A team keen on every detail of your holiday
Committed, adventurous and highly experienced — many of our people have spent years, in some cases decades, sharing this region with visitors.
Run by people who know this industry from the inside
John Gakinya
More than 14 years in travel and tourism, spanning Kenya's Ministry of Tourism, the Kenya Tourist Board and Kenya Wildlife Service, plus private-sector roles with Woodside Energy of Australia, several destination management companies and coastal hotels in Mombasa — before founding Trails of Africa. Holds a bachelor's degree in Tourism Management.
Maureen Kariuki
A degree in Financial Management and experience across three financial institutions and two destination management companies. Maureen keeps every hotel payment, invoice and vehicle schedule running on time, so your safari runs exactly as planned.
Together, John and Maureen lead a team of dedicated travel experts who go the extra mile to make sure every client's safari is worthwhile — customising each trip to the client's preference, from affordable trips to the most luxurious.
Our travel experts
After dreaming, planning and paying for a holiday, all you want is a unique, memorable, flawless experience. Our office-based travel experts are committed, adventurous and highly experienced, many of whom have worked in this industry for years — and their creative instincts are what give every itinerary its positive surprise element.
To us, every client is unique. That's why we build a specifically tailored package for each group, based on a customer-focused approach, personal attention and thoughtful suggestions — with expert advice, efficient and timely itinerary building, and professional, reliable service from start to finish.
Our safari guides — more than a guide, your personal travel companion
Most of your time on safari is spent with your driver-guide, so we take great care selecting them. Knowing the job isn't enough — they need to love the land, the animals, the culture and the people, and share that love with a genuine smile and a sense of humour.
Trained & registered
All our guides are registered with the Professional Guides Association and go through continual training on customer service, client safety, wildlife knowledge and general knowledge.
Multilingual
We have driver-guides who speak English, Spanish, French, Italian and German, and every guide is comfortable travelling with families and children.
Locally rooted
Deep knowledge of each destination's flora, fauna, history and way of life, built from years spent on the same roads and in the same reserves.
Guides our travellers talk about
Names that come up again and again in feedback from recent trips:
Duncan
Driver-guide, praised for turning long, bumpy driving days into some of the most memorable parts of the trip.
Anthony
Tour leader, known for building in unplanned extras — a Naivasha boat ride, a Maasai village visit — when the group has the appetite for it.
Sammy
Driver-guide, valued for keeping guests comfortable and informed even on Kenya's roughest roads.
Mark & Alex
Driver-guide and group leader team, remembered for going out of their way to fit in an after-hours visit to the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage.
Drawn from real client testimonials — read the full quotes.
The fleet and network behind every guide
Every guide drives a fully-serviced 4×4 Land Cruiser or safari van, fitted with a pop-up roof, seat belts on every seat, a cool box, first-aid kit, binoculars and reference guides — with charging sockets and WiFi on a number of our vehicles. Long- and short-range radios and 24-hour mobile contact keep drivers in constant touch with our Nairobi base while they're out in the bush.
See full vehicle & communication detailsReady to meet your travel expert?
Tell us about your dream trip and we'll match you with the right person on our team to plan it.
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