Interview with Sean-Belmond Safaris :
Number of Passengers:
Sean Clark – Belmond Safaris
What is your favourite time of year in the bush?
My favourite time in the year has to be what we classify as Shoulder Season, the months of April-June, and the reason is because the bush is alive with activity after recent rains in Botswana and is looking lush and green. The temperature is also amazing as it’s a nice mixture between the hot summer days and the cool winter days. From a wildlife perspective the predators thrive as they start to blend with their surroundings, making for exceptional game viewing, and in addition, the impala rams are in full rut which is quite a spectacle to behold. Overall this time of year is incredible to be up in the wilds of Botswana.
Do you prefer sunrise or sunset, why?
My preference is definitely sunrise. Most people would assume that sunset gets all the accolades for the incredible colours it generates, but at the break of dawn there is something breathtakingly special about the peace an tranquility that one is consumed with. As the dew drops from the leaves and the birds start to chirp, watching the sun rise over the African horizon with a steaming cup of coffee in ones hand is a moment that few will ever forget.
What inspires you the most about living in the bush? (maybe we need to change this to ‘what inspires you most about being in the bush?’
I’ve always said, the bush is the place that is unseen to the worries of the world. It is your sanctity, your ‘happy place’ and no matter what is going on in your life or in the rest of the world, the bush is that place that makes everything seem alright. You are consumed by the real essence of life…peace, harmony and incredible creativity. When one takes the time to stop and be silent, that’s when the bush truly makes it mark and becomes that one place in the world where all else seems to not matter.
When were you first attracted to wildlife and understanding nature?
Personally, it happened to me at a young age, my father was incredibly conservation minded so the family spent most holidays in the nature. I was then fortunate to live in two different wildlife reserves growing up in my teenage years and I think I was incredibly blessed to have these sorts of surroundings that really rounded my perspective of the world. Having said that, I meet many people each year that are equally as captivated by nature and wildlife whether it was from a young age or when they were adults, and I think it becomes a desire that is born in you to keep returning. It also, I feel, instils great values of cohabitation, nurturing and being at peace with oneself when you surrounded by natural wonders.
What makes Belmond safaris so unique?
Undoubtedly the places Belmond have decided to operate in makes us so unique. In Botswana, our three Belmond Safari lodges are situated in three incredibly diverse eco-systems that bring to the fore the best wildlife experiences and allow our guests to be consumed by the essence of a wildlife experience in its authentic form. This is not only true in Botswana but in every part of the world that Belmond operates in, they stay true to the essence of the environment whilst opening doors to experiences that are truly unique and memorable.
