Wildlife tourism: in search of authentic experiences

From manager to private guide: the story of Christopher Walti, who transformed his life to embrace travel and adventure. He inherited his love of travel from his mother, who first took him to the wilds of Africa. Over the years, what began as a desire to photograph animals evolved into something deeper. “The tourist tells you where they were taken; the traveller tells you where they chose to go… I am a kind of third character, always in search of authentic experiences,” says Christopher Walti, who in 2023 left his job as a manager in Switzerland to follow his passion and become a private guide, specialising in trips off the beaten track. For him, travelling the world has never been about ticking destinations off a list, but rather about immersing himself fully in a place. “You only need to pack a few essentials: binoculars, a hat with a mosquito net, technical clothing, an emergency kit and, above all, a lot of flexibility and open-mindedness.” One thing never missing from his ...