About

Hi, I’m Ella!

I’ve had a fascination with Africa, and particularly its wildlife, for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I spent countless hours hooked on nature documentaries. It was those about African wildlife, particularly Africa’s big cats that kept me on the edge of my seat. I admired the wildlife TV presenters so much and vowed to one day be just like them, filming animals in their natural habitat.

Fast forward a few years and the moment finally came where I was to set foot on the African continent. I was 17 years old and on my first big trip without my family. The group trip to Zambia would see me traversing down the mighty Zambezi river with little more than a canoe and a ground tent, which we’d set up each night at another gorgeous spot along the river.

Africa was everything that I dreamed it would be and more. I was in love with everything: the dusty air, the blood-red sunsets, the people, the culture and, of course, the wildlife.

My first expedition was not without its challenges. Being chased on foot by a hippopotamus in the dead of night and being stalked by a pride of lions are two hairy moments that stand out to me. But these experiences just ignited my desire for adventure even more. I knew I had to get back to Africa as soon as possible.

The following year I was officially free from school. My first act of independence was to fly completely solo to Namibia and volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary for a chunk of the summer. It was without a doubt one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I grew so much over those weeks, met so many like minded people and had some incredible wildlife experiences. Releasing a critically endangered pangolin back into the wild, walking alongside a caracal and looking after a baby baboon for the night are some of the stand-out experiences here.

After my stint in Namibia, I started University back home in the United Kingdom. I honestly couldn’t tell you what I wanted to do with my life. I was studying creative writing but there was no real end goal in mind. I was simply passionate about writing and wanted to spend the next three years of my life doing something I enjoyed.

After just one term at University, I dropped out. My partner had introduced me to the world of business, of being an entrepreneur and my own boss. This way of life made perfect sense to me and I wanted to pursue the idea further. And so I dropped out of University to set up a business.

My first business in the nutrition industry may not have aligned completely with my passions, it certainly didn’t help me to become a wildlife presenter, but it made sense and it also introduced me to the world of social media, blogging and YouTube. I learnt so much in the 8 years of running that business and grew so much as an entrepreneur.

I was still able to travel whilst running my business and over those years was able to road-trip Namibia in a Toyota Hilux with a roof-top tent, backpack through Sri Lanka, swim with sharks in Maldives, get attacked my a machete-wielding gang in The Gambia, get stranded in a tropical storm in the Caribbean and much more!

As 2022 dawned, it became suddenly clear to me that I wasn’t where I wanted to be in life, I wasn’t following my passions. And so I made the terrifying decision to sell my company and start completely afresh.

It took a few months for me to find my feet again. Suffering from chronic burnout after 8 years of intensively working in a tempestuous industry, I needed some time to feel like myself again and to understand what I actually wanted in life.

I booked a 3-week trip to Tanzania on a bit of a whim. I knew I wanted to create content and I had a vague idea of what it would be about but I had no idea how I was going to really execute the plan or turn it into a sustainable business. This trip clarified everything for me.

I watched in awe, a tear of joy sliding down my cheek, as hundreds of wildebeest leapt into the Mara River, fighting against the current, dodging hungry nile crocodiles. I was completely transfixed, completely in the moment. I knew there wasn’t anywhere else in the world where I’d rather be. I was meant to be here, in Africa, in nature.

Since that moment Africa has once again been in the forefront of my mind. I can’t get enough of it! I wasn’t sure how my YouTube videos on safaris would be received at first but their growing popularity has truly inspired me and enables me to continue exploring.

Now having been to over 10 African countries and spent hundreds of hours on safari, my goal is to visit every safari destination in the world and to also inspire and help others to go on their own safaris. I’ve learnt so much along the way which I share in great detail both on my website here and in my YouTube videos.

So if you’re interested in African safaris, you’ve come to the right place!