What makes Namibia feel less like a destination and more like an escape from everywhere else? 

Tuta Nangolo is the founder of Kamatjona, a coliving space and safari company based in Windhoek, Namibia. Founded in 2020, Kamatjona blends long-stay coliving for digital nomads with community-driven, sel… What makes Namibia feel less like a destination and more like an escape from everywhere else? 

Tuta Nangolo is the founder of Kamatjona, a coliving space and safari company based in Windhoek, Namibia. Founded in 2020, Kamatjona blends long-stay coliving for digital nomads with community-driven, self-drive safaris across the country. Tuta's approach to hospitality was shaped in part by years spent working in a backpacker hostel in London, an experience that inspired him to bring that same sense of connection back home.  

Tuta joins the show to talk about what makes Namibia's culture and landscapes so distinct, and he walks through a self-drive road trip itinerary connecting the country's desert, coastal, and wildlife regions. 

Namibia doesn't behave the way most people expect a safari destination to. This conversation captures a country defined by space, silence, and a slower pace of life, where the wild feels genuinely wild because so few people are around to interrupt it. There's a real sense of discovery running through this one, the kind that comes from a place still largely untouched by mass tourism. It's also a look at what it takes to build a sense of community in a country that's historically catered to a very different kind of traveler. 

Have you ever shown up somewhere expecting one thing and found the complete opposite? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

Why Namibia surprises most visitors expecting a typical African destination 

How population density shapes the pace of life and the travel experience 

Advice for planning a multi-day self-drive road trip through the country 

Why safaris here feel different from more crowded destinations elsewhere in Africa 

What inspired the shift from working at a hostel abroad to building a coliving space back home 

How local culture blends European influence with African tradition 

What to know about weather and timing before planning a visit 

Budget-friendly tips for food, accommodation, and getting around 

The role of community in shaping a more meaningful travel experience 

And so much more 

Resources: 

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Kamatjona coliving and safari 


Kamatjona on Instagram 

Namibia Road Trip & Hidden Gems List

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Top 7 Uganda Hidden Gems with Lynett Nakamanya 

Safari 101: How To Plan A World-Class African Safari (Without Going Broke) 

5 Surprising Experiences in Africa, How to Transition to a New Career After Travel, and Exploring the African Diaspora With Jay Cameron 

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In the second part of this interview with Beatrix Stewart-Frommer, host Pauline Frommer’s peripatetic daughter, they discussed the highlights of South Africa and Namibia, plus safety issues, food, and whether or not a group tour is necessary for these destinations.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Nam… In the second part of this interview with Beatrix Stewart-Frommer, host Pauline Frommer’s peripatetic daughter, they discussed the highlights of South Africa and Namibia, plus safety issues, food, and whether or not a group tour is necessary for these destinations.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Namibia
• Windhoek
• Sossusvlei
• Etosha National Park
• Swakopmund
• Cape Town
• Cedarburg
• Soweto
• Foxcroft Restaurant
• The Garden Route
• Johannesburg
• G Adventures
• South Africa
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Ep 191 w/ Mark Phipps (Lost In Paradise Travel) – Off-Grid Mongolia & Southwest Africa: Reindeer Tribes, Wild Roads & Namibia Safaris

In this week's episode, I'm rejoined by Mark Phipps—author, avid traveller and owner of Lost in Paradise Travel—who returns with stories from two incredible journeys… Ep 191 w/ Mark Phipps (Lost In Paradise Travel) – Off-Grid Mongolia & Southwest Africa: Reindeer Tribes, Wild Roads & Namibia Safaris

In this week's episode, I'm rejoined by Mark Phipps—author, avid traveller and owner of Lost in Paradise Travel—who returns with stories from two incredible journeys: a solo winter adventure to Mongolia and an epic three-week road trip through Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. This conversation is packed with logistics, unforgettable moments and plenty of wanderlust-inducing content that should seriously inspire your next big trip.

We start with Mongolia, where Mark travelled completely solo during peak winter, experiencing minus eight degree temperatures and some of the most remote, off-grid travel you can imagine. He walks us through the entire journey—from a twelve-hour overnight bus from Ulaanbaatar to the northern town of Moron, then an eight-hour bone-rattling ride in a Soviet-era four-by-four across frozen rivers and dirt tracks with no signposts, before finally reaching the Dukha reindeer herders on the back of a reindeer itself. Mark spent two nights living with this semi-nomadic tribe just sixty-five kilometres from the Russian border, sleeping in traditional Gers, observing their daily life and experiencing one of the last truly authentic travel adventures left in the world. He shares what it's like to communicate with zero shared language, the food they eat, the spiritual connection to their reindeer, and why this trip requires permits, patience and a serious sense of adventure.

From there, Mark takes us through central Mongolia—visiting Karakorum, the ancient capital under Genghis Khan, hiking in Khustai National Park to see wild horses roaming the steppes, and exploring the Mini Gobi with its massive sand dunes and shaggy Bactrian camels. He breaks down the logistics too: how to book buses when systems are old-school, why you need to work with local guesthouses, what it costs to hire a guide, and why Mongolia is one of those rare places where independent travel still feels properly wild.

Then we shift continents entirely. Mark recounts an unforgettable three-week road trip with five friends across Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe—all done independently with rented four-by-fours and rooftop tents. He describes climbing the massive sand dunes of Sossusvlei, staying in open-air treehouses perched over rivers with hippos audible from bed, and driving deep into the Okavango Delta to witness Botswana's incredible elephant population up close. But the real highlight? Camping on the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans—a vast, otherworldly expanse where they drove wherever they wanted, watched the sun go down, cracked open beers around a fire and experienced the clearest view of the Milky Way Mark has ever seen. It's one of those moments he describes as truly once-in-a-lifetime.

Mark also shares practical advice throughout: the best time of year to visit for wildlife (September to October), what to expect from border crossings, why you should let your tyre pressure down on the salt flats, and the mantra their safari guide lived by—"What nature provides, you will receive." It's a reminder that patience and flexibility are just as important as planning when it comes to African travel.

Finally, we dive into Lost in Paradise Travel, Mark's new venture. After his friend had her passport stolen in Budapest on New Year's Day—completely disrupting their trip—Mark created a GPS-enabled passport wallet that connects to your iPhone's Find My app. It's trackable, has an audible alarm, protects your passport cover and holds all your travel documents in one place. He explains why passport loss is such a recurring problem in the travel industry, how much disruption it causes, and why this simple solution could save your next trip. Pre-orders are live now at lostinparadisetravel.com, with the first shipment arriving in time for Christmas.

This episode is perfect for anyone dreaming of Mongolia, planning an African road trip or simply craving stories that remind you why travel is worth the effort. Mark is a fantastic storyteller with years of experience, and by the end of this conversation you'll be itching to book something adventurous.

Lost In Paradise Travel

Website - https://www.lostinparadisetravel.com/

Buy The Trackable Passport Cover - https://www.lostinparadisetravel.com/category/all-products

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostinparadisetravel/

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Click this link to hear more - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/winging-it-podcast/id1559489384?i=1000734952340

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Timestamps

00:00 Adventurous Beginnings in Mongolia

07:00 Planning the Journ more

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This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

There are many beautiful countries in Africa, but no… Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

There are many beautiful countries in Africa, but none are like Namibia.

Today we will travel from the highest sand dunes in the world to the wildest coast on the planet. We will track the last free-roaming herd of rhinos on the continent, and watch desert elephants as we float above them in a hot air balloon.

But more than anything we will discover a sense of vastness and awe that is unmatched by almost anywhere else on Earth.

Taking us there is safari guide and author Peter Allison, who has been guiding in Namibia and elsewhere in Africa for nearly 30 years. He’ll tell us the story of his ultimate Namibia safari, traveling from the Sossusvlei Dunes to the Skeleton Coast. It’s an adventure filled with rare wildlife, inspiring people and more than one of his crazy stories.

Get ready for a journey into the heart of the remote, and enchanting land of Namibia.

Highlights include:

• Taking a hot air balloon ride watching the sun rise over the Sossusvlei dunes
• Tracking rare desert elephants and the last remaining free-roaming rhino in the world
• Spending time with the Himba people of the Hoanib Valley
• Exploring the Skeleton Coast, where the Atlantic ocean crashes against the Namib desert
• Sleeping under the stars in one of the largest Dark Sky Reserves in the world
•
FIND OUT MORE

A lot of our episodes are about huge expeditions and epic adventures.This one is about something you can actually do.

We’ve partnered with Peter’s safari company Natural Selection Safaris, and tour operator Africa Endeavours - two of the most highly regarded sustainable operators on the continent - to create our dream Botswana itinerary. And it’s a trip you can actually book and do yourself.

To find out more go to AfricaEndeavours.com/Armchair and you will get $500 off your next trip. Even if you’re just dreaming about going one day, checking out what they do is a great way to support the show.

Follow Peter on Instagram @peterallisonsafari

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CREDITS

Armchair Explorer is produced by ⁠Armchair Productions⁠. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠.

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the world

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Abdullah Zeinab’s epic Rhino Run adventure crossing South Africa and Namibia redefines what’s possible in endurance cycling. Unsupported and unforgiving, this grueling 1,700-mile ultra-cycling race put his mental strength, grit and resilience to the ultimate test through breathtaking but brutal land… Abdullah Zeinab’s epic Rhino Run adventure crossing South Africa and Namibia redefines what’s possible in endurance cycling. Unsupported and unforgiving, this grueling 1,700-mile ultra-cycling race put his mental strength, grit and resilience to the ultimate test through breathtaking but brutal landscapes – where a tiny detail, like a tiny screw, made a world of difference.

 

This special feed drop episode is taken from Red Bull’s podcast How To Be Superhuman. If you like this episode, you’re going to love the full series.

 

How To Be Superhuman is about pushing the limits of human potential, from conquering terrifying climbs and kayaking down jaw-dropping waterfalls to swimming the world’s longest rivers, running through uncharted mountain kingdoms, and embarking on solo expeditions to the most remote corners of the globe. In each episode, host Rob Pope and the athlete dive into the physical and mental resilience behind these awe-inspiring feats, offering immersive storytelling and insights into overcoming the world’s greatest challenges. 

 

Check it out, where you listen to podcasts! 

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

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Imagine this: You’re slowly driving through Etosha National Park, Namibia’s renowned conservation area. There are elephants and zebras and antelopes and lions all around you. In fact, you’ve been warned not to exit your car because of those very lions, which are pros at camouflaging themselves in th… Imagine this: You’re slowly driving through Etosha National Park, Namibia’s renowned conservation area. There are elephants and zebras and antelopes and lions all around you. In fact, you’ve been warned not to exit your car because of those very lions, which are pros at camouflaging themselves in the desert landscape. And then your car stalls—because you don’t really know how to drive it. 
That’s the situation that this week’s storyteller, Nicolle Galteland (also known as Nikki) faced on a year-long, round-the-world trip that included a week in Namibia. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Nikki is Afar’s podcast engineer, and in this episode she steps in front of the mic to tell her tale.
At age 23, Nikki applied for, and received, a special solo travel grant that allowed a certain number of undergrad and graduate students to travel around the world for a year, provided they did it totally on their own. Her itinerary included Tajikistan and Zambia, Thailand and Singapore, and getting around mostly involved planes or trains. But in Namibia she knew she wanted to do a road trip, and at the time the only cars available had a manual transmission. Which she didn’t know how to operate. But she’d always wanted to learn, so she recruited a few helpers, mapped out a course, and lurched off into the desert sunset. Hundreds of zebras, dozens of stalls, and one flat tire later, she found her way. 
And don’t miss our companion YouTube interview, where Nikki shares more about the grant, how this episode reinvigorated her love of wildlife—and gets on her soapbox about the ways that traveling solo as a woman can change your life. 
Resources
Read the transcript of the episode.
Listen to the companion Q&A on YouTube. 
Explore more of Nikki’s work on her website. 
Listen to Looters, the sci-fi/Western role-playing podcast that Nikki coproduces with her husband, Drew. 
Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.
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