The Kingsley Holgate expedition team has its sights set on completing the Greater Gorongosa Expedition in the name of supporting the surrounding communities with malaria prevention aid, eye tests, and the joys of conservation art.
South Africa (06 June 2025) – They’ve mapped Africa’s most remote landscapes, crossed borders few dare to, and delivered hope to communities in need for decades. Now, South Africa’s legendary explorers Kingsley and Ross Holgate are back on the road, along with an incredible convoy of people, for their 42nd humanitarian journey, this time heading into the heart of Mozambique, to the communities surrounding Gorongosa National Park.
I had the privilege of meeting Kingsley Holgate just before they set off on this latest expedition. Larger than life, with a beard as iconic as the Land Rover he travels in, Kingsley speaks with the kind of passion that makes you want to jump into the convoy and follow him north (we almost did!). In person, it’s clear that this is more than just adventure for him; it’s purpose. Watching him engage with kids, speak about the communities they support, and share stories of conservation and connection left no doubt: this is a man who lives what he believes. It was an honour to see that up close.
Dubbed the Greater Gorongosa Expedition, this mission is a return to a place rich in both beauty and history, and a continuation of the Holgate Foundation’s mission: to bring health, hope, and education to some of the continent’s most remote corners.
This time, the focus is malaria prevention.
According to the World Health Organisation, Africa continues to bear the brunt of the global malaria crisis. In 2023 alone, 597,000 people died of the disease, with children under five accounting for 75% of those deaths. Mozambique remains one of the hardest-hit countries for the Holgate team that makes the decision to return a no-brainer.
“In 2012, we celebrated the end of our Great African Rift Valley expedition by pouring Red Sea water into Lake Urema in Gorongosa,” Kingsley recalls. “That’s when we first saw how this park was being brought back to life after the war — it was miraculous.”
That miracle continues today. Gorongosa is often called one of Africa’s greatest wildlife restoration stories. Once a paradise for elephants, lions and hippos, the Mozambican Civil War (1977–1992) nearly destroyed it. Infrastructure crumbled. Wildlife was poached to near extinction. However, in 2008, a public-private partnership between the Mozambican government and philanthropist Greg Carr sparked a rebirth, not just for the park, but also for the surrounding communities.
Now, the Holgate convoy is back to support those same communities with mosquito nets, malaria education, mobile eye clinics, reading glasses, and one of their most beloved outreach tools: the Wildlife Art campaign for kids.
“This will be the first time Mozambican children get to take part in the art programme,” says Ross Holgate, referencing the youth-led initiative that’s already reached over 700,000 children across the continent.
The team’s Land Rover Defenders, a mix of old and new, are packed to the brim with supplies. Two of the new-gen Defenders, the same ones that completed the gruelling 62,000km Afrika Odyssey expedition last year, are leading the charge. They are joined by three beautiful heritage Defenders and a final new-gen Defender, each with their own story of adventure.
“This expedition is a blend of heritage and heart,” says Ross. “These vehicles have taken us from Africa’s tip to Europe’s Arctic Circle. But no matter the destination, the purpose has always been the same: people first.”
The convoy departed on the 4th of June after a vibrant send-off from the Koru Environmental Kids Camp relaunch near Hoedspruit, where children who joined in the expedition’s Wildlife Art campaign got to showcase their work, and the top three participants won prizes. Good Things Guy was present at the Koru Camp relaunch, witnessing the sheer joy and impact of the Wildlife Art campaign in action.
Long-time friend and founder of Koru Camp, Peter Eastwood, joined Kingsley and the expedition team for the official ribbon-cutting of the camp’s newly relaunched facilities. It was here, beneath the Lowveld sun and surrounded by the joyful buzz of children, that the symbolic calabash was filled, its water collected from Koru’s grounds to be carried across borders and poured out in Gorongosa at the journey’s end. As always, the calabash serves as a powerful emblem of unity, peace, and Africa’s shared spirit of connection.
And this time, they’re adding something new: a Scroll of Peace and Goodwill, which will gather messages from community leaders, park rangers, and conservation allies along the route.
Also on board? 250 pairs of rugged Jim Green boots, bound for the hardworking rangers who protect Gorongosa’s fragile wilderness every day.
As the expedition rolls through Mozambique’s wetlands and into the unknown, one thing is certain: it’s more than a journey. It’s a legacy in motion.
To follow the Holgates’ progress and the work being done in Gorongosa, visit the Kingsley Holgate Foundation on social media.
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