As another year draws to a close, I find myself, as ever, looking north and south across this continent I call home and feeling both sobered and deeply hopeful. The world feels so loud and all-consuming right now, yet every time I step into Africa’s wild spaces and into the company of our guests and partners, I am reminded why we do this work: to rewild souls, to protect what is irreplaceable and to widen the circle of care.
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One of the most profound moments of 2025 for me unfolded at Segera in Kenya’s Laikipia region. In a haze of dust and awe, we watched the first Eastern black rhinos in more than half a century charge back onto their ancestral land to begin a founding population of what will become one of the largest connected rhino sanctuaries in Africa. The initiative is being spearheaded by the visionary Jochen Zeitz, and to know that the generosity of our precious guests had helped make this possible was deeply humbling… A true reminder of what can be possible when vision, urgency and devotion come together.
That same thread of courage and return ran through our Women’s Empowerment Retreat at Xigera in Botswana in April. Year after year, I am humbled that almost all our guests choose to come back to our women’s retreats. They return for one another, for the deep femininity of Africa’s landscapes, and, of course, for other women… Women like Tshepo Phokoje, who took the leap from photography to guiding and is now Xigera’s first female guide; Malaki Q-Maundo, the extraordinary Front of House Manager at Xigera whose journey from detective to hospitality trainee to manager inspired us all; and our very own Tovhi, who started her career as a guide and is now Head of Guest Experiences for ROAR AFRICA, leading an entire team every day. Watching these strong, courageous women take up positions that have so often been reserved for men, I was reminded once again of our conviction: “If African women rise, wildlife will thrive.”
We also celebrated our eighth and ninth Greatest Safari on Earth journeys this year. I still have to pinch myself that what began as a fragile idea all those years ago has become a profound journey that guests plan their years around. Crossing the continent aboard the Emirates Executive Private Jet, from the ROAR of Victoria Falls to the stillness of the Okavango Delta, the golden plains of the Masai Mara and the misty forests of Rwanda to see the mountain gorillas, is extraordinary. It really is impossible to describe the magnitude of the trip, the transformation that occurs in all of us, but having the same guests return now three times says it all. It also tells me that we created something truly rare – and that will always be one of the greatest privileges of my career.
One conversation that has stayed with me this year was with Pilar Guzmán, Editorial Director of Oprah Daily. Pilar asked what it is about safari that moves people so profoundly, and I found myself saying this: it isn’t only what you see out there in the wild, it’s what finally becomes possible inside you when the noise falls away. Being in the wild and on safari restores perspective. It softens the ego. It reminds us we are part of something older, wiser and infinitely more alive than our schedules and screens....
Thank you for trusting me with your time, your families and your curiosity. Thank you for allowing your journeys to do real work in the world – sustaining jobs, safeguarding wilderness, amplifying the voices of African women and men whose courage lifts us all. As we step into 2026, my wish is simple: that you continue to find beauty, awe and a sense of deep belonging here in Africa, and that the trace you leave behind is one of immense care for this fragile land that is truly the cathedral of our souls.
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