The Humble Traveller
Wild Frontiers' New Ambassador, Kate Humble
As a lover of adventurous destinations, a wildlife fanatic, former President of the RSPB and a keen sustainable traveller, we're thrilled to welcome Kate Humble as our new ambassador!
Our Founder Jonny Bealby has known Kate for many years. They travelled to the Congo together in 2018 to see the Eastern Lowland Gorillas and meet with our partners at the Pole Pole Foundation (see video below) and we've helped her deep dive into some of our favourite destinations, including the lesser-visited Central India.
Over the next few months, Kate will be sharing her love of travel, wildlife, walking and how best to explore this wonderful planet through a monthly column, guest starring on our World by Wild Frontiers podcast, and appearing at some live events and online webinars, so stay tuned...
“Having known Kate for many years I’m delighted she has joined Wild Frontiers in an ambassadorial role. A keen proponent of sustainable travel and a lover of adventure, Kate’s outlook on life fits perfectly with everything we try to do at Wild Frontiers and I’m sure her experiences and outlook will inspire many of our travellers.”
ABOUT KATE
Kate Humble was born in 1968 and grew up in rural Berkshire in a house next to a farm. She had what she describes as a ‘proper childhood’ – building camps, racing snails, climbing trees, interspersed with trips to A&E to patch up things when they broke. At the neighbouring farm she learnt to ride horses and developed a lifelong passion for mucking out. At 18 she left school and home, and worked odd jobs for a year to fund a year travelling in Africa, which, she says, taught her far more than she would ever have learnt at university. On her return to the UK Kate got her first job in television as a runner and met Producer/Director Ludo Graham who she married in 1992.
Kate travelled whenever she had the opportunity and in 1996 had her first travel article published by ‘The Telegraph’.
That same year she got her first job at the BBC as a researcher on ‘Animal Hospital’ and then ‘The Holiday Programme’. It was on her second day in the Holiday office when she was asked by the programme’s editor if she had ever presented before. ‘No,’ she said ‘and nor do I want to.’ But things didn’t work out like that. Kate has been presenting programmes and writing articles and books for the last twenty years. Programmes she has worked on include Springwatch, the three-part series Spice trail, a travel and history programme covering six of the world’s most valuable spices, Wild Shepherdess, where she travelled to Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor with Wild Frontiers, and more.
About Kate
Kate Humble was born in 1968 and grew up in rural Berkshire in a house next to a farm. She had what she describes as a ‘proper childhood’ – building camps, racing snails, climbing trees, interspersed with trips to A&E to patch up things when they broke. At the neighbouring farm she learnt to ride horses and developed a lifelong passion for mucking out. At 18 she left school and home, and worked odd jobs for a year to fund a year travelling in Africa, which, she says, taught her far more than she would ever have learnt at university. On her return to the UK Kate got her first job in television as a runner and met Producer/Director Ludo Graham who she married in 1992.
Kate travelled whenever she had the opportunity and in 1996 had her first travel article published by ‘The Telegraph’.
That same year she got her first job at the BBC as a researcher on ‘Animal Hospital’ and then ‘The Holiday Programme’. It was on her second day in the Holiday office when she was asked by the programme’s editor if she had ever presented before. ‘No,’ she said ‘and nor do I want to.’ But things didn’t work out like that. Kate has been presenting programmes and writing articles and books for the last twenty years. Programmes she has worked on include Springwatch, the three-part series Spice trail, a travel and history programme covering six of the world’s most valuable spices, Wild Shepherdess, where she travelled to Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor with Wild Frontiers, and more.
“Wild Frontiers were doing responsible travel long before it became ‘a thing’. As a lover of travelling to adventurous places, I’m delighted to be working with the ultimate adventure travel company. Over the coming months I’m looking forward to sharing some of ways we can all make the most of the uniquely wonderful planet we live on with Wild Frontiers’ travellers.”
Get to know Kate Better
Q: Favourite city and why?
A: I don't believe it's possible to have one favourite! I love Stockholm and Cape Town for their settings. Marseille for its edgy energy. Sante Fe for its vibe, Copenhagen & Amsterdam for their alternative communities & bold environmental ideas, Bilbao for the Guggenheim, Bordeaux for the Bassins de Lumiere, Budapest for Memento Park. And anywhere with great food and beautiful parks.
Q: Favourite country and why?
A: Again, almost impossible to answer this. Our planet is so extraordinary, so varied, so wondrous, I can't possibly choose a favourite bit. Every country has so much to enjoy & so much to discover, even if it's your home country. Sometimes I find myself saying 'there can be nowhere more beautiful than this!' and I'm standing on a Welsh hill only a few miles from where I live.
Q: Favourite meal?
A: I love street food - local, fresh & eaten with my fingers!
Q: Most transformative journey?
A: Travelling with salt traders in Mali. It was the first true expedition I undertook. It was 1999 and I travelled with them on foot & by camel for 5 weeks across 1500kms of the Sahara.
Q: Most memorable travel experience?
A: Descending 300 metres beneath the sea in the Cayman Islands in a submarine to try & find & film a little-known species of shark.
Q: Best wildlife experience?
A: Any wildlife experience is a highlight! But tracking & finding Eastern Lowland gorillas in the Congo was an experience I hope I never forget. It was truly humbling.
Q: Favourite walk?
A: The Beacons Way - 100 miles across the Brecon Beacons in Wales.
Q: Favourite travel advice?
A: Ask a local!
Q: Favourite travel book?
A: Mary Kingsley's Travels in West Africa
Q: Number one packing essential?
A: Really comfortable shoes & a ball of string. You can avert a lot of crises with string!
Q: Next on the must-see list, including any WF tours that have caught your eye?
A: I'd love to go to Albania & Romania and to explore them on foot.