Explain your vision for travel
We are seeing a shift towards transformational travel. People are looking for more meaning and purpose in their lives and I fundamentally believe that adventure travel is one of the most powerful ways to do this. But we must ask ourselves the right questions, give ourselves the time and space to think and we need to challenge ourselves in a way that brings awareness.
Over the centuries cultures have developed rites of passage to facilitate journeys of self-discovery. Often called Vision Quests these are opportunities for people in transition to face their fears and explore their identity in a non-judgmental setting and with the right help. On a true adventure we leave our ‘baggage’ back at home and open ourselves to what is possible. I help create the context for this and I give people the tools to gain clarity and the ways by which to stay on course through the doubt and uncertainty that often follows personal transformation.
How do you combine ‘self enlightenment’ with luxury, inspired travel?
Remote and beautiful wilderness areas offer the best environment for ‘self enlightenment’, as do interactions with indigenous communities who still draw upon ancient wisdom. My adventures are stripped back to their simplest form, where technology and extravagance are removed, so that my clients can connect with themselves and the natural environment more directly. My experiences, often physically demanding, help people break free from the illusion of safety and comfort, and see that the life they really want is right in front of them. The demands of modern life pull us in so many different directions; its difficult to stay grounded and connected and see what’s most important. Living a fulfilled life requires a radical act and adventure travel can offer the shift that is sometimes required. The luxury is left to the end of the trip and becomes a celebration of what has been achieved.
What book would you recommend for soul and career searching clients?
That’s a difficult one, because there are so many. Probably Eckhart Tolle’s ‘Power of Now’.
Typically, what is normally the most challenging aspect on the journey for a client and how do they then benefit from this challenge?
For one person it might be facing their fear of heights, for another dealing with the cold. In some ways, I could be their biggest challenge, as I am there to ask the difficult and confronting questions! What’s most important, however, is how we respond and it becomes clear that the way we respond to the challenges we face when out on adventure, is often the way we respond to our other challenges back at home.
When out in the wild we are forced to grow, and surpass our challenges, because there is nowhere else to go and no means by which to distract ourselves. I help people draw upon the wisdom found in nature to find the right path forward. I help people connect to their most compassionate, courageous and certain selves.
What survival techniques do you practice on such a journey?
My clients generally learn survival techniques on the job, according to where we are in the world and what they already know. Typically we travel with a local guide who knows the area and the inherent risks, so that I can focus on the client and his or her learning. Although journeys can be physically demanding, extreme survival can be counter productive to personal development. My clients need time to reflect, rather than have to forage for food!
What is the most unusual adventure you have embarked on with a client?
This was actually with my brother, rather than a client. I wanted to show my brother what I do and how I do it. We kayaked 1000 miles down the mighty Yukon river from Canada into the Arctic Circle in Alaska. The adventure was totally self-supported and we paddled up to 18 hours a day for 8 days. We learned some fundamental lessons in terms of stripping back our existence to serve what we actually most wanted and also going with the flow rather than following the ‘plan’. Here is a link to a blog I wrote on the experience. http://www.hamishmackaylewis.com/blog/2016/8/9/1000-miles-2-lessons
What’s been personal favourite holiday lodge you have visited?
Rather than a lodge it was actually a mobile camp set up in the Okavango Delta. Choosing where you pitch your camp on a daily basis instead of being tied to a lodge gives a sense of freedom and is more in contrast with life back home.