Guest Bio
Daan Oxener is the co-founder of Home of Friends Guesthouse & Community Experiences Uganda, a community-rooted guesthouse and adventure travel hub based in Kapchorwa on the slopes of Mount Elgon. Originally from the Netherlands, Daan’s path to Uganda began with an early fascination for Africa, later deepened through travel, social entrepreneurship, youth development, and sport.

Over the past seven years, Daan has worked alongside local guides, athletes, families, and community members to shape immersive travel experiences that reflect the strengths of the Mount Elgon highlands. Through Home of Friends, he helps visitors connect with the region through hiking, biking, trail running, cultural exchange, and locally led adventures that support long-term opportunities for guides, youth, women, and local families.

Show Summary
In this episode of the Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Podcast, host Jason Elkins speaks with Daan Oxener, co-founder of Home of Friends Guesthouse & Community Experiences Uganda. Based in the highlands of eastern Uganda, Daan shares how Home of Friends has grown into more than a place to stay. It is a meeting point for travelers, runners, guides, families, and community members who want to experience the Mount Elgon region in a deeper and more personal way.

Daan talks about the unique appeal of Kapchorwa, a mountain town known for its high-altitude running culture, welcoming communities, waterfalls, remote trails, and strong traditions. It is also the home to world champion runners such as Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo. He explains how travelers can experience the area through multi-day treks, cultural encounters, running experiences, biking, and visits with local families who share skills such as bamboo basket weaving, farming, and honey wine making.

The conversation also follows Daan’s personal journey from the Netherlands to Uganda, including his early interest in Africa, his background in business and human resources, and the decision to leave a corporate path in search of more meaningful work. Along the way, Jason and Daan explore what it takes to build a community-based tourism enterprise in a rural setting, the importance of slowing down, and why the future of adventure travel in eastern Uganda is rooted in relationships, patience, and local strengths.

Big World Made Small guest features are invitation-only and selected based on story, experience, and fit with the show. Some guests support the show through paid production features, cross-promotion, referrals, or other partnerships. This helps keep the show free of third-party ads and interruptions while keeping the focus on real, story-driven conversations.

Learn more about the Big World Made Small Podcast and join our private community to get episode updates, special access to our guests, and exclusive adventure travel offers on our website.

Guest Bio

Sally Guillaume is the founder of Undiscovered Mountains, a specialist adventure travel company based in the Southern French Alps. Originally from the UK, Sally’s path has included work as a science teacher, outdoor pursuits instructor, and BBC journalist before her love of mountain life led her to France in 2005.

Through Undiscovered Mountains, Sally helps travellers experience a quieter, more authentic side of the Alps through walking, cycling, climbing, canyoning, ski touring, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, wildlife tracking, and tailor-made mountain adventures. Her work is rooted in responsible tourism, local partnerships, and a deep respect for the landscapes and communities of the Southern French Alps.

Sally’s commitment to sustainable travel began long before she founded the company, including undergraduate research into tourism’s impact in Ladakh. Today, she continues that mission through Undiscovered Mountains France, which was among the first French travel companies to achieve Travelife certification.

Show Summary

In this episode of the Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Podcast, host Jason Elkins speaks with Sally Guillaume, founder of Undiscovered Mountains, about building a life and business around the mountains of the Southern French Alps. Sally shares how her early love of snow, outdoor adventure, and wild landscapes eventually drew her away from city-based work in the UK and into a lesser-known region of France where she could raise her family close to nature.

The conversation explores what makes the Southern French Alps different from the more famous Alpine destinations. Sally describes a place shaped by authentic villages, locally run guesthouses, strong French and Italian cultural influences, a stable mountain climate, and a slower style of tourism that extends far beyond the traditional ski season. From ski touring and cross-country skiing to via ferrata, canyoning, hiking, biking, wolf tracking, and local food experiences, Undiscovered Mountains introduces travellers to a more personal and less crowded side of Alpine adventure.

Sally also reflects on the challenges of starting a tourism business in a new country without speaking the language, raising a young child while learning French, and slowly finding her way in the adventure travel industry. Her story is one of determination, resilience, and a deep belief that travel can support both visitors and the communities they come to experience.

Big World Made Small guest features are invitation-only and selected based on story, experience, and fit with the show. Some guests support the show through paid production features, cross-promotion, referrals, or other partnerships. This helps keep the show free of third-party ads and interruptions while keeping the focus on real, story-driven conversations.

Learn more about the Big World Made Small Podcast and join our private community to get episode updates, special access to our guests, and exclusive adventure travel offers on our website.

Guest Bio

Justin Wateridge is the Managing Director of Steppes Travel, a specialist tour operator known for designing immersive, tailor-made journeys around the world. With decades of experience in the travel industry, including previous leadership as Managing Director of Abercrombie & Kent UK, Justin brings a deep understanding of both luxury travel and meaningful exploration.

Raised in Zambia and educated at Oxford, Justin’s passion for travel was shaped early through exposure to diverse cultures, landscapes, and wildlife. Over the course of his career, he has visited more than 150 countries, working as a tour leader, expedition guide, and pioneer of exploratory journeys. His experiences range from tracking wildlife in remote regions to leading ambitious overland expeditions, all of which continue to influence his perspective on travel today.

Justin is a strong advocate for travel as a force for connection and understanding. He believes that meaningful travel experiences foster empathy, challenge assumptions, and create lasting personal impact. In addition to his work in the field, he has spoken at venues such as the Royal Geographical Society and contributed written insights on global travel. He lives in the Cotswolds with his family and continues to pursue adventurous challenges, often in support of charitable causes.

Show Summary

In this episode of the Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Podcast, host Jason Elkins speaks with Justin about a life shaped by global exploration and a career dedicated to meaningful travel. From his early years growing up in Zambia to leading expeditions across Asia and Africa, Justin shares how his experiences in the field ultimately led him to a leadership role at Steppes Travel.

The conversation explores how travel has evolved over the past few decades, from navigating the world without modern technology to today’s increasingly connected experience. Justin reflects on the value of human connection in travel, emphasizing the importance of local guides, cultural understanding, and stepping beyond curated itineraries to truly experience a destination.

Justin also offers insight into how Steppes Travel approaches trip design, focusing on personalization, deep expertise, and creating journeys that go beyond surface-level tourism. Throughout the episode, he reinforces a central belief: that travel has the power to break down barriers, broaden perspectives, and bring people closer together in meaningful ways.

Big World Made Small guest features are invitation-only and selected based on story, experience, and fit with the show. Some guests support the show through paid production features, cross-promotion, referrals, or other partnerships. This helps keep the show free of third-party ads and interruptions while keeping the focus on real, story-driven conversations.

Learn more about the Big World Made Small Podcast and join our private community to get episode updates, special access to our guests, and exclusive adventure travel offers on our website.