungu on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

I thought I was seeing things when my airline ticket showed we were landing in Kigali Rwanda ten minutes before we even took off from Entebbe in Uganda! Breaking my own wellness rules for Sunday morning champagne was just one of the many temptations in transit to Tanzania for the annual Karibu KiliFair, a media trip to three National Parks and a week in Arusha.

In Episode 28 of the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast, I share observations from Tanzania:

• Uganda vs. Tanzania safaris - what's the difference? (And how can I help you plan a trip?)
• Why ticking safari highlights off a bucket list can leave you exhausted (and what you may miss)
• Behind the scenes of a media trip (and the 4:15 AM wake-up calls!)
• How the vast VIP Karibu Lounge at Entebbe Airport is sizing up to host football fans for AFCON 2027
• Practical tips for all travellers (and why printed guidebooks are still as useful as ever)

Welcome to my world!

Tune in to the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast for the dawn chorus of a tropical rainforest, gorilla tracking adventures and the sound of waves lapping on an Indian Ocean beach. Join me on my morning nature walks (mind we don't slip in an elephant pothole!) and listen in to illuminating chats with conservationists and intrepid travellers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Sign up to my occasional newsletter.

Visit www.eastafricatravelpodcast.com for detailed transcripts.

Follow Charlotte Beauvoisin, Diary of a Muzungu on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

What a thrill to be chatting about parrots in the birdhide. At one point, they even fly overhead! Kibale Forest edge is the location for my conversation with Dr. Rowan Martin, Director of Africa Region Programmes at the World Parrot Trust. In Episode 27 of the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast, we chuckle over the cheeky whistles and squawks of our favourite avian residents.

First, we look at local monitoring on the ground:

• How do the World Parrot Trust and the passionate young team at Sunbird Hill monitor African grey parrots that have been rescued from traffickers and released into the wild?

Next, we discuss the complex realities of the global pet trade:

• What is Rowan's advice for people who want parrots as pets?
• How do cute-looking social media clips drive illegal bird and wildlife trafficking?
• What is the science behind the conservation work and why is it illegal to catch and sell wild caught grey parrots

Finally, we explore family travel in Uganda. Hippos and fireflies were some of his family's Lake Mburo safari highlights, so what else makes Uganda a great destination for kids?

Join me, Charlotte Beauvoisin, author of Diary of a Muzungu, as we discuss cute pets, the challenges of wildlife trafficking and parrot conservation, and celebrate the joy of camping with a young family.

Welcome to my world!

Tune in to the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast for the dawn chorus of a tropical rainforest, gorilla tracking adventures and the sound of waves lapping on an Indian Ocean beach. Join me on my morning nature walks (mind we don't slip in an elephant pothole!) and listen in to illuminating chats with conservationists and intrepid travellers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Sign up to my occasional newsletter.

Visit www.eastafricatravelpodcast.com for detailed transcripts.

Follow Charlotte Beauvoisin, Diary of a Muzungu on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

This week, the foothills of misty Mount Meru in Arusha are the location for a conversation that bridges a whistle-stop safari tour of Tanzania's Northern Circuit with young African Gen Zs, a tourism trade fair, and a final twist to the dramatic night sounds from western Uganda. In Episode 26, I have a front row seat to the intense reality of human-wildlife conflict, not forgetting an aerial view of Africa's big cats!

• How does the busy safari circuit of Northern Tanzania compare to Uganda's "same but different" safari itineraries?
• What animals did our pilot spot beneath us on our hot air balloon safari over Tarangire National Park?
• Why are local farmers like John "German" and Concorde beating their drums in their fields at one o'clock in the morning?
• How does a parrot monitoring project on the edge of Kibale Forest tie into our upcoming conversation with the World Parrot Trust?

Join me, Charlotte Beauvoisin, author of Diary of a Muzungu, as I get into an argument with the hadada ibis and recount the fun of working with an international team of influencers at the Karibu KiliFair trade show. And the debate continues: was episode 25's forest trespasser really innocent (or was he up to no good?)

Welcome to my world!

Tune in to the award-winning East Africa Travel Podcast for the dawn chorus of a tropical rainforest, gorilla tracking adventures and the sound of waves lapping on an Indian Ocean beach. Join me on my morning nature walks (mind we don't slip in an elephant pothole!) and listen in to illuminating chats with conservationists and intrepid travellers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Sign up to my occasional newsletter.

Visit www.eastafricatravelpodcast.com for detailed transcripts.

Follow Charlotte Beauvoisin, Diary of a Muzungu on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.