For the final episode of our first series, we caught up with Zimbabwean travel writer and photographer Mana Meadows during an extraordinary adventure called “Walk Luangwa”—a team of adventurers walking hundreds of kilometres through some of Africa’s wildest national parks, raising funds for conservation and community development NGOs affected by the COVID crisis.

Mana is an absolutely inspiring woman with Africa truly in her blood—so much so that her father named her after their favourite place in Africa, Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. She’s an extremely talented writer and photographer whose work captures the essence of African travel.

As we draw this first season to a close, she shares her stories of inspiring women and we discuss our take on the road ahead for female equality in travel. Her passion for conservation storytelling and dedication to showcasing Africa’s beauty makes her the perfect guest to conclude our inaugural series celebrating women breaking barriers across the continent.

Episode five introduces us to Mpho Keromang from TSL College in Botswana, a woman in travel with a natural gift for what she does. After starting as an apprentice lodge manager in the Okavango Delta, Mpho quickly realised her true passion lies in training and developing others. She’s spent many years honing the skills of local citizens, helping them advance their careers in tourism and hospitality throughout Botswana.

Mpho’s journey from the bush to the classroom demonstrates how personal growth and professional evolution can lead to meaningful impact. Her dedication to education and empowerment has touched countless lives, creating opportunities for others to succeed in the tourism industry.

In this episode, she shares wonderful stories from her experience and explains how investing in people’s development can transform both individual lives and entire communities. Mpho’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of tourism professionals makes her an invaluable asset to Botswana’s travel industry.

In episode three, we meet Gorata Nyame from Botswana, whose rapid rise in the tourism industry is nothing short of inspiring. Gorata started as a waitress at Camp Okavango in 2017, and within just one year was awarded two company accolades for outstanding performance with the group, Desert & Delta Safaris.

A year after that, she was promoted to the management team and shortlisted for the prestigious RISE Africa award in Cape Town—an award celebrating young upcoming stars from the African tourism industry. Gorata is a lovely young woman with a burning desire to succeed and an incredibly bright future ahead of her.

Her story demonstrates that with determination, hard work, and the right attitude, rapid career advancement is possible in Africa’s tourism sector. She’s proof that age and experience aren’t the only factors that matter—passion, dedication, and natural talent can propel someone to management level in record time. We hope you enjoy this uplifting conversation with James about her remarkable journey.

In our very first episode of Inspiring African Travel, we meet Florence Kagiso, a professional guide at Chobe Game Lodge in Northern Botswana. At just 24 years old, Florence joined the lodge as the property’s only female guide, finding herself as the sole woman in a team of twelve men.

Her story is a remarkable one of breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated industry and establishing herself as a leading guide through sheer determination and skill. Florence talks to us about her childhood, what inspired her to pursue guiding, and the challenges she faced as a young woman entering this field.

Her journey represents the broader story of women across Africa who are redefining what’s possible in tourism and conservation. As the first of just a handful of female guides in the whole of Botswana at the time, Florence’s pioneering spirit and passion for wildlife make her the perfect person to launch our inaugural series. We hope you enjoy this inspiring conversation and our very first episode.