Between 2000 and 2003, I lived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where I undertook a time-honored East African tradition - I went on safari, clocking up thousands of dusty kilometers around the country, and over 70 visits, during both the wet and dry seasons, to Tanzania's famous national parks and game reserves. As of December 2007, I have made over 110 visits to parks and reserves.

I traveled in an 18-year-old jalopy christened Mama Tembo - or Mother Elephant in Kiswahili. In time the identities of old vehicle and owner merged and I began to hear "Welcome again, Mama Tembo." "Mama Tembo, your tent is ready." I now design customized safaris for individuals and small groups which cater to those who seek an insider's look at the country. They are perfect for the active, independent-minded traveler who wants to explore his/her destinations in a wider context. I use trusted outfitters in Tanzania which can best provide for each itinerary and client. Several times a year I escort small groups to Tanzania. You will find what escorted tours are currently offered further on this page.

A safari is either an adventure, or it isn't.

In Getting Started under Tour Info I offer reasons why it's a good idea to get informed advice when planning a private safari to Tanzania. There is a lot of information to sort through and operators from which to choose. The beautiful photos in catalogue safaris may look attractive, but they are often created with profit in mind and not what is best for you. If they do not vary their itineraries season by season then they are not taking into account wildlife migration patterns which greatly affect the quality of a safari. They may also be more expensive, if you look carefully at all their costs, because they use multiple middlemen.

My help is unconditional. My goal is to make your experience as personal as possible. Travel is first and foremost a journey of self-discovery. I never leave Africa without learning more about myself, my relationship with the world's cultures, remaining wild spaces and my responsibilities. I extend an especially warm invitation to any single women travelers. I became a solo traveler out of necessity, and while I learned that going it alone has its distinct advantages, an African safari usually necessitates joining a group for reasons of cost alone. My escorted tours are good for solo travelers. I look forward to hearing from you.

Tour Info is the best place to begin your journey to Tanzania. Here you will learn about the country's safari "circuits", its other destinations, when to go, how you will travel, where you will stay, and the wildlife and peoples you will encounter. I've provided maps, photos, and a reading list to help you. All this information is also available as downloadable PDF files. I have put together two DVDs of photos to music which detail Northern, Southern and Western Tanzanian destinations. I'd be happy to send them to you.

Beginning in 2008, I offer tours to Republic of Congo's Nouabale-Ndoki National Park and Central African Republic's Dzanga-Ndoki National Park. Only a few hundred visitors a year make it to these parks to see their families of habituated western lowland gorillas and some of Central Africa's greatest concentrations of forest elephants. The parks are the newest and most adventurous wildlife experience in Africa. If you come, you can certainly count yourself as among the first. I bring the same insider's knowledge to my tours of Central Africa that I do to my Tanzanian safaris. From 2007, I have split my time between the Congo, Tanzania, and Vancouver, Canada where Mama Tembo Tours is based.

Tanzanians are some of the most hospitable people on the planet. They greet their foreign visitors with Karibu Tanzania! Welcome to Tanzania! They say farewell with Karibu tena Tanzania! Welcome again to Tanzania! You often hear that an African safari is an once-in-a-lifetime experience. You may consider it that too. My hope is that your Tanzanian travels, as well as your Congo travels, will impact you so greatly that Africa will indeed have the opportunity to welcome you again, and again.

Thank you for coming to Mama Tembo Tours. Karibu! Karibu tena!