What a year! Safari Magic, Memories that will last a lifetime, and Journey to Africa growing in all the best ways! As we reflect on 2025, we want to say asante sana to all our Safari seekers past, present and prospective for your support, referrals, kind words, and most importantly, your shared appreciation for the Africa we cherish.
Some 2025 Guest Safari highlights:
Safari First-timers falling in love with Africa - Nick and Madison experienced Northern Tanzania and before they'd even left, they were already planning their return. That's the Africa effect, and watching it happen never gets old.
A Safari so good, a Powerpoint was made - Chris & Elizabeth had an amazing Victoria Falls & Northern Tanzania Safari. They loved it so much that Chris came to our Houston event with a powerpoint to show us and our other guests!
Three generations on Safari - The Wu family - grandparents, parents, and children - shared sundowners on a kopje, laughed through early morning game drives, and created memories that will ripple through their family for years to come.
Third-time Journey to Africa Safari goers - Josh & Teri celebrated a 50th birthday milestone with their third Safari with us, Gorilla trekking through the highlands of Virunga, experiencing Victoria Falls in Zambia, and exploring Namibia's desert landscapes. Betsy and Mark returned for their third Safari too, this time gliding through Botswana's magical waterways - delta sunsets, mokoro rides, and lions galore!
Epic multi-country adventures - The Ragusa/McBain crew tackled Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Madagascar in one incredible Safari. Madagascar happened to be their 100th country visited!
Generations of Journey to Africa Safari seekers - Debbie and Lisa giggled their way through Northern Tanzania with balloon rides and endless banter with guides. What makes this extra special? They came to us because their parents went on Safari with us years ago. We love seeing Safari magic passed down through families.
Our first in person event: For those who don't know, Georgie officially joined the Journey to Africa family this year! We also hosted our very first Houston meetup - chai, safari stories, and plenty of laughter. It was so special connecting our community in person, and we're already planning the next one.
The Pikes, who traveled with us to Tanzania on their first Safari came to iour Houston meet-up with a slideshow of their incredible Safari photos - who needs a Marketing team when you have guests like this? Asante Chris & Elizabeth!
What We've Noticed from 2025 - A Shift Toward Adventure
This year, we saw a little shift in how people want to experience Africa and we love it.
Don't get us wrong - we absolutely love sending first-timers to the Serengeti, Tarangire, and Ngorongoro Crater. These iconic destinations are iconic for a reason, and watching someone experience the migration herds for the first time or their first glimpse of the Ngorngoro crater never gets old. But we've noticed more and more of our travelers - especially repeat guests - asking for something different.
More time in lesser-known, secluded spots where you might not see another vehicle all day. They want more walking. More trekking. Craving activity-based Safaris that get them out of the Land Cruiser and into the landscape or waterways - whether that's hiking through remote conservancies, combining a Safari with Kilimanjaro or Mount Kenya, or exploring wilderness areas most people have never heard of.
These more expeditionary Safaris have become some of our favorite trips to plan. There's something incredibly rewarding about crafting Safaris that push beyond the traditional circuits - multi-country adventures that weave through different ecosystems, walking Safaris that slow everything down, treks that challenge you physically while rewarding you with views that take your breath away.
Looking forward to 2026, we're seeing a surge in interest for Kilimanjaro treks paired with Safaris, Mount Kenya climbs, gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda, and remote destinations that require a bit more effort to reach but offer something truly special in return like Mahale.
Journey to Africa has grown so much since the early days of Tanzania Safaris (though we'll never stop loving those!). We're loving the addition of the adventurous souls, the repeat travelers ready to dig deeper, but we are still absolutely for the first-timers who need that classic, life-changing introduction to Africa.
Mount Kenya in 2011 when Georgie summited Mount Kenya’s Lenana at 13 years old! We are loving the surge in adventuerous Safari-seekers looking for a challenge on their Africa Travels.
A note on how we work: This year, we've loved having more calls and meetings with our clients. There's something about actually talking through ideas, walking through itineraries, explaining the nuances of different destinations, and understanding your travel style that makes the whole planning process so much better. You get to know us, we get to know you, and together we create something that feels truly custom. If you're thinking about a Safari - whether it's a year from now or just a seed of an idea - Let’s Chat!
What's on the Horizon?
For Journey to Africa: We're looking into expanding our destinations across the continent. Morocco, Egypt, and the Indian Ocean Islands are all on our radar for 2026, and we want to hear from you about where you'd love to explore. We've put together a quick 2-minute survey to help us understand how we can grow and serve you better. Your input truly shapes what we do next. Asante sana.
For us personally: This holiday season, we're taking our own adventures. Mefi is heading to India for the first time (yes, really - despite being Indian!), while Georgie is soaking up her last month living in Whistler before heading back to Kenya in February. Georgie is here to answer any of your questions and do any planning over the holidays whilst Mefi takes a well deserved break!
Asante sana for being part of our Journey to Africa tribe.
Happy Holidays!
From Mefi & Georgie