Hundreds of runners tackle the hardest flat ultra in the world across Botswana's Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. Hear the incredible stories of transformation, community spirit, and what happens when you push human limits in one of the most extraordinary landscapes.

James talks to life coach Linda Jean about what makes transformative travel truly transformative. A must listen for travel professionals and travellers alike. They explore the process from multiple perspectives – the traveller the guide and crucially the travel planner’s role in facilitating life-changing moments. Linda shares insights from her own travel experiences and professional journey discussing how Africa provides profound experiences in our overstimulated world and importantly how burnout affects the travel industry and how it can be prevented.

James joins Dave Carson, a professional safari guide and founder of Kazuma Trails & the Safari Insight podcast. They explore what makes the safari guide’s role so pivotal in making transformative travel moments, the importance of stripping back the layers to connect closer with Africa's wilderness, and the profound experiences Dave has witnessed with his travellers. From his camp in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe to mobile camping adventures in Botswana, Dave shares lessons learned and why simplicity creates the most meaningful safari experiences.

James catches up with long-time podcast contributor Andrew Flatt for a “Hike with a Mic” across Dartmoor National Park, UK. This through-and-through Botswana boy shares his transformational experiences that led him to Cape Town the profound nothingness of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and his life-changing involvement with Local Ocean Conservation in Watamu, Kenya. A great chat about what makes African travel truly transformative.

What does transformative travel actually mean beyond the marketing jargon? Travel industry expert Lindsey Walter joins James to explore whether this trend is genuine substance or just another industry fad. From her first Kenya safari challenging assumptions about the future of the African travel industry to a deep dive into what businesses should be looking out for when it comes to selling experiences. Lindsey shares her profound travel moments and reveals why transformative travel focuses on what Africa gives YOU as a traveller and how that links to the marketing approach from the travel sector.

Welcome to our new series exploring transformational travel in Africa! In our first episode, James catches up with Stuart as they drive across South Africa in a Tread Lite Jimny from Bonamanzi Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal to Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga. During their journey through the South African countryside, they each share their three most profound transformational travel experiences in Africa, setting the foundation for this series exploring how Africa changes travellers in ways that go far beyond typical holidays.

In this special episode, we take a heartfelt journey through a year of incredible achievements dedicated to the memory of Julia, our beloved co-founder and champion of Africa. As the fundraising year draws to a close on 26th January, there’s still time to contribute. Join us as we reflect on the impact we’ve had through three inspiring projects: This episode takes you through the emotions and milestones of this fundraising year, demonstrating how generosity and a shared love for Africa can create a lasting legacy—changing lives, protecting wildlife, and building sustainable futures. Thank you for being part of this journey, […]

In this episode of Untamed Routes, we take you to Lake Natron, an accessible, yet very remote and breathtaking location in Tanzania. Far from the typical safari circuit, Lake Natron offers surreal landscapes and cultural experiences that make it a hidden gem for adventurous travellers. We share insights into the unique setting with the iconic Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano as the backdrop and the incredible interactions we had with the local Maasai people as we uncover why Lake Natron should be on your travel radar.  Some of the highlights include:  Conquering the Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano and its challenging ascent. Hiking through the Ngare Sero Gorge, cooling […]

Welcome back to Inspiring African Travel! You’re tuning in to Episode 3 of our series Untamed Routes. In this series, we dive into off-the-beaten-path adventures—those that take you beyond the typical bucket-list destinations. Untamed Routes is all about uncovering the second biggest, the oldest, the longest—whatever it might be—that offers a different kind of thrill and connection with Africa’s wild places. In our last episode, we shared why trekking Tanzania’s second-highest mountain might just be the adventure for you. Today, we’re heading off to Botswana—a destination famous for its epic elephant herds, the Okavango Delta, the famous Chobe River safaris, and the Kalahari Desert. […]

Welcome back! This is episode 2 of our series, Untamed Routes. Today, we’re venturing into Tanzania to explore Mount Meru, the country’s second-highest peak, often overshadowed by its more famous neighbour, Kilimanjaro.  Untamed Routes is about seeking out destinations that aren’t necessarily on everyone’s radar. We’re drawn to places that might not be the highest, biggest, or most visited—but are rich in beauty, culture, and experience. Mount Meru is Tanzania’s second highest summit at 4,566 meters (14,980 feet) and the fifth-highest mountain in Africa, but it offers something truly special: a quieter, more intimate trekking experience, stunning landscapes, and a rewarding sense of accomplishment. James […]

Welcome back to Inspiring African Travel and the kickoff of our brand-new travel series! Hard to believe, but we’re now in Season 7—we’ve outstripped Breaking Bad and Ozark in terms of seasons! We’re feeling pretty pumped over here! This season, we’re excited to bring you Untamed Routes: Discovering Africa’s Hidden Treasures. Over the next two months, get ready for some incredible adventures as we delve into Africa’s lesser-known wonders. From unexplored hikes in East Africa and fascinating mammal migrations to off-the-beaten-path destinations in Namibia, we’ve got plenty of hidden gems lined up for you. In Episode 1, we’re kicking things off with a destination special. Think Top Gear meets Inspiring […]

Welcome back and we’re halfway through our fundraising year in memory of our beautiful co-founder Julia. So far, we’ve raised GBP 6,478.00! In this episode, we’ll be giving you an update on the three projects we are supporting and how your donations have made a difference. To give you a little sneak preview, we’ve been able to sponsor six children for a year through the Awutu Winton School in Ghana. Funds have gone towards helping repair the coral nursery at Linda Bahari in Zanzibar, and we’ve also managed to help launch a new research project aimed at helping wildlife and […]

Welcome back to Inspiring African Travel! In this episode, we’re excited to introduce our third fundraising beneficiary for this fundraising year. We’re raising money for three wonderful grassroots projects in Africa in memory of Jules. Dr. Tempe Adams’ Wildlife & Community Co-Existence Initiative in Botswana Tempe is a long-time friend of both James and Julia’s. We had an insightful conversation with her about where the funds will be allocated in Botswana, focusing on helping local communities coexist with wildlife. This is a crucial topic for the safari industry, which relies on the incredible wildlife that draws travellers to the region. […]

Welcome back to our relaunch series and this is episode 4 dedicated to our co-founder, Julia, and launch of our fundraising year. We want to bring you a lovely episode recorded with Andrew Flatt from a tranquil channel in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Before we do that a quick update. Fundraising Update: We’ve kicked off our fundraising year in Julia’s memory and are thrilled to share that we’ve raised an incredible £6,000 so far for our projects! Our goal is to raise GBP30,000 so we still need your support!  Haven’t listened to our previous episodes on Ghana and Zanzibar? Be […]

Welcome to our fourth episode of the podcast relaunch where we’re now bringing you closer to the West African portion of the fundraiser beneficiaries. The Awutu Winton High School in Ghana.  A portion of the funds raised from the Inspiring African Travel fundraiser will be going towards this wonderful school and we can’t wait to share the work that’s been done as the year progresses.  James & Max teamed up for this episode and brought together three things that form a great part of their lives. Walking and being in the outdoors, passion for being in Africa and making a […]

Welcome back to Inspiring African Travel! In this episode, we bring you Episode 3 of our podcast relaunch, recorded in Zanzibar last year at the Divepoint Scuba Centre, situated at Sunshine Marine Lodge on the east coast of the island, directly opposite some of the best diving sites in the area. We had the pleasure of meeting up with Frank Mollel, also known as Frank the Masai Diver, who initiated a project in Zanzibar a few years ago called Linda Bahari. As part of our fundraising project dedicated to Jules, we'll be contributing towards their work, which involves rehabilitating coral in their operating area, as well as providing crucial training and support to the local community in conservation efforts while creating employment opportunities. Frank is one of Julia's closest friends, and we're so excited about spending more time with him in Africa in the future. He is a wonderful human!  The conversation was recorded early in the morning before our last dive in the coral nursery, where we delved into Frank's friendship with Julia and discussed the legacy we aim to create in her honour. If you're interested in learning more about Frank, you can listen to our first episode featuring Julia, Stuart, and us back in 2021. Podcast episode in features in series 3 – Guide stories or on youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfvlCiQ3HTo Once again, everyone, thank you for the incredible momentum behind our fundraiser. We've raised nearly GBP 6,500, and a portion of these funds will be directed towards supporting the valuable work of Linda Bahari on the island. Thank you for listening, everyone, and we hope you enjoy the episode!

Welcome, everyone, to Episode 2 of our relaunch series of Inspiring African Travel. Our main goal here is to honour the memory of our co-founder, my incredible wife, Julia. We're also thrilled to update you on our fundraising project for the three amazing grassroots projects we're supporting. First and foremost, a massive thank you to everyone who has donated thus far. Our target was to raise GBP 30,000 this year, and we're already approaching GBP 5,000! That's nearly US$6,000 already – an astonishing response. The feedback celebrating Julia's legacy has been incredibly generous and heart-warming. If you haven't already, do check out our relaunch episode, just before this one. We've been sharing more details about the projects we're supporting on our social media channels and will continue to do so. If you haven't already, please follow Inspiring African Travel on Instagram, Facebook, etc. In this episode, we're sharing a conversation recorded with Stuart, as another tribute to Julia and her influence on our lives and the inception of this podcast. Our mission is to share our passion for travel in Africa and share our unique experiences and tips from around the continent. Julia's impact on our lives and this podcast has been immense. So, here's our tribute conversation, recorded from the beautiful Modderfontein Reserve, nestled in the heart of Johannesburg on a chilly morning. Modderfontein Reserve is actually the second largest private park in Gauteng, South Africa. https://modderfonteinreserve.co.za They're on a mission to replant over 5,000 indigenous trees and create a sanctuary around the city. It offers fantastic mountain biking tracks, breathtaking trail running, and scenic hikes, which we thoroughly enjoy every time we're in Johannesburg. There's also an incredible farmers' market on weekends, offering a variety of treats, including exceptional coffee, which Stu and I were savouring on a large rock in the valley on that misty morning. Thank you once again, everyone. Enjoy our conversation, and we'll catch up with you for Episode 3 in a couple of weeks, featuring our good friend, Frank, the Masai diver. But for now, here we are in Jozi, with James’ great friend Stu, who he’s known since 1997 and who has been an incredible support and integral part of this podcast. See you soon!

In our official relaunch and opening episode to series 6, we are so thrilled to welcome you back to Inspiring African Travel. This episode is our heartfelt dedication to our beautiful co-founder, Julia Spry-Wilson, and a glimpse into our 2024 fundraising plans in her memory. With mixed emotions, we're excited to resume our podcast, sharing our enduring passion for African travel. However, our hearts are heavy as we remember Julia, our co-founder, inspiration, and of course, James’ wife. Her passing on January 26, 2023, left a massive void. Beyond the podcast, she was a cherished friend and colleague to many listeners, leaving such an great impact. After a year of healing and reflection, we're back. Stuart and I will continue uncovering the wonders of Africa, just as we have from the beginning. In other news, we've officially launched a fundraising campaign, a testament to Julia's vision. Inspiring African Travel has always championed positive impact, responsible travel, community upliftment, and conservation. Julia's dream, as we discussed before her passing, is now a reality. You can learn more about our fundraising projects on our website as well as donate and join our mailing list! Navigating life without Julia is an ongoing struggle, a daily journey of grief and adjustment. Yet, amidst the pain, there's gratitude for the love she shared and her profound impact on so many people. As we embark on this new chapter, exploring Africa and engaging with inspiring individuals, we invite you to join us—whether you're returning or joining for the first time.   Thank you for coming back, and thank you to Jules. Our eternal inspiration! Your spirit lives on in every adventure we undertake.

The largest waterfalls on the planet. Located seemingly in the centre of Southern Africa, the falls stretches between two countries. It spans 1,700 meters (5,600 feet) between Zimbabwe and Zambia and is simply one of the most stunning things to see in Africa.  This is a place we have all visited many times and it never disappoints. In this episode we’re going to explore some of the insider tips to help you get the most from your visit while exploring some of the things we love about this destination.  Jess White who works with Wild Horizons in Zimbabwe is a Vic Falls local joined us for this episode and helps give us loads of insider tips and ideas.  The falls drop just over 100 meters from top to bottom. Not the highest… but but when you consider that the mighty Zambezi river is one of Africa’s biggest rivers then you can just imagine what a spectacle this nearly 1.7km of waterfalls really is. The spray that shoots up into the air from the thundering falls rises up about 800m of 2,600 feet into the air and so on a clear day you can see the falls mist from about 50km away!  The locals called it MOSI OA TUNYA  - the Smoke that Thunders.  Want to know what to do, where to eat, what else to see while you’re there and how we can help inspire you to get the most from your visit? If so listen in and as always here are the links to most of the places we mentioned.  Wild Horizons are an incredible local resource and can help you plan everything from rafting the Zambezi to dining on the Zambezi. Accommodation and transfers you name it. We love these guys. Dusty Road for an incredible local styled culinary experience in the Falls.   For more information on Bike Tours in the falls. We spoke about the power of the Negative Ions in Victoria Falls. You can read more about that here in this blog from Wild Horizons. The Lookout Cafe for a must do stop while in the falls. 

After you listen to this episode you will surely be pumped up to go and explore our beloved KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). It’s absolutely jam packed with tips of places to go, what to do there and how to make the most of your time in KZN so scroll down the notes for as many of the links we could gather from the tips we brought you. Our guest for this episode is KZN expert travel writer & photographer Melanie Van Zyl. She live in sunny Pietermaritzburg at the start of the KZN midlands and has become an absolute fantastic of the region! Like all places there are just so many more things we didn’t have time to talk about so we focus on 5 topics and regions to get you more than going. We start off with Durban the city - the hub of KZN and while we’re not big into cities on this podcast, Mel tries to persuade us otherwise! The Drankensberg Mountain range. Superb hiking and Definitely South Africa’s most significant mountain range.  Kosi Bay and the surrounding beaches & bays for remote, tropical wilderness experiences and incredible snorkelling and diving The KZN Midlands - a region that starts an hour inland from Durban all the way to the Drakensberg. Its one of the most perfect road trip areas full of quaint places to stay and explore. Its foodie heaven and also full if nature trails and outdoor things to do. The game-reserves & wildlife areas of KZN. Possibly overlooked because of the famous Kruger in South Africa.. we’ll take you through the best places in KZN that offer truly unique ecosystems and African wildlife experiences. Thanks again to Melanie for agreeing to help us out it was lots of fun and you can find all her details in our notes on the site as well. To know more about Melanie Van Zyl our guest on this podcast and expert on all things Kwa-Zulu Natal follow her website link or find her on Instagram, and Twitter. The city life of Durban Check out Summer Hill for Mel’s recommendation for a really fun Durban styled sustainable meal using local produce from local farmers (around 20-minutes from Durban). The amazing South African Indian curry restaurant we recommend near Florida road in Durban is Malis - Fantastic homemade curry! Don’t let the looks deceive you. This place does an outstanding nosh! The Kosi Bay Area of KZN The incredible Isimangaliso Wetland Park. An extremely unique game reserve and ecosystem in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Kosi Forest Lodge for the amazing Raphia Palm walks where you can find the rare Palm-nut vulture and enjoy massive wide-open deserted wild beaches. Coral Divers - Mel’s recommendation for an amazing place to stay for diving, fishing and exploring. Chilled, relaxed vibe and inside the park. The Drakensberg Mountains  One of Mel’s favourite places for hiking, views and remoteness is the Mnweni Wilderness Area. You can find out more about this region and hikes here: Womxn for Wild offer these guides hikes of the Drakensberg. Mel’s recommendation for escorted guided hikes in the Drakensberg - Path Finder SA. To get to the highest pub in Africa and enjoy the Sani Pass (although in Lesotho and not in KZN) you’ll get epic views of KZN...