I grew up surrounded by nature, conservation and expeditions. My father founded Biosphere Expeditions three years before I was born, so from a very young age, I travelled to places that most people only ever see in documentaries. Those experiences shaped how I see the world, how I travel and how I think about conservation.
My first expedition was in 2002, when I was just six months old, to Ukraine – which of course I don’t remember. But the expeditions I do remember had a huge impact on me.
In 2008 and 2010, when I was six and eight years old, I spent my summers in Namibia. I remember the vast landscapes, the people and, of course, the animals.
Wildlife expeditions from when I was born
Growing up in Europe, it was impossible not to notice the contrast. Europe has its own beauty, but seeing oryx, springbok, zebra and giraffes in the wild changes your perspective on the world and on how different environments are valued.
I remember staying in a village in Namibia for a period of time and becoming friends with a local girl. As a wheelchair user, rural Namibia could sometimes be challenging because of the terrain, but she handled it beautifully and just hoisted me onto her back so we could explore and play together.
It’s one of my strongest memories from that time and solidified my love for interacting with new people. I love hearing their stories; whether it’s a small anecdote from their past or something that they can teach me.
My immersive way of travelling
We were never typical tourists on expeditions. We stayed with local scientists or in small local accommodations rather than all-inclusive resorts. It was only later that I realised that this was not the way everyone experienced the world.
For me, travel has always been about understanding a new place, its culture, the environment and its people, not just visiting it. If I wanted to sit by a pool and read a book, I could do that much closer to home.
In 2014, I joined my first marine conservation expedition in Oman, my first time in Asia. I remember stepping off the plane into intense heat and not understanding why I had to cover my arms and legs in 35-degree weather.
That trip was one of my first real lessons in cultural differences and respecting other ways of life. It was an education that I will never take for granted – so much so that I’ve always believed everyone deserves the same space in the world, simply as themselves.
In 2018, I joined another marine expedition to the Maldives, which is one of my most vivid expedition memories. I couldn’t dive, but I still went snorkelling.
I remember seeing the reef for the first time and genuinely not believing it was real. I had only seen coral reefs on television and assumed the colours were edited or enhanced, but seeing them in real life was incredible.
I remember looking down into the deep ocean where blue fades to black and watching the citizen scientists working along transect lines below me, waving as they passed.
The kindness of people all over the world
One thing that really stayed with me from that expedition in the Maldives was how kind and thoughtful the local boat crew were. There was a small step between the main deck and the indoor area that I was struggling to get over in my wheelchair. Without me asking, they built a small wooden ramp, so I could move around more easily. It was such a small thing, but it gave me the independence I so often crave.
Across all the expeditions I’ve been on, the one consistent thing has been the people. There is always a huge range of ages, backgrounds and careers, but once you are on an expedition, none of that really matters. Everyone is there for the same reason: to learn, to help and to experience the natural world in a meaningful way.
With limited WiFi, living on a boat or in a remote research station, people talk more, share stories and actually get to know each other. Some of the most interesting conversations I’ve ever had have been on expeditions.
Growing up on expeditions also shaped my views on conservation and the environment. One of the biggest lessons I learned is that humans are not more important than other animals just because we are the dominant species.
We often behave as though the planet exists purely for us, but we are part of nature, not separate from it.
Seeing wildlife in its natural habitat and seeing the effects of habitat destruction and climate change first-hand makes environmental issues feel very real and very urgent.
Because of these experiences, I try to live in a way that is conscious of my impact. I don’t do anything extraordinary, just small everyday things like turning off lights, only boiling the water I need, sharing car journeys when possible and being mindful about consumption.
I love travelling and I do fly more than most people, so I try to balance that by making more environmentally conscious decisions where I can.
Also Read: 20 Tips on how to be green
Giving me the confidence to follow my dreams
Expeditions also shaped me personally in another important way.
I was born with Cerebral Palsy and I am an electric wheelchair user. I grew up in a family that treated me exactly the same as my siblings, so I grew up believing I could do anything they could do, it might just look a bit different. If they climbed a tree, I climbed a tree. If they went skiing, I went skiing (with my dad or a ski instructor assisting).
If they went cycling, I went cycling.
If they go dancing, so can I.
If they went to university or travelled with friends, I did the same (to study English Literature).
Those encounters are one of the reasons I became a writer and disability activist. I use writing to educate people and show that disabled people are just people. The rule is very simple: just treat us normally.
I now work for Biosphere Expeditions as an editor and social media manager, as well as working on my first novel – a romance centring on a wheelchair user.
Looking back, expeditions didn’t just give me amazing travel experiences; they shaped who I am, how I see the world and what I care about.
To anyone thinking about joining an expedition, I would always say do it. It is one of the best ways to travel with purpose. You don’t just see a place, you contribute to it. You meet people you would never normally meet, learn things you would never normally learn and come home seeing the world slightly differently than before.
For me, expeditions were never just trips. They were an education, a perspective shift and a reminder that the world is much bigger, more complicated and more interconnected than we often realise.
You can find an overview of all upcoming expeditions here.
Also read: What to expect when you join a wildlife expedition as a volunteer
Author: Liesl Hammer
Liesl Hammer grew up bilingual in England and Germany with a passion for writing and conservation and holds an English Literature with Creative Writing degree. As the daughter of Biosphere Expeditions’ founder and executive director, she has been on many expeditions, for example to Namibia, South Africa, Oman and Maldives, where she was always captivated by the different cultures, wildlife and wild places she found. Combining all these interests, Liesl now has her own business, helping organisations and businesses improve their social media presence and quality of writing, which is exactly what she does for Biosphere Expeditions – from creating a social media strategy to producing a blog to looking at communication in wildlife conservation.