Founded by award-winning underwater and wildlife photographer Kat Zhou, One Step Beyond offers a bespoke, personalized approach to extraordinary nature encounters while benefiting conservation and research efforts worldwide.

Our journey began with a passion for capturing the world's beauty and a desire for exploration and adventure. Over time, we discovered a universal truth: everyone dreams of adventure, but no two definitions of adventure are the same. For some, it’s about conquering mountains or diving into the deep sea; for others, it’s finding serenity in remote landscapes or connecting with local cultures in meaningful ways. With this realization, we built a company dedicated to understanding each guest’s unique dreams and crafting experiences that bring those visions to life. Fueled by our commitment to preservation and raising awareness, we developed our mission: to empower ambitious people to drive impactful change.

We travel beyond the conventional boundaries of luxury travel. We leverage our connections to obtain privileged access to unique destinations and experiences while supporting critical social and environmental projects. From private yacht charters contributing to marine megafauna research to remote helicopter expeditions to protect endangered wildlife and beyond, we aim to help people do good while exploring the unknown, pushing comfort zones, and developing new skills.

Join us to redefine the possibilities of luxury adventure.

Kat Zhou

Founder / Lead Trip Designer

Kat Zhou is an avid adventurer and award-winning nature photographer. A licensed skydiver, hang glider pilot, freediver, and scuba divemaster, she is driven by a passion for stepping beyond her comfort zone to engage in new learning opportunities. Her quest for continual exploration has led her to a wide range of adventurous experiences, from bull-riding courses at a rodeo school to mounted archery, jungle survival, gator wrestling, wing-walking, jetpack flying, and more. Living a semi-nomadic lifestyle, Kat spends more than 240 days each year traveling in pursuit of new adventures. With over 8 years of adventure planning experience and a personal bucket list that is now 100+ pages long (and continuously growing), Kat is expertly prepared to curate unforgettable, life-changing experiences.

Kat’s photography portfolio has gained international acclaim, with a diverse collection that ranges from underwater photography to landscape, night sky, and wildlife imagery. Her photos have been featured in publications and museums around the world, including being named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2023 in the prestigious Underwater Photographer of the Year competition and winning the overall "Best in Show" award in Ocean Art 2022, becoming the first woman to earn this designation.