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Adventure Travel Podcast - Big World Made Small
Welcome to the Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Podcast, where we go far beyond the beaches, resort hotels, and cruises to explore the really cool places, people, and activities that adventurous travelers crave. If your idea of a great vacation is sitting on a beach at an all-inclusive resort, you’re in the wrong place. However, if you’re like me, and a beach resort vacation sounds like torture, stick around. You’ve found your tribe.
My name is Jason Elkins, and as an adventure travel marketing consultant and tour operator myself, I am on a mission to impact the lives of adventure travelers, the tour operators they hire, and the communities that host them, creating deeply meaningful experiences that make this big world feel just a bit smaller.
Are you ready to discover your next great adventure, whether that looks something like climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa, SCUBA diving in the South Pacific, or hot air ballooning in Turkey? Then you’ll be happy to know that each episode of the Big World Made Small Podcast features a fascinating interview with an adventure travel expert that has agreed to share, with us, their own personal stories, favorite adventure destinations, and even some incredibly helpful tips and tricks they’ve learned while in the field. I trust that by the end of each episode you’ll feel like booking a ticket to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of these amazing places, and getting to know the incredible people that live there.
I’ll be your guide as we explore this amazing planet and its people on the Big World Made Small podcast. I am a former US Army paratrooper, third generation commercial hot air balloon pilot, paramotor pilot, advanced open water SCUBA diver, and ex-Montana fly fishing guide and lodge manager. I have managed boutique adventure tour operation businesses in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, off-shore in Belize, the Adirondacks in New York, and the desert of Arizona. I also spent nearly a decade with Orvis International Travel, leading a talented team of tour operation experts, putting together and hosting amazing fly fishing and adventure travel excursions around the world. I have tapped into my experience and network of travel pros to put together a weekly series of exclusive expert interviews that I am excited to share with you.
For the last couple of years I have lived a fully nomadic lifestyle, feeding my passion for exploration, creating amazing adventures, and meeting some of the most fascinating people along the way. I record every episode while traveling, so in a sense you’ll be joining me on my journey. Let’s discover some great adventures together and make this big world feel just a bit smaller.
And, don’t forget to take a quick trip over to our website at bigworldmadesmall.com and join our adventure travel community, where you’ll benefit from new episode announcements, exclusive adventure travel opportunities, and special access to the experts you’ve met on the show. You can also follow us on social media, using the links in the show notes below. And, if you’re getting value out of the show please help us grow by sharing it with your friends, family, and anyone else you know that wants to get far beyond the beaches, resort hotels, and cruise ships, the next time they travel.
I’ll publish another episode soon. Until then, keep exploring. It’s the best way to make a big world feel just a bit smaller.
https://bigworldmadesmall.com
Adventure Travel Podcast - Big World Made Small
Adventure Travel with Samrawit Moges - Travel Ethiopia
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Guest Bio
Samrawit Moges is the Founder and CEO of Travel Ethiopia, a private, eco-conscious tour and safari company established in 1994. With a career in Ethiopian tourism that stretches back to 1981, she has spent decades helping travelers discover the many dimensions of Ethiopia, from its historic landmarks and cultural traditions to its wildlife, landscapes, and living heritage.
She built Travel Ethiopia from a small operation with just a few employees and vehicles into a respected tourism company with a team of more than 40 trained professionals. Samrawit is especially known for her leadership in creating meaningful travel experiences and for her commitment to tourism that reflects both the richness of Ethiopia’s past and the realities of its present.
She is also a passionate advocate for women in tourism. Under her leadership, Travel Ethiopia became known for empowering women in the industry, including hiring female guides and tour consultants. Deeply committed to Ethiopia’s environment, wildlife, and community development, Samrawit brings both vision and long-standing expertise to every journey her company creates.
Show Summary
In this episode of the Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Podcast, host Jason Elkins speaks with Samrawit about her remarkable path into tourism and her mission to help more travelers see Ethiopia in a fuller, more informed way. Their conversation explores how outdated global perceptions have shaped the way many people think about the country, and why Samrawit believes Ethiopia deserves far more attention as a destination for history, culture, wildlife, food, and deeply human travel experiences.
Samrawit shares how she founded Travel Ethiopia during a period of major change in the country and how her own story was shaped by family, education, and resilience. She reflects on growing up in a large family, moving often as a child, studying journalism, entering tourism through government service, and eventually building her own company. Along the way, she discusses her commitment to women’s empowerment in the travel industry and the importance of building trust with international partners and travelers.
The episode also becomes an invitation to experience Ethiopia beyond the headlines. Samrawit highlights the country’s UNESCO sites, endemic wildlife, distinctive calendar, coffee heritage, cuisine, and culture of hospitality. From shared meals and injera to Addis Ababa’s role as an air hub and conference destination, she paints a vivid picture of a country that offers far more depth and variety than many outsiders realize.
Big World Made Small guest features are invitation-only and selected based on story, experience, and fit with the show. Some guests support the show through paid production features, cross-promotion, referrals, or other partnerships. This helps keep the show free of third-party ads and interruptions while keeping the focus on real, story-driven conversations.
Learn more about the Big World Made Small Podcast and join our private community to get episode updates, special access to our guests, and exclusive adventure travel offers on our website.
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