Program 819: Swiss Riviera; How to Plan a Safari; Take a Hike in Europe

One of Rick's tour guides opens our eyes to the idyllic "Swiss Riviera" that borders Lake Geneva. Then a British journalist and safari expert takes us into Africa, sharing the best ways to find authentic safari experiences. And a hiking-and-biking tour operator tells us how to escape the crowds of Europe's grand cities by spending a few days hitting the trail.

• Tony Lewis, tour guide and singer, based at Montreux, Switzerland
• Journalist Sophy Roberts, author of "A Training School for Elephants" (Atlantic Monthly Press)
• Neil Lapping, founder/CEO of Macs Adventure

• Tony Lewis guides tours at the historic Lavaux Vineyard Terraces on Lake Geneva, Switzerland.
• The Rick Steves online guide to Lake Geneva and French Switzerland.
• Sophy Roberts retraces a curious episode of European colonial plunder in Africa in her book, "A Training School for Elephants." She spoke with Rick about it on Travel with Rick Steves program #794 in Junr 2025.
• Sophy hosts a podcast series on the art of travel, called "Gone to Timbuktu." She's also planning to tutor a week-long nonfiction writers retreat in May 2026 at an estate in Shropshire, England.
• Neil Lapping is the founder and CEO of Macs Adventure, which arranges hiking and cycling itineraries in Europe, New Zealand and Japan, from their offices in Glasgow and Denver.
• Some of Neil's favorite historic hiking trails in Europe include the West Highland Way in Scotland, the Tour de Mount Blanc in the Alps, routes in the Italian Dolomites and Amalfi Coast, and the Fisherman's Trail in Portugal.