Jarrod Kyte
Head of Discovery
A love of wildlife and wild places has long been my main motivation for travelling. I am at my happiest when photographing big cats in Africa or when trekking in the shadows of mighty Himalayan peaks. Before joining Steppes Discovery I consummated my love affair with Africa by upping sticks and moving to Kenya for 2 years to manage a luxury tented camp in the Masai Mara. While Kenya takes some beating I have also been known to flirt with India, Nepal, High Arctic, Antarctica, Galapagos and Peru in search of remote places and inspirational wildlife.
What has been your favourite travel experience?
Antarctica takes some beating, more for what isn’t there as opposed to what is. It doesn’t get much better than spending a day cruising in a zodiac around Paradise Bay on the Antarctic Peninsula, photographing penguins, leopard seals and lots of ice before heading back to your ice strengthened ship for Beef Wellington and a bottle of cheeky Shiraz.
The best hotel/lodge that you have stayed in?
Kicheche Mara Camp, Masai Mara. I loved Kicheche so much I ended up managing this luxury tented camp for 2 years, so a totally biased answer but for good reason. The camp is the perfect balance of bush and comfort with wildlife on your doorstep (at night time, quite literally as the camp is unfenced) and staff who could teach most 5 star hotels a thing or two about personal service.
What has been your most remote travel experience?
Travelling around the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides, on a very wet Sunday afternoon, looking for a pub that was open…felt like the most remote place on earth. And no, we didn’t get a drink!
Most embarrassing travel experience?
Leaving my underpants at Denpasar airport.
Your one luxury when you travel?
Emergency underpants.
What’s your best piece of travel advice?
Leave preconceptions at home and travel with an open mind and a sense of humour.
Where you would like to visit next and why?
Ladakh, as I would love to photograph a snow leopard… knowing how difficult this is I’d settle for just seeing one!