A snapshot

Previously a pilot for Wilderness Air, Malcolm’s experience in the travel industry spans over a decade. After four years of flying to some of Botswana’s greatest destinations, Malcolm swapped the watery floodplains of the Okavango Delta for the sandy dunes of the Namib desert. Joining Yellow Zebra in 2021, Malcolm now works as a Southern Africa specialist with a focus on Botswana and Namibia, having stayed in many camps across both countries.

Expert Destinations

Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe.

Recent travel experience

In May 2023, Malcolm went on an adventurous safari in Zimbabwe and then visited some luxurious lodges in South Africa. In Zimbabwe, he checked out southern Hwange and explored Mana Pools from east to west. Malcolm particularly enjoys the intimate style of safari that Zimbabwe offers and the extremely high quality of guiding. Professional Zimbabwean guides are renowned for their skill at safely getting up close with big game on thrilling walking safaris, which is one of Malcolm's favourite things to do in Zimbabwe. In South Africa, Malcolm took things a bit easier in more luxurious lodges and was impressed by how prolific the Big 5 were, especially white rhinos and leopards.

Malcolm's most memorable experience

"I have lots of incredible experiences from living and flying in Southern Africa, from doing low passes over runways in Botswana to clear elephants, lions, and wild dogs to soaring over Victoria Falls and the dramatic dunes of the Namib Desert.

Choosing my most memorable experience is tough, but I always love spending time with researchers, and one mission that was particularly memorable was when I helped with the relocation of nine orphaned wild dog puppies from the Kalahari, to be rehomed in the Okavango Delta. We spent the first night sleeping in a tent next to the enclosure that was housing the puppies to protect them from lions before flying them to an airstrip in The Delta the following morning. I got to witness the first four being released with a surrogate wild dog pack, who welcomed them in as if they were family, a heart-warming moment, which galvanised my deep admiration for wild dogs and their incredible social bonds."

Malcolm’s biography

Originally hailing from the west coast of Scotland, Malcolm studied Geography at the University of St Andrews before going on to train as a commercial pilot. After some time with a private jet company, in 2011 he packed a tent, printed some CVs, and headed for Botswana in search of work. His commitment was rewarded with a job as pilot for Wilderness Air and also saw him become one of the ‘rookie’ stars of the TV series Bush Pilots. Malcolm was thrilled at having the privilege to share the pristine environments of the Okavango Delta, the Chobe River, and the Kalahari with his passengers, and he loved that every day was filled with new adventures. Malcolm knew that he had a special job when he realised that it was an unusual day at work for him if he did not see elephants.

After flying in Botswana for four years, a chance meeting resulted in Malcolm being offered the opportunity to fly in the neighbouring country of Namibia. The thought of flying in a land of such dramatic scenery was too good to miss, so Malcolm moved to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. From there, he would set out into the epic desert, mountain, and coastal landscapes of Sossusvlei, Damaraland, the Skeleton Coast, the Koakoveld and Etosha, often only returning to Windhoek on his days off.

In 2017, Malcolm decided to head closer to home, so he returned to Europe to work for two airlines in the Channel Islands before going on to work for the British Antarctic Survey. However, when the opportunity to join Yellow Zebra came up in Summer 2021, he couldn't resist the temptation to reconnect with Africa and share his love for the continent once more.

When working as a pilot in Africa, Malcolm found it a thrill to be part of his passengers’ safari journey and now, as part of the Yellow Zebra herd, he loves to inspire and create many more exceptional African journeys.

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