Episode #181: Daan Oxener

Guest Bio

Daan Oxener is the co-founder of Home of Friends Guesthouse & Community Experiences Uganda, a community-rooted guesthouse and adventure travel hub based in Kapchorwa on the slopes of Mount Elgon. Originally from the Netherlands, Daan’s path to Uganda began with an early fascination for Africa, later deepened through travel, social entrepreneurship, youth development, and sport.

Over the past seven years, Daan has worked alongside local guides, athletes, families, and community members to shape immersive travel experiences that reflect the strengths of the Mount Elgon highlands. Through Home of Friends, he helps visitors connect with the region through hiking, biking, trail running, cultural exchange, and locally led adventures that support long-term opportunities for guides, youth, women, and local families.

Show Summary

In this episode of the Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Podcast, host Jason Elkins speaks with Daan Oxener, co-founder of Home of Friends Guesthouse & Community Experiences Uganda. Based in the highlands of eastern Uganda, Daan shares how Home of Friends has grown into more than a place to stay. It is a meeting point for travelers, runners, guides, families, and community members who want to experience the Mount Elgon region in a deeper and more personal way.

Daan talks about the unique appeal of Kapchorwa, a mountain town known for its high-altitude running culture, welcoming communities, waterfalls, remote trails, and strong traditions. It is also the home to world champion runners such as Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo. He explains how travelers can experience the area through multi-day treks, cultural encounters, running experiences, biking, and visits with local families who share skills such as bamboo basket weaving, farming, and honey wine making.

The conversation also follows Daan’s personal journey from the Netherlands to Uganda, including his early interest in Africa, his background in business and human resources, and the decision to leave a corporate path in search of more meaningful work. Along the way, Jason and Daan explore what it takes to build a community-based tourism enterprise in a rural setting, the importance of slowing down, and why the future of adventure travel in eastern Uganda is rooted in relationships, patience, and local strengths.

Key Takeaways

• ✓ Home of Friends is both a guesthouse and a Community-rooted adventure travel hub in eastern Uganda.
• ✓ Kapchorwa, whose name literally means ‘home of friends’ in the local language is know for hospitality, sports culture, and natural beauty.
• ✓ The Mount Elgon highlands offer a blend of waterfalls, viewpoints, farms, trails, and cultural experiences.
• ✓ Daan and his team design experiences that connect visitors with local guides, families, athletes, and community members.
• ✓ The Mosopisiek Trail combines trekking through remote highlands with meaningful cultural exchange.
• ✓ Eastern Uganda offers a quieter, less-traveled alternative to the country’s better-known gorilla and safari routes.
• ✓ Many travelers are beginning to look beyond standard itineraries toward more immersive, off-the-beaten-path journeys.
• ✓ Daan’s work grew from a passion for youth development, sport, and social entrepreneurship.
• ✓ Building a rural tourism enterprise requires patience, trust, collaboration, and respect for the pace of the community.
• ✓ Home of Friends supports local opportunity by involving guides, women, youth, athletes, and families in the visitor experience.

What You’ll Find on Home of Friends Guesthouse & Community Experiences Uganda

• Community-rooted accommodation in the Mount Elgon highlands
• Guided hiking, biking, running, and trekking experiences
• Cultural encounters with local families, artisans, and farming communities
• Access to Kapchorwa’s high-altitude running culture and local athletes
• Remote trails, waterfalls, viewpoints, and rural landscapes
• Travel experiences designed to create local impact and meaningful connection