Nella's Tin Trunk Podcast

John Neelo is one of the heros in the conservation of African Wild dogs. He lives and works in the field in Botswana and I had the great pleasure to sit down and have this conversation about how John became a senior researcher on dog project, how the latest technology is helping to minimise human-wildlife conflict between the dogs (Africa's most efficient hunter) and villagers and their lives...

I love Rwanda. Why? So many reasons... and not just because you can visit the endangered Mountain Gorillas in their beautiful home, guided by great people from a country that has overcome so much pain and loss through the power of forgiveness. ... But for all of those reasons too! Enjoy.  www.tintrunksafari.com  Instagram: @tintrunksafari

My walk around the gorgeous grounds of La Residence in the Cape Winelands of Franschhoek, South Africa with Edward Paul, more belovedly known as Uncle Eddie, gives a glimpse not only into his passion for the land: the old trees he planted, the olives and vineyard he tends, but also of his resilient spirit and the power to change one's life for the better. Enjoy my walk around with Eddie Paul....

In this episode, I explore this question of  “Luxury” on  safari based on answers of our clients over the years together with my own thoughts. As you will hear, the answers are often surprising! Enjoy!  www.tintrunksafari.com  Instagram: @tintrunksafari

If Victoria Falls has crossed your mind. Good. It is one of the more spectacular waterfalls on Earth. At high season one of the largest curtains of water falls over the edge, about over 500 million litres per minute. It's more than that though and this talk with Sara Gardiner explains why. Sara and her family have created a private haven for wildlife at their lodge on the river. It's a f...

In this episode you  accompany me virtually as I go through a typical day on safari in Botswana.  From getting there, to the sundowners around the fire, to watching cheetah run, the day is full. And the best part -  no two days are ever the same! Enjoy!  www.tintrunksafari.com  Instagram: @tintrunksafari

I met Waridi on a flying safari in Namibia. As we explored the most dramatic parts of Namibia's Skeleton Coast, sat side by side in the Cessna 210, on the roof of the landrover, chatted over sundowners in the red sand and oysters on the deserted beach (except for fur seals), we became friends. Her story of growing up in Kenya, leaving for Abu Dhabi, getting discovered and becoming a successfu...

I love kids on safari. This episode is for them! A fun quiz to learn about African animals - for the whole family! Enjoy. www.tintrunksafari.com  Instagram: @tintrunksafari

"But the desert is a bit boring, no? All that sand?". Far from it!  Namibia is no pile of sand. The landscape changes every 10 minutes when you fly over it. Ancient plants, desert-adapted animals like Rhino and Elephant, fascinating geology, long history of hunter-gatherers, five-star night sky. If you are lucky enough to see it from the air with one of the  Schoeman family, you will yea...

Khaki not your thing? You're like me. Pale greys, dusky pinks, light blue... these colours are fine on safari. You just need to be aware of the colours you wear when on walking safari. In this episode, I give some guidelines as well as my personal preferences. Happy packing for your trip of a lifetime!  www.tintrunksafari.com  Instagram: @tintrunksafari

It's true. The desert-adapted rhinos of this vast area of Namibia are the freest rhinos in the world.  This is a frank and open conversation about a topic that always causes heightened emotions... How to save this iconic African flagship species... Where Bons comes from, where he still lives and works, there is great commitment, knowledge, caring and, as you will hear, success. Enjoy this inf...

If an African safari is on your radar, your bucket list, your "must return" list, my overstory of our safaris in 2025 may help pull the trigger. No safari is ever the same and even if you come every single year, as some definitely do, you experience different and wonderful places, animals and cultures each time. It's wild here. You can drive the same road in a reserve, conservation...

If you are up on trendy spots to go to the beach, you will have heard of Lamu. If you haven’t, and you like trendy spots to go to the beach, you will want to know about Lamu. For better or worse, this tiny island just off the coast of Kenya is on the international radar of eclectic and vibey beach spots.  It’s a scene and it captivates. Arty and quiet, party fiend, and all in between fall prety to...

Every family I have had on safari over Christmas says it was one of the best Christmas's ever. Sharing this special time of year with one another in the majesty of the African wilderness is joyful ,and soulful. In this episode, I talk a bit about Christmas history and traditions across the continent as well as what to expect on safari and the best places to be on safari at this time of year....

Following the news of the Michelin Guidebooks launching in South Africa, I thought you would enjoy this chat with Grant Parker, a safari camp manager and passionate chef. Learn about safari cuisine, how they get such great ingredients into the remote bush and the talented teams making it all happen. Enjoy our chat! www.tintrunksafari.com  Instagram: @tintrunksafari

The passing of the gorgeous and talented Robert Redford got me thinking about Out of Africa . Redford stars with Meryl Streep in Sydney Pollack's film adaptation of Karen Blixen's memoir of the same name.  It's about Blixen's life in Kenya and her love affair with Denys Finch-Hatton. Today, this term evokes romance and elegance on safari. In this podcast, I give a bit of histor...

This was a very fun interview to do. It followed a very fun walk through the Namibian desert with Boetie in which we learned a lot - and got tested! One of the oldest cultures on Earth, the San or Bushmen of Southern Africa have ancestry dating back thousands of years, with cave paintings dotted around the continent. And they are proud to share their customs and traditions with us, as you will hea...

What does it mean to be a good safari guide? What is okay and not okay to do around the animals in the bush? In this episode, I elaborate on safari guiding and how vital it is that safari visitors support the right places and guides if we want the African wilderness to thrive. This is the only research you need to do before deciding which safari to go on!  www.tintrunksafari.com  Instagram: @tintr...

It's true. If you plan to come on safari in Africa, who plans for you and chooses where you are going is paramount to the quality of guiding you will experience. And that is the difference between respect for the animals, communities and an ethical approach to it all and the very opposite.  Brian and I discuss what it means to be a good safari guide.  The more you know about this, the more wi...

It's all about Permit. Or GTs. Or Bone Fish, (but they are easy). Kyle Simpson is head guide at Alphonse, the idyllic tropical paradise in the Seychelles that attracts passionate fishers the world over. It attracts people wanting to dive and snorkel and swim with mantas too, but that is covered on my previous podcasts. Kyle and I talk about why this place is such a world-class destination. If...

It's a topic dear to my heart. What is it about a safari that is so personally transformative? Why do people - even those who were 7 years old at the time - say, over and over, it's the best trip they have ever done? I keep attempting to answer those questions, using my own experiences and that of our clients. In this short episode, I talk about the hierarchy of man on the planet and how...

John Barclay is a fountain of knowledge about the bush. His safari genealogy goes back generations. He is the grandson of the famous Jack Bousfield of Botswana, an explorer whose collection at Jack’s Camp is considered part of the national treasures of the country. His uncle, Ralph, is a mentor and avant-guarde thinker on all things safari and conservation. John has used his childhood in the bush...

Did you know that no one has ever seen a Manta Ray give birth? Their babies are over a meter wide when they are born. Or that the Seychelles may be one of the only Manta nurseries on Earth? Elle Brighton is a devoted marine conservartionist working in the Seychelles Outer Islands. Based on the inimitable Alphonse Island, she oversees everything from the health of the fishing (it's a world cla...

Wendy Panaino is the head of conservation at Tswalu in South Africa’s Kalahari. If you listened to my podcast about the Deserts of Africa, you will remember the Kalahari. It is an exceptionally rich ecological area and Tswalu is a success story of rehabilitation and conservation. Wendy and I sat down while I was there and chatted about what it means to be a custodian of Africa’s largest private na...

Over the 21 years I have been bringing guests to Africa with my business, Tin Trunk Safari, I have held to the principle that I do not send guests anywhere that I have not been personally. This has kept Tin Trunk “slower and closer” and is also essential in making sure I match the clients to the right experiences. In today’s episode, I talk about the vetting process. What am I thinking about and l...