Two ex-colleagues have teamed up to create a new company that offers tailor-made holidays and private tours for explorers seeking authentic experiences around the world.

The Explorer Society is the brainchild of Martin Edwards and Cameron Neill, who most recently worked together at Bench Africa, where they successively held the position of general manager.

Current COVID-19 conditions aside, Neill said the world was more accessible than ever.

“By launching The Explorer Society, we can truly offer destinations and experiences that we, and our travel community, are passionate about,” he said.

“We can be as exploratory in our product line as our travellers are with their travel interests.”

The Explorer Society will begin by offering a range of tailored explorations in a variety of travel styles throughout Africa, the Middle East and South America, according to Edwards.

“Further destinations are also currently in the planning phase, as well as a range of utterly unique exploration experiences from around the world,” he added.

Itself fully remote, Edwards said the company is focused on developing modern and innovative ways to travel, and to ensure smooth and seamless journeys for the post-pandemic traveller.

He also noted that The Explorer Society isn’t for people who only travel to destinations for the bragging rights.

“We are passionate about avoiding the crowds and manufactured experiences. We prefer the real, the raw and the revealing,” Edwards explained.

“In 2022, there will be an enormous pent-up demand for travel, and we want to use our lengthy travel experience to bring back the fun into travel.”

Neill adds: “Looking for positives, the pandemic has given us a great chance to do something new and look at what we think could be improved. This is our opportunity to do things our way and to explore destinations with all of their elements, its nuances and its lessons.”