When I was eight years old, my parents went on an African safari while I was away at camp one summer. I sort of haven’t forgiven them for not taking me – I was too young, I get it… it’s understandable – but ever since then I’ve been dreaming of those magical places they talked about & shared photos of. Once I started this business, I’ve known I wanted to help send others to Africa, but, well – I was woefully ignorant and therefore completely intimidated by the continent. I’m not sure what they taught me in school growing up, but I couldn’t have told you where Zimbabwe was if you paid me – and I like geography! I knew a bit about the north, especially Egypt (my Mom is a bit of an amateur Egyptologist, and I actually did go there with her back in 2007), and then I knew Cape Town was way down at the southern tip of South Africa (obviously!), but otherwise I was clueless. Namibia? Ummm – it’s got lots of desert where movies like Mad Max were filmed? I barely knew the difference between Rwanda and Uganda. SO – when I was selected to participate in Abercrombie & Kent’s second Africa Specialist University there was zero hesitation – I was thrilled!
I had of course heard of A&K before I even started my business, but I didn’t really get to understand the company a bit until they presented at one of my host agency’s conferences. Not only did they attend the Gifted Travel Network’s (GTN) second annual conference back when it was still just a small, fledgling agency in 2016, but they also showed us amazing support by allocating our agency several spots on this second Africa Specialist University program. For such a global, prestigious company to be seeing potential in our new agency was awesome, and then to have been asked to participate in this academy – again, I was just honored.
SO- what does it mean to be a destination specialist? Well- it really depends on the destination. Some destinations will give you an hour webinar and have you take a simple 10-question quiz that shows you know the basics and voila! You’re a specialist. That’s NOT what this university was. First of all, it focused on the South and East of sub-Saharan Africa – 10 countries in total. It required full participation in 18 webinars that ranged anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour on various topics — from country overviews to itinerary spotlights to “activity” details (think: climbing Mount Kilimanjaro). The post-webinar quizzes were not little, simple 10-question tests you could pass after a quick listen. Nope – I have pages of notes from each session and STILL occasionally had to go back & re-listen to remember which lodge includes hot air ballooning or what month Victoria Falls is at it’s fullest (for example). I now have notes on weather patterns in each country and understand when (and where) you need to visit the Okavango delta if you want to see the flood waters in or not. I understand the sometimes-complicated logistics of getting around from place to place, what country combinations work well, the border crossing spots, the visa fees, and yes – of course, the timing of the great migration. I have maps and packing lists galore. I have lists of suggested hotels and lodges, from the amazing La Residence in the winelands outside of Cape Town to the absurdly luxurious camps in the Laikipia region of Kenya (just google Ol Jogi – super amazing). I also know which camps are better if you’re on more of a reasonable budget or traveling as a family. I know what you need to do if you HAVE to stay in Giraffe Manor. (It’s more than just book way in advance, fyi.)
More than anything, I’m inspired! There are so many drool-worthy places to see in this vast and diverse area, and so many amazing things to DO. Trekking, ballooning, rafting, canoeing, wine tasting, horse back riding – you name it, A&K can probably make it happen. I mean, that’s besides all of the amazing animal experiences, but there are also lots of super interesting cultural exchanges with the diverse peoples of Africa. One of the things I love about A&K is how focused on the local communities they are. They have offices all over the place – not just one in Cape Town and one in Nairobi – literally peppered all over sub-Saharan Africa. They train and hire locals for all of the different support positions that make your trip amazing – the trackers, the porters, the guides, the nature experts, etc, etc. They fund schools and clinics and projects all over, and they’ve been doing that for 50 years, not because it’s becoming trendy to do so. Tourism, after all, is really the driving force behind the conservation efforts all across the area.
With all of that said, I couldn’t be happier or prouder that I can now say that I’m an A&K Africa Specialist. I already have some clients who have been following along on my journey and have been inspired to book their own dream Africa trip, and I’m plotting my own mega trip there in 2021. Hopefully you can join me then, or I can help plan your own milestone trip to fulfill YOUR bucket list wishes to see this amazing piece of the world. Below are a few of the screenshots I was inspired to grab during my courses, just to help get you as inspired as I am. Don’t hesitate to contact me to learn more!