Ep 191 w/ Mark Phipps (Lost In Paradise Travel) – Off-Grid Mongolia & Southwest Africa: Reindeer Tribes, Wild Roads & Namibia Safaris
In this week's episode, I'm rejoined by Mark Phipps—author, avid traveller and owner of Lost in Paradise Travel—who returns with stories from two incredible journeys: a solo winter adventure to Mongolia and an epic three-week road trip through Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. This conversation is packed with logistics, unforgettable moments and plenty of wanderlust-inducing content that should seriously inspire your next big trip.
We start with Mongolia, where Mark travelled completely solo during peak winter, experiencing minus eight degree temperatures and some of the most remote, off-grid travel you can imagine. He walks us through the entire journey—from a twelve-hour overnight bus from Ulaanbaatar to the northern town of Moron, then an eight-hour bone-rattling ride in a Soviet-era four-by-four across frozen rivers and dirt tracks with no signposts, before finally reaching the Dukha reindeer herders on the back of a reindeer itself. Mark spent two nights living with this semi-nomadic tribe just sixty-five kilometres from the Russian border, sleeping in traditional Gers, observing their daily life and experiencing one of the last truly authentic travel adventures left in the world. He shares what it's like to communicate with zero shared language, the food they eat, the spiritual connection to their reindeer, and why this trip requires permits, patience and a serious sense of adventure.
From there, Mark takes us through central Mongolia—visiting Karakorum, the ancient capital under Genghis Khan, hiking in Khustai National Park to see wild horses roaming the steppes, and exploring the Mini Gobi with its massive sand dunes and shaggy Bactrian camels. He breaks down the logistics too: how to book buses when systems are old-school, why you need to work with local guesthouses, what it costs to hire a guide, and why Mongolia is one of those rare places where independent travel still feels properly wild.
Then we shift continents entirely. Mark recounts an unforgettable three-week road trip with five friends across Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe—all done independently with rented four-by-fours and rooftop tents. He describes climbing the massive sand dunes of Sossusvlei, staying in open-air treehouses perched over rivers with hippos audible from bed, and driving deep into the Okavango Delta to witness Botswana's incredible elephant population up close. But the real highlight? Camping on the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans—a vast, otherworldly expanse where they drove wherever they wanted, watched the sun go down, cracked open beers around a fire and experienced the clearest view of the Milky Way Mark has ever seen. It's one of those moments he describes as truly once-in-a-lifetime.
Mark also shares practical advice throughout: the best time of year to visit for wildlife (September to October), what to expect from border crossings, why you should let your tyre pressure down on the salt flats, and the mantra their safari guide lived by—"What nature provides, you will receive." It's a reminder that patience and flexibility are just as important as planning when it comes to African travel.
Finally, we dive into Lost in Paradise Travel, Mark's new venture. After his friend had her passport stolen in Budapest on New Year's Day—completely disrupting their trip—Mark created a GPS-enabled passport wallet that connects to your iPhone's Find My app. It's trackable, has an audible alarm, protects your passport cover and holds all your travel documents in one place. He explains why passport loss is such a recurring problem in the travel industry, how much disruption it causes, and why this simple solution could save your next trip. Pre-orders are live now at lostinparadisetravel.com, with the first shipment arriving in time for Christmas.
This episode is perfect for anyone dreaming of Mongolia, planning an African road trip or simply craving stories that remind you why travel is worth the effort. Mark is a fantastic storyteller with years of experience, and by the end of this conversation you'll be itching to book something adventurous.
Lost In Paradise Travel
Website - https://www.lostinparadisetravel.com/
Buy The Trackable Passport Cover - https://www.lostinparadisetravel.com/category/all-products
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostinparadisetravel/
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Timestamps
00:00 Adventurous Beginnings in Mongolia
07:00 Planning the Journey: Logistics and Challenges
13:52 The Unique Travel Experience: Buses and Roads
21:54 Immersing in Local Culture: The Reindeer Tribe
29:47 Exploring the Heart of Mongolia: History and Nature
38:15 Exploring Mongolia: A Unique Adventure
39:10 Interactions with Locals: A Tourist's Perspective
40:50 Traveling on a Soviet Bus: A Wild Experience
44:37 Road Trip Planning: Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe
45:00 Wildlife Safari: A New Passion
48:08 Highlights of Namibia: Sand Dunes and Nature
52:12 Botswana: Elephants and Friendly Locals
54:24 The Beauty of the Okavango Delta
59:14 Victoria Falls: A Must-See Destination
01:03:15 Lost in Paradise: A New Travel Product
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Winging It Travel Podcast Credits
Host/Producer/Creator/Composer/Editor - James Hammond
Contact me - jameshammondtravel@gmail.com
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