A Picture and a Thousand Words: Serengeti Serendipity- 
From the Depths of Despair to the Heights of Kilimanjaro

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – “This is not the book I thought I would write,” says Michael Delport, author of the compelling new memoir Serengeti Serendipity.

“When the idea of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro first came up, I envisioned a straightforward adventure: train, travel, climb, summit, celebrate. A mountain conquered, a dream fulfilled—another bucket list item checked off.

“But life had other plans.”

What unfolded instead was a journey of interruption, resilience, and redemption. Just days before his planned ascent, deep in the Serengeti and miles from medical help, Michael experienced a sudden and serious health crisis. Instead of heading for the summit, he found himself grounded, catheterised, and facing surgery.

That unexpected detour sparked deeper questions: about health, courage, purpose, and timing.

In Serengeti Serendipity, Michael recounts his deeply personal adventure—a quest to summit Africa’s highest peak not once, but twice. The first attempt ends in disappointment. The second, a year later, is a return journey with a close-knit group of friends and a renewed sense of purpose.

Between those two climbs lies a whirlwind year across continents, marked by uncanny timing, unexpected help, and moments that feel… serendipitous.

“I wrote this book because too many things happened that I couldn’t explain away as coincidence,” Michael shares. “Help arrived exactly when I needed it. Doors opened when they logically should have stayed shut. It all felt too precise, too timely. I knew I had to tell this story—for my family, for my friends, and for anyone who’s ever wondered if life is just random… or something more.”

This is Michael Delport’s debut book. A successful businessman, he writes not from the mountaintop, but from the perspective of a husband, father, brother, and friend—someone whose plans were upended in ways many of us can relate to.

“You don’t have to go to Africa to know what it’s like to have your world turned upside down,” he says. “Maybe you’ve had dreams interrupted, plans delayed, or health scares that made you question everything. If so, I hope this book encourages you.

I hope it stirs your adventurous spirit, prompts honest reflection, and helps you wrestle with that deeper question: What really gives life meaning?”

Serengeti Serendipity is a story of setbacks and second chances, of pain and perspective, and ultimately, of finding purpose in the unplanned.

Published by Ark House, Serengeti Serendipity is now available globally.