His nine-month journey takes him through jungles, savannah, deserts, cities and war zones in some of the continent’s most remote and spectacular locations. While raising money for four of his favourite charities the former paratrooper and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society said to the Post and Times: “The highlands of Rwanda seem a long way off since we commenced this journey just over four weeks ago. Describing themselves as the local plain clothes ‘security police’ their presence posed an enormous threat.

So after some discussion we decided to push on and find a quiet spot away from the road and set up camp.Reminiscent of a scene from a silent Laurel and Hardy movie we chased these laughing beasts for nearly a mile before catching up with them.

Thus in the 1950s it was hoped that the introduction of the Nile Perch would create a new fishing industry.Evidence of wildlife isn’t that far away saw elephant dung everywhere and at the banks of the river was confronted by ten hippos.

Nevertheless even these men are desperate and will do anything to conceal their tracks and thus we are strongly advised to stay close to the road. However the additional burden of dodging bullets without any logistical assurance of any food or water beyond the swampland made the task just impossible.

After bidding them farewell, Lev finds himself caught up in the worsening civil war as his path winds through minefields and he witnesses increasing numbers of refugees fleeing in the opposite direction. Watching the chimpanzee troop in the mountain forest and the bird life around the river has been a true privilege. The landscape has changed from scrubland to a flat horizon of khaki coloured sand, devoid of plant life. Suddenly the silence that perpetuates the town is abruptly broken as we hear gunshots in the distance. For hundreds of years the tribes of South Sudan have treasured cattle as their primary form of wealth- often being used for trade, barter and as a marriage dowry.