When most countries went into lockdown at the start of 2020, travel opportunities became very limited and the tourism industry took a severe hit. Dibblex Lesalon, who worked as a reservation officer at a safari company, lost his job and became one of the financial casualties of COVID-19 in Kenya. During this tough period, he found comfort in listening to podcasts because they were a means of connecting with other people, and he could resonate with other people’s stories. But as he browsed through podcast platforms looking for a Kenyan podcast on travel, he realized that none of the kind existed. He therefore began the Travel Local Podcast in order to fill this niche.
Dibblex’s love for the outdoors started at a young age, having grown up in Narok surrounded by wildlife. He chose to make a career out of this and studied tourism management at Strathmore University. His fourth-year project at Namunyak Conservancy about wildlife conservation cemented his love for nature.
The first episode of Travel Local Podcast was recorded on the banks of Sagana River. In this two-part 50-minute pilot, Dibblex spoke about what made Sagana a worthwhile travel destination. He also encouraged listeners to visit the place in order to boost local tourism now that there were international travel restrictions in place.
Eventually, the podcast evolved beyond travel recommendations and began hosting guests. One of the first series curated was Women in Travel, in which Dibblex invited female travellers to talk about their experiences with solo travel.
As more guests were featured on Travel Local Podcast, Dibblex realized that travel wasn’t just about leisure and adventure. For some people, it was also an opportunity to learn about new cultures, and for others it was a way of spreading awareness on the importance of environmental conservation. Dibblex wanted his platform to reflect all these stories. As a result, Travel Local Podcast was renamed to Boots on the Ground Podcast in February 2021.
Through Boots on the Ground, Dibblex has shined a light on the work of conservationists from across the continent. One of the most touching stories aired is “Fighting Extinction”. In this episode, James Mwendwa, a ranger at Ol Pejeta Conservancy speaks about his work taking care of the world’s last two northern white rhinos, a species that has been declared functionally extinct.
With June being World Ocean Month, Boots on the Ground has lined up a collaborative project with organizations that deal with ocean governance. This upcoming series will touch on the sustainable use of coastal and marine resources and the ways in which we can care for our ocean.
“I’d like for this podcast to be a resource for anyone looking to do more at an individual or community level to preserve our biodiversity,” Dibblex says.
Want tips on how to travel with impact? Tune in to Boots on the Ground to listen and learn.