Kathryn and Peter Straughan are the General Managers at Leshiba Wilderness, a private wildlife and ecotourism destination located on top of the Soutpansberg Mountains in the Limpopo region of South Africa. On a day to day basis Peter is in charge of reserve management and Kathryn is in charge of hospitality.

Featuring rock paintings that were made by local bushmen up to 2000 years ago, Leshiba affords the opportunity to wander among 380 species of indigenous trees and spot 93 documented mammal species, spread across 2500ha of ancient African Wilderness. There’s the chance to learn about local Venda culture and enjoy stargazing, self improvement workshops and hiking, swimming and cycling.

They tell host Si Willmore about the arrival to Leshiba that is a crucial part of the experience as well activities on offer: besides the classic hiking and biking, a huge part of the experience centres around the rock art trail that features Bushman (San) paintings. And, naturally, safari game drives are a big draw so Peter tells us what animals we can we expect to see.

Kathryn talks about the accommodation which is set in an old Venda village, as well as her work in transformational tourism and tourism that is not focused solely on a safari experience. Kathryn and Peter share tips and advice for people thinking about visiting Limpopo including the Ribolo Art Route, culture and archaeology, birding, and visiting Mapungubwe and Kruger national parks.

In the JRNY Podcast, Si Willmore talks with pioneers, trailblazers and thought leaders, who are pushing the envelope in the travel industry.

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Over a decade ago, Tom Wortley traded the comforts of his UK home for island life in the South Atlantic Ocean. He relocated to one of the world’s remotest islands – St Helena, to start a family with his St Helenian wife.

In 2019, Tom opened Rock Mount, a beautifully restored stone cottage offering guest accommodation for tourist and locals. Recently, expanding his venture, Tom launched Rock Mount Walking Tours, where he offers guided hikes of varying difficulty, enabling visitors to explore the island’s natural beauty.

Tom tells host Si Willmore about relocating to such a remote island and his first impressions of St Helena. He shares a little about what life is like on St Helena, especially the differences between his experiences growing up in the UK and what he sees nowadays for his own kids -- especially the higher levels of freedom and safety.

He discusses his gorgeous off-grid accommodation with 'postbox walks' and recalls how Rock Mount Walking Tours started and shares his favourite hikes to take clients on including Blue Point beginner-level walks in a "geologist's dream land", plus visiting Lot's Wife's Ponds with endemic fish, and the highest point on the walk at 210m above sea level with wonderful views of the Gorilla's Head and Asses Ears rock formations.

He shares examples of typical weekends on the island for his family, such as visiting Lemon Valley and diving with whale sharks around ship wrecks made into artificial reefs, and suggests some essential experiences for visitors including 4x4 tours and meeting the famous tortoise Jonathan.

In the JRNY Podcast, Si Willmore talks with pioneers, trailblazers and thought leaders, who are pushing the envelope in the travel industry.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dickie Ashcroft is the Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana, Uganda & Rwanda Senior Specialist at Audley Travel. Inspired from a young age by the classic stories of the African exploration, after schooling in Shropshire and graduating from university, he packed his bags and headed to the Caprivi Region of northern Namibia to train as a guide.

Apprenticing with a safari company operating throughout Namibia and latterly Botswana, he then moved to Tanzania in order to manage a lodge in one of the country's remotest national parks, Katavi. He's one of the first people to successfully kayak the length of Lake Tanganyika, the world's longest lake, completely unsupported -- all in aid of Dolam Children's Home Namibia.

Dickie shares some of those early memories of inspirational adventurers and his family's influence, and what it was specifically about Africa that captured his attention. He relives those early days of arriving in Africa for the first time and enormous culture shift between Shropshire and Namibia. He tells host Si Willmore about Caprivi and Katavi national park, including the staggering landscapes and the wildlife we can expect to see if we visited - including "a pile of sleeping crocs" which hibernate in caves.

Dickie also recalls kayaking the length of Lake Tanganyika, the world's longest lake, unsupported – including a day where he and his partner were in the boat for the entire day, travelling from sunrise to sunset and not leaving the boat once -- even for a bathroom break! To conclude, Dickie shares some recommended destinations and itineraries in Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana, Uganda and Rwanda including the inimitable gorillas and chimpanzees in and around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda.

In the JRNY Podcast, Si Willmore talks with pioneers, trailblazers and thought leaders, who are pushing the envelope in the travel industry.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.