Rob Murray-John

Head of Special Projects

Over the past two decades, I’ve explored some of the most remote cultures in the world. Riding across the Mongolian Steppe, trekking through the jungles of the Amazon, striking off into the Southern Highlands of West Papua alongside the Korowai Tribe. I only ever feel really at home when I’m on an adventure – or plotting the next one.

Once upon a time, I ran a conservation, community and youth charity. I led survival expeditions across far-flung terrain to inspire the development of young adults – and to create a sustainable impact on conservation and community in countries like Belize, Indonesia, Guyana and Kenya. Living in these countries and getting to know their various cultures in-depth taught me everything about the logistics behind planning and delivering a trip.

I returned to the UK – and a job at Black Tomato – where I now lead the Special Operations team, pushing the boundaries of larger-scale, expedition-led travel. All things wild and uncharted. I think there’s always an Everest in someone, and for me, it’s about finding that Everest when crafting a trip for my travelers.

Outside of work, I do my best to instill a love of exploration in my family. We’re starting with Latin America. Step by step, place by place. I can’t wait.

One of my favorite tales from the road

A closer look at Africa

It’s amazing how quickly things can turn on a dime when you’re in tropical rainforest. For a time, I was working with scientists from Flora and Fauna International in Gabon, along the Atlantic coast of central Africa, helping to habituate critically endangered western lowland gorillas back into the wild.

We had to supplement their food intake each day, kayaking as silently as possible along narrow waterways within an arm’s reach of these majestic primates. That was enough to make my heart stop in itself. But not nearly in the way it did when, one day, we were charged by a forest-adapted elephant with the largest tusks I’d ever seen, who could (inconveniently for us) swim. At the time? A very narrow escape. Now? One of my favorite tales from the road. Or river.

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