My inbox regularly receives emails from people in the travel industry who are keen to be a guest on the podcast, and I was thrilled to receive an email from James Mwenda a few weeks ago. His career so far – in particular, being a caretaker of the last northern white rhinos in the world – intrigued me instantly, and some quick research revealed he was definitely a thoughtful traveller type.
We chatted for well over an hour but I’ve managed to distil the highlights of our chat down to a manageable length – and honestly, all I can say is I can’t wait until travel opens up to me again and I can hop on a plane to Kenya to go on tour with James!
Show notes: Episode 246 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast
James Mwenda: Deep Dive Into Thoughtful Travel
In my second Deep Dive Into Thoughtful Travel interview episode, I speak with James Mwenda in Kenya – and I’m really excited to share our chat.
For almost a decade, James was a caretaker for the last three – then two – northern white rhinos in the world, at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. It’s heartbreaking to imagine working with the very last animals of a species – and James talks about the emotional toll this work takes.
We also talk about what thoughtful, sustainable travel should look like, and James has recently started his own expedition company, Jemu Expeditions, to show travellers to Kenya the things he loves most about his country. From the importance of tourism dollars for conservation efforts to his emphasis on using tourism to support his local community, James has so many words of wisdom.
Links:
- James’s expedition company, Jemu Expeditions
- Ol Pejeta Conservancy
- Video of James speaking about Sudan, the last male northern white rhino
- Extract from Kifaru, a documentary about the rhino caretaker unit James was a part of
- Join our Facebook group for Thoughtful Travellers
Leave a Reply