Carol Rochlin
As a former docent at the Los Angeles Zoo and now at The Living Desert & Gardens in Palm Desert, I bring my love of wildlife and adventures in nature to my travel planning. I am a certified specialist in South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania and have a lot of experience in planning safaris throughout Africa. Among other trips, I plan an annual trip for docents at the Los Angeles Zoo.
Wildlife and nature viewing take many forms in Africa and its game parks. Kenya and Tanzania have vast savannahs where you can witness the Great Migration. You see huge herds with thousands of wildebeest, along with zebras and other grazing animals making their way across the grasslands and you’re also likely to come upon a pride of lions, and solitary big cats like cheetahs. The bird life is also amazing.
Namibia has expansive game parks and amazing sand dunes that you can climb up and go sand-boarding down. On lovely Walvis Bay, you can kayak with seals all around you, and often spot leatherback turtles, dolphins and whales.
South Africa has different kinds of experiences. Safaris set out from private game lodges, and the viewing is intimate. The parks and herds are much smaller, so guides often know many of the animals as individuals, especially the elephants, lions and other big cats.
Cape Town is one of my favorite cities in the world with both cultural and natural attractions. You can walk in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela, stroll through botanical gardens and visit Cape Point to see a colony of African penguins.
I can help match you with the right itinerary so you can explore different types of terrain and habitats and specific species. Autumn, the dry season in many places, is usually the time to travel because the vegetation is less dense for wildlife viewing and animals congregate more predictably around watering holes.
South America also has a lot to offer nature lovers. The Galapagos Islands remain unspoiled, with creatures found nowhere else on earth. Many different types of cruises visit these islands; most offer easy access to water sports, including snorkeling, kayaking, and paddleboards. My favorite memory was paddle-boarding as dolphins swam all around us, seemingly as curious about us as we were about them!
For those who like skiing, Chile is the place—and happily, their seasons are the opposite of ours so you can ski there during our summers. Chile also has excellent horseback riding and river rafting, and fine wineries to tour.
From the elephants of Thailand to the snow monkeys that bathe in the natural hot springs of Nagano, Japan, every part of the world has its adventures and indigenous flora and fauna to discover. If you share my passion for nature and wildlife, I’d love to help you plan your next adventure.