Six South African travel content creators recently embarked on a six-part format competing to uncover South Africa’s untouched luxury escapes as part of BBC Lifestyle’s Brand-new Travel Series, “Hidden Gems South Africa”.
We recently had a chat with one of the six creators, Linda Viljoen about her journey, content for television and more. Linda is a hiking enthusiast dedicated to exploring the country’s most scenic, and often overlooked, trails. Her practical, honest approach inspires thousands to step into nature with confidence.
Check out our interview with Linda below.
1. What made your destination stand out, and how does it reflect your approach to travel storytelling?
Honestly, it’s the kind of place you don’t stumble on unless someone who loves it takes you there. That’s what drew me in. I’ve always been more interested in the trails that don’t have a parking lot full of cars at the trailhead. The places where you still have to ask a local, where the path isn’t perfectly marked, and that’s kind of the point. My storytelling follows that same instinct. I want people to feel like they’re being let in on something, not just shown something.
2. How did being part of the Hidden Gems challenge or inspire you creatively?
It made me think about why I do this in the first place. When you’re creating content regularly, you can slip into a rhythm of just producing. This pulled me out of that. I had to be present in a different way, not just thinking about the shot or the caption, but actually sitting in the place.
3. How have content creators changed tourism for lesser-known destinations?
We show up at places that have never had a platform, and we just start talking about them. And people listen. I’ve seen it happen even on my own small scale, where I share a trail in Gauteng that most people have driven past a hundred times, and suddenly someone messages me saying they finally went. That ripple effect is real. For smaller communities and local guides, that visibility can genuinely make a difference.
4. What does being part of a show like this mean for you personally and professionally?
It means a lot more than I expected it to. I started Linda Hikes South Africa because I wanted South Africans to fall in love with what’s right in their backyard. This show feels like an extension of that same heartbeat, just on a much bigger stage. And that’s exciting but also a little humbling. I want to do the destination justice.
5. Why should audiences vote for your destination?
Because it will stay with you. Not in a loud way, in a quiet way. The kind of place you find yourself thinking about weeks later. South Africa has so many spaces like this that never get their moment and this one deserves it.
