TriBal Tourist: We Turn Traveler Into Explorer

“Great travel concepts are a dime a dozen but monetizing those ideas has proved difficult for many in the travel startup space.” –Samantha Shankman

Interest in travelling to African countries has increased in recent years; however, many first-time travellers to the continent are not educated on the options available on the ground, making Tribal Tourist a viable product, should it succeed in meeting users’ needs.

Tribal Tourist has its sights set on becoming the largest adventure travel booking site in Africa. The South African startup offers tours focused on specific outdoors activities across different destinations. Users can search based on destination, type of adventure, and date.

We love the outdoors – it’s where we develop character and confidence, clear our minds, nurture healthy bodies and learn respect for nature. Tribal Tourist is a community of people who are inspired by Africa, adventure and life.” –TribalTourist.com

All Tribal Leaders are based in Africa and not sitting in an office on another continent. They know Africa, its people, and the best places to travel. Those Leaders have made bespoke packages exclusive to TribalTourist.com; and for an extra fee, the Leaders will personally join you on your next adventure in Africa.

Tribal Tourist’s Leaders:

Founder

Matt comes from the most adventurous country on the planet, New Zealand. He has been passionate about the outdoors for as long as he can remember. He spent his childhood as a boy scout, going caving and exploring from an early age. He likes to think of himself as a born-again African – he’s been visiting Africa for over 20 years and has backpacked all the way from Cape Town to Nairobi. Having developed strategy for one of the world’s biggest airlines, Emirates, he of all people understands what the traveller wants. Those who wish to follow in his footsteps will require the necessary gear and equipment to do so. Keeping in touch with fellow travelers using long range radios could prove essential if you find yourself in need of assistance.

Tribal Tourist is Matt’s brainchild and was born out of his own frustration when planning trips in Africa. He found the process extremely time-consuming and realized that there was a need to consolidate all relevant information onto one website, which eventually became the biggest adventure travel website in Africa.

Aquatic Leader

If diving’s your thing, Barret is your man. He’s dived all over Africa and has spent most of his life underwater, filming documentaries for various television channels, including National Geographic. His latest offering is an aquatic safari, where you can join him on a completely different adventure. Berret’s love for the ocean has seen him develop the African Spearfishing Diaries series where he filmed some of the top spear fisherman in the world, visiting and exploring some of the most pristine dive sites and locations around the African continent.

Botswana Leader

Growing up on a family farm in Northern England, Josh’s passion for nature started from an early age, spending every possible moment stomping around the great outdoors. At the age of 12, he accompanied his family on a walking safari to the Luangwa Valley in Zambia, and it was here that he decided that he would return to Africa one day and train to become a safari guide. Now, he leads his fair share of safari holidays, guiding tourists around the beautiful African animal kingdom.

Josh’s thirst for adventure has led him to some very interesting places around Africa. He has successfully summited Kilimanjaro, and in 2011, he became the first person to circumnavigate Lake Malawi in his kayak unaccompanied. As if this weren’t enough, after just a few weeks of R&R, he set out to tackle another of Africa’s great lakes: Lake Tanganyika – the world’s longest and second-deepest lake. He is a very keen birdwatcher; he never goes anywhere without the best compact binoculars and is slowly but surely adding many new birds to his already large photo album.

Indian Ocean Leader

A true citizen of Africa’s universe, Michelle had visited every continent but lost her heart in the Indian Ocean island known as Zanzibar; and while working there, she had an offer to work for the International Brand Management in the travel retail sector, which relocated her to Africa 20 years ago. At that time, she knew it was time to venture beyond the Duty Free shops, shelves and actually leave the Airport Terminal building. Feet firmly on the soft white sands of the Indian Ocean shores since 2009, Michelle, through her passion for travel, spices and island hideaway has been known for helping politicians, ambassadors, celebrities and wired corporates rediscover their mojo…albeit under a coconut tree and cocktail in hand.

Safari Kenya Leader

Simon is as eccentric as it gets. He’s lived in Kenya for 26 years and is the go-to person for private guided safari trips in East Africa. With an honors degree in Zoology from London University, Simon talks the talk and walks the bushwalk.

Unlike most teenagers, Simon spent his teens obsessed with a different type of bird, and travelled the globe birding, visiting Africa, the Middle East and Europe. He then pursued an advertising career in London but wasn’t able to travel as much as he used to. He jumped at the opportunity to move to Kenya when he was given the chance, and explored every inch of Africa, getting professional guide qualifications along the way through the KPSGA (Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association).

Simon has been directly involved in supporting key conservation projects in Laikipia and the Mara to ensure that key habitats and their unique, diverse fauna and flora will remain for generations ahead.

Morocco Leader

Mustapha Bouinbaden is a berber mountain guide based in the high Atlas Mountains. He graduated from the training center for Mountain Guides in Morocco (Centre de Formation Aux Metirs de Montagne CFAMM). He has been leading treks in the Atlas Mountains as well as in the Sahara desert for more than 9 years and is our go-to man on the ground in Morocco. The passion he has for the history and its people is unsurpassed. There really is no better way of exploring these incredible, scenic landscapes than with this guy in Morocco.

Uganda Leader

Kelley has lived in Kampala, Uganda since 1991. She came to Africa as a dentist working with a faith-based organization and fell in love with the beauty and splendor of Uganda. “Tourism is not only my vocation, it’s my passion.” With a busy office in downtown Kampala, this mother of two teenagers does not lead as many safaris as she once did, but she still finds time to travel about the country regularly as well as work with conservation organizations like Rhino Fund Uganda and Uganda Wildlife Education Center, where she’s a board member. She also works with the American Chamber of Commerce and consults on tourism issues.

If adventure is what you seek, then join Tribal Tourist today and discover Africa. They turn travellers into explorers! Share your comments with us.