Luke Evans Shares His Dream Travels: Safari Adventures, London Hidden Gems, and an Epic Journey with Helen Mirren

Luke Evans was destined to be a global citizen — traversing the planet while shooting major franchises like The Hobbit trilogy and Fast & Furious series and live-action Disney adaptations such as “Beauty and the Beast” and “Pinocchio,” starring in West End plays, and exploring luxurious destinations whenever he can. However, the globetrotter’s journey began on a far smaller scale.

“I hail from a working-class background, meaning money was not abundant,” the 45-year-old shared with Travel + Leisure regarding his upbringing in Wales. “We had to consider how much we would spend on vacations.”

Originating from Pontypool and nurtured in Aberbargoed, his childhood family excursions involved “caravan trips” — a British term for a camper road voyage — where his family and his cousin’s family would squeeze into his father’s Ford Cortina, pulling along a three-person camper. They traveled through the UK’s coastal regions and woodlands, visiting locations such as the Forest of Dean, Aberystwyth, Tenby, Saundersfoot, and Cornwall. “We rarely traveled outside Wales since it was right at our doorstep,” he stated.

The initial flight he recalls with his parents was to Benidorm in Spain, which he describes as an “acquired taste.” “It was budget-friendly and cheerful, which is what we could afford, so we made the best of it,” he reminisced, with “happy memories of [his] stay there.”

Those early excursions sowed a deep passion in Evans’ spirit. Today, his enthusiasm for adventure is woven into every strand of his identity, reflected in his Instagram updates and in his memoir, Boy from the Valley: My Unexpected Journey, which was published in November. “The finest present you can bestow upon yourself or another is travel,” he remarked. “It completes you as a person. It allows you to perceive the world and humanity in a vastly different light.”

During the 2024 holiday season, Evans embarked on a journey he had long envisioned, heading to Cape Town and Botswana. The inspiration for this trip emerged quite serendipitously. For over a decade, every time he visited Ibiza, where he owns a home, he would also spend a day or two at the family-owned agrotourism site Atzaró Hotel. “I’ve always cherished my time there, and last year, I spotted these postcards on the counter featuring remarkable places they had, like an incredible hotel in Cape Town and a safari in Botswana.”

Starting in the South African metropolis, he was instantly captivated by Atzaró Cape Town’s setting. “It’s not enormous, but it’s genuinely — without exaggeration — at the base of Table Mountain,” he expressed with astonishment. “From the hotel’s front, you can behold the entire cityscape of Cape Town, encompassing the bay, sky, ocean, and Lion’s

Head, and Devil’s Peak, from a 360-degree perspective. It was truly stunning. I could have lingered there longer.”

The hotel manager, Xander, not only served as host but also took on the role of Evans’ hiking mentor, bypassing the cable car shortcut to ascend Table Mountain and guiding him along the two-hour trek filled with enormous steps. “I despise cardio, but if cardio was like that daily, I’d likely embrace it,” the action movie star confessed. “Every 20 minutes, we’d pause and gaze at the scenery and we’d ascended another 500 feet. Then we reached the summit — and it truly is level!” The effort to attain the elevated vista stretching down to Camps Bay was certainly worthwhile, he remarked, calling it “fulfilling” to have taken the challenging route.

Following that, he proceeded to Atzaró Okavango, where he was warmly welcomed by two giraffes strolling in the field, soon followed by a pair of warthogs. From that moment, he realized this safari would be exceptional. “You must be accompanied back to your lodge at night due to natural animal trails crossing through the grounds for creatures like leopards, hippos, buffalo, monkeys, baboons, warthogs, and aardvarks,” he explained. “It’s remarkable.”

Each shift of his gaze revealed the splendor of wildlife, spotting hippos from his luxurious wooden living space to cruising toward a parched lake where he observed 30 giraffes, from young ones to seniors, and even witnessing them sparring with their horns and swinging their necks. Even more astonishing, they observed an intense hunt where wild dogs pursued a baby gazelle. At one point, a cheetah walked right past their vehicle while they remained silent in awe. Each blink brought forth another scene of animal kingdom drama unfolding before them.

“During our last expedition, our guide, Albert, spotted a leopard, one of the most hard-to-find creatures,” Evans remarked. “I mean, they’re so well-hidden and he drove us right alongside this magnificent beast. And we didn’t just spot one, we noticed two.”

On one evening outing, the driver switched off the engine as they gazed skyward under a light-pollution-free expanse. “It was like a symphony of frogs, insects, and animals — utterly deafening,” he commented. To capture that natural ambiance, Evans recorded the sound of nature. “Now I fall asleep to it every night!”

Beyond his personal holidays, Evans’ profession has bestowed upon him an even bigger advantage of not merely stopping by but genuinely discovering destinations around the world. His latest project, “Weekend in Taipei,” released in November, was shot in Taiwan’s capital, where he roamed from the mountains and the Taipei 101 skyscraper to a fishing village — and, of course, savored the famous regional dishes. 

“We dined at Din Tai Fung roughly 72 times, and we sampled every dish that was offered to us — even trying the infamous stinky tofu,” he explained. “If you can overcome the odor, it’s quite palatable.” He noted how his driver would venture into local markets and emerge with bags filled with various duck parts, from the gizzards to the beaks, and he tasted every last bit. “Everyone was so generous and truly hospitable, incredibly kind,” he shared. 

Likewise, during his time in New Zealand filming The Hobbit series, which was released from 2012 to 2014, Evans fully immersed himself in all things Kiwi. “I drove solo for a week from the northern tip of the South Island all the way down to the Fox Glacier and the Franz Josef Glacier, and I heli-hiked onto the glacier and drank water that was thousands of years old from a stream flowing through the glacier,” the adventurer recounted. He also encountered whales, enjoyed Rotorua’s thermal pools, relished the top-notch, grass-fed meats — and even learned to beach fish for Kahawai. “I truly experienced life,” he reflected. “I really lived it!”

The locals significantly impacted him as well. “The people there are incredibly charming, genuinely kind, and exceedingly cheerful, greeting you as you walk down the street, which I’ve always adored,” he noted. “In fact, when I returned to London and strolled down the street and no one acknowledged me, I felt like I’d lost that personal connection, unlike the warmth of the Kiwi people.”

Exploring the globe with an open heart and mind has enabled Evans to contemplate all those international experiences. “I realize we are all one,” he expressed. “We may appear different, eat differently, live differently, sing differently, and everything varies, but we are all the same. That’s a profound realization I’ve gained on a deeper spiritual level from traveling.”

Evans extends the same warmth to travelers eager to discover the places he cherishes, such as London, where he has resided for 27 years. Initially, he suggested that every newcomer ought to experience the must-see attractions,including Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London, and Tower Bridge.

However, following that, his suggestion is “to venture beyond the well-known spots” and proceed towards the historic areas of East London, encompassing Whitechapel, Bethnal Green, Shoreditch, and Dalston. “These are remarkable neighborhoods, and there’s always something happening,” he stated, clarifying that there are antique shops and food markets, a canal that meanders through the region with walkways alongside it, picturesque strolls in Victoria Park, and swimming areas at London Fields.

On Sundays, he relishes the Columbia Road Flower Market, where you enter a Victorian street and “it’s a jungle with banana trees, palm trees, flowers, everything you can fathom.” Then he suggested moving to The Royal Oak, which serves an incredible Sunday roast and pint of Guinness, before exploring the backstreets and discovering cafes and vendors selling their goods. “It’s a truly unique place,” he remarked.

Regarding Wales, Evans recommends tourists visit the Pembrokeshire coastline, which is “utterly breathtaking,” featuring castles scattered throughout the landscape and “more UNESCO beaches than you could shake a stick at.” Also worth marking on maps: Temby, the mountains in Anglesey — including the highest, Snowdonia, which you can hike or reach by steam train — and one of the oldest and tiniest cities globally, St. David’s.

“The beaches are absolutely beautiful, the aquatic wildlife is so crystal clear, you spot seals and dolphins, and there are the finest fish and chips you’ll taste in Wales,” Evans exclaimed. “The Welsh people are wonderful—they’re hospitable, they’re inquisitive, they’re truly fantastic individuals. I’m immensely proud to belong to this community.”

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Best road trip in Wales?
Traveling to Pembrokeshire—and I would include a foot journey: the continuous coastal path. It’s 870 miles, extending all the way up the coastline of Wales. You can camp, and pause for stays in B&Bs all along the route.

One item you always stash in your carry-on?
My noise-canceling AirPods because I can’t doze off with the headphones they provide on the airplane. However, with AirPods, I manage to sleep, and they muffle all the sounds of crying infants and loud flight attendants; whatever it is, I stay asleep! I occasionally find the noise of an airport overwhelming, so I simply pop them in my ears for a bit of tranquility while navigating through the mayhem.