Browse through any seasoned ranger’s bookshelf and you’ll likely encounter a treasure of books spanning from detailed mammal guides to astrological wonders, from grasses and trees to the musings of philosophy. Here, in the vast wilderness, learning is not just a pursuit but a way of life. Yet, among the myriad volumes found on our shelves, certain books transcend mere knowledge—they imprint upon us a lasting sense of wonder, stirring within us feelings of longing, curiosity, and reverence.

Looking back.

For any avid reader or those interested in learning more about Londolozi and South Africa’s most insightful storytellers, here’s a curated list of my top 10 recommended books to read before embarking on your journey to Londolozi.

1. Roberts Bird book.

On my first trip to the African bush, my granddad gifted me his 1957 edition of the Roberts bird book when I was six years old. While I have numerous other bird books, this by far is the most sentimental book I own, and most likely the reason I am sitting here today as a Londolozi guide.

While the black and white illustrations aren’t the most useful for actually identifying a bird, the Roberts book itself is. The text is condensed, yet covers the whole of the species, varieties, and names in English, Afrikaans and Native languages. I now carry the new version of Roberts with me on the game drives, as well as the app – yet I still find myself paging through this version from time to time.

2. Jock of the Bushveld – Sir Percy Fitzpatrick

I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find a guide here that didn’t grow up reading Jock Of the Bushveld. It’s certainly one of the earliest books I can remember reading (having read to me!). The story is a heartfelt and adventurous account set in the late 19th century, capturing the unique bond between a man and his loyal dog in the rugged bushveld of South Africa. The narrative follows Fitzpatrick’s real-life experiences as he travels with his dog, Jock, through the untamed landscapes.

The book details their encounters with wildlife, challenges faced in the wild, and the camaraderie. Filled with anecdotes of bravery, friendship, and the harsh realities of life in the wilderness. Perhaps too young to understand at the time, the book also covers cultural nuances of the late 1900’s.

3. Lion Trackers Guide to Life – Boyd Varty

Lion tracker, life coach, and gifted storyteller Boyd Varty reveals how ancient wisdom can teach you how to recognize the essential ingredients that create a meaningful life. Everyone is trying to find their path in life, whether it’s making the next career move, choosing a partner, navigating relationships with family and friends or carving a different route. People who learn to “track” create lives that are unique, unconventional, and full of purpose. When reading Boyd’s book, you will learn the skills required for actual lion tracking, but the takeaways are guiding principles and strategies that can be applied to our everyday lives. Trackers learn how to use all of their senses to read the environment and enter into a state of “greater aliveness.” A brilliant book describing that when we find and follow our inner tracks, we learn to appreciate what is deeply important.

4. Cry of the Kalahari – Mar and Delia Owens

In the 1970s two young American Zoologists, Mark and Delia Owens, lived and worked in Deception Valley; one of the remotest parts of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert. At least eight hours from any other people, they existed in this completely unexplored wilderness, researching some of the larger carnivores of the region, particularly lions and brown hyenas.

The idea of a life so remote, surrounded by vast expanses of untouched wilderness and wild lions – had a profound impact on me as a young boy. It inspired a deep appreciation for African wildlife and fostered my love for the natural world.

Cry of the Kalahari is their autobiographical account of their life here; the hardships they endured and the animals they called their neighbours. It is a beautifully written and honest account of a time spent in one of Africa’s truly wild places.

5. A Game Ranger Remembers – Bruce Bryden

Bruce Bryden started as a researcher in the Kruger National Park; South Africa’s flagship national park and one of Africa’s most famous.
Eventually becoming a field ranger and was ultimately promoted to Head Ranger for the entire park, a position which he held until his retirement in 2001, A Game Ranger Remembers is Bryden’s candid memoir about life on the ground for the select group of men and women tasked with maintaining one of the world’s most wonderful wildlife reserves, (in Bryden’s words) at the cost of sweat and, not infrequently, quite a bit of blood.

From hairy encounters with pretty much every living creature in the park (including every one of the Big 5 plus many more) to lessons learned from some of the veteran trackers of the area, Bryden paints a wonderfully vivid picture of life as a ranger, in which it soon becomes clear that there is never a dull moment.

6. Sentient – Jackie Higgins

A grand tour through the hidden realms of animal senses that will transform the way you perceive the world

Where do I start? Well, every guide and nature lover alike should read this book. The concept of five senses is a near-universal belief expressed across cultures, both in everyday conversation and scientific literature. However, modern science has proved Aristotle, who was touted for first articulating the five senses over two millennia ago, wrong. A human ‘sixth sense‘ is now no longer in the realms of extrasensory perception or telepathy but rather simply scientific fact.

Throughout “Sentient” Higgins weaves together the perceptions of the human senses, the larger animal context for our sensory equipment, and the passion of scientists who painstakingly unearth and decipher such discoveries. Higgins doesn’t draw analogies between humans and other animals as a mere narrative gimmick. She uses them to clarify the vast community of which we are members.

Halfway through this book, you’ll realise your perception of the world around you has changed, finally looking at the world again with the humble attention it deserves.

7. Green Hills of Africa – Ernest Hemingway

Considered a classic piece of Literature (not without its faults), The book chronicles Hemingway’s safari in East Africa with his second wife, Pauline Pfeiffer, during the winter of 1933-1934.

8. Born Free: A Lioness of Two Worlds – Joy Adamson

Simply put it’s an amazing story about companionship and love in the African bush. I’m a firm believer in conservation and that we simply need more people to care about the wilderness. Elsa is a famous Kenyan lioness who was raised by George and Joy Adamson. The two conservationists took on the daring task of raising the cub in captivity after George orphaned her by killing the mother, teaching her to fend for herself in the wild.

Joy Adamson’s story of a lion cub transitioning between the captivity in which she is raised and the fearsome wild to which she is returned captures the abilities of both humans and animals to cross the seemingly unbridgeable gap between their radically different worlds. Especially now, at a time when the sanctity of the wild and its inhabitants is increasingly threatened by human development and natural disasters, Adamson’s remarkable tale is an idyll, and a model, to return to again and again.

The book is also illustrated with some stunning and evocative photographs.

9. The Power of One – Bryce Courtney

An adventure. An awakening. A journey to understanding African

This is my most-read book of all time. It is a coming-of-age story, but not your average one. It is a wonderful journey through the life of Peekay, a 5-year-old boy, in South Africa from 1930 to 1951. A period of time when the seeds of apartheid take root in South Africa. His childhood is marked by humiliation and abandonment, yet he vows to survive and conceives heroic dreams, which are nothing compared to what life actually has in store for him. He embarks on an epic journey through a land of tribal superstition and modern prejudice where he will learn the power of words, the power to transform lives and the power of one.

10. When Hippo was Hairy

This is a childhood classic and a useful story repertoire on Game Drive! When Hippo was Hairy is a collection of traditional African fables about elephants, hippos, lions and other animals of the African bush, all combined with factual information. The stories bring home the message that we are all part of the great diversity of life and that it is up to us and future generations to preserve our natural heritage.

Of all the wonderful reading material there is out there, these 10 books are my personal favourites. Bring one, two, or three with you on your next safari!