We have always loved the African wilds. From early age, sleeping in the bush with only a .22 and young black friends, we have been hunters. We are a group of passionate Africans, each specialists in our own fields from rifle and bow hunting to scuba diving, kayak fishing and many other adventure sports - and we want to share our magnificent outdoors with others.

How it was then

Since our involvement in publishing for the past decade or so we have seen the hunting and adventure sport fraternity becoming more internet and computer savvy than most people believed. They search on the web, get weather forecasts and contribute to hunting blogs and forums. Even hunters that would not have touched a computer with an old giraffe bone 10 years ago are now sending and receiving email.

And more than that, we saw that of the 3 or 4 African hunting and adventure magazines that existed had tiny subscription bases - some only 2000 worldwide.

The reason for that was that the printing in Africa was expensive and fraught with logistical problems - and that made delivery to the major US and European markets costly and slow.

Al Gore's program about global warming made us realise that what we now enjoy in Africa - like visiting the Okavango Delta, hunting in Namibia and scuba diving in Mozambique - could actually be in jeopardy.

We could see that the times they are a-changing, as Bob Dylan sang.

We wanted the world's adventurers to enjoy our Africa, and we needed ways that were new to do so. We wanted to reach more people more easily.

The Beginning

The idea came to us after seeing the number of electronic magazines that were distributed so successfully in other specialist fields: Why can't we distribute a quality African hunting and adventure magazine electronically and in print? That way, we don't have to print thousands of magazines that are not sold (it only becomes viable to print after about 3,000-4,000 copies) and so help global warming along to come and mess up our wildest Africa. Those that wanted to could print the magazine at will.

More than that, many first world conservationists people believe that hunting and conservation are opposites. That is simply not true. We could send that truth out in far greater numbers than traditional print only magazines via the internet - and have the magazines printed right there where the reader is, and only if he/she chooses to do so.

The old myth of hunters and computers being like gunpowder and matches was disproved. The internet was obviously being used by hunters: there are over 100,000 videos on hunting on www.youtube.com.

It was then that the The African Expedition Magazine was born. At first we called it The African Hunting Magazine, but that sounded too much like one of the older ones and we renamed it.

Right from the start we decided we would never skimp on quality or cost. And, considering the serious backing that we have, we thought - what the heck, in for a penny, in for a pound.

We wanted our readers to get the authentic African experience: the beauty of our savage continent, our stunning wildlife, the friendship of fellow adventurers, narrow escapes and few laughs.

That is what we love, and we know you do too.

The Present

Although we certainly have a great deal to learn, we love what we are doing.

We enjoy interacting with the most respected specialists in the hunting and adventure fields: from legendary hunters to the best malaria specialists, animal behavioral professors and the many others who excel in their chosen fields.

We are meeting and interviewing interesting people and getting the best of the best to write for us.

The Future

We are just in the small beginnings of The Africa Expedition Magazine. We have plenty up our sleeve, and you will reap the benefits of that: better articles, wider scope and - we hope - continued excellence in what we do.

We are in it for the long haul - and we are looking forward to share our Africa with you.

Hamba gahle (go in peace in Zulu)