After touring the south of France and Tirol with my parents every summer, it wasn’t until I flew to Egypt as a 16-year-old for a three-week internship at a Red Sea resort that the travel bug really bit me. From then on, I did everything in my power to travel at every opportunity: I went backpacking for half a year in Australia, did solo trips to Central America and fell in love with Indonesia. Professionally, I started my career in the hotel industry working in Paris for two years, followed by Belgium (where I am from) before transferring to London in 2015.

Thankfully, I found a partner who wanted to see the world as much as I do and together we explored Vietnam, Laos, Uganda, India, Morocco and the Azores where we ended up getting married. It had always been a dream of ours to embark on a long-term trip around the world and for our honeymoon, we decided it was time to leave our hospitality jobs and go for it.

Via Ecuador and the Galapagos where we swam with more turtles than people, Peru where we trekked to Machu Picchu and its less famous sibling Choquequirao, got food poisoning in some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes of Bolivia, drove around the remote corner of Northern Argentina and rode horses for days on a cattle ranch in Paraguay we eventually ended up in Rio de Janeiro where we then flew to New Zealand. After a couple of months of living the blissful campervan life there, we travelled to Indonesia where I was at an arm’s length of wild Orangutans, snorkelled with Manta Rays in Raja Ampat and saw the sunrise at Angkor Wat, Cambodia. During the last leg of this 9-month trip, I was preoccupied with finding a job that allowed me to travel, but most of all where I can transfer my passion and knowledge of places to others.

We returned from our voyage around the world in March 2020 and after a few tough years of working different jobs during Covid, I finally found my calling and started down a new path as ‘Travel Consultant’ at Wild Frontiers. I started with looking after group tours to various destinations around the world and I am now specialised in private tailor-made trips to the Middle East, doing what I have always loved: planning unforgettable trips and helping people to explore these special places, too.

More recently my passion has turned to destinations that are either completely unknown or have common misconceptions about them. In 2022, I was grateful to have visited Sao Tome & Principe, Zimbabwe and Lebanon. These countries can be challenging to travel around, but through my photography and social media channels (check me out on Instagram: @following.kt), I try to show that these are stunning, worthy places to visit. I strongly believe that tourism done the right way can help support local communities as well as protect nature.

In the future, I hope to continue to explore the world, empower people to leave their comfort zones and make memories nobody can take away.

BEST TRAVEL MOMENTS

Favourite city?

Luang Prabang, Laos, is one of the prettiest cities I have ever visited. The city has an incredible mix of authentic French colonial houses with beautifully decorated Buddhist temples. Wake up early in the morning to see people placing food and other items into the alms bowls of passing monks during the Sai Bat, a silent and sacred ceremony.

Other favourite cities that come to mind and which I have been lucky enough to visit are Cuzco, Beirut and Hanoi.

Favourite country?

I picked two favourites: Indonesia because to me it’s the ideal holiday destination and with its thousands of islands it’s never boring. Sao Tome & Principe in West Africa as I think it’s one of the last true paradise islands in the world, forgotten and untouched by commercialisation, empty tropical beaches, incredible eco resorts and covered by a lush jungle. 

Favourite meal?

I just got back from Lebanon and I must admit that Lebanese food is my absolute favourite cuisine thus far. From Man’oushe (Za’atar flatbread) with feta, olives and tomatoes for breakfast to falafel wraps for lunch and grilled halloumi, aubergines and hummus with a glass of local red wine and so much more for dinner.

Most memorable journey?

In June 2022 I travelled to the little visited southeastern part of Zimbabwe by 4x4 on a solo trip. One of my stops was Gonarezhou National Park where I witnessed hundreds of elephants cross the river from my campsite. At a two-hour drive from the nearest human, I felt vulnerable and truly part of the wilderness.

Favourite travel advice?

I would like to encourage people to travel with companies and to places that promote and support local communities and nature conservation (Gorillas in Uganda or DRC for example); the two are linked together in so many ways. Finally, I try to urge people to look past common perceptions about a place – try to visit countries that are not always positively covered in the media or that are simply unknown to many, chances are you will experience that locals are more than happy to welcome you and in return, these places will give you memories that will last a lifetime.

Next on the must-see list?

I am currently organising a 12-day trek to Nepal for myself plus 5 friends and a short trip to Jordan with my in-laws. The absolute top of the list would be Papua New Guinea which I will hopefully visit with my wife next year. But as it’s my goal to see as many countries as I can, my list is pretty long and there is not nearly enough space to name them all.