Travel Journalist. Author. Filmmaker. Creative Director of Simon Parker Creative.
Travelling far and wide for the biggest news and travel media on Earth. From the centres of swirling oceans, to the highest mountains and driest deserts.
About
I’m a British travel writer, author, filmmaker, public speaker and broadcast journalist, working across a wide range of themes and subjects. If it involves travel, intriguing people and an untold story, then I’m interested. I’ve reported from over 120 countries – from Bhutan and French Polynesia to Hawaii and Namibia, via Svalbard, Greenland and Saint Helena. Including reviews of more than 750 five-star hotels and safari lodges for The Telegraph and Conde Nast Traveller.
I’ve interviewed hundreds of conservation pioneers, business leaders, sports stars, politicians and celebrities, including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Virat Kohli, and reported on stories as diverse as product shortages in Venezuela, the migrant crisis in Greece, climate change in Bolivia, and social inequality in the barrios of Northern Colombia.
I’ve paraglided solo through the Andes, hiked Bali’s highest volcanoes and driven a rickshaw the length of India. My work as a journalist has won more than a dozen industry awards, including: Travel Media Awards, Press Gazette Future of Media, British Guild of Travel Writers and the Association of National Tourist Offices (ANTOR).
Big Adventures for Newspapers, Books and Broadcast.
Going the extra mile, to reach the heart of the story.
India by Rickshaw
In 2015 I spent three weeks driving a three-wheeled, seven-horsepower rickshaw the length of India. From the frigid foothills of the Himalayas to the steamy lagoons of southern Kerala. Why? To see this enormous country at a slow-ish pace, while visiting villages, towns and cities where few tourists venture. But driving in India is not an activity to be taken lightly. Especially in a tiny vehicle. We were lucky to escape serious injury, or worse, on multiple occasions. Nevertheless, this became one of the most extraordinary adventures of my life and became a cover story for The Independent newspaper: A wacky race from the peaks to the beach.
China to London. By Land and Sea.
In 2016 I sailed and cycled from China to London in 133 days for a Telegraph series and BBC World Service documentary. 15,000 miles by land and sea – entirely human and wind-powered, sailing with and against the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. You can listen to the BBC documentary here. And read the Telegraph article here. Unlike many sailors, I never really got my sea legs, and spent 30 days crossing the Pacific throwing up. It was gruesome. I described sailing across the Pacific Ocean as “like staring into the gaping jaws of hell.”
Earth Cycle
In 2018 I cycled the length of Scandinavia; 2,500 miles from the North Cape in Norway, to the small town of Smygehuk in southern Sweden. This six-week journey became the basis of my award-winning TV travel series, Earth Cycle, which has been distributed in 20+ countries globally and can be found on Amazon Prime, FOX Australia and Apple TV. Following the series I wrote adventure cycling articles for a host of international publishers including Adventure.com and Red Bull.
Britain by Bike
In 2022 I cycled through 55 UK counties during the COVID-19 pandemic. But it was more than just a bike ride, it was a much-needed escape during the toughest few years of my life. I wanted to meet hundreds of people living on the fringes of society, to find out how they were coping too. This journey became the basis of my first book, Riding Out: A journey of love, loss and new beginnings. The explorer and writer Levison Wood described it as “a truly inspiring journey”. Meanwhile the round-the-world record-holding cyclist Mark Beaumont said it was “wonderfully relatable on so many levels”.
Zambezi River, From Source to Sea
In 2022 I travelled the length of the Zambezi River, from its source in the northwest of Zambia, to Mozambique and the Indian Ocean. This 2,000 mile adventure took seven weeks, travelling by foot, canoe, Landcruiser, helicopter and small plane. In an exclusive series for Telegraph Travel, I investigated issues such as human-elephant conflict in Botswana, painted dog conservation in Zambia and pangolin trafficking in the former warzone of Gorongossa National Park, Mozambique. My articles were all published in the Saturday or Sunday Telegraph and my documentary filmmaking scooped a host of industry awards, including Broadcaster of the Year at the British Guild of Travel Writers.
A Ride Across America
In 2023 I cycled across the USA for a second time, in the build-up to the 2024 US Presidential Election. I wanted to meet everyday Americans at ground level, to find out how they were feeling in an increasingly polarised nation. A year later, my second book was published: A Ride Across America: A 4,000 mile adventure through the small towns and big issues of the USA. The Observer described my work as “magnificently chronicling the America I encountered”. Justin Webb from the BBC’s Today Programme called it “a wonderful companion to America.”
The Wild Road Home
In 2025 I set off to walk and cycle around every national park in the UK: 15 in total, spread across England, Wales and Scotland. Why? To discover what these wild-ish places meant to modern Britain, 75 years after the first one – the Peak District – was created. From Dartmoor to the Cairngorms, via the Yorkshire Dales and the Brecon Beacons, I discovered a nation in flux. My third book, The Wild Road Home: 15 national parks, one remarkable adventure was published in October 2026. It was accompanied by a tour of UK literary festivals including Cambridge, Oxford and Kendal Mountain Festival.
Big-ish Adventures for Newspapers and Magazines
The Telegraph, The Times, The Independent, National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveller. The list goes on. Here are just some of my favourites.
Exploring the Kingdom of Bhutan - The Independent
The national park that reversed the destruction of civil war - The Telegraph
'Never leave without a rifle': Ittoqqortoormiit, the Arctic's loneliest town - The Telegraph
This is north Africa’s ultimate adventure weekend - The Times
Europe's forgotten city, which has suddenly fallen into the spotlight - The Telegraph
The new hiking route set to bring thousands to the Shetland Islands - The Times
Meet South Africa's shark spotters keeping swimmers off the menu - The Telegraph
Content Creation for Travel Brands and Destinations.
Content Creation for Travel Brands and Destinations.
All of this editorial expertise is the foundation of Simon Parker Creative, the production company I founded to bring a journalist’s eye to commercial filmmaking, laser-focussed on the travel and tourism industry. SPC produces cinematic brand films and destination guides for tourist boards, luxury hotels and tour operators. Some of our clients include Cotswolds Tourism, YellowWood Adventures, Calcot & Spa, The Painswick, Lord Crewe Arms, Dorsia Travel and Promote Shetland — ambitious companies that want films built on story, not just spectacle.