Octavia Slatter
Growing up surrounded by culture in the Middle East, Octavia has always been interested in exploring new places. She has spent a fair amount of time travelling the globe, but working with horses on safari in Kenya and Botswana have been her top experiences to date.
Octavia’s Recent Travel Experience
Octavia recently returned from a two-week trip to Kenya, where she visited the Maasai Mara Main Reserve and conservancies, Samburu, and Laikipia. The trip highlighted the country’s incredibly diverse landscapes, as well as its abundance of wildlife and culture. It is impossible to pick a single favourite spot because every location was so unique, but there is something particularly special about the Samburu region: the mountain landscapes are breathtaking, and the Samburu culture is truly fascinating. Borana Lodge is another place that stands out as extra special. Their inspiring work with rhino conservation makes it well worth a visit, and the huge variety of activities on offer makes it ideal for active, adventurous travellers looking to get out of the classic safari vehicle.
Octavia’s Most Memorable Experience
“I have so many memorable experiences from my time in Kenya, it’s so hard to choose just one. Up there has got to be fly camping with my family on the riverbed in the Mathews Range in northern Kenya. Having such an intimate bush dinner in such a remote and secluded area of wilderness, beneath possibly some of the most amazing stars I’ve ever seen, was the perfect end to a day spent being culturally immersed in local Samburu traditions.”
Octavia’s Bio
Having grown up between the Middle East and the Gloucestershire countryside, Octavia spent a large portion of her upbringing travelling between two continents. Spending most of her childhood on a plane might have been the leading factor for Octavia’s passion for travel and exploring new areas of the globe.
After finishing school, Octavia spent a couple of months volunteering on a tiny remote island off the north coast of Madagascar. Here she taught English to the locals, while living in a beach hut on the edge of a tropical rainforest. It was a great introduction to the African beach life.
In the same year, Octavia spent a couple of months working on a riding safari basecamp in Kenya, where she got the chance to travel to the Laikipia region. Unfortunately, her time in Kenya was cut short by Covid-19, and she returned home to the UK to study Art History at Exeter University. After university, Octavia returned to Kenya with her family, where she had the most amazing time exploring the Maasai Mara, the Mathews Range, and the Lamu Archipelago.
In more recent times, she has spent extensive periods backpacking through South and Central America. Earlier this year (2025), Octavia spent some time in Botswana, riding horses while based on a private game reserve in Maun, a town on the edge of the Okavango Delta. Her time in Botswana was full of adventure and involved many trips driving into the delta and the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans to ride horses based in the camps.
Expert Destinations
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Kenya
The original birthplace of safari, where world-class wildlife experiences and beautiful beaches meet.
Octavia’s Top Lodges
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Sarara Camp
Enquire for pricing Contact Us for pricing detailsSarara Camp is pretty amazing – and it wins oodles of points from Yellow Zebra for all those activities. If you are looking for the camp that has everything, this could be it! Positioned well away from Kenya’s tourist trail, it is an excellent option for…
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Serian’s Kimya Kimya
Enquire for pricing Contact Us for pricing detailsSerian’s Kimya Kimya is a small, exclusive-use bush camp on a private site in the Mara North Conservancy. Like all Serian properties, this camp is packed full of effortless character and just the right amount of authentic comfort. It offers stunning views of…
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Borana Lodge
From £762 – £977 ppOwned and fully hosted by the Dyer family, this eco-lodge offers very comfortable accommodation and has a pleasantly informal atmosphere. In addition to its eight cottages, Borana boasts a private house just 8km from the main site. This is a fantastic option…
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Wilderness Mara
Enquire for pricing Contact Us for pricing detailsFormerly Little Governors’ Camp, Wilderness Mara opened in June 2026, following a complete overhaul. This is major news, given the property’s longstanding status as one of the finest camps in the Maasai Mara with a truly splendid location. Wilderness Mara is…
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Kicheche Mara
From £563 – £836 ppKicheche Mara is a small, traditional bushcamp in Kenya’s wildlife-rich Mara North Conservancy, bordering the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Game drives, bush walks, fly camping, and community visits ensure guests receive the perfect balance of wildlife…
