Water shaped every part of this six-night Botswana safari, from the abundance of the Okavango Delta to the raw, heat-driven landscape of the Mababe Depression. At Qorokwe and Mokete, I experienced two very different expressions of the same ecosystem, and a glimpse of what next year's dry conditions could mean for wildlife.

After nine migration seasons in the Maasai Mara, I find myself increasingly convinced that we have become too obsessed with the river crossings. This is a love letter to the wildebeest themselves, and to the extraordinary experience of standing amongst herds so vast they seem to swallow the landscape.

Gorongosa National Park is more than a remarkable conservation success story. After decades in the safari industry, I found myself questioning what safari has become, and discovering in Gorongosa a reminder of what it can still be: wild, uncertain, immersive and deeply meaningful.

Helping shape the next generation of professional safari guides through coaching, storytelling and immersive wildlife experiences. Discover The Ignite Collective and explore what makes a truly exceptional guide.

Modern guides are increasingly being asked to balance guest expectations with ethical decision-making. Every day, they face moments where the right decision may not be the popular one. Whether it is refusing to leave the road for a better photograph, moving away from a crowded sighting or choosing an animal's welfare over a guest's request, these decisions often go unseen and uncelebrated.

Travel isn’t always easy, and the more meaningful it becomes, the less easy it often is. This journey into the Himalaya wasn’t about ticking off destinations, but about how we moved through them as a family. Slowing down, going deeper, and allowing each place (and its people) to shape the experience in ways that stay with you long after you leave.

For three months, our family has been living in the wild hills of Jawai, where children grow up barefoot, surrounded by stories, community, and curiosity. This is a reflection on family, travel, and why the greatest classroom might just be the world itself.

Thoughts from a guide training programme at Xigera Safari Lodge, exploring confidence, alignment, and what modern safari guiding truly requires.

In November I travelled with a family through two very different corners of the Maasai Mara, exploring the Reserve and the northern conservancies during one of the quietest times of the year. Without the crowds of peak season, the Mara revealed a deeper, more honest version of itself. Extraordinary sightings, long discussions around the fire and an unfiltered look at the ecosystem turned this “off-season” journey into one of the most meaningful safaris I’ve done in years.