In Loving Memory of our Founder, Father and Friend
Big Five Tours & Expeditions
by Ashish Sanghrajka
1w ago
Mahen’s Last Letters. The ABCs of Life A – Acceptance: Embrace life’s changes with an open heart   Dear Advisors, Partners, and Friends This is a very special Blog… A letter written 2 months ago by my fathers hands, in his office, alone with his thoughts and sheer reflection of the world and how we should all perceive and embrace every outcome as it is believed, in life all is as it is meant to be. Almost as he him-self knew he would be writing this blog, as so, please take note of the Date and Time it was written… exactly 60 days…almost to the hour when we said our final goodbyes ..read more
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Local Archaeologists vs The PR Machine
Big Five Tours & Expeditions
by Ashish Sanghrajka
2w ago
The Holy Month   As the holy month of Ramadan begins, we wish all our close friends and colleagues whom I often call extended family, Ramadan Kareem. رَمَضَان كَرِيم   This week, I was supposed to be in Egypt with the family for one of my last two spring breaks with my son. Circumstances however were such that the trip had to be pushed out although I will certainly be back in Egypt after ILTM Cannes later this year, one of our Egypt specialists will be there this summer. Egypt is like home for me, since I was a teenager, and many of you know my mother is from Sudan while Dad and I ar ..read more
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East Africa 2024 Dispatch Part III – Lamech and Three Week Old Gorilla
Big Five Tours & Expeditions
by Ashish Sanghrajka
1M ago
The Ultimate Habituation In the third and final dispatch from my annual East Africa adventure with our advisor partners,  I find myself back in Uganda, one of my favorite places. My love of this country goes far beyond the amazing gorilla interactions and biodiversity. It’s the people. Now before you roll your eyes, let me explain.   Back in July 2003, just after I was married, my wife and I were on our way to Africa. En route, we stopped in London to visit her grandparents. For those of you don’t know,  Purvi’s family was forced out of Uganda, among the many thousands of Indian ..read more
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East Africa Dispatch 2024 Part II
Big Five Tours & Expeditions
by Ashish Sanghrajka
1M ago
Rob and Storm, The Samburu Family   My first interaction with the Samburu tribes of northern Kenya was as a child. Back then, the experience was not as immersive as it is now. In the years since, and the development of the Northern Rangelands Trust, the experience is more authentic, and more contrived, depending on whether you are in a game reserve or a private conservancy, which camp, and the operator.   I first met Storm and Rob when they were in Shimla, India, working at a historic hotel resting at the foothills of the Himalayas. Originally from South Africa, this couple fell in l ..read more
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East Africa 2024 Dispatch Part 1 – Paa Ya Paa
Big Five Tours & Expeditions
by Ashish Sanghrajka
1M ago
This is my Origin Origin stories are the best kind of stories no matter if it’s about a superhero, or an everyday Jane or Joe. It is a story about craftsmanship as I was taught very early on, the story about how someone was made, not what they became. I liken this to a stitch pattern on a quilt or the grain on a tree, where each movement tells you something about the labor of creation. We as people are no different, each scar, each memory, and each experience is the stitch pattern on our lives.   How fitting then, that I begin our 2024 East Africa dispatch and my origin story in Nairobi ..read more
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Tea Trails that Lead to Sri Lanka
Big Five Tours & Expeditions
by Ashish Sanghrajka
1M ago
Patience is a Virtue So they say, and in certain countries, it is a necessity due to a long period of turmoil or what seems to be a series of false starts. The fact is that countries that endure these periods don’t waver on the higher commitment to sustainable tourism which is a topic for a Master Class in itself. Countries that fit that bill include Egypt, Colombia, Uganda, and Rwanda; however, a country that defines enduring, but is often left out of the conversation, is Sri Lanka.   Interestingly enough, my colleague Colin, who happens to be a former guide in India and the sub-continen ..read more
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The Waiting Game
Big Five Tours & Expeditions
by Ashish Sanghrajka
2M ago
The Re-Launching of Japan   Is there a particular you are asked almost daily, something so frequently asked that you rank it on the same level as “Are we there yet?” What would that question be and does your answer vary over time? Is it based on who is asking? Are you the consistent type that responds with the same answer down to the syllable and word count? For Big Five the question is centered around when we will begin actively offering Japan. I think I get that question at least twice daily and have had to politely decline most requests.   Now, you may be wondering if I am certifi ..read more
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From Sri Lanka to Uganda
Big Five Tours & Expeditions
by Ashish Sanghrajka
2M ago
Destinations Trending in 2024 Normally, at this time of year, you would get inundated with emails reflecting on the things that happened in the prior year and best wishes for the new year. Well, we wanted to stop and simply say thank you. While there may have been many accomplishments in 2023, gratitude is at the top of Big Five’s list, as none of our successes happen without you. We look forward to an amazing 2024 with you, celebrating the successes and navigating the challenges together.  We have an ambitious plan to accomplish in 2024, and we cannot wait to reveal them as the year prog ..read more
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Egypt Dispatch Part III The Newest Burial Chamber
Big Five Tours & Expeditions
by Ashish Sanghrajka
3M ago
A Mineshaft and Rope   As I begin part III of our Egypt dispatch, I think back to a conversation I had about 15 years ago. Before I explain further, I want to tell you about my first visit to Egypt as a teen. I was a math nerd in school, so as I walked through the different sights, all I could see were geometric shapes and protractor angles. I know, I know… you are likely wondering who still says protractor. It’s true, I saw nothing but angles, obtuse and acute, and even a few right angles. Never in a million years did I think 30 years later, I would be writing about this. Something else ..read more
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Egypt Dispatch Part II – Upper Egypt Seen vs Seen Correctly
Big Five Tours & Expeditions
by Ashish Sanghrajka
4M ago
Never Just Another Temple   Upper Egypt holds a special place for me, and part II of our Egypt dispatch takes place in Aswan and Luxor, and of course, Abu Simbel. While the pyramids may be the calling card for Egypt, it is Upper Egypt, Luxor in particular, that holds the heartbeat of Egyptian history. Anyone traveling to Egypt already has a list of their must-sees,  however, Luxor, and especially Abu Simbel, should be included as these two locations represent what I believe to be the heartbeat of Egypt’s history.   Now, before you say what about Aswan, don’t worry, I am about to ..read more
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