Over the 21 years I have been bringing guests to Africa with my business, Tin Trunk Safari, I have held to the principle that I do not send guests anywhere that I have not been personally. This has kept Tin Trunk “slower and closer” and is also essential in making sure I match the clients to the right experiences. In today’s episode, I talk about the vetting process. What am I thinking about and looking at when I do a reki? I always spend at least one night, usually two, and that allows me to get to know the team, the guides and understand the nuances of a place. I hope you enjoy this inside look at my test-driving process! 

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It's the end of February and in case the Winter cold lingers, I thought you would enjoy going to a tropical island - to talk about food. Luke Van Der Merwe is the head gardener on Alphonse Island in the Seychelles and, as you will hear, he is passionate about what he does. Our chat covers everything from how come the food is so delicious here, in the middle of nowhere in the Indian Ocean, to how important the microbiome is to that fact. It's certainly farm to table here! Enjoy! 

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The names conjure romantic images: The Sahara. The Namib. The Kalahari. Africa is home to three of the largest and most diverse deserts on our planet. Safaris that include the Namib and the Kalahari in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa reveal not only unbelievable formations, landscapes and flora, but also unique animal sightings, like the desert-adapted Elephant; the Cheetah (Namibia has the largest population of them in Africa); the Oryx, a master of thermo-regulation, and very rare sightings of the elusive Aardvark and Pangolin. The Skeleton Coast in Namibia, the Okavango Delta in Botswana - it's all about the desert. Enjoy! 

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Our conversation continues and after learning about Kes's arrival in Africa, her elephant research, frog heart muscle research and raising a family in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the border of war-torn South Sudan, we now hear more about that as well as what she is doing to stop the total extinction of the Northern White Rhino species. Enjoy Part 2 and be sure to listen to Part 1 first if you haven't! 

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Kes Hillman Smith is an unsung hero in African conservation. She arrived in Africa in a Land Rover through the Sahara and stayed to become a dedicated conservationist. Her research and hands-on involvement in Garamba National Park in the northern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the border with South Sudan, protecting elephants and rhino from savage poaching, flying her own plane for animal surveys and establishing conservation initiatives - all while raising her two children - is impressive enough. But Kes did - and does - even more. This is part 1 of our 2 part conversation. Enjoy. 

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How Scared Should You Be about Africa? It depends to a large degree on into whose hands you are entrusted. Good guides. Travel planners who understand that Africa can be daunting and are willing – and knowledgeable enough – to help you through to the other side. This is something I enjoy and whether we are talking about planes, animals, illness or just how different Africa is from every other trip you have taken, clients and I discuss and plan based on levels of comfort. I want to hold your hand as you face your fears so that you can experience one of the most magical places on Earth and in this podcast I discuss what people are concerned about and how to tackle those fears.

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Jack Coupland walks the talk. He oversees the fascinating – and incredibly important – conservation projects on Alphonse Island in the remote Outer Island area of the Seychelles. In our chat, we talk about sharks, turtles, birds, fish and coral and how they are all intricately, crucially, linked to form this pristine and thriving marine environment. It’s not often one can say that about the condition of our oceans these days so this is an uplifting one too! Enjoy.

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Listen to hear why this is my favourite tropical paradise in Africa. Whether you are looking to lie on white sands until sundowner time with a good book or want to get out and do some world-class fishing and diving and snorkeling and hiking and biking and and and... this is it. Happy listening! 

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Tony Church is a man whose life has spanned fascinating moments in Kenya's history. To some he is the father of horse safaris in Kenya, to others the man who helped organise the horses for Robert Redford and Meryl Streep while they filmed Out of Africa, to other, precious ones, he's the grandfather who puts them on horses when they come to visit. Listening to Tony talk of zebra rustling as a child, of ocean voyages between England and Africa, of horse riding from Nairobi across lands then wild with lions and now busy with traffic is a personal walk through time for him and a wonderful glimpse into the history of a man and a land for us. Enjoy! 

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In this episode, I talk about the endangered Mountain Gorillas and take you on a virtual trek. I have done this 8 times now, in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It's often called an experience of a lifetime - and it truly is.  If you have done it, you will have a lovely walk down memory lane. And if you haven't, you will want to! Enjoy! 

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I am back chatting with my good friend, Lorna Buchanan-Jardine, and as with our previous conversation, we cover lots of topics. This one delves into Lorna's experience as a safari camp manager.  We talk about the kinds of cultural exchanges that occur between guests and the locals here and how this is often one of the highlights of a safari. You must hear her story of a New York City family describing their life to a Maasai woman. We also talk about different notions of wealth; how to photograph respectfully; the ways to give that last... Whether you have been to Africa, are coming soon or have it on your dream list, this is an insider's look you will enjoy. Happy Listening. 

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In this episode I talk about one of Nature’s unmatched wildlife events: The Great Migration.  Millions of wildebbeest, with zebra and gazelle, move around the Serengeti and Maasai Mara ecosystems following the rains for the freshest grass. This is the second largest mammal migration on our planet. (The first is bats.) The zebras and wildebeest cross the rivers, full of crocodiles, and these “crossings” are as dramatic as it gets. It also gets awfully dramatic on the river banks as many, frankly way too many, tourist vehicles gather to watch. In this episode I tell you all about the migration, the pros and cons of visiting during this time of year and the important ways we can all ensure it remains one of the most outstanding wildlife experiences of our lives. Happy Listening.

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As I say in the introduction, there is something about this conversation with Virginia that leaves me feeling raw, open and hopeful. Virginia is as real a deal as they come and hearing her talk about her upbringing in a home full of brothers and how a mixture of courage and hope led her to become one of the few - and elite - female anti-poaching rangers is beyond inspiring. Happy Listening.

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This is an iconic one.  Jamie Roberts is a larger-than-life character. He owns one of the most successful aviation businesses in Africa, Tropic Air, and takes guests, including those of Tin Trunk, in his airplanes and helicopters from lodge to lodge and on amazing journeys around the continent.  In this conversation we chat about his family, how he ended up with his business and his favourite destinations to explore on the continent. Enjoy our conversation and get ready to want to join him next time!   

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Nicole Church travelled with 4 other friends from England to Kenya. 50 years ago and in a Land Rover. They crossed the Sahara. They cooked and navigated and dug themselves out of sand traps. They visited - and felt safe in -  countries most would not drive through today and they had more than a few extraordinary encounters with people they met along the way.  Grab a map of Africa and enjoy our conversation! 

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Part of my travel planning job at  Tin Trunk involves talking to people about the daunting aspects of a trip to Africa. It's far. It's in the news for the wrong reasons much of the time. There are animals here much bigger than us  and others who can catch and eat prey much bigger than us. In this podcast, I discuss all of this and why much of it can be avoided or is often misrepresented. Have a listen and see why Africa is worth standing at the edge of your comfort zone. 

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Joy Juma loved camping and being in the African wilderness when she was a young girl.  Early on, she decided to work in conservation and has been involved with many different projects over her career. Today, Joy is a key member of the Zeitz Foundation, founded by Jochen Zeitz in 2008 and headquartered at his stunning retreat, Segera, in Kenya. Joy manages many projects for the Foundation, including wildlife conservation, the (mostly female!) anti-poaching unit, local schools, and community enterprises aimed at empowering women in particular. Most recently she is involved in a collaboration with a few other lodges in the Laikipia region of Kenya to expand the roaming rangelands for Rhinos. We sat down together at  Segera to chat about all of this. Enjoy our conversation! 

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Mike Jackson and his wife Sarah are beloved members of our family. Mike has been travelling in Africa since the 1980s - before, during and after his distinguished career in the British Army as Chief of the General Staff. There is hardly an area he hasn't visited and our conversation here at home in Kenya touches on where he has been, what he loves and why, as well as his thoughts on how Africa has changed over the years. Please enjoy.

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Robert Lochiam is one of those guides who I know I need to interview after just a few hours together. I was excited to visit a new lodge in an important area for conservation in Kenya and Robert, who goes by his surname, Lochiam, showed us just how vital the area is to the "Super Tuskers": the elephants around Amboseli National Park at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro whose tusks often drag on the ground,  and to all the other animals coexisting beside them. In our chat by the pool at the new Angama lodge, you will hear of how a rhino led the charge (pun intended!) on his career as a guide, and how his passion for helping preserve wild spaces for Africa's animals only grows stronger the more he knows - which is already a lot! Enjoy! 

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This is the first of a series of podcasts centered on the theme of bush pilots flying around Africa. I begin with my own story of becoming a pilot and hope this is inspirational for anyone tempted to take to the skies.  Africa from the air is a journey in itself. Whether you are in command or a passenger on safari, being up there, looking down on elephants, bamboo forests, waterfalls or pastoralists and their herds - and  getting from A to B easily and safely -  is the making of indelible moments. Enjoy! 

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Imagine steep hillside roads, narrow such that cars often have to give way for the oncoming traffic.  People everywhere on both sides of the road: lorries, cars, safari landcruisers.  We are talking about a crowded scenario on the Rwandan roads in the area where the Mountain Gorillas dwell. Now imagine a bicycle. No gears, and - I think but am not at all sure - brakes.  The men riding the bikes freewheel down the road - down the middle of the road - at the speed of light - from the higher forest area to the market towns below. They are right in the thick of this traffic of cars and people and they are carrying sacks of potatoes weighing around 250 kilograms each. Yep, kg, not lbs.  At the source of this daredevilry is a potato field and the harvested potatoes and their non-helmet wearing carriers are setting off, one after the other in intervals such that they don't run into one another if one person is flying downhill faster than another. Never mind the cars, lorries and motorbikes coming the other direction though!  My chat with Fabien was borne of a fascination about these wild rides and, as often happens, ended up covering a lot more than that. Special guests on the conversation are Gervais Twamugize, our guide who translated the conversation for me and James Hutchings, my husband who has worked in agriculture for over 30 years in Africa and has some interesting questions for Fabien too. Enjoy our conversations! 

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Christmas on Safari is the perfect way to make the holiday about time together, about sharing beauty and awe and magic with those you love. In this short episode, I speak about what it is like to be on safari over Christmas, and tell a  Samburu story about the creation of the stars. Happy Christmas Everyone! 

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When Diana Sutter is not in Northern California, you are safe to bet she is in Africa. Diana has seen more of Africa than most - including safari guides.  She has visited the kinds of off-the-beaten places many of us who live here full-time still dream of visiting.  She is passionate about the continent, the animals, and the people - evident not only in her stunning photography but also in her support for conservation and community.  Oh, and she is also the person who convinced me to come to Africa 19 years ago, so there's that too! Please enjoy my chat with Diana on what it means to be here every year and the power of slow-safari.

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On Safari in Rwanda! Following my special interview with the three men who worked with Dian Fossey to help save the Mountain Gorillas (previous episode), I am talking about Rwanda in general now: the country, the people, the history - sad and yet inspiring - and of course what to do and see on safari there, which goes beyond trekking to see the endangered Mountain Gorillas, but of course includes that as a life-changing priority! Enjoy! 

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This interview still gives me goose bumps. I have honoured Dian Fossey's work - exposing to the world the plight of the Mountain Gorilla and learning more and more about our wise and wonderful cousins - since forever. Getting to meet three men who worked with her and hear their stories was not only interesting, but important. She opened our eyes and hearts to these wonderful and endangered animals - and she couldn't have done it without men like these. Fidel translates for everyone so it is not only an interview with interesting information, you are also part of their conversation in Swahili - just like once upon a time. Enjoy! 

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