Safari Life with Bobby-Jo

For this episode, I’m back in the dust and magic of Tanzania (Kilimanjaro to be exact) and buzzing to be back for the start of safari season!
I’ve just reunited with my absolute badass of a guide, Firoz, along with a group of Honey Badgers who are fresh off the flight from Australia. It’s a butterfly-inducing moment being back in the bush (especially with the short rains finally starting to stir the landscape) and I can’t wait to see what the Serengeti has in store for us.
I’m joined on this adventure by Tim and Mark (two legends I once shared a shipping container with in a frozen Antarctic storm) who’ve brought along Tim’s parents, Max and Valerie. It’s been awesome watching them trade their quiet life in Tasmania for the organised chaos of the Arusha markets and the raw grit of the Ndutu plains.
One afternoon in the scrub (just when we thought we’d seen it all) we were watching two massive elephant bulls having a bit of a scrap - and one of them turned his focus directly on us and started a charge!

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I’m sitting down on the edge of the Luangwa River at the iconic Flatdogs Camp, catching up with the absolute legends behind the operation, Jess and Ade. These two are total safari royalty who've spent over three decades dedicated to this wild corner of Zambia. I first met them back in 2017 while working for Conservation South Luangwa, and returning here always feels like coming home.
We’re chatting right from the riverbank (with a massive bull elephant literally wandering into camp mid-conversation) about what it’s really like to transition from being wide-eyed zoology students to running one of the most beloved camps in the valley.
Together, they’ve evolved Flatdogs from a backpacker’s haunt into a world-class safari destination that remains fiercely committed to conservation and the local community.
But life in the bush isn't always sundowners and beers in the pool; Ade shares the heart-stopping story of the night a massive male giraffe decided to charge their vehicle in the dark, and how that terrifying encounter was immediately followed by a sighting so rare it felt like a reward for surviving the night.

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I’m sitting by the Luangwa River at the Flatdogs Camp for a conversation that has been years in the making. Today, I’m joined by a true MVP of the valley, Rachel McRobb.
Rachel is the CEO and founder of Conservation South Luangwa (CSL), and she’s someone I’ve looked up to for many years. She’s a phenomenal human being who has dedicated the last 25 years to protecting this landscape, and I’m so honoured to finally share her story with you.
We talk about the early days of CSL, when the "budget" was just a few hundred dollars cobbled together by tour operators and the team didn’t even have bicycles, let alone vehicles. Rachel shares the grit required to build an organisation that now employs over 145 staff (99% of whom are indigenous Zambians) and manages a multi-million dollar conservation programme.
One of my favourite parts of this chat is hearing Rachel describe the first time she ever darted an elephant!
It’s a raw, honest look at what it takes to protect wildlife when the stakes are at their highest and there’s no one else to call.

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In this episode, I'm connecting with you from South Luangwa National Park. I'm heading up in a two-seater 1959 Super Cub to see the valley from a completely different perspective.
I sit down with Gareth and Jeremiah from Conservation South Luangwa to talk about the vital role of aerial patrols in protecting this landscape. I haven't seen wild dogs for two years, and spotting a pack with puppies from the air was an incredible highlight.
We also talk about the gritty reality of conservation, from identifying poacher tracks and drying racks to the challenges of navigating a tiny plane while trying to get the perfect shot.
Later, I catch up with Bob Joe to discuss how they're using solar fences and chili bombs to help local communities coexist with the elephants I'm currently trying to keep away from my house-sitting front door!

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If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review and share it with your fellow safari lovers!

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In Part 2 of my chat with Dr. Matt Becker from @zcp_zambia, we're looking at the management challenges, political pressures, and funding hurdles that come with leading a team of 100 people across Zambia's national parks.
Matt shares the exclusive details of his five year collaboration with the BBC on a series that tracks the intersecting lives of dogs, lions, hyenas, and leopards. We're also talking about the resilience of individual animals, from the legendary Lady Liuwa to the alpha male Wild Dog 73, and why objective science is the only way to navigate the heated debates surrounding predators.

Please feel free to reach out on the socials:
Instagram: @bobbyjosafaris
Facebook: Bobby-Jo Safaris
To explore my upcoming safaris: bobbyjosafaris.com

And of course, if you enjoy the episode, I'd really love it if you could leave a review, and share it with your fellow safari lovers!
This is a Podvan Media production.