I'm Nancy Johnson from Illinois let me introduce myself as your concierge to travel. I am your coordinator and there for you every step of the way. In the USA I assist you with packing, visas, and airlines. In Tanzania I pick you up at the airport and travel with you, making sure you have no worries as we explore this amazing country. That's why I'm called a concierge, its a completely different way to travel as you have me 24/7 as you plan and as you travel. I love sharing my passion. I'm partnered with my friends in Tanzania, Wilderness Legends. Explore their website www.wildernesslegends.com Here is from their ABOUT US page.
Nancy has had a passion for travel since she lived in Greece for a year as a child. But her heart, from the time she was 10, was in Africa. Being able to take guests to her favorite place is a dream come true. In her real life she works for the Dept of Ag and runs an animal sanctuary and AirBnB. Helping others is in her very core of her being. She has traveled extensively though South Africa and Tanzania and met Wilderness Legends in 2022 and knew this safari was more than travel, it was to be friendships for a lifetime- it was the beginning of a 2nd chapter in her life, assisting others and making Africa accessible and easy for solo travelers. She is detail oriented, well organized and a people person - making friends everywhere - perfect for her roll as a travel coordinator. She plans to retire in 2026 and help more people experience Africa !
About Wilderness Legends Africa
At Wilderness Legends Africa, our mission is to deliver safari services which exceed the expectations of our travelers, care for their safety, and guarantee they have the safari of a lifetime! We offer tailor-made travel to many of Tanzania’s natural wonders, including the Serengeti Plains, Ngorongoro Crater and the northern circuit, Mount Kilimanjaro, the remote southern parks of Ruaha, Nyerere and Mikumi, the far western reaches of Mahale, Gombe and Katavi, and the exotic island of Zanzibar.
Why Choose Wilderness Legends Africa
Our guides are the best in the business. They are well-educated through extensive coursework and personal research on the flora, fauna and ecology of Tanzania’s parks. They are expert game trackers with an encyclopedic knowledge of East Africa. With a combined experience of 80+ years, they are highly trained in safari and tour operations, hospitality principles, safety & first aid, rough road driving, wildlife identification and wilderness ethics. They are all multi-lingual, at a minimum speaking English, Swahili, a tribal language, and often one or more other languages.
At Wilderness Legends Africa, our mission is to deliver safari services which exceed the expectations of our travelers, care for their safety, and guarantee they have the safari of a lifetime! We offer tailor-made travel to many of Tanzania’s natural wonders, including the Serengeti Plains, Ngorongoro Crater and the northern circuit, Mount Kilimanjaro, the remote southern parks of Ruaha, Nyerere and Mikumi, the far western reaches of Mahale, Gombe and Katavi, and the exotic island of Zanzibar.
Why Choose Wilderness Legends Africa
Our guides are the best in the business. They are well-educated through extensive coursework and personal research on the flora, fauna and ecology of Tanzania’s parks. They are expert game trackers with an encyclopedic knowledge of East Africa. With a combined experience of 80+ years, they are highly trained in safari and tour operations, hospitality principles, safety & first aid, rough road driving, wildlife identification and wilderness ethics. They are all multi-lingual, at a minimum speaking English, Swahili, a tribal language, and often one or more other languages.
Donatus Gadiye, Founder and Co-owner, was encouraged to take up guiding by friends and tourists on safari who came to appreciate his confident leadership style and unbounded knowledge of East Africa.
Donatus completed outdoor leadership and wilderness skills coursework by the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Lander, Wyoming, USA and Wilderness Inquiry (WI) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. NOLS and WI provided instrumental training in outdoor skills like rock climbing, mountaineering, backpacking, and safari transport.
They also imparted the philosophy of “Leave No Trace” wilderness ethics as well as addressing the many dimensions of ecotourism. Donatus passed these courses with distinction, acquiring the necessary skills to become a superior guide and tour operator.
In addition to his outdoor leadership training, Donatus has a master’s degree in Natural Resource Management from Egerton University in Kenya. In 2024 he will complete his doctorate in Natural Sciences, specializing in elephant conservation.
As the Senior Conservation Officer in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), he coordinates population monitoring for elephants and all other wildlife in the NCA. During his career as a park warden, Donatus has worked for the protection of the Northern Highland Forest Reserve as well as monitoring and protection of black rhinos on the Ngorongoro Crater floor.
Daudi:
After completing his secondary education, Daudi worked as a student teacher at the Rift Valley Children’s Fund for several years. He then pursued additional advanced secondary schooling, and also earned his certificate in Basic Computer Sciences. This was then followed by over ten years working in operations for the lovely Kisima Ngeda Tented Camp property. You’ll now find Daudi in our office at the Ngorongoro Tourism Center building, handling the daily operations for Wilderness Legends. He’s the guy that makes sure everything is in order for your safari!
Cynthia & Steve:
A chance encounter via a mutual friend has led to a great partnership with Wilderness Legends and its team. Over thirty years as small business owners in the U.S., Cynthia and Steve help behind the scenes with marketing, and are also very involved with the guests, acting as client liaisons to help answer any questions about what to expect on your safari, what to bring, questions about vaccines and visas, and anything else that might come up that you need to know.
With two years of living in the country now under their belts, their ‘boots on the ground’ knowledge will contribute to you having your best safari. They also personally travel to the camps and lodges to make sure they meet the standards that our guests have come to expect. Feel free to reach out to them with any questions you might have!
Boniface:
Boniface studied at the Mount Meru Tour Guides College in Arusha, and regularly attends workshops and additional training courses to stay current with needed knowledge to maintain his professional guide status. His experience spans over two decades, including a six-year stint as a hotelier.
A passion for nature and wildlife in general is what inspires him and contributes to his love and success as a guide. He is also actively involved with the Maasai Girls Rescue Center in Karatu – a really wonderful organization!
Elia:
After attending primary and secondary school in Kenya, Elia worked in a variety of industries, as a truck driver and a hotelier. Later, after attending the wildlife college in Arusha, he then pursued a career as a professional guide.
Guiding for over twenty years now, Elias loves everything about it. Working with the clients (who often become friends) is a great reward. In addition to that, he loves being in nature with all wildlife, but especially birds – his true passion!
Baraza:
Baraza has been in the safari industry as a professional guide for almost 35 years, after having attended the Wildlife College in Arusha. As a naturalist, he loves all wildlife, but in particular has an affinity for the big cats, and also birds.
For him, the best part of being a guide is providing a superior experience to his clients while on safari, including sharing his knowledge of Tanzania and her cultures, too. When he’s not guiding, he enjoys most of all to spend time with his children and grandchildren, along with farming, mechanical work, and helping those in need.