One World is Enough

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” - Henry Miller I suspect for some of you the words live large probably conjures up McMansions, $800 shoes, lavish yachts and all sorts of other self-indulgent toys and behavior that continue to be celebrated in wretched excess by mainstream media. I think we’re long overdue for a new travel-centric definition of what it means to live large. A definition that embraces sustainability, responsibility and stewardship of our planet. To me, living large (and treading lightly!) means getting out of my comfort zone to deeply appreciate myself and my fellow human beings, and to preserve the richly vibrant flora and fauna that make up our wondrous and fragile planet. It is precisely this belief—along with my love of connecting and inspiring enlightened travelers with the companies and destinations that offer adventure & experiential travel both close to home and to the far corners of the globe—that inspired... Read More →

Kingo’s Ultimate Survival is Pinned on Sustainable Tourism

By Leslie Nevison, Director, Mama Tembo Tours Kingo - photo by Trish Peck Kingo, a 300 pound (140 kilogram) Western lowland gorilla silverback, and his six wives and children, live in the protected rainforest of Nouabale-Ndoki National Park in the northern Republic of Congo near its border with the Central African Republic. Scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) began habituating Kingo fifteen years ago. At the time, gorilla research had been restricted to Rwanda’s and Uganda’s mountain gorillas, and very little was known about lowland gorilla behavior in the wild. Compared to their mountain kin, lowland gorillas occupy remote and swampy forests and are hard to find. Wary by nature, they disappear in an instant at the first hint of danger. As unhindered observation is crucial to any wildlife study, habituation is a necessary scientific tool. With Kingo, habituation took ten years. Yet, creating this bond of trust with Kingo leaves him vulnerable to a human... Read More →