Hilary Bradt’s career as an occupational therapist ended when potential employers noticed that the time taken off for travel exceeded the periods of employment. With her former husband George, she self-published her first guidebook in 1974 during an extended journey through South America, thus founding Bradt Travel Guides. A backpacking guide to Africa followed. For the first 25 years she combined writing guidebooks and running the company with leading adventure and natural history tours to South America, Africa and Madagascar. Her in-depth knowledge of these places has brought her numerous lecture engagements and commissions for travel articles. She now lives in semi-retirement in Devon, indulging her interest in sculpting as well as writing regular press articles and Bradt books. She has received an MBE for contributions to tourism, the British Guild of Travel Writers’ Lifetime Achievement Award and the Travel Media Awards’ Special Contribution Award. For more, visit hilarybradt.com.