Journal: wildlife, conservation and safari stories
Field notes, conservation stories and safari planning guides by Amish Chhagan, a Zambia-raised wildlife and conservation photographer published by National Geographic and WWF, who hosts private, photographer-led safaris across Africa and to the great apes of Borneo.
Latest · Conservation · November 2026
Why I created Primate Trails
Great ape safaris, while we still can
There is a thought I can't shake. In my lifetime, some of the great apes may no longer be with us in the wild. Primate Trails is my answer to that feeling.
Read the storySafari & Travel
Safari planning guides
Straight answers to the questions guests ask before they book, from someone who hosts every safari himself.
Why choose a private safari in Africa?
What changes when the days, the pace and the decisions are yours.
How much does a safari cost?
What a well-run safari costs per person per day, and the five things that move the price.
Kenya Park Fees and Conservancy Fees Explained (2025/6)
What Kenya's national parks, reserves and conservancies charge, who manages them, and why a well-run safari is never cheap.
How to Plan the Safari You Deserve: 6 Pro Tips for a Life-Changing Wildlife Journey
Six tips for planning an authentic African safari, from a Zambian-born wildlife photographer: stories over sightings, where and when to go, and why the guide makes the safari.
Conservation
Conservation stories
Rhinos, gorillas, lynx and the people and policies that decide their future, newest first.
Never Miss a Wildlife/Environmental Day Again: A Free Wildlife Calendar
A free wildlife and environment awareness calendar, from World Wildlife Day to World Elephant Day, ready to add to Google or Apple Calendar.
Why You Should Rethink Your Bank Account?
Where your money sits matters: how traditional banks fund fossil fuels and deforestation, how to spot greenwashing, and greener alternatives.
Collateral Damage
Namibia planned to cull more than 700 wild animals during its worst drought in 100 years. Why wildlife should not pay for a crisis we created.
Endangered Experiences
Meeting one of our closest ancestors, the mountain gorilla, in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park.
Close Encounters
Understanding the supply chain of rhino horn poaching, from Mfalme at Solio to the last two northern white rhinos at Ol Pejeta.
The Ghost of Andújar
Our search for the endangered Iberian lynx: four days, 30 hours in the hides, and seven and a half seconds.
Reflections
Field notes and reflections
Notes from the field and from life between trips.
The Pursuit of Happiness: A Personal Exploration
Notes on happiness collected over the years: being present, meditation, ikigai, the people around you, nature and curiosity.
The Sacrifice
Written on a houseboat in Borneo at 5.21am: mosquitoes, mud, a young male orangutan, and why I do this work.
Lessons; Realisations; Reflections from 2023/2024 season
Ten things 2024 taught me: happiness, incentives for a sustainable future, my people, creativity, health, travel and reading.
Wildlife Photography · Features & Press
Photography, press and podcasts
Tips on video, a magazine cover story and a podcast conversation.
YouTube: 5 top tips for your next wildlife photography safari
Five essential wildlife photography safari tips, filmed with Big Photo Hunt: preparation, light, patience, observation and ethical encounters.
Cover Story: Paw Trails Magazine, Into The Wild
The cover story and interview in Paw Trails Magazine: my journey behind the lens and why conservation drives the work.
Podcast: Boots On The Ground
Talking with Dibblex Lesalon on the Boots on the Ground podcast: a first camera, a career, and the creative process behind the stories.
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