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Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Journeys by Design, Travel Agency, Africa House, Brunswick Row, Brighton.

From the start it has been our aim to show Africa as we know it – diverse, beautiful, raw – and to do so in a way that caters for the dreams of its visitors, while at the same time paying real attention to its people, its land and to the animals it bo

03/03/2023

'In Zakouma, the abundance of wildlife is hard to fathom and even more unbelievable to know that it exists in the most unlikely of places. A safari into Chad is a look into the old way of safari, remote, honest and engaging. In my opinion, Zakouma alone is Africa’s Conservation Gold Child, an example from which so many good stories can emerge.'

This , we're resharing a favourite of ours: the story of the recovery of Zakouma National Park. In many ways, Zakouma is held up as an example of protected area conservation at its very best — one made possible by 's collaboration with local government; and the partnership with brilliant organisations such as the and .

Read the interview with pro guide at the link in our bio.

Image © Kyle de Nobrega

24/02/2023

Wonderful to learn that the Djéké Triangle, an unlogged forest area known for its importance in the study of the ecology and behaviour of the critically endangered western lowland gorilla, is now part of Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park.

One of the most important research sites in Central Africa, Mondika has operated here since 1995 and exists as a base for the study of three gorilla groups that have been fully habituated to the presence of humans, making it possible to observe the species in their natural environment. This data collection has led to some of the most significant advances in our knowledge of the species.

'The inclusion of the Djéké triangle into the park not only provides protection for this area of high-integrity forest and its unique biodiversity, but also secures the customary rights of the communities to access and benefit from resources they depend on, such as honey or caterpillars, since we are now assured that this forest will remain intact in perpetuity,' explains WCS’s Ben Evans, the park’s management unit director.

'Prior to gazettement, WCS spent two years on community consultations in 13 villages and settlements in the area following established standards for obtaining Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. Communities were directly involved in discussing the extension of the Park and identifying areas of cultural and economic importance within Djéké.'

"This is an example to follow for the creation and extension of protected areas in the region, which must be done with the best interests of the country, its inhabitants and its wildlife at heart," - the Minister of Forest Economy, H.E. Ms. Rosalie Matondo.

Link in bio to read more from press release.

21/02/2023

As many will know, the unrest in the north of Ethiopia since March 2020 has had a devastating impact on the country.

Even with the recent signing of the peace treaty, it remains a highly complex situation, particularly in terms of ensuring the safety of civilians in Tigray and providing the area with the medical and humanitarian aid it needs.

In this context, to speak of the return of travel to Ethiopia’s highlands may not sit comfortably with the reader. However, we know from conversations with on-the-ground travel companies and with individuals just how important the return to a buoyant tourist industry is — to confidence and so to the economy.

Fortunately, as the peace holds, things are beginning to look up. Ethiopian Airways is once again operating flights between Addis and Makele. Much of the Ethiopian highlands has opened up, allowing for movement, trade, and visitors.

Thankfully, all this confidence is beginning to be felt abroad. We’re dealing with a lot more enquiries (new as well as repeat), and have a group travelling to Lalibela and the Simien Mountains next month. It's exciting to once again get the opportunity to explore this extraordinary part of the country.

10/02/2023

‘I feel the best way to get to know my guests, who often end up as friends, is through personal engagement. This ensures we get to know each other and build on that foundation of trust and to understand in detail our combined expectations. By removing the layers of technology and meeting in person, I believe this is the purest way to begin the process of creative journey design, which by nature is at the core of what we do.’ - Exploration Specialist and Pro Guide, Kyle de Nobrega.

Link in bio to explore our home visits.

07/02/2023

The latest winner of the awards is documentary photographer Matjaz Krivic (), for his intimate images of 33-year-old Najin, one of the world’s last two remaining Northern white rhinos, and her keeper, Zachary Mutai (), in Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

All winning images will be exhibited later this May at the Royal Photographic Society.

Link in bio to see more from the beautiful gallery.

02/02/2023

Another beautiful shot by of the most diverse and ecologically rich ecosystems on earth: the Okavango Delta. Every year at the height of Botswana's dry season, floods arrive from the highlands of Angola and flow into the Kalahari Desert, making for a truly extraordinary spectacle. Doubling in size from these floodwaters, the delta's lagoons, dry grasslands, mopane forest and palm islands become a haven for thousands of species of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles. With both permanent and seasonal floodplains, the delta is also a main water source for one million people across Botswana, Namibia and Angola, and serves as a critical resource for the livelihoods of nearby communities.

01/02/2023

Welcome to Samburuland begins with a wonderful description of some of northern Kenya’s Samburu women descending on the recently convened milk market in Namunyak Conservancy. ‘From all points of the compass,’ Mike Carter writes, ‘they came, bursts of intense colour flitting across the sepia, drought-ravaged land, like so many dazzling moths.’

‘These were Samburu women,’ he continues, ‘draped in cloth of cerulean and vermilion, metal anklets blinking under the African sun, forearms wrapped in thick, beaded bracelets like coiled snakes, necks and shoulders buried under cascading necklaces of every colour, which the Samburu call mporros, given to women over their lifetimes by their fathers, then suitors, then husbands.’

The FT's () Mike Carter was recently privately guided by Will Jones to the remote Namunyak Conservancy in northern Kenya where they spent time with the semi-nomadic Samburu whilst staying at and 's Reteti House, along with a visit to .e.s.c.u.e.

It's a fascinating read filled with adventure, discovery, community and adaptation. Visit the link in our bio to dive right in.

16/03/2022

After what’s been a couple of tough years, it’s great to be in a place again where we can grow our team. We feel lucky and excited to welcome not one but two of the very best pro guides out there to the JbD family, starting with the brilliant .

South Africa-born, but based in Maun, in Botswana, Kyle has spent the last few years exploring and guiding in the heart of Africa with a primary focus on conservation, adventure travel and refining tailored safari experiences for guests across the continent.

His curiosity for the last great wildernesses left in Africa leading him into the deepest ecosystems in central, western and eastern Africa, Kyle is one of the very few naturalist and photographic guides to host guests on safari to these last great African wilderness regions.

Having spent time guiding in South Africa in the Sabi Sands and the ‘Green Kalahari’, Kyle and his wife Ruth left the country and headed north towards Botswana, where they spent three years managing a photographic concession in the Tuli Block. From there, Kyle and Ruth’s nomadic migration went one way: they packed their simple belongings and headed north to paddle Lake Tanganyika, the world’s longest lake, to raise funds for rhino conservation.

After this, they ‘settled’ on the outskirts of the Okavango Delta, where they currently live with their son, Ira Wild, down a sandy track on the Boro River in Maun.

Kyle’s extraordinary experience, knowledge, and ability make him one of Africa’s most sought after guides. In between guiding clients, Kyle balances his time at home advising on and designing safaris, and enjoying life with the family, ‘making the most,’ as he says, ‘of the simple things in life, the things that matter most’. We are enormously fortunate to have him on board.

Swipe to browse some of Kyle’s beautiful photographs from his travels around Africa.

15/02/2022

‘The walking is easy and addictive. On the first day, we were full of excited chatter. Now our voices have fallen to a librarian’s whisper. We spend long spells in silence with only the synchronised crunch of our feet on the parched earth to mark time.’ - David Pilling,

Will recently hosted Financial Times Africa editor David Pilling on a walking safari with the brilliant in Laikipia, Kenya. With the camels there to carry baggage, the emphasis here is very much on the visceral effect the act of walking has on the experience of being in an ancient land. Read all about the journey at the link in our bio.

11/02/2022

Where we’d like to be right now enjoying our morning coffee.

Swipe to see more from the very remote Camp Chinko, situated along the Chinko River in Central African Republic.

Link in bio for more on location, activities and impact.

Images from the guy who runs it all, the diehard adventure fishing nut,

07/02/2022

Important words and one very powerful image by , from a recent trip to Kenya:

‘The traditions around the Samburu Singing Wells have remained unchanged for centuries.

Warriors sing in unison to keep the rhythm of the digging and the passing of water from the bottom of the well , up the chain and into a trough to allow their livestock to drink.

Essentially these wells are deep excavations into the dry river bed that are measured by the length of a man. For example the well we visited was “3 men deep.”

These wells are a life source for the Samburu and provide water for people and the livestock that play such an important role in their lives, essentially their assets or bank account and currency in which they trade.

Spending time with the Samburu and witnessing the way they live is a truly remarkable and humbling experience.’

Do go and give James a follow for more on both his travels and life as a private guide and conservation filmmaker.

04/02/2022

in Tanzania:

If you're after an extraordinary conservation story, then you'd be hard pushed to better Faru Faru in the Grumeti Reserves, in the southwest of Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. The Grumeti Conservancy, which borders the park, is looked after by the Singita Grumeti Fund anti-poaching team, formed of 120 dedicated scouts, and a key attraction is the fact that the camp is situated 100 metres north of the Grumeti river, superbly positioned for both resident wildlife viewing and the migration.

See more in the link in our bio.

Images: Game drive and views from Singita Faru Faru

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