Growing up in South Africa, I was fortunate enough to visit many of the reserves across the country from a young age. This is where my passion for travel started. I fell in love with the excitement that each experience brings, not knowing what’s going to happen next. You’ll never see the same thing twice in the bush, and I think that’s the beauty of it. A morning game drive, a cup of coffee, watching the sunrise bring the bush to life is my favourite start to the day.
At 23 years old, I left South Africa and moved to the UK to start my own life. While job hunting, I came across the South Africa Country Specialist role at Audley and knew this was the job for me. I love being able to share my passion and be part of people’s journeys in experiencing the beauty of South Africa for themselves.
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Q&A with Ben
What's your most vivid travel moment?
I was (unfenced) camping in Botswana, when I was woken in the early hours of the morning by the spine-chilling roars of a lioness right outside my tent. Lying there dead still in the dark, I could hear her breathing and footsteps as she moved around the camp. I’ve never been so quiet and still in my life. That morning after leaving my tent I saw her pawprints had gone right past my head. Being that close to Africa’s apex predator, only separated by the canvas of my tent, is an unsettling yet humbling experience.
Where would you love to travel next?
The Serengeti in Tanzania has been on my radar since my passion for the bush started when I was a kid. I’ve only seen photos and videos of the Great Migration on those vast, open plains. It's an experience that I know I must see with my own eyes.
Which book, film or artwork captures South Africa the most?
‘My Life With Leopards — Graham Cooke’s Story’ by Fransje van Riel. Based on a true story, this book tells the story of Graham Cooke, who rescues two leopard cubs from a life in captivity, to raise them in the wild where they belong. The story beautifully captures the challenges Graham goes through, from building trust with these timid cubs, to eventually letting these young leopard’s venture freely into the wild without him. For me, this book highlights the beauty of the relationship you build with nature when you’re passionate about it, and the lessons that can be learnt from animals so different to us.