Thirty Years After My First Trip to Africa

In 1997 I made my first trip to Africa.

The plan had three parts: climb Kilimanjaro, explore Zanzibar, then head out on safari through the parks of southern Tanzania and into northern Malawi. I didn’t know it at the time, but that trip lit a fire that would eventually set me on a new course.

Certain moments are still vivid. Gasping for air near the summit of Kili. How different the culture of Zanzibar felt to anything I had experienced before. And the feeling of being out in the bush for the first time, viewing wildlife in person that I had watched on TV with my family (Mutual of Omaha’s Animal Kingdom! Buh buh buh BAAA duh!).

I also remember the people. Even thirty years later I can still name everyone who was on that trip. Over the years some visited me in Boston and I made trips out to Los Angeles to see others. We only traveled together for a couple of weeks but I still consider many of them friends.

A lot about safari travel has changed since then.

In the late 1990s, accommodations in many wildlife areas were comfortable but simple. Today, the camps and lodges across East and Southern Africa are extraordinary. They’re beautifully designed places that still feel connected to the landscape while offering a lot more creature comforts than we had back then.

Photography has changed even more. On that first trip everything was film. Every frame mattered because you didn’t know what you had until weeks later when the slides came back from the lab. Today we’re working with digital cameras that allow us to experiment freely and see results immediately.

I left Africa in 1997 immediately thinking about my next visit. This place is special. One safari led to another, and eventually I began organizing photography trips of my own. Over time those grew into something broader: not just photography-focused tours, but planning safaris for travelers who want to experience Africa well.

People sometimes ask me if I ever get tired of going on safari. My answer is always the same: every safari is different. You never know what you’re going to see.

Thirty years later, an African safari still excites me the same way it did in 1997. There is a magic to waking up early while it’s dark and the air is cool. It’s still a thrill to head out on a game drive just as the light begins to spread across the plains and the animals start to move. It’s hard to put into words the feeling I get when I see a great herd of elephants, a leopard stalking her prey, or hear the beautiful sound of a hyena calling at night. That feeling keeps me coming back, year after year.

Sharing that feeling with other travelers is why I got into this business and I can’t wait to share it with you. Check out my upcoming guided tours at this link or reach out here to talk to me about your custom safari.

Safari njema,
Dave