About Emma Gregg
I’m an award-winning travel journalist, editor, author and photographer, specialising in responsible and ethical tourism.I regularly report from Africa’s safari heartlands. I also cover sustainable travel and eco-adventures in the Americas, Australia, the UK and elsewhere, including low-carbon, flight-free holidays and journeys.
My features and news stories have appeared in National Geographic Traveller, The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, Rough Guides, Travel Africa magazine and numerous other publications in the UK and worldwide, in print and online. Over the years, I’ve interviewed leading conservationists, naturalists and guides, including Sir David Attenborough and Dr Jane Goodall. Much of my published work is illustrated with my own photography, shot on location.
As an editor, I handle commissioning, sub-editing, picture editing and project management for books, magazines, websites, e-books and apps.
At this critical time, it feels more important than ever that we make travel more sustainable. With this in mind, I focus on tourism initiatives and holiday activities that have a positive impact on habitats, biodiversity and fragile communities. I have a particular interest in eco-friendly independent travel, including wildlife-watching and cultural experiences. I’ve also turned my attention to travel opportunities and ideas that involve crossing countries and seas by electric vehicle, bus, train and ferry instead of by plane.
Many, many things draw me to Africa
Many, many things draw me to Africa: the diverse cultures and rich ecology, of course, but also the fact that it’s an ancient continent poised on the brink of change. African lifestyles have already altered a great deal in the twenty-plus years I’ve been visiting.
From my base in the UK, I have so far visited more than 30 countries in North, West, East and southern Africa, sampling everything from obscure music festivals to high-end conservation safaris. I have also covered many of the islands around Africa, including the Canary Islands, Madeira, Cape Verde, São Tomé & Príncipe, Zanzibar, Madagascar and Mauritius.
Epic overland journeys through some of Australia’s most exciting locations
My work as lead author of the Rough Guide to East Coast Australia and co-author of the Rough Guide to Australia has taken me on epic overland journeys through some of Australia’s most exciting locations.
I have explored Australia’s beautiful East Coast in depth, from the lush tropical rainforest and coral cays of Far North Queensland, to the cosmopolitan cities of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne - making plenty of side-trips to dive the Great Barrier Reef along the way.
Why it is time to fly less, and make every flight count
Responsible tourism can bring many benefits, from addressing global inequality to safeguarding rare and endangered species. But – and it’s a big but – until the aviation industry succeeds in reducing its carbon footprint, we can no longer call ourselves responsible travellers if we take inessential flights.
So what counts as essential? And what are the alternatives? Recently, I’ve been researching this from every angle. We have a fascinating future ahead.
Emma Gregg
Travel Journalist, Editor, Author and Photographer
www.tigerfoot.net • www.emmagregg.com
Recent awards
Inspire Global Media Awards Positive Impact Storytelling: Outstanding Contribution (2024)
Inspire Global Media Awards Positive Impact Storyteller of the Year (2023)
Other accolades
AITO Travel Writer of the Year Awards Winner (2015, 2019), Silver (2016, 2021), Finalist (2023) • ATTA Media Awards Finalist (2017, 2019) • BGTW Awards Winner (2015, 2017), Finalist (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024) • Inspire Global Media Awards Winner (2023, 2024) • LATA Travel Writer of the Year Winner (2014) • National Geographic Traveller Reader Awards Shortlisted (2021) • Travel Media Awards Finalist (2016, 2021, 2023) • TravMedia Awards Finalist (2023, 2024)
More details
Latest books
The flightless traveller: 50 modern adventures by land, river and sea
First edition, October 2020 Greenfinch (Quercus Books)
Brighton, Sussex & the South Downs
First edition, October 2021 Rough Guides (APA)
Slow Sussex
Third edition, July 2024 (Bradt Guides)
Recent features
DESTINATIONS & ADVENTURES
AFRICA: The travel bucket list (Dorling Kindersley, October 2024)
ZAMBIA: Indigenous culture (Wanderlust, July 2024)
NAMIBIA: Cultural safaris (National Geographic Traveller Africa Collection, July 2024)
SOUTH AFRICA: Conservation safaris (NGT Africa Collection, July 2024)
UGANDA: National parks (NGT, May 2024)
UGANDA: Life on the fringes: birds, gorillas & chimps (NGT, Dec 2023)
USA: Juneau, Alaska (NGT, August 2023)
AFRICA: Affordable safaris (NGT, July 2023)
WALES: Unlock the secrets of our native woodlands (Wales.com, May 2023)
WALES: Feel close to nature on a Celtic Rainforest walk (Visit Wales, April 2023)
AFRICA: Affordable safari lodges (The Times, April 2023)
AFRICA: Dawn and dusk on safari (Travel Africa, February 2023)
AFRICA: Everything you need to know before booking your first African safari (NGT, November 2023)
NAMIBIA: The low-impact desert safari (Travel Africa, October 2022)
CYPRUS: Feel-good trips (Woman, September 2022)
NAMIBIA: Windhoek (Travel Africa, July 2022)
SOUTH AFRICA: Cool Cape Town (Woman’s Own, July 2022)
AFRICA: The new African safari (NGT, July 2022)
SENEGAL: Drumbeats, heartstrings (NGT, May 2022)
MOROCCO: Sand, song & stars (NGT, April 2022)
UGANDA: Go wild (Wanderlust, February 2022)
GREENER & ETHICAL TRAVEL: NEWS & IDEAS
ECO: Sustainable adventures (National Geographic Traveller, June 2024)
AFRICA: Harnessing the power of sustainable tourism for wildlife preservation (Beyond Green, Spring 2024)
AFRICA: Dawn of the silent safari (Selamta, March-April 2024)
ECO: Sustainable stays in Sussex (Best British Luxury Hotels, Spring 2024)
FLIGHT-FREE: Europe By Train (Dorling Kindersley, May 2023)
FLIGHT-FREE: Unforgettable Journeys Europe: Discover the joys of slow travel (Dorling Kindersley, March 2023)
AFRICA: Farm-to-fork safaris (Travel Africa, February 2023)
CONSERVATION: Is reintroducing wildlife species always wise? (NGT, January 2023)
AFRICA: Booking a safari (NGT Luxury Collection, November 2022)
AFRICA: The green cuisine revolution (Adventure.com, October 2022)
ANTARCTICA: Expeditions and adventures (NGT, September 2022)
FLIGHT-FREE: Flight-free adventures you'll never forget (Hush, August 2022)
AFRICA: Best new eco safaris (NGT, July 2022)
CONSERVATION: Rewilding the Zambezi (Travel Africa, July 2022)
ECO: Green escapes (NGT, January 2022)
ECO: What’s the carbon footprint of my safari? (Travel Africa, January 2022)
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About the artwork
The image at the top of this page is a detail of a work by Original T-Bag Designs, a carbon-conscious craft collective of previously disadvantaged people from Hout Bay, near Cape Town, South Africa. They create original art and gifts from used tea bags, that they carefully recycle and decorate by hand. They also host training sessions to upskill and empower unemployed members of their community, and offer workshop tours for visitors, complete with a refreshing cup of tea.