&Beyond: Jon's Travel Blog


About Jon Morgan

My love of the African bush began when I was a young child, with numerous wonderful family safari holidays to National Parks and Private Reserves in Southern Africa. Apparently, at the age of seven, I told my dad’s best friend, who managed a safari lodge in Chobe National Park in Botswana, that one day I would work for him in the bush. Eleven years later I was in the bush helping him to start a develop a wilderness concession called the Selinda Spillway whilst on a university holiday. In retrospect, this was the beginning of my career as a safari guide.

I finished school and completed a Bachelor of Science Degree at Rhodes University before starting to work full time in the African bush as a safari guide on the private reserves bordering the Kruger National Park. I joined &Beyond (then known as CC Africa) in 2001 and haven’t looked back since. As a safari guide with &Beyond I have worked as a Walking Safari Guide, a mentor to the Field Team, a Ranger Trainer and a Head Ranger at Londolozi Private Reserve. Over six years I worked as a safari guide at four of the &Beyond lodges and have visited almost all of the 47 lodges that &Beyond manages in Southern and East Africa.

Another passion of mine is travelling and, apart from exploring Southern and East Africa on safaris and holidays, I have also travelled extensively in South East Asia and India. I have spent time in Germany, France, and the UK on holidays (you have to see the big city lights every now and again). I love road trips and once spent three months travelling around South Africa in my VW Beetle. I have lived in Durban, Cape Town, Grahamstown, the Garden Route and Nelspruit in South Africa. When I was a safari guide, I would inevitably spend my two week holidays travelling and exploring South Africa or going on a safari.

I left the bush for a few years and worked as a Travel Planner for &Beyond, crafting safari itineraries for our guests in Africa. This work opened my eyes up to another side of the safari industry and I travelled to almost all our lodges as a guest, so I could use my first hand knowledge when selling them. I also visited other safari lodges and got to increase my knowledge on travel logistics and the wilderness areas in all the countries &Beyond operates in.

My passion is guiding guests and opening their eyes to the wonder and beauty of the African bush and the world’s wilderness areas, and so at, the end of 2009, I took up the challenge of helping &Beyond pioneer a new and exciting product as a Private Journey Host for our guests. As a Private Guide, I travel with guests on their holiday from the moment they arrive to the time that they leave Africa. Whilst on safari, I host the guests at the lodges and make sure that all their travel arrangements run smoothly and effortlessly. In the cities, I guide the guests and show them hidden treats, arrange and guide tours, help with restaurant bookings and shopping, and drive the guests between destinations.

I am looking forward to the challenges and adventures that my new role is sure to bring.