Bateleur Magazine Issue No.4

no.4 USD 20 | ZAR 375

Galápagos ISLANDS OF EVOLUTION

Sands of time MAKING A CORAL COMEBACK

Earth’s final frontiers FROM THE RAINFOREST TO ANTARCTICA

andBeyond.com

True luxury isn’t just what you see, but how it changes you.

A journey with &Beyond can take you to one of four continents, where our 30 rare and remarkable sanctuaries offer a warm place to pause, reflect, and connect—with yourself, with those who welcome you and with the world around you. Here, adventure and comfort go hand in hand, because stepping beyond your comfort zone has never felt so natural.

SEE WHAT LIES BEYOND

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Contents

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COVER STORY SANDS OF TIME

A mesmerising swirl of sand and sea, where arriving feels like a dream, and leaving is always bittersweet.

&Beyond Mnemba Island Lodge’s epic rebuild is proof that paradise can indeed be enhanced and protected, simultaneously.

Welcome to the world of &Beyond

BOOK YOUR STAY All destinations and properties featured in this issue can be booked through andBeyond.com or your preferred travel specialist.

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Editor’s letter 06

Contributors 10

Music to travel to 12

The hot list

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Small act, big impact 98

The last laugh 100

What lies beyond

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IMAGES: DOOKPHOTO; SEAN FANDAM; CHRIS SCHALKX; RENATO GRANIERI

Founded in 1991, &Beyond is built on a simple yet powerful idea: that travel can leave our world a better place. From our expertly-crafted journeys across Africa, Asia, South America and Antarctica, to our extensive collection of lodges and camps­(plus a luxury expedition yacht, and another one on the way), we create transformative travel experiences that go beyond the extraordinary. In partnership with Wild Impact (formerly Africa Foundation), we support 75 partner communities and protect over a million acres of wilderness, ensuring that every adventure gives back.

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EXPLORE 30

Wild wonder

ENGAGE

PROTECT

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Families that safari together

A brand-new expedition yacht, prehistoric landscapes, and a reminder that true luxury is the destination itself.

Three families discover that Africa’s wild places provide the ultimate bonding experience.

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Far from frozen in time

Desolate and dramatic, Antarctica is a land of formidable extremes worth protecting.

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Tigers, turtles and tea Drifting down the Brahmaputra, where every bend reveals a different perspective.

Acacia roots to academic dreams Access to education opens doors and inspires positive change, regardless of circumstances.

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The perfect match Luxury stays for every kind of traveller, because one size does not fit all.

Portraits of the natural world Photographing the endangered mountain gorillas of the lush Rwandan rainforest.

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A true north star

Guardians of the Nyekweri

From passion to purpose, this personal journey is proof that hard work leads to success.

A forest restoration project rooted in the community and flourishing towards a sustainable future.

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Some places beckon us back—not just to revisit, but to see them anew. &Beyond Mnemba Island Lodge has been rebuilt, its romance untouched, and its island fragility preserved.

Dear traveller, Much like the spiral of a nautilus shell, travel is a continuous unfolding and a journey both outward and inward. Each turn of the spiral leads us somewhere new, encouraging adventure and quiet reflection. Yet no matter how far we go, we always return, changed, as each journey gently defines and enhances the spiral.

Some destinations are more than just stops along the way—those relatively untouched places where the natural world still hums in its purest form. The evolutionary marvels of the Galápagos, the frozen silence of Antarctica, the mist-cloaked hills of Rwanda, the shifting sands of &Beyond Mnemba Island, and Kenya’s sacred Nyekweri Forest—these are not just places to visit, but to protect. Their beauty inseparable from their vulnerability. To witness them is to carry a responsibility: to tread lightly; to leave no trace; and to ensure that their legacies continue long after our footprints have faded.

This issue is an ode to those final frontiers and the guardians who fight for them. From the researchers and rangers to the travellers who choose to engage with purpose, every journey here is a step toward preservation. Because the true impact of travel isn’t just in where we go—it’s in what we leave behind.

Claire Trickett &Beyond Group Editor and Travel Blogger @clairetrickett

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SEEING THE FIRST SMART BINOCULARS

AX VISIO

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Contributors ON THE COVER Gwyneth Gosling @beachcomberpots

Time is running out to save our oceans, a reality captured in this issue’s cover art. The delicate clay installation, shaped like &Beyond Mnemba Island and framed by sand, depicts the fragile beauty of Mnemba’s coral reefs. The coral pink hues gently fade to white, as a haunting reminder of coral bleaching. Handcrafted by South African ceramicist Gwyneth Gosling, this deeply personal piece honours her passion for the ocean and time spent on its shores with her late mother.

Sophy Roberts @sophy_roberts

@chrsschlkx

Chris is a renowned freelance writer and photographer specialising in travel, design and culture. In 2013, he swapped his native home in the Netherlands for a new adventure in Bangkok, where he covers emerging local designers and up-and-coming travel destinations around the globe.

A regular contributor to Condé Nast Traveller, Travel + Leisure, HTSI, Vogue, and more, Chris’ evocative writing and editorial photography tell vivid tales of tradition and modernity, bringing lesser-known places and cultures to life.

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IMAGES: SUPPLIED

Chris Schalkx

Sophy is an award-winning British journalist and author dedicated to immersive travel, conservation and cultural heritage. Her detailed on-the-ground reporting has been widely featured in The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Condé Nast Traveller UK/US. She explores untold stories from some of the world’s most remote places and captivates readers with overlooked landscapes and narratives. Her acclaimed first book, The Lost Pianos of Siberia, combines history, adventure and music in a remarkable journey across harsh Siberian terrain. Her second non-fiction book, A Training School for Elephants—described as ‘luminous’ by The Guardian—was recently published.

French for “acrobat”, the mighty Bateleur eagle sways as it soars, mimicking a tightrope walker.

A fitting symbol for &Beyond, given our core ethos of balancing our Care of Land, Wildlife and People—a balance made entirely possible by the guests that travel with us. When all three are in harmony, together, we leave our world a better place. &BEYOND andBeyond.com andBeyond.com/magazine

@andbeyondtravel #seewhatliesbeyond EDITORIAL Editor Claire Trickett Creative Julia Becker; Terry Parenzee

Ami Vitale @amivitale

The Bucket List Family @thebucketlistfamily

A globetrotting family of five, Garrett and Jessica Gee and their three children have spent close to a decade travelling the world together in search of adventure, family bonding, and the kind of education no textbook can teach.

As full-time travellers, storytellers, and advocates for meaningful exploration, they share the highs and lows of life on the road, highlighting cultural connections, conservation efforts, and the invaluable life lessons they learn along the way.

Acclaimed National Geographic photographer, writer, and documentary filmmaker, Ami’s work began in conflict zones, which shaped her understanding of the profound connections between human and environmental crises. She was named alongside such legends as Jane Goodall and Ruth Bader Ginsburg as one of InStyle magazine’s Badass 50, an esteemed group of women who show up, speak up and get things done. Ami is the founder and Executive Director of Vital Impacts, a non-profit that supports community-based conservation efforts and visual journalists dedicated to sharing impactful environmental narratives.

Contributors Alex Postman; Benjamin Sans; Bright Sibiya; Clinton Friedman Photography; Coralyn Griffith; Crookes&Jackson; Daryl Dell; Donald Grieg; dookphoto; Duncan Butchart; Dylan Royal; Eugenie Kelly; Gangtey Lodge; Inge Prins; Jane Broughton; Jessica Botha; Josh van der Ploeg; Julien Capmeil; Juliet Kinsman; Kristen Harrison; Mary Holland; Matthew van Wieringen; Peter Chadwick; Phebe Wahl; Renato Granieri; Richard Holmes; Sarah Marshall; Sean Fandam; Susan Schmitz; Vos & Ink Advertising For media kit and advertising enquiries, contact advertising@andBeyond.com PRINTING This magazine was printed using eco-friendly vegetable oil inks, recyclable printing plates and FSC-certified paper that is recyclable, biodegradable and produced through responsible forestry.

PURCHASE PAST ISSUES Scan to access digital issues of Bateleur Hard copies can be ordered from guestshopping@andBeyond.com

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Music to travel to Whether you’re in planning mode, packing mode or airplane mode—or just trying to cure those post-travel blues—this playlist will get you in the mood for adventure.

VOLUME 2

Bhutan soundscapes

by Gangtey Lodge Curated as a sampling of what guests can expect to hear and experience at this luxurious Bhutanese farmhouse, this playlist is a deep immersion in the meditative stillness and spirtual heritage of Bhutan.

Gentle rise Tracks 1-7 Guests awake gently to picturesque views of the valley below and start each day at their own pace.

Inner stillness Tracks 8-14 Soothing ambience for the world-class spa, traditional hot stone baths and in-room massage treatments.

Sacred sounds A collection of hauntingly beautiful chants and mantras that resonate from the kingdom’s monasteries.

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY Scan to open Gangtey Lodge’s playlist

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IMAGES: CLAIRE TRICKETT; GETTY IMAGES

Tracks 15-21

Let your curiosity be your compass.

At &Beyond Punakha River Lodge, adventure isn’t just about where you go—it’s about what you discover.

Nestled in Bhutan’s emerald valleys, where sacred rivers carve through misty mountains and prayer flags whisper fond memories, this is a journey for the curious. Hike, raft, reflect. And leave with more than just memories—leave with a story worth telling.

SEE WHAT LIES BEYOND

andBeyond.com

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The hot list A sought-after collection of products and experiences to elevate your travels.

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In celebration of its 40th anniversary year, Ardmore has unveiled its exquisite Phinda Pride scarf. A wearable piece of art crafted from the finest silk, it reflects the natural beauty and rich biodiversity of &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve.

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Perfect for milestone occasions, or ‘just because’, give the gift of travel with these vouchers for &Beyond adventures in Africa, Asia, Antarctica and South America. go.andBeyond.com/voucher

Weaving purpose into every thread, AmA by Deki Natural Dyes is a collection of Bhutanese Kishutharas, scarves and shawls, all handwoven from locally-sourced cotton and nettle fabrics dyed with natural ingredients.

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Written by Simon Naylor (former Conservation Manager at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve), The Return of the Pangolin documents the inspiring story of the reserve’s groundbreaking achievement in pangolin conservation.

All products available for purchase through guestshopping@andBeyond.com

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Subscribe to &Beyond’s Better World podcast channel for uplifting tales of conservation, travel and adventure that are leaving our world a better place. go.andBeyond.com/podcasts

7 A memento of your &Beyond journey, this foldaway bag (available in five colours) is the perfect carryall.

IMAGES: SUPPLIED

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A bestseller at &Beyond Vira Vira in Chile, these charming sheep are handcrafted by a local artisan using community-sourced wood, sheepskin and traditional methods passed down through generations.

Can you imagine a world without Cape Sugarbirds?

We can’t and that’s why BirdLife South Africa is driven to conserve these and other endemic birds.

Join us in conserving Africa’s incredible bird species. Through research, habitat protection, and community involvement, we work to ensure a future for birds and the ecosystems they depend on.

Your support can make all the difference – become a member, donate or leave a legacy gift in your will.

Visit birdlife.org.za or contact tarryn.mckechnie@birdlife.org.za for more information.

CAPE SUGARBIRD CHICK DIONNE MILES

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Small act, big impact A single act of kindness or a small donation from one concerned traveller, when multiplied across many travellers, has the power to create a profound and lasting impact, leaving our world a significantly better place for future generations.

For more than 30 years, &Beyond and Wild Impact (formerly Africa Foundation) have worked collaboratively with our partner communities to nurture climate resilience, support sustainable livelihoods, and conserve the wild places they call home.

With devastating droughts, floods and rising temperatures constantly threatening the survival and stability of these vulnerable communities, the Climate Resilient Communities (CRC) programme—funded by BMZ, Global Nature Fund and Wilo Foundation— is transforming food and water security, one garden at a time.

At Early Childhood Development Centres, food gardens now flourish, providing children with nutritious meals and lessons in resilience and sustainability. With your support, more gardens can be planted, more children can be fed, and these communities can not only survive, but thrive, in a world reshaped by climate change. Every donation, big or small, has an impact.

Growing vegetables, and futures, in areas affected most by climate change.

DONATE WITH PURPOSE Scan to contribute to this Wild Impact project

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IMAGE: BRIGHT SIBIYA

wildimpact.earth

Explore the world with planet Earth’s most sustainable hotels

Travel Gently with Beyond Green As a proud partner of andBeyond, we believe that traveling with intention is a powerful force for good. Our diverse portfolio of hotels, resorts, and lodges is committed to renewing our planet and enhancing lives while delivering an exceptional experience to our guests.

Find your next sustainable stay at Beyond Green locations around the world.

THE LEELA PALACE UDAIPUR

Udaipur, India

THE RANCH AT LAGUNA BEACH

Laguna Beach, California, USA

SWINTON PARK HOTEL

Ripon, England, UK

ARISTI MOUNTAIN RESORT

Zagori, Greece

TALAIA PLAZA ECORESORT

Begur, Spain

HOTEL LAS ISLAS

Cartagena, Colombia

DISCOVER BEYOND GREEN DESTINATIONS AROUND THE WORLD Book online at StayBeyondGreen.com or call +1 877 370 6023 for reservations assistance.

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Cover Story

Sands of

TIME Inspired by the nautilus shell’s spiral of renewal, &Beyond Mnemba Island’s transformation redefines barefoot luxury, celebrating the delicate balance between classic design, natural beauty, and the ever-changing time and tides.

FRAGILE HEART A heart-shaped haven in Zanzibar, &Beyond Mnemba Island is the epitome of luxury, but not even paradise is immune to the perils of climate change.

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IMAGE: DOOKPHOTO

BY CLAIRE TRICKETT

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Cover Story

Z ISLAND TIME No rush, no agenda.

On Mnemba, time drifts with the tides. Sail on a traditional dhow, swim in the turquoise water, explore the underwater playground, or do nothing at all.

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anzibar is a postcard-perfect archipelago of 55 tropical islands in the West Indian Ocean. Among them, &Beyond Mnemba (Swahili for the head of an octopus), is a heart-shaped private island so small and intimate, you can walk its circumference in just 20 minutes. As romantic as it is luxurious, this island nirvana is rustic and natural, blending barefoot simplicity with understated indulgence. With no windows or doors, there are no shoes required, no schedule, and indeed no worries. “Hamna haraka,” the butlers say, “no hurry”—this is island time.

An Uber, three flights, road transfer and boat ride later, I couldn’t wait to feel Mnemba’s sand between my toes again. Timed with the grand reopening of &Beyond Mnemba Island Lodge after its nearly USD 6 million rebuild, my return to this exclusive island would reveal just how beautifully it has stood the test of time.

But how does one improve on perfection, especially when it comes to paradise?

Mnemba’s rebuild proves that even the most exquisite can be reimagined; just as Mother Nature evolves, so too has the lodge, while forever retaining its unhurried, unpretentious island vibe.

The goal of the rebuild was to breathe new life into the lodge without disturbing its rare essence and indescribable magic.

The idea was not to alter Mnemba’s beauty, but to enhance it. So, it was only fitting that this reimagining was orchestrated by award-winning designers Fox Browne Creative and Nicholas Plewman Architects, the same duo that rebuilt the original lodge in 2002.

Their vision focused on the natural rhythms, ethereal beauty and fragility of this iconic island, and paid homage to the nautilus shell, which instinctively became the creative inspiration behind the rebuild.

The nautilus is an ancient pelagic marine mollusc and one of nature’s most talented architects. Largely unchanged over the past 150 million years, the nautilus is among the oldest creatures known to exist in our oceans. Its shell is a captivating natural example of a logarithmic spiral with a delicate symmetry that mirrors the timeless beauty of nature and the continuous flow of evolution.

The perfect muse for the reimagining of Mnemba Island Lodge, the nautilus symbolises moving forward, while honouring the past. It’s Mother Nature’s living metaphor for the sands of time.

IMAGES: DOOKPHOTO; DYLAN ROYAL

For guests on Mnemba, time is measured in moments, not minutes. Yet for the island itself, the sands of time march on and conservation efforts are critical to preserving this paradise.

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IMAGE: DOOKPHOTO

Cover Story

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Refreshingly minimalist in its design and hue, Mnemba’s colour palette echoes the serenity of its shores.

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Flawless

PERFECTION AND NATURAL BEAUTY

FIBONACCI FLOW Mnemba Island Lodge’s curvilinear design draws inspiration from the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio, where each spiral mirrors the perfect proportions of nature, just like the intricate nautilus shell.

Drawing on the quiet wisdom of this ancient sea creature, the rebuild has created a space where beauty unfolds in spirals. The guest areas, guest bandas (suites), and private beach salas have all been reconstructed with a curvilinear shape and flow. These curved spaces, right down to the spiral motifs in their Swahili carvings, all mimic the gentle spiral of the nautilus shell.

Just as the shell possesses inner and outer chambers, so too do the guest areas and bandas. The spacious sitting and split-level dining areas, and the new bar, form the gently curved entrance to the main guest area, with a romantic dining courtyard discretely tucked behind the spiral. The same goes for the bandas, with each one boasting a spacious veranda, with curved white couches, positioned at the broader part of the ‘shell’ or banda, yet tucked away for forested privacy.

Each banda’s elegant open-air bathroom curves back onto itself, like the inner chambers of the nautilus shell, ensuring privacy, while also remaining connected to nature. The delicate glass beaded shower curtains have been retained as the focal point, with the addition of weathered brass

light fittings and tapware and scalloped shell-like marble basins.

Refreshingly minimalist in its design and hue, Mnemba’s gentle colour palette echoes the serenity of its shores. A beachy white colour scheme dominates, with sandy undertones and delicate hints of dusty coral rose and aquamarine. Together, these natural tones resemble the opalescence of the nautilus shell.

Mnemba Island Lodge has never attempted to outshine its surroundings; instead, it blends naturally with the forest and seascape.

This is not your crystal chandelier and gold-plated taps type of luxury. It’s more of a ‘Robinson Crusoe meets a touch of Vogue’ kind of understated, natural luxury. The rustic-luxe aesthetic is as beachy and breezy, as it is feminine and ethereal. There are no windows, doors or aircon, but the tropical beach breeze and surround-sound of lapping waves are ever-present. You’ll likely spot a tiny crab scuttling across the floor or a suni grazing outside your banda. That’s the kind of open-air luxury that makes Mnemba so special. The rebuild has simply breathed new life and beauty into a place that seemed beyond improvement.

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Eternal

The symmetric spiral on the nautilus shell represents the continuous cycles in nature that perpetuate on Mnemba. Like the time and tides, there’s the constant ebb and flow of the waves and the rising and setting of the sun. From the seasons and sunlight to the moon and monsoon, there is a continuous, natural rhythm as old as time. Humpback whales repeat their migratory patterns and green sea turtles navigate the moon and tides, instinctively using the Earth’s magnetic fields to return to their exact birthplace to lay their eggs on Mnemba’s shores.

Mnemba is one of the last remaining protected turtle nesting sites in Zanzibar and its successful nest monitoring programme now spans over two decades.

It is one of the longest, continuous turtle nest monitoring programmes in the Western Indian Ocean and provides crucial insight into the endangered species. Mnemba’s research reveals a natural rhythm in turtle movements, with a nesting spike occurring on the island every four years.

Last year’s spike resulted in 28 nests and 1 211 hatchlings, though it’s estimated that only one in 1 000 make it to adulthood.

Mnemba is also a protected breeding ground for one of Africa’s rarest antelopes, the Aders’ duiker. With only an estimated 600-700 left in the wild, this successful breeding programme is another island cycle that is establishing healthy populations of Aders’ duiker and suni antelope. With no natural predators and an abundance of food, the antelopes are thriving in their island paradise. Since 2005, as the Mnemba populations grow, individuals are periodically translocated to Zanzibar’s Jozini Forest and surrounds. Mnemba is currently home to approximately 24 Aders’ duiker and 30 suni.

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IMAGES: DONALD GRIEG; DOOKPHOTO; DYLAN ROYAL

CYCLES REPEATED IN NATURE

TIMELESS RHYTHMS Tides ebb and flow, sunrises and sunsets paint the sky, turtle nests thrive, and suni antelope and Aders’ duiker breed successfully. This is a place where natural luxury reconnects you with the Earth’s rhythms.

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IMAGE: DOOKPHOTO

Cover Story

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Mnemba is not a static island; it is forever changing shape and position due to shifting winds, waves and currents.

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Resilient

GROWTH, ADAPTATION AND EVOLUTION

DELICATE BALANCE Constant conservation efforts are critical to safeguarding Mnemba’s shoreline, tree line and coral reefs, ensuring this fragile ecosystem remains protected for future generations.

Just as the lodge has been gradually adapted over time, the island and its surrounding marine environment are also continually evolving, making conservation efforts— both on land and at sea—critical to the island’s preservation.

Mnemba is not a static island; it is forever changing shape and position due to shifting winds, waves and currents. Mature trees at the island’s core serve as an anchor, while its sands are forever shifting. This movement has its consequences, making conservation practices crucial for the island to remain resilient and adaptive to change, just as the evolving shell of the nautilus grows by adding chambers.

Research indicated that Mnemba’s southeastern shoreline was eroding at 6.3 m a year, which accelerated suddenly and exponentially to 2 m a month due to rising sea levels. To combat this rapid destruction, a massive erosion wall—a six-month, USD 1.2 million conservation initiative—had to be constructed.

Adding to the compounding island erosion, Mnemba’s invasive casuarina pine forest was expanding at 3.3 m a year.

As the forest expands and trees overtake each other, some lose their ability to anchor and get washed away in the currents, which is why Mnemba’s southeastern shoreline had become overrun with a long, tangled stretch of fallen trees.

When the island closed for the rebuild, this colossal conservation project could commence simultaneously. To construct the erosion wall, first, the fallen wood had to be removed, which required government permits, chainsaws, excavators and seriously hard labour. Some of the wood was repurposed for the new lodge, while the majority was donated to nearby communities. Four thousand seedlings were then planted on the island to start the gentle reintroduction of indigenous plant species to Mnemba’s dense forest.

Once the eroding shoreline had been cleared, 1 200 UV- and salt-resistant sandbags (each measuring 2 m by 2 m and weighing 2 tonnes) were piled 4 m high to form a protective erosion wall along a 600-m stretch of precious shoreline.

A mammoth project, implemented in the nick of time.

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Cover Story

The aim of this living laboratory is to foster resilience and rebirth on Mnemba’s reefs, through the careful cultivation of coral fragments.

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Restored

REEF REVIVAL Mnemba’s coral restoration project aims to restore the long-term health and livelihood of the surrounding reefs, making them more resilient to the effects of climate change.

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Dovetailing the necessary above-ground conservation work happening on the island, the Oceans Without Borders Mnemba Island Community & Conservation team has been hard at work underwater with a coral restoration project of hope. With countless contributing factors—from overfishing and overtourism to pollution and microplastics—destroying the reefs, coupled with tropical cyclones, global bleaching events and the cyclical El Niño/La Niña weather patterns, Mnemba’s coral nursery project was started in 2021.

The aim of this living laboratory is to foster resilience and rebirth on Mnemba’s reefs, through the careful cultivation of coral fragments, which are then either transplanted to artificial reefs or used to form micro-colonies on degraded sections of Mnemba’s reefs.

Among the team of five, Haji Ali explains the project’s victories and learnings, and touches on some of the heartbreaking setbacks they’ve faced, including the vandalisation of one of the artificial reef structures, as well as a massive bleaching event in 2024 that destroyed more than 80% of the coral farm and artificial reefs.

When the project started, Haji and his team were met with scepticism from the local communities. “We were told it’s impossible to grow coral,” he recalls. “They said it was God’s work—that stones can’t grow.” However, once the coral did in fact start to grow, so too did community support, with some fishermen even expressing an interest in starting their own coral farms.

“I can say I’m a coral doctor,” Haji beams, and you can’t help but catch a ray of hope from his radiant smile.

Like the sands of time, the cycles of nature—both good and bad—on Mnemba Island shall continue. And so, too, will the many conservation efforts aimed at ensuring this exquisite island and its marine ecosystem are constantly being restored to their natural state.

Stepping back onto the boat for the all-too-soon island departure, yet another cycle draws to a close. This one, the begrudging return of shoes to the feet and island memories etched to memory. As the Mnemba family waves goodbye, you cling to the hope that you’ll soon return to start the cycle all over again. Tutaonana tena, until we meet again.

IMAGES: CORALYN GRIFFITH; DOOKPHOTO; DYLAN ROYAL

LIFE THROUGH CULTIVATION

CONSERVATION COLLABORATION

A Zanzibar first In 2002, the long-standing collaboration between &Beyond, Wild Impact (formerly Africa Foundation), and the Ministry of Blue Economy & Fisheries enabled the formation of the Mnemba Island Marine Conservation Area (MIMCA) to conserve Zanzibar’s marine diversity and manage its fishery resources.

In 2023, the Mnemba Island Marine Special Area (MIMSA) was declared 700 m around the north, south and east of the island and 400 m around the front. This restricted zone permits eight boats per day (with a maximum of seven guests per boat) and enforces a daily conservation levy.

MIMSA’s creation has increased MIMCA’s revenue by 553% in support of marine conservation and community development.

It marks Zanzibar’s first marine conservation agreement between the government and a private enterprise.

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Explore

IMAGE: CHRIS SCHALKX

A deep dive into adventure, with personal tales from Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands and India’s Brahmaputra River, and a curated roundup of luxury escapes for every kind of traveller.

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Explore

Left to right: Curious sea lions sunbathing on Española Island; a glimpse of the Galapagos Explorer from North Seymour Island.

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Wild

WONDER A journey aboard &Beyond’s new Galapagos Explorer reveals the complex relationship between nature, conservation, and mindful exploration.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS SCHALKX

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Explore

I felt as if I had stepped into an Attenborough film, but here in the Galápagos, it was just another Tuesday.

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H

ad I stepped one foot to the developed distinct geologies and ecosystems, right, I would’ve stumbled turning each island into a giant petri-dish of over an iguana’s tail. As the natural evolution. shadows started to lengthen As the first stop on my week-long cruise on North Seymour Island aboard &Beyond’s new luxury expedition in the heart of the Galápagos archipelago, yacht, the six-cabin Galapagos Explorer, these scaly critters, unfazed by our human North Seymour Island offered a welcome presence, became even harder to spot introduction to the brain-teasing intricacies between the volcanic rocks that littered the of this curious group of islands. Our path. Moments earlier, I almost tripped over insightful guide, local naturalist Daniel a snoozing sea lion, its brown fur practically Sánchez, pointed out the tiny lava lizards and invisible against the terracotta-coloured endemic finches—each one cleverly adapted soil. Frigatebirds zoomed mere inches past to the particular food sources of their home my head like giant pterodactyls, as their turf—that sparked Charles Darwin’s fuzzy fledglings looked on from the tangled Theory of Evolution when he visited some branches of a palo santo tree. I felt as if I had 200 years ago. Sánchez rattled off the Latin stepped into an Attenborough film, but here names of the endemic plants, reptiles and in the Galápagos, it was just another Tuesday. birds that call North Seymour home. More Adrift in the Eastern Pacific Ocean some importantly, he laid out the ground rules 600 miles off the coast of mainland Ecuador, for responsible tourism: since the 1959 the Galápagos are, quite possibly, some establishment of the Galápagos National of the last truly wild places in the world.

Park, which covers 97% of the archipelago, Latecomers in Earth’s 4.6-billion-year history, there’s a strict limit on visitor numbers they began forming ‘just’ 4.2 million years and a thorough inspection of every piece of ago in a succession of volcanic eruptions luggage that is brought in. A single diseasebubbling up from a hotspot beneath the carrying fly or crop-devouring snail can Nazca Plate. As tectonic movements shifted wipe out an entire species in this tightly the plate eastward, younger islands emerged calibrated ecosystem. Only parts of each while older ones eroded, leaving a trail of island are made accessible, while guides are extinct volcanic cones and calderas in their compulsory chaperones. “We, humans, are wake. Millions of years and unique patterns caged by the marked paths,” Sánchez said. of erosion, oceanic currents and altitudes “It’s the wildlife that’s free.”

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Clockwise from top left: Relaxed marine iguana; Kicker Rock; Pinnacle Rock; Genovesa mockingbird on a prickly pear cactus; sundeck siestas; local guide Daniel Sánchez; world-class meals.

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Explore

It was still early the next morning when our group of six tumbled out of a rubber dinghy for a wet landing on San Cristóbal, the easternmost island of the archipelago.

Neon-orange crabs scuttled away from the ocean’s froth, while a gaggle of sea lions seemed to settle a family dispute with frantic squeals and growls. Blue-footed boobies nestled in leafless branches, and a curious San Cristóbal mockingbird followed our every move. As we clambered over boulders of volcanic tuff, Sánchez explained how this trail was carved by endless rains during the 1982 El Niño event. It made the climb a breeze, but back then, its effects were catastrophic: with food sources out of balance, the Galápagos’ penguin populations plummeted, and almost 70% of the marine iguanas died of starvation.

But not all streams ring in despair.

At this intersection of oceanic currents that bring cold, nutrient-rich water (and with it, fur seals, humpback whales and penguins) in from as far as Antarctica, a unique marine ecosystem thrives. A few hours later, begoggled and wrapped up in neoprene, I plunged into the cold shallows off San Cristóbal’s western side, where a reef teeming with life unfurled on the seabed below. While this wasn’t the Finding Nemo scenery I had come to expect from snorkelling trips at more tropical locales, the sights were no less fascinating. Bobbing along with the current, we floated over big, shimmery shoals of rainbow runners and doctor fish with tail spines as sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel. Parrotfish nibbled algae from rocks, and in between we spotted more elusive creatures, such as the polka dot pufferfish, roly-poly sea stars, and a group of whitetip reef sharks paying us no mind. Closer to the rocky shore, a pair of sea lions clowned around us, showing off twists and somersaults in an exchange of mutual curiosity. Sánchez explained how this is still the terrain of frontier science. “On land, maybe 85% of the Galápagos’ biota has been studied,” he revealed. “But much of what’s underwater is still undiscovered.”

The following days played out in a similarly adventurous rhythm. After

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A golden hour view from Bartolomé Island of the famed Pinnacle Rock and the Galapagos Explorer in the distance.

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Clockwise from top left: The sun sets on San Cristóbal Island; luxury view cabin; blue-footed booby; frigatebirds; morning reading; Sally Lightfoot crab; Española Island.

fuelling up on breakfasts of detox juice and eggs in saucy Ecuadorian seco de pollo chicken stew, we’d head out to hike or kayak among sea birds, turtles and marine iguanas.

Most afternoons, we’d don snorkelling gear and venture undersea. In the crystal currents off Floreana Island, we stumbled onto a group of bottlenose dolphins, while the reefs around Bartolomé Island’s Pinnacle Rock brought us up-close with Galápagos penguins and a diamond ray as large as a dining table. Back on board, ravenous and salty-haired, we’d warm up in the Jacuzzi tub on the top deck and watch orangestreaked sunsets with a G&T in hand, before tucking into Ecuadorian feasts of fresh ceviche, slide-off-the bone ribs, or moreish pork hornado.

But for all the close-ups with dragonlike iguanas, giant albatrosses and even hammerhead sharks, my most gripping wildlife encounter was with a creature that had long stopped breathing. In a glass box at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island, I came eye to eye with the taxidermied remains of Lonesome George, the last Pinta Island tortoise of its kind (the species was largely wiped out due to hunting and the introduction of goats on Pinta Island). While efforts were made to find a suitable partner, no viable eggs were ever produced, and when he died at the ripe old age of 101 in 2012, the species became extinct.

It was a bitter reminder of how human greed and over-exploitation could change nature’s course in disastrous ways, but also offered a hopeful insight into the conservation work that has prevented other giant tortoise species from a similar fate.

And what about tourism, I wondered?

Is there a place for us amidst a fragile ecosystem where we’re, quite literally, stumbling over nature’s riches? “We wouldn’t be able to run without it,” Sánchez said, pointing out the USD 200-per-person entrance fee for the Galápagos National Park, and the need for small-scale and mindful operations like the Galapagos Explorer.

“Travellers get to enjoy this special place, but at the same time, they’re helping the local community and the islands’ conservation programmes. It’s a win-win situation.”

&BEYOND GALAPAGOS EXLPORER

Galápagos by design The intimate 38 m (124 ft) Galapagos Explorer is a luxury expedition yacht with 4 luxury cabins, 2 suites, hot tub, sundeck, ocean bar, outdoor dining area, and high-speed Wi-Fi. Although designed to accommodate 16 guests, the 12-guest maximum ensures exclusivity.

At your service Fewer guests enable an elevated crew-to-guest ratio exceeding 1:1, with two &Beyond-trained local guides ensuring a 1:6 ratio. It’s a truly personalised ocean voyage, complete with &Beyond-trained chefs preparing wholesome, world-class meals.

The suite spot Choose from 2 luxury cabins on the lower deck (porthole views), 2 luxury view cabins on the middle deck (window views), the superior suite on the lower deck (2 ensuites; porthole views), and the deluxe view suite on the upper deck (2 ensuites; unobstructed views).

East or west One of a select few permitted to operate in this region, the Galapagos Explorer offers two set-departure 7-night itineraries: one that explores tropical mangroves and beaches with plenty of snorkelling (west); and one that sails to younger islands with peculiar geological formations (east).

Stretch the sea legs This underwater playground boasts year-round activities. After sea kayaking, swimming and snorkelling with sea lions and penguins, take to the land for some hiking, birdwatching, wildlife viewing, photography and island exploration.

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Tigers, turtles & tea A boat trip down the Brahmaputra

A week’s cruise on a small, shallow-draft vessel gives a glimpse of the wildlife, cultures and shifting landscapes of Assam.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY SOPHY ROBERTS SOURCE: FT.COM

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hen I arrive in northeastern India to sail down the Brahmaputra, the quality of light is startling. The river gleams like a mirror of Assam’s cloudless sky, with the sun sinking in front of me and the moon rising at my back. When a flock of birds breaks cover, the black speckles make me think of drops of Indian ink.

On the shoreline, when the fishermen dip their sprung contraptions into the water, the nets fall with the grace of dragonflies landing on a pool of light.

The fishing is good here. The growing season is generous too, with the green floodplains cultivated for rice. But while the river nourishes, it also takes away.

Beginning in May, the monsoon transforms this calm scene into a landscape that’s more water than earth. In the wettest months, the swell disrupts the river’s route, along with the lives of the people dependent on it for survival. The deluge forms and reshapes sandbars known as chars, encouraging

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China

Delhi

Brahmaputra River

Nepal

Bhutan ASSAM

India

Right: The lush tea bushes of the Kaliabor Tea Estate in Assam, which is the birthplace of black (or English breakfast) tea.

Bangladesh Myanmar

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elephants to swim in search of new habitat and, in a bad year, forcing more than a million people to relocate to safer ground.

This is in addition to all the changes that aren’t seasonally induced.

Over the past hundred years or so, the river’s width has nearly doubled. Climate change has accelerated the rate of glacial melt in the Brahmaputra’s Himalayan headwaters. The patterns of the monsoon are shifting, pushing crop cycles out of step.

Erosion and encroachment have reduced the river’s natural barriers; deforestation has left fewer tree roots gripping the shorelines’ sandy ground. Despite the occasional run of government-implemented “porcupines” (bamboo or concrete structures which slow the current and trap sediment), the flood defences aren’t enough.

Yet somehow human settlement thrives on this edge-land. Like the Nile and Euphrates, the Brahmaputra’s flow has shaped sophisticated riverine civilisations— layers of cultural history that give my journey a contour when I join a week-long

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trip on an elegant 18-cabin river boat.

I board the Charaidew II at an anchorage close to Jorhat, one of Assam’s commercial hubs around a 90-minute flight from Kolkata. I finish up at Diphlu River Lodge on the edge of Kaziranga National Park.

My journey covers 180 kilometres, which is a frustratingly small portion of the river’s roughly 2 900 km total length.

But not all of this great waterway is navigable, and it certainly can’t be tackled at speed. The headwaters are near Mount Kailash in Tibet—the 19th century search for the river’s source was wrapped up in a cloak-and-dagger tale of spycraft when Britain’s hired surveyors, known as pundits, travelled north disguised as Buddhist monks.

In Tibet, the river is called the Yarlung Tsangpo and at one point runs through the world’s deepest canyon. The Tsangpo Gorge (sometimes known as the Tsangpo Grand Canyon) is a holy grail for plant-hunters because of its biodiversity, a tantalising lure linked to another adventure story about a British plantsman called Frank

Kingdon-Ward. In 1924, he explored the Tsangpo in search of a rumoured waterfall and came back with the seeds of a blue poppy, its petals the colour of a glacial lake.

From Tibet, the river then drops into India, tips into Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, where it takes on the name Brahmaputra. After a run of nearly a thousand kilometres through India, it slips into Bangladesh, where the river’s name changes to the Jamuna. The stories shift again—with every tributary another flood of narrative strands—as the river joins up with a major stream of the Ganges, and the braided river expands.

Finally, the silted blooms fall off the continental shelf into the Bay of Bengal, where for one of the first times since the Himalaya, the water returns to that poppy blue—a place on maritime maps known as the Swatch of No Ground. It’s a phrase I find compelling. It makes me want to return in October when the Charaidew II will venture from the river’s mouth up to Guwahati in Assam on a pioneering new itinerary.

Clockwise from top left: A traditional country boat on the river; pilot Abdul Aziz navigates from the wheel house; a Kaziranga forest guard on duty; the forests of Kaziranga’s Burupahar Range offer fantastic birdwatching.

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It amazes me that so few people come. In a single day, you can see tigers, elephant and the world’s largest concentration of rhinoceros.

”

TOBY SINCLAIR &Beyond Asia Director and Specialist Guide

But what’s alluring on a map is also my problem with geographies of scale: every time I start, I realise how much further there’s left to go. I’m restless, and find it difficult to settle into a prescribed path.

On a cruise, I can’t just take off on a whim, which would be murderous if you didn’t like the people you were with, and frustrating if you’re used to travelling solo. On this trip, though, I get lucky with my fellow passengers. Off the boat, I encounter just one other group of foreign travellers— some American birdwatchers in Kaziranga National Park. As for other tourist vessels, I don’t see a single one. As the days pass, I begin to accept how much detail there is to take in—however passively—and that stillness has its virtues too.

I read for hours, with my cabin’s windows cast open. I watch the river meander and pool; at times it feels as wide as the sea.

On the shore, kingfishers flash like Mughal jewels. When someone shouts “tiger”, I get a photograph as it ambles along a muddy bank—a magnificent orange blaze before it disappears into the undergrowth.

Moving at the river’s speed, I’m able to absorb something of the flow of cultures that make this overlooked corner of India so unique. I learn about the Ahom people, with roots in Yunnan and Myanmar; the Mising people, who have a Tibeto-Burmese history; and the “tea tribes” brought from across India, many of them as indentured labourers, for Assam’s 19th century British tea plantations.

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At Sri Sri Auniati Satra monastery, I peel off to talk with a resident monk. He takes me into his living quarters decorated in arsenic greens and bubblegum pinks. He belongs to a casteless sect of Vaishnavites, a community dating back to the 15th century and based on Mājuli, a Brahmaputra island which is among the largest riverine islands in the world: currently around 350 sq km, although erosion is wearing at its edges.

In Kaziranga National Park, I’m thrown by the density of wild greater one-horned rhinos: I count 60 from a single spot in the Western Range. I encounter rare Hoolock gibbons, a great hornbill, turtles, and glimpse another tiger—all this in just a few hours.

There’s so much to see, in fact, that I barely take in the birds. The Brahmaputra lies at the junction of the East Asian-Australasian and Indo-Asian flyways; some 30 per cent of the birds are migratory, says my guide, Toby Sinclair, a British naturalist who for the past 45 years has lived and worked in India, acting as a consultant on numerous documentaries, including films for David Attenborough and National Geographic.

“It amazes me that so few people come,” says Sinclair. “In a single day on the Brahmaputra, you can see tigers, elephant, and the world’s largest concentration of rhinoceros. The north-east is linked to the rest of the country by this thin chicken-neck of land, yet somehow it feels separate.”

Deep access is the luxury, which is where the shallow-draft Charaidew II comes in.

Beyond the potted tropical plants on the spacious sundeck of the ABN Charaidew II, a panoramic view unfolds.

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Editor’s Tips Pack your binoculars—not just for the wildlife and birds, but also for the changing landscape, village life and, on a clear day, the Himalaya in the distance.

Assam is renowned for its silks, weaves and textiles. Give back to the local communities by purchasing loom-spun silk or handwoven cottons as a souvenir.

Don’t miss the traditional Assamese lunch at Diphlu River Lodge. Try the fish cooked in bamboo hollow and the bor tenga (red lentil fritters in a sour curry).

Clockwise from top left: A resident monk in front of his living quarters at Sri Sri Auniati Satra monastery; pilot Abdul Aziz scans the vast Brahmaputra horizon; Kaziranga is famed for its one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis).

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It’s styled after British-era steamers—the cane furniture and potted tropical plants that adorn the teak deck a throwback to the Raj, which I’m slightly uneasy with.

I don’t like the feeling of walking into an EM Forster novel; times have changed.

But on the Brahmaputra, this style of boat is part of the river’s identity, explains Nirmalya Choudhury, an old friend of Sinclair’s. Choudhury has run the river operations for the Assam Bengal Navigation Company, which owns the Charaidew II, for the past 20 years. All the boat’s crew are hired from local communities. This isn’t just an ethical decision, but a strategic one, to survive the river’s caprice.

“The best pilots are brought up on the chars, and along the banks of the river,” says Choudhury; “the Mising can read the river, the eddies, and its movements. They know how difficult it can be. It seems calm, but it’s not; it’s got a lot going on underneath.

The Ganges is considered a female river in India; the people bathe in it and pray to it.

The Brahmaputra is very different; it is a

male river, the father you revere and fear.”

Early one morning when I’m looking for birdlife, I stand alongside Abdul Aziz, the pilot who navigates by sight from the prow.

I watch him navigate with gentle gestures, making minute decisions according to ruffled water in the distance. He is silent and elegant, not to be disturbed.

Another day, we have to skip a temple because the morning mist takes too long to lift. When I’m reading in the afternoon, I feel the boat catch on a sandbank under our draft. A few moments later, we fall back into the river’s silky drift.

This is the rhythm of the days, until our last night, when the river’s silence is broken by the roar of Indian fighter jets taking off from the Tezpur air base. There’s been an incident between the Chinese and Indian armies in a border zone less than a hundred miles from where we are. It’s a reminder of the geopolitical significance of the Brahmaputra—what it divides and what it absorbs, the ebb and flow of politics, power, land and water, the shades and

moods of seasons, the stillness and the undercurrents.

I start to realise how misleading was my initial view of the river’s surface as a mirror of the sky. It’s not stillness but mutability that defines the Brahmaputra, which is the dynamic accepted by the Mising people, their enduring traditions revealing a resigned respect for a natural order bigger than themselves.

“We live lightly,” said Prabin Doley, a 30-year-old Mising fisherman with whom I talk in a cluster of stilted homes; he explains to me how when the river rises, he throws his possessions in a bedsheet, ties up the four corners, gathers the livestock, and retreats to higher ground. “Maybe every three years we have to evacuate, but we don’t have much to carry away. Our houses are easy to rebuild.

It’s just a way of life. We need to live close to the water. We are people of the water. We are incomplete when we’re not here.” © 2023 The Financial Times Ltd. All rights reserved.

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The nine tented suites and intimate guest areas provide the perfect vantage point for wildlife viewing.

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The perfect

MATCH

Experienced travel journalists share seven stays in seven ways.

Spanning three continents, each noteworthy property is suited to a unique traveller type, because we all travel for different reasons and every traveller deserves to find their match.

WILDLIFE

wanderer &Beyond Ngala Tented Camp

WORDS: RICHARD HOLMES / IMAGES: DOOKPHOTO; INGE PRINS

SOUTH AFRICA Recently rebuilt, this camp comes layered with new levels of immersive luxury. But it’s the abundant wildlife that has long drawn safari-lovers to this 14 700-hectare (36 000-acre) private reserve, which shares unfenced boundaries with the iconic Kruger National Park. Ngala promises memorable sightings of the Big Five (including rare wild white lions), as well as African wild dog and cheetah.

The birding, best in the lush summer months, is remarkable, while thrilling bush walks offer a hands-on discovery of the bushveld flora.

Insider tip Keep your binoculars handy. The camp overlooks the sandy Timbavati River where you’ll often spot elephants, antelope and myriad birds.

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HISTORY

buff

Amangalla SRI LANKA Tucked within the ramparts of the 17th century UNESCO-listed Galle Fort, Amangalla is an homage to Galle’s storied past. The historic hotel, which has been welcoming guests for over 150 years, is housed in an elegant 17th century Dutch colonial building, next to an 18th century church. The interiors reflect a bygone era with old artefacts, antique furniture, lofty ceilings, original polished teak floors, and views of the fort, harbour and terracotta-tiled rooftops. Step out of the hotel into a veritable living museum, where the fort’s ancient walls, narrow streets and clocktower mingle with quaint, modern-day restaurants and boutiques.

Insider tip

The Sunset Balcony, with its rattan furniture and panoramic Fort views, is the ideal sundowner spot.

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WORDS: CLAIRE TRICKETT / IMAGE: SUPPLIED

Take a sunset walk along the ramparts, explore the fort with a local historian, enjoy a Sri Lankan tea tasting in the 150-year-old gardens, or soak in the world-class spa’s hydrotherapy baths.

Vira Vira offers endless opportunities for nature lovers, active explorers and photographers alike, including thrilling helicopter flips.

ADVENTURE

seeker

&Beyond Vira Vira

WORDS: PHEBE WAHL / IMAGES: &BEYOND; BENJAMIN SANS

CHILE This picturesque riverside lodge is a veritable playground for outdoor enthusiasts seeking adventure in its many forms. The spacious suites, villas and sole-use hacienda provide comfort and luxury after days spent exploring the nearby forests and active Villarrica Volcano. Think rafting down rapids, galloping through river crossings on horseback, and hiking to one of the most breathtaking glacial lakes. For slower-paced adventure and a much-needed connection to community and Chilean tradition, spend some quality time with the local Mapuche communities.

Insider tip From heli-skiing and dogsledding, to forest therapy and gentle walks on the organic farm, this is choose-your-own-adventure, Chilean style.

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HOPEFUL

romantic Segera KENYA A surprisingly verdant oasis amidst Laikipia’s stark landscape, Segera is the ultimate romantic hideaway. With an Out of Africa-esque ambience, each of its ten entirely unique houses and garden villas is gloriously spacious and undeniably elegant. By day, explore the rugged surrounds on exhilarating game drives, gather wild honey in bee suits, discover the property’s extensive contemporary art collection, steal away to the world-class spa and steam tower, or visit a local Samburu community.

By night, indulge in candlelit dinners or spend an unforgettable night in the Nay Palad Bird Nest sleepout.

Insider tip

Veranda sleepouts are equally romantic, complete with dreamy, al fresco bathtubs.

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WORDS: CLAIRE TRICKETT / IMAGE: CROOKES&JACKSON

Cosy up for a private screening of Out of Africa, one of the world’s greatest love stories filmed in Kenya. Watch beneath the stars or in the Paddock House library.

CULTURAL

rambler

&Beyond Punakha

River Lodge

WORDS: EUGENIE KELLY / IMAGES: SEAN FANDAM

BHUTAN Nestled amidst honey-coloured hills and terraced rice paddies, and cradled between two rivers, this magical lodge is a cultural immersion. As luxurious as its six tented suites and two villas are, the heart of this property is its magnificent main lodge furnished with Bhutanese antiques. Awaken to spectacular sunrise views over forested hills, visit the kingdom’s most impressive monasteries, soak in a traditional hot stone bath, then sip sundowners riverside, indulging in local delicacies by a crackling fire.

Insider tip The nearby Chimi Lhakhang is a fertility temple dedicated to Drukpa Kunley (the Divine Madman). Spin a prayer wheel, make an offering, and absorb the place’s spirituality.

Monasteries, stupas and peaceful spaces for mindful reflection are a short drive away.

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Xaranna is the sole camp on this 90 500-hectare (223 630-acre) wildlife concession in the heart of the Okavango Delta.

DIGITAL

detoxer

&Beyond Xaranna

Okavango Delta Camp

This soulful camp is marooned on a remote island surrounded by a seasonal lagoon. With just nine suites under canvas, it is a meditative place to disconnect from the world and surrender to the wilderness. Breathe in the woody scent of wild sage and tune into nature’s soundtrack of bird calls, grunting hippos, and elephants splashing gently through shallow water channels. Immerse yourself in extraordinary game-viewing on drives, walks, mokoros and cruises (dependent on the flood levels).

Insider tip To slow down fully and focus your gaze, birding is the way to go. It’s almost as addictive as screen-time, especially once you know your bee-eaters from your barbets.

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WORDS: JANE BROUGHTON / IMAGES: DOOKPHOTO; SEAN FANDAM

BOTSWANA

Enjoy rainforest remoteness in a protected biosphere reserve that supports critical rainforest conservation and research efforts.

RESPONSIBLE

traveller

Mashpi Lodge ECUADOR This remote lodge is a poster property for positive impact-led escapes in South America, and an immersive stay in one of its 23 suites is an incredible way to support biodiversity through luxury travel. The sleek design in this UNESCO-protected Andean Chocó Biosphere is familiar to many from the BBC’s popular Amazing Hotels series.

And when you learn that just 5% of this threatened cloud forest remains, peering out from the floor-to-ceiling windows of Mashpi’s suites at nature in its fullest glory, is especially meaningful, knowing your stay is helping protect diverse flora and fauna that would otherwise be lost to logging and mining.

Insider tip

WORDS: JULIET KINSMAN / IMAGE: SUPPLIED

For the most breath-stealingly unique experience, take a spin on the extraordinary Sky Bike. Pedalling above the canopy along a zip wire, safely suspended above the misty tree-top foliage, is as exhilarating as it gets.

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IMAGE: THE BUCKET LIST FAMILY

Engage A tribute to people and how engaging with each other, be it connecting on a family safari or believing in the potential of others, has the power to bring us closer and inspire change.

B AT E L E U R

From South Africa to Botswana to Kenya, family safaris turn wild adventure into cherished memories.

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IMAGES: THE BUCKET LIST FAMILY; SEAN FANDAM; JULIEN CAPMEIL

Engage

Familes that

SAFARI together

These stories prove that not all classrooms have four walls and that an African safari is the ultimate education for the young and young at heart.

BY CLAIRE TRICKETT

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Engage

Seeing grandpa, who has already experienced so much, share our joy following African wild dogs through the bush holds a special place in my heart.

TATUM FANDAM

Interpretive safaris offer endless lessons, proving there’s always more to discover at any age.

CONNECTION

with each other &Beyond Ngala

Private Game Reserve THE FANDAM FAMILY When families realise that time is our most valuable currency, getting everyone away from their screens and into the great outdoors becomes more important with each passing year. Jacqui and Sean, who run a demanding agency in Johannesburg, are intentional about pressing pause to truly connect as a family. Safari lovers at heart, they escaped to &Beyond Ngala for a South African safari of a lifetime, which promised family bonding across three generations.

Being able to experience Africa’s wild landscapes and creatures on safari is a meaningful family investment. Days are filled with adventure, evenings are shared telling fireside stories, and the memories are everlasting.

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”

I was welcomed so warmly by the Maasai community, whose rich culture and traditions blew me away. These memories will stay with me forever.

JAKE CAPMEIL

”

CULTURE

that unites

&Beyond Kichwa Tembo

Tented Camp IMAGES: SEAN FANDAM; JULIEN CAPMEIL

THE CAPMEIL FAMILY When Julien took his son Jake on a father-and-son safari to Kenya’s Masai Mara, what was initially a holiday for them to engage one-on-one with each other, turned into an unexpected cultural immersion with the Maasai. During exhilarating game drives, the duo swapped stories with their Maasai guide, a mutual exchange of Western and Maasai upbringings, lifestyles and traditions. Taking this engagement deeper, they visited a local manyatta (cultural homestead) to truly understand how the Maasai live. Jake mastered how to throw a spear and jump like a warrior, but above all, he learned to embrace cultural diversity through the authentic experiences they shared.

Jake proudly sports his traditional Maasai shuka blanket.

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CONSERVATION

for the future &Beyond Nxabega

Okavango Tented Camp

THE BUCKET LIST FAMILY

Our children were captivated by the hyena cubs, elephants in camp, and a leopard right by our vehicle.

They still talk about what they learned from our guides.

JESSICA GEE

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”

IMAGES: THE BUCKET LIST FAMILY

The renowned Bucket List Family has built an enviable life as a family of five on a journey around the world together. The Gees have been travelling the globe for nearly a decade, exposing their three children to lifelong learnings no school could ever teach. Their family safari in Botswana was not only an opportunity for the children to witness Africa’s wildlife up close and personal, but also to learn first-hand about endangered species, threatened ecosystems, and the role we can each play in helping to protect the planet’s wild spaces for future generations. Wholesome family engagement that has the potential for lasting impact.

From exhilarating game drives to slower-paced fishing and birdwatching, there is no shortage of family fun to be had.

FAMILY FUN BEYOND AFRICA

South America Explore waterfalls and glaciers in Argentina, discover Peru’s floating islands of Uros, take the teens aboard the &Beyond Galapagos Explorer, or enjoy year-round stays at &Beyond Vira Vira, a Chilean riverside lodge with volcanoes and ancient araucaria forests on its doorstep.

Asia Families can explore the ancient temples and palaces of India; take gentle hikes to remote Bhutanese monasteries with authentic farmhouse lunches en route; relax on Sri Lanka’s beaches or explore the historic Galle Fort; or try their luck spotting tigers and sloth bears on a jungle safari.

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Acacia roots to

academic dreams

The Community Leaders Education Fund (CLEF) is an opportunity for promising, young students in rural Africa to transform their lives through education. It is a powerful reminder that a little bit of support can have a lasting impact.

W

hen George Oyugi opened his school in Kenya in 2007, it was under an acacia tree with a total of six students. He was not a qualified teacher at the time, but had been searching for work when he learned that there was no school in Kenya’s Trans Mara area. If young learners wanted to access education in this rural patch, they had to trek long distances, dodging lions and elephants roaming the Masai Mara National Reserve.

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“The children were dropping out (of school) like flies,” says Oyugi. “The only thing I could do was volunteer to start a school.”

After six months, his small class of six became 50, quickly outgrowing the acacia tree. Eventually it was recognised by the government and registered as the Iltolish Mara Primary School.

Becoming an official school was a huge leap because it unlocked access to more resources and teachers. But for Oyugi, who was still not registered as a teacher (a government requirement), it also meant

IMAGE: JOSH VAN DER PLOEG

BY MARY HOLLAND

George Oyugi stands proud at Iltolish Mara Primary School, the now-official school he started under a tree.

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Clockwise from left: Daniel Kalage, a CLEF beneficiary from the Serengeti, completes his five-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree; Lebogang Matlakala leads a CLEF induction workshop; Barry Moyama now runs his own law firm in Johannesburg.

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redundancy. As more students propelled forward with their studies, Oyugi—who didn’t have the financial means to advance his teaching studies—found himself falling behind. “That’s when I got in touch with CLEF,” says Oyugi.

The Community Leaders Education Fund is a tertiary education bursary programme that was launched in 1996 by Wild Impact (formerly Africa Foundation)—&Beyond’s non-profit community and conservation development partner. CLEF provides young adults with access to financial support for bursaries in some of the most underserved parts of rural Africa.

“We are completely aligned in our impact strategy with &Beyond,” says Dumile Xolo, Senior Communications Manager for Wild Impact. “Over the years, we have worked where &Beyond has a footprint.” Which is everywhere from South Africa to Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia and Tanzania. As &Beyond continues to expand its growing footprint in Asia and South America, Wild Impact will now go beyond the borders of Africa too.

Since its inception, CLEF has funded over 800 students who would not otherwise have had access to financial support.

Beyond partially bankrolling studies, CLEF also gives students access to vital mental and emotional tools that help them to tackle tertiary education. “It bridges the gap between financial information and emotional support,” says Lebogang Matlakala, Programme Manager for Wild Impact’s Tomorrow’s Leaders.

Some students might get to university and feel out of their depth, or their families may not recognise the challenges they’re facing and therefore be ill-equipped to provide them with the necessary support.

“We understand that,” she says.

Though Matlakala started her career in oceanography, she can’t think of a more rewarding job than this. “Seeing the human impact that we have is different from seeing restored coral reefs and tagging sharks,” she says. “You see real lives changed.” Having received her own bursary to complete her studies, Matlakala wholeheartedly understands the value of this support.

IMAGES: WILD IMPACT / FIGURES: AT TIME OF PRINT

Engage

6 countries

across Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa.

1 426 bursaries

granted, along with psycho-social support, to rural youth displaying leadership potential.

“I wouldn’t be in this position if I had not been given the opportunity to get a university scholarship,” she adds. When Matlakala speaks about the CLEF students who have successfully graduated and gone on to become lawyers and teachers, a smile spreads across her face.

One former student is Barry Moyama, who grew up near Bushbuck Ridge in South Africa tending to his father’s cows and goats. His family’s financial situation meant university was inconceivable. Determined to access education, Moyama reached out to the General Manager at &Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge to learn more about CLEF. He eventually secured the bursary and went on to study law. In 2020, he opened his own law practice in Johannesburg, where he now has four employees. The opportunity for Moyama to advance his studies was transformative—something he wants to pay forward by mentoring and providing financial support for children from the community where he grew up. “One of them is now a mine engineer,” says Moyama, of one of the students he has supported.

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830 students

have received support for their tertiary education to realise their full potential.

98% pass rate

For Matlakala, this domino effect is one of the most gratifying parts of the programme—it doesn’t only uplift one person, but oftentimes entire communities.

“To think he (Moyama) might not have made it that far if he didn’t get the chance (to study)—we would be losing out,” she says, shaking her head.

Another CLEF student who shook things up in her community is Maryciana Wilbard Deus, who grew up near the Serengeti National Park, a part of the continent where young girls are often denied access to further their education. “Many girls end up getting married after completing high school,” says Wilbard Deus. After receiving the CLEF bursary, she pursued a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance and, today, works with the government as an economist in the investment and industrial sector. It’s a vital role because it advises the government on how to invest in rural, underserved areas and create more job opportunities, ultimately raising the economic status in communities such as her own. Had Wilbard Deus not pursued

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IMAGES: WILD IMAPCT; SUSAN SCHMITZ / FIGURES: AT TIME OF PRINT

with graduates entering the fields of law, medicine, education, and even astrophysics.

a tertiary education, she likely would have married young and had children, which is not a route she intended to take at such a young age. Now, she’s a role model for young girls in her community, as well as a model example to their parents, who may otherwise encourage their daughters to stay home.

After George Oyugi received his Diploma in Early Childhood Education, he returned to the Iltolish Mara Primary School he opened back in 2007, where he could finally teach. Born from such humble beginnings, the school now has 800 students enrolled, 400 of which are boarders, many of whom are females. Out of the six students who started under that acacia tree, one has received a Bachelor in Financial Economics, another has become a public health officer, one graduated in general agriculture and another is completing a degree in environmental science. Oyugi was able to help them pursue their dreams, but it was through CLEF that he could follow his own. “CLEF is a promise that never fails,” says Oyugi. In parts of the world where the

school and tertiary education systems often make it difficult for students to succeed, CLEF’s surety of financial support is a lifeline.

Matlakala is now hoping to expand the programme into vocational training.

“We’ve started finding children that are perhaps not as gifted academically, but they have other skills—maybe it’s an interest in construction,” says Matlakala. “There’s so much untapped potential,” she says with urgency. “How are people going to know their capacity if they’re not exposed to the right information or education?” Matlakala asks. On a continent where millions of people are denied access to schooling and university because of their circumstances, the key to success lies in providing educational access to all. “It’s the main key to unlocking Africa’s potential.”

Clockwise from bottom left: Maryciana Wilbard Deus proudly dons her cap and gown; a mother’s pride as her daughter Pleasure Ndlovu graduates as a media practitioner; Iltolish Mara Primary School is now one of the best schools in Kenya’s Narok county.

DONATE WITH PURPOSE Scan to contribute to this Wild Impact project

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ANNUAL BATELEUR AWARD WINNER

A true

NORTH STAR From clearing tables to managing the wild, Barry Mthembu has paved his own way and continues to light the path for others to succeed.

From hopeful Star in Training intern to &Beyond Phinda Conservation Manager, this is Barry’s journey.

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IMAGE: PETER CHADWICK

BY CLAIRE TRICKETT

We were impressed

by Barry’s extensive knowledge and his ability to convey it in a caring, enthusiastic way, particularly given his young age. Witnessing his deep respect for nature and its survival, we wanted to help him succeed in his career.

LAUNER FAMILY & Beyond guests

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Friendly, unassuming and always positive, Barry possesses strong core values and the courage to always stand by them.

DALE WEPENER

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Munywana Warden and Conservation Manager

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I have never seen Barry flustered, never heard him raise his voice. He instils quiet confidence that he knows what he’s doing, which is real social impact.

JOSS KENT & Beyond Executive Chairman and CEO

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Barry qualified as an &Beyond guide and eventually worked his way up the ranks to Head Ranger. In 2013, when Barry guided—and immediately bonded with— the Launer family from New Jersey, his life was about to change, yet again. The Launers wanted to play a role in Barry’s future by sponsoring his college education.

Thanks to their support, Barry completed a Higher Certificate in Nature Conservation Implementation and Leadership at the Southern African Wildlife College.

Opportunity knocked in 2018, when the Phinda Conservation Manager role became available. Barry landed the coveted position and now oversees Phinda’s land management. Everything from building and eradicating fences to maintaining roads, assisting with wildlife management and protection, and fostering relations with the surrounding communities falls within his demanding portfolio. “We’re the ones working together behind the scenes to ensure the beauty and natural harmony that guests expect to experience on safari,” Barry explains. “It’s a privilege to be able to give that to them.”

The Star in Training programme continues to this day and Barry pays it forward by mentoring the interns. “I encourage them to use this opportunity to learn as much as possible. I want them to know that no one will shut them down for trying to learn more.”

Barry is more than a conservationist; he is a true north star for Phinda and its neighbouring communities. Leading with purpose and lighting the way forward for others, Barry’s journey remains a beacon of hope; long may he continue to be a star who never stops rising.

IMAGES: JOSH VAN DER PLOEG; JESSICA BOTHA; MATTHEW VAN WIERINGEN

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arry Mthembu hails from the small community of Makhasa, bordering &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa. His journey from humble beginnings to respected leader is a story of hope, happenstance and determination. With a successful career path that now spans over two decades, Barry shows no signs of slowing down.

“I’ve grown up with &Beyond,” he smiles. In 2003, at the age of 20, Barry saw an advertisement that would change the course of his life. &Beyond was recruiting for its Star in Training programme. Every year, aspiring young individuals living in the rural communities that border &Beyond’s reserves, and who do not have access to tertiary education, are invited to apply for this sought-after internship.

Among hundreds of applicants, Barry became one of three final candidates, earning himself three months of valuable workplace experience at Phinda Forest Lodge. His manner landed Barry in the service side of the lodge, helping to set and clear tables. He consistently strove to make himself useful and was the only intern to gain permanent employment.

“I wanted more challenges,” he recalls. “I kept asking where I could help because I wanted to grow.” With his can-do attitude, Barry climbed from butler to Head Butler in no time. And despite his demanding schedule, Barry soon started sacrificing what little personal time he had to pursue his next goal of becoming a guide. He swapped lunch breaks for bush walks, spent his money on guidebooks, and after a gruelling six-week work cycle, instead of going straight home, Barry would stay on at the lodge for an extra week to learn all he could from the guides and trackers.

Clockwise from top left: Barry’s ‘office’; proud of his Zulu heritage; rhino conservation work in action.

&BEYOND BATELEUR AWARDS Barry is the deserving overall winner of this annual award. One of the highest forms of peer and management recognition, these awards celebrate those who go beyond the expected to leave our world a better place. Regardless of their role, all nominees embody the &Beyond culture of Care of Land, Wildlife and People, both in and out of the workplace, and undeniably touch the lives of everyone they meet.

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IMAGE: RENATO GRANIERI

A celebration of natural wonders—from a Kenyan forest and Rwandan rainforest to the remote reaches of Antarctica—that reinforces the critical need for their protection.

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Far from

FROZEN in time

No longer an untouched wilderness, Antarctica’s beauty has captivated millions—yet every first-time traveller holds the power to protect this fragile place.

BY SARAH MARSHALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY RENATO GRANIERI

A lone chinstrap penguin stands out on an ice floe (large sheet of floating ice).

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A final frontier; this is the highest, coldest, windiest and driest place on Earth.

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orkscrewing their necks skyward, golden chests glinting like medallions as they basked in icy sunshine, the planet’s largest king penguin colony erupted into a fanfare of triumphant trumpeting calls.

In late October, St Andrew’s Bay on the subantarctic island of South Georgia was still blanketed in fresh snow. Languorous elephant seals lazily twitched their frozen whiskers at the season’s first human arrivals. Unsteady on their newfound feet, clumsy king penguin chicks waddled in oversized chestnut-brown fur coats, harassing weary parents for food.

Sitting amongst it all, caught up in the chaos of natural life unfolding in the polar wilderness, I cried mostly for joy and partly in self-pity, wishing I could forever freeze these precious moments in time.

For more than 200 years, the seventh continent has captivated intrepid explorers.

Fame and fortune were obvious drivers for early expeditions, but anyone who’s sailed below Antarctica’s towering icebergs and glimpsed glaciers rolling into infinite horizons inevitably succumbs to a life-long gnawing obsession.

Famed explorer Ernest Shackleton’s own poetic first impressions, published under his nom de plume Nemo, sum up a fascination with the unknown.

“Shall we learn that you come from the mountains?

Shall we call you a frozen sea?

Shall we sail Northward and leave you, still a Secret forever to be?”

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A final frontier, where nature reigns, Antarctica brims with superlatives; this is the highest, coldest, windiest and driest place on Earth. The hostile environment is beguiling, challenging conditions pique curiosity, and its sheer scale commands awe and respect.

But Antarctica is far from untouched.

French glaciologist Claude Lorius famously discovered varying levels of greenhouse gases in air bubbles trapped within ice cores drilled from the continental ice sheet, proving human culpability for climate change. Half a century later, you don’t need an academic degree to recognise the alarming changes.

As part of a citizen science voyage a few years ago, I recorded variations in ocean salinity—the result of melting glaciers— and observed traces of microplastics in water samples examined under a microscope. More recently, several landing sites in South Georgia and the Falkland Islands were temporarily closed due to the spread of avian influenza—a disease thought to have originated in poultry farms and carried by migratory birds.

Tourism itself also poses a dilemma.

According to data collected by IAATO, an association of tour operators established to promote safe and environmentallyresponsible tourism in Antarctica, 104 897 travellers visited during the 2022/2023 season—that’s more than three times the number recorded ten years ago.

Demand for this fragile destination has undoubtedly increased.

Clockwise from top left: An emperor penguin in Wilhelmina Bay; one of Danco Island’s pristine icebergs; St Andrews Bay in South Georgia is home to the largest colony of king penguins.

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THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE

Charting your course Antarctica is no ordinary destination.

Plan to travel between November and March, but start by defining what you want to see: pristine snowscapes and penguin courting rituals (November to mid-December); penguin chicks taking their first swims, often leading to dramatic predator-prey encounters with leopard seals (late January to February); and humpback whales (large pods in February and March).

Choosing a responsible expedition company with seasoned polar experts is key and binoculars are essential.

Most importantly, embrace the unknown.

Slow down to truly appreciate the details—the crunch of the ice, the distant calls of seabirds. The best part of Antarctica is not just its wild extremes, but also the adventure that unfolds around every corner.

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An aerial view of the well-trodden nesting sites of gentoo penguin colonies at Neko Harbour.

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Lessons learned in the ice can ultimately change the way we live in cities.

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In the icy waters of Wilhelmina Bay on the Antarctic Peninsula, a curious young leopard seal briefly surfaces, displaying its striking spotted pattern.

But rather than focusing on the blights of overtourism, perhaps we should seize an opportunity to empower and educate.

“No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced.”

Sir David Attenborough’s words underpin exactly why the right kind of responsible tourism is so valuable. IAATO invites every person who visits Antarctica to become an ambassador, sharing their experiences with others and protecting the destination by making positive changes at home.

Signed by 12 nations in 1959, the Antarctic Treaty stipulates the continent belongs to no one. Instead, it’s been designated as a place for nature and science. There is no government, no long-term resident population and no military presence. In a society ever hungry for depleting resources, the eyes of the outside world play an important role in safeguarding the Treaty’s intentions. Travellers to Antarctica have the power to police political authorities and see off any threats.

Rusting blubber ovens in Grytviken on South Georgia and Deception Island in the South Shetland Islands are a reminder of a destructive whaling industry. But since a moratorium on commercial whaling was issued in the mid-1980s—largely due to growing public awareness—populations of cetaceans have bounced back with super-pods of up to 100 seen spy-hopping, fin-slapping, and breaching in waters bubbling with life.

Taking action doesn’t end in Antarctica.

Lessons learned in the ice can ultimately change the way we live in cities—swapping

car journeys for travelling by foot, switching to recyclable packaging, and making more considered choices about what we consume.

My own memories of various Antarctic voyages are indelibly inked in heart and mind: waking one morning at 03h00 to find the sky glowing pink and penguins sliding down slippery icebergs as we sailed through a scenic narrow channel known as the Antarctic Sound; feeling the rush of wind as albatrosses lifted their wings and soared overhead; and almost bumping noses with a curious leopard seal surfacing metres from my face on a zodiac cruise.

Sounds resonate as intensely as sights: the pop and crackle of brash ice; the heaving sighs of a whale breathing; the purity of polar silence. Every time, I am surprised, overwhelmed and inspired.

Even if the coordinates on a map precisely match, no scene ever remains the same. Standing on a frozen platform surrounded by millennia-old mountains, it’s often hard to imagine that this is a dynamic destination in constant flux. But witnessing changes in this extraordinary environment can, and should, inform how we live our everyday lives.

My work—as a writer and expedition guide—has afforded me the privilege of visiting Antarctica on many occasions.

But even one trip to the white continent is enough to stir the soul, enough to appreciate why explorers once risked their lives to come here, and enough to understand the importance of protecting Antarctica for generations to come.

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Portraits of the

natural world

Deep in the Rwandan rainforest, acclaimed National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale reveals the rich emotions and deep social bonds of the mountain gorilla. Sharing 98% of our DNA, gorillas reflect a humanity that feels both familiar and profound. Yet, as gorilla populations dwindle, we need to understand that ensuring their survival is not just about saving a species; it’s about safeguarding a future where wildlife and humanity can thrive together.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMI VITALE

“Locking eyes with this young gorilla felt like peering into a mirror. Our interconnectedness calls for a new perspective on how we engage with nature and each other.”

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“Photography plays a crucial role in educating and fostering understanding. Each image tells a compelling story, connecting our hearts and minds to the plight of wildlife and instilling not only a sense of empathy, but one of urgency, too.”

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“As a young gorilla rested against a tree, it struck me how we all seek solitude and peace.

These sacred habitats serve as sanctuaries, providing refuge not just for the wildlife, but for our mutual need for tranquillity.”

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“My first encounter with a silverback was surreal. His eyes conveyed a profound understanding, and I instantly felt a deep connection. It was a powerful reminder of our shared existence on this planet. As I left the troop, their presence lingered with me, and still does to this day.”

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BEYOND THE PHOTO

Ami Vitale Ami is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, an inductee into the North Carolina Media and Journalism Hall of Fame, and recipient of the Lucie Humanitarian Award and the Daniel Pearl Award for Outstanding Reporting. She was also named Magazine Photographer of the Year at the International Photographer of the Year Awards and is a six-time recipient of World Press Photo Awards. Her widely celebrated approach to photography transcends traditional storytelling. She is deeply committed to fully understanding her subjects and immerses herself in the lives and environments she captures.

She has lived in war zones, mud huts, and even a panda suit, to document critical conservation and humanitarian issues. Her much-loved style blends human narratives and environmental crises, always emphasising the interconnectedness of life on Earth.

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GUARDIANS of the Nyekweri

How a community trust is fighting to save one of Kenya’s last indigenous forests, a sanctuary for wildlife at the edge of the Masai Mara, one plot of land at a time.

BY ALEX POSTMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN HARRISON

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Clockwise from top left: Red-headed weaver; a forest ranger ensures the trail is safe; a seedling is harvested for propagation; Peter Ole Tomboi; a purple beautyberry bush.

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Some of us believe that if the Nyekweri goes, the Mara will go too.

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eter Ole Tomboi steps through a bosky veil of branches into a sunlit clearing. Shafts of light pour onto the forest floor, where mossy stumps jut from the leaf litter and younger trees lie splintered like broken bones. Draped in a brightly checkered shuka, the septuagenarian Chairman leans on his wooden staff.

“It’s been about two weeks since this destruction—elephants with nowhere else to go,” he says, shaking his head. “Even five or ten years ago, it was not like this.”

The Nyekweri Forest is one of Kenya’s last surviving indigenous forests, a vital buffer to the northwest corner of the Masai Mara National Reserve. Brimming with ecological diversity, it is a water catchment, a refuge for endangered species like the elusive giant ground pangolin, and an escape hatch for wildlife during the thunderous annual wildebeest migration. For elephants, it is also a maternity ward, where herds return to the forest’s leafy sanctuary to give birth.

Yet over the last 20 years, more than half of the once-dense canopy has been lost.

Decades ago, the local Maasai community lived nomadically as livestock herders in and around the forest, on a group ranch called Kimintet. But in the 1990s, government-led land reforms subdivided the ranch into private parcels, granting ownership to community patriarchs. Over time, the shift to residential living brought new financial burdens—school fees, medical expenses, and the construction of homesteads—pressuring many to harvest timber, charcoal, and crops for income.

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Today, only a quarter of the original 74 000 acres (30 000 hectares) remains, while human-wildlife conflicts intensify.

“Some of us believe that if the Nyekweri goes, the Mara will go too,” Tomboi says gravely as we continue along a wooded path.

For years, he has been a steadfast voice against short-term gains at the expense of the forest. A former tour driver who travelled extensively across Kenya, he has witnessed first-hand how industries like charcoal and cash-crop farming devastate ecosystems—and how conservation efforts sustain both landscapes and livelihoods.

“I came together with the elders and said, ‘Things are changing—we have to do something,’” Tomboi recalls. “It was happening before our eyes.”

Just over two decades ago, Tomboi and 26 community landowners bordering the Mara formed the Nyekweri Kimintet Community Forest Conservation Trust.

They approached several NGOs, as well as the Kenya Department of Forestry, to partner in their efforts.

In contrast to other Kimintet landholders who cleared their land for livestock or leased it to private enterprises to harvest charcoal, sugarcane, coffee, or tea—deals with diminishing returns, given the finite resources of their plots—the landholders in the Trust sign conservation-focused leases with organisations such as the Masai Mara Wildlife Conservancy Association and the Pangolin Project. In return, they receive financial incentives to leave their parcels forested, avoid fencing that harms wildlife, and prevent agricultural conversion.

Opposite: With its towering trees and ancient trails, the indigenous Nyekweri Forest is a vital wildlife corridor and buffer zone to Kenya's Masai Mara.

CAMERAS FOR CONSERVATION

A giant discovery A camera trap is a digital camera with an infrared sensor that captures images when triggered by movement.

The 35 camera traps deployed in the Nyekweri provide 24/7 forest surveillance, imparting the Community and Conservation Rangers with crucial conservation insights and continuous monitoring of wildlife activity and behaviour. Perhaps one of the most remarkable and unexpected discoveries was the recent appearance of an endangered giant ground pangolin.

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CAMERAS FOR CONSERVATION

Human-wildlife coexistence From aardvarks to zebra, the camera trap footage reveals the Nyekweri’s surprisingly diverse species variety.

While capturing newsworthy sightings and amusing bloopers, it also shows how humans, livestock and wildlife can co-adapt to living in shared landscapes.

Photos indicate human presence, with sheep, goats, donkeys and cattle grazing amongst the wildlife, despite the threat of predators. Livestock grazing remains an important Maasai livelihood; but in the Nyekweri, it is restricted to perimeter zones to support sustainable pastoralism.

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Clockwise from top left: Seeds are carefully collected from the forest floor and harvested in the nursery; more than 20 000 indigenous saplings have now been propagated; Daniel shows the students of Saparingo Primary School how to plant the saplings.

In 2022, the Trust forged a partnership with Wild Impact (formerly Africa Foundation), the community and conservation development partner of &Beyond, whose two Mara properties border Kimintet. “They were very specific in what they were looking for” to help protect the remaining 5 600 acres (2 200 hectares) of the Nyekweri, says community member Simon Saitoti, also the Impact & Community Officer for Wild Impact in Kenya. Among other initiatives, Wild Impact agreed to fund three Community & Conservation Rangers.

One of the rangers, a 23-year-old named Daniel Tumpes, whose father is one of the founding members of the Trust, pauses on the trail to check a camera trap. He slips the memory card into his laptop, revealing grainy images of elephants and a stern-looking baboon. Two leopards—rare visitors—were recently recorded, their movements contributing to biodiversity surveys conducted by Wild Impact.

Daniel and his fellow rangers also oversee the indigenous tree nursery at the Trust’s headquarters. Funded by Wild Impact and &Beyond, the nursery holds thousands of saplings that have been harvested from the forest or grown from seed. Each species carries a legacy of Maasai tradition— African red heart for brushing teeth, white witch hazel for wound-healing, and leleshwa bush, used by Maasai warriors as a deodorant. The saplings are donated to community families to regenerate cleared areas on their land, and to three local primary schools as part of Wild Impact’s educational initiative promoting environmental stewardship.

Back in the forest, the path ahead narrows, its soft dirt etched with fresh zebra hoofprints. Suddenly, a second ranger who has ventured ahead returns, gesturing for us to turn back—an elephant is moving through the dense brush. The hush of the forest wraps around us as we quietly

retreat. A white butterfly flits by—a fragile bellwether of thriving biodiversity.

Tomboi enumerates the deep cultural and spiritual ties between the Maasai and the forest as a source of: sacred trees, herbs and medicine; traditional home-building materials; and food—“when we were children, our parents could go into the forest and live off wild honey for a week.”

It is where Maasai warriors spend weeks as a group, in their ritual passage to manhood.

In that regard, Nyekweri’s loss threatens not just the community's livelihoods, but the very fabric of its cultural identity.

We walk past the gorgon-like roots of an enormous, overturned tree. The Chairman shakes his head: “It’s such a pity to see the forest destroyed with no benefit.”

Releasing pressure on this vital wildlife corridor closest to the Mara and growing the Trust—Kimintet now comprises 1 000 individual landowners—won’t be easy. Surveys have shown that the Nyekweri’s soil is some of the richest in the wider Mara, and a new sugar company has been making lucrative overtures to neighbours. One has only to look across the Operai River to Oloirien-Kimintet (another community-owned parcel where a section of the Nyekweri once stood, now a mosaic of cropland) to envision one possible fate.

But the Chairman is undeterred, in part because such precipitous change is drawing the attention of the next generation. “When you bring children to the forest to show them how much has changed in just 20 to 30 years, it leaves an impression,” he says.

Besides, he adds, people are finally seeing that things are serious, because there are no more trees to build houses, nowhere to graze cattle—still a cultural marker of success—when one’s homestead has been leased to grow sugarcane.

“The Maasai have a saying,” Tomboi muses.

“Nobody owns the forest.” He smiles faintly at the irony. “And yet, here we are.”

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A living tapestry

OVERALL FOREST REMAINING

25%

A

A forest never stands alone—it thrives as a bustling web of interconnected life. Although only 25% of the Nyekweri Forest’s original grandeur still stands, the incredible species variety it supports is living proof that forest conservation isn’t just about saving trees, but entire ecosystems.

ONLY 5 600 ACRES REMAIN

COMMUNITY FOREST COVERAGE

20%

KIMINTET

1%

OLOIRIEN-KIMINTET

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F

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G D

Nyekweri Forest

Saparingo

Iltolish

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I Emurutoto

Masai Mara NATIONAL RESERVE

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&BEYOND KICHWA TEMBO & BATELEUR CAMP

Income sources rewarding deforestation Mara Triangle E

Wild Impact partner communities

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CATTLE

AGRICULTURE

CHARCOAL

Seeds of renewal Forest restoration begins with collecting seeds and harvesting seedlings from indigenous trees in healthy parts of the forest. The seeds and seedlings are unlikely to grow to maturity in the forest due to shade from larger trees, so they are transported to the sapling nursery to germinate until they are strong enough to be replanted in forest clearings. This process helps restore critical wildlife habitat and strengthens the ecosystem, one seedling at a time.

565+ Leleshwa bush saplings planted

From nomads to protectors

500+

1980

Wild olive bush saplings planted

H

1993 SPECIES DIVERSITY Despite being just a quarter of what it once was, the Nyekweri Forest is a hotspot for wildlife, with countless mammals, birds, reptiles and insects seeking refuge beneath its boughs.

2000

[A] Schalow’s turaco [B] Black-and-white-casqued hornbill [C] Black-headed heron [D] Fine-banded woodpecker [E] Rhino beetle [F] Giant charaxes [G] Blue emperor dragonfly [H] Small green flower chafer [I] African elephant [J] Spotted hyena [K] Plains zebra [L] Maasai giraffe [M] Giant ground pangolin [N] Kirk's dik-dik

2004

L

2021

M

Income sources rewarding preservation

TOURISM

RANGERS

CONSERVATION

ILLUSTRATION: DUNCAN BUTCHART; VOS & INK

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2022

NOMADIC TRIBES The local Maasai communities lived nomadically as livestock herders in the Nyekweri Forest on a group ranch called Kimintet.

LAND REFORM Government policies led to the subdivision of the ranch into private parcels, granting ownership to community patriarchs.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES The shift to residential living brought new financial burdens, pressuring many landowners to clear their land for livestock or lease it to private enterprises for income.

LANDOWNER INTERVENTION Local landowners united to form the Nyekweri Kimintet Community Forest Conservation Trust to combat deforestation and habitat loss.

CONSERVANCY ESTABLISHED The landowners in the Trust signed conservation-focused leases with the Masai Mara Wildlife Conservancy Association and the Pangolin Project.

CONSERVATION COLLABORATION The Nyekweri Kimintet Community Forest Conservation Trust forged a partnership with Wild Impact and &Beyond to help protect and restore the forest.

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The last laugh A wildlife photographer’s patience is often rewarded with what can only be described as Mother Nature’s blooper reel. It’s the unexpected comedy of the animal kingdom at its best.

“When you’re the face of a new discovery, but really just want a nap.”

Photographer: Daryl Dell It’s not often you get to discover a new species, but &Beyond Travel Specialist and Private Guide, Daryl Dell, did just that at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in 2017.

Upon investigating an unusual frog call, Daryl officially discovered what has been aptly named the Phinda rain frog (Breviceps carruthersi).

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Virtual Safaris Get a front row seat to the greatest show on earth–safari–from your living room.

Journey weekly to wild and wonderful destinations, in the company of one of our finest guides, Kristen “Harri” Harrison.

SCAN TO WATCH

B AT E L E U R

Situated in the Laikipia region, Suyian has evolved from cattle ranching into a conservation-driven landscape that forms part of a vital wildlife corridor in northern Kenya.

What lies beyond In an increasingly volatile world driven by war, climaterelated disasters, and political winds of change, I remain hopefully optimistic. At &Beyond, we truly believe we can leave the world a better place through our deeds and commitments. Actions speak louder than words, so we remain obsessively focused on our long-term impact and conservation commitments, from the large-scale re-wilding of 44 000 acres (16 190 hectares) of the Suyian Conservancy in Kenya’s Laikipia region (home to &Beyond Suyian Lodge) and construction of our custom-built Amazon luxury expedition yacht, to the development of our first integrated ‘balanced scorecard’ reporting for the &Beyond Group. A nutrition label per se, it reveals to all stakeholders (staff, guests, trade and partner communities) how we are delivering on our Vision 2030 Scaling Impact strategy.

We continue to tailormake exceptional guest experiences across Africa, Asia, South America and Antarctica, ensuring that our guests feel like part of our extended &Beyond family.

Applying the mantra of ‘going local’, our staff hail from and represent the communities that surround the wild places we are trying to protect. Because without the consent of those communities, it will be difficult to conserve these fragile ecosystems and biospheres. With that positivity in mind, I welcome you on your journey and hope you enjoy your time with us, knowing that your travel choice can—and does— make a difference to this wonderful planet we call home.

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Joss Kent &Beyond Executive Chairman and CEO @jossakent

IMAGES: &BEYOND; JOSH VAN DER PLOEG

Joss shares a look at what’s ahead

Bring your life Thule Chasm Collection.

Made for exploration.

Where the untamed roam.

And the well travelled rest.

With the majestic Ewaso Narok River as its backdrop and Mount Kenya rising in the distance, &Beyond Suyian Lodge is home to just 14 exquisitely elegant suites.

Within these 44 000 acres of unfenced wilderness in Laikipia’s rugged northwest, Suyian’s enigmatic namesake—the African wild dog—moves to its own rhythm.

Here, luxury isn’t found in excess but in the quiet privilege of space and stillness.

SEE WHAT LIES BEYOND

andBeyond.com