Meet the Team

Jim is an avid traveller with personal experience of some of the world’s most challenging – and interesting – countries under his belt. With almost two decades of experience in the travel industry, Jim started his career as a tour leader in the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent before settling down to a slightly more settled life on the Essex / Suffolk border.

With a deep connection with Africa, Jim’s recent travels include pioneering trips to meet the Toposa people of South Sudan, travelling through Nigeria, a good contender for Africa’s most difficult country, and being one of only a handful of travellers to have visited Somaliland, the breakaway country that no-one recognises.

Chelsea’s passions include trekking, wildlife, traditional cultures and the great outdoors. From hiking in the Peruvian Andes and the northern uplands of Turkey, to meeting hill tribes in Vietnam and exploring the rain forest of the Ecuadorian Amazon, her travel experience includes South America, South East Asia, the Indian Ocean, Europe and the Middle East.

From home stays, to jungle lodges, from caves to camping and from sleeper trains to boats, she has stayed in the most remote, authentic and odd locations in each and every country she has travelled to and is always interested in getting to know the locals.

Michaela’s interest in travel led her to study Travel and Tourism at college, followed by a degree in International Tourism Management. She then went on to spend a year travelling throughout South East Asia, visiting ethnic minority groups in Northern Thailand and exploring Vietnam’s Central Highlands, before continuing on to Australia where she helped with regeneration projects deep within the rainforest. Back in the UK, she lived in the Lake District for a while before relocating to the Essex countryside where she is now settled with her young family.

Matt has a keen interest in the outdoors, regularly ‘Munro-bagging’ in Scotland and doing long distance walks closer to home.

Matt’s recent travels include exploring the island of Socotra, hiking through the Caucasus mountains in Georgia and tracking gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and he’s most at home on a windy hillside with map in hand, en route to a village pub with a fire.

Joan grew up between Catalonia and Cameroon, and was initiated into Africa cultures at the early age of 10. Later he studied Anthropology and Sociology at Richmond University and continued his studies in traditional African societies.

Joan has written several travel guides and since 2005 has focused on West and Central Africa. He now collaborates with Native Eye in the design and organisation of unique trips in little visited African destinations – the more challenging the better!