There is something about safari life that makes you forget all your sorrows and feel as if you had drunk half a bottle of champagne — bubbling over with heartfelt gratitude for being alive.”

Karen Blixen

A sunset over an African savanna with scattered trees and clouds in the sky.
A person standing next to a safari vehicle in an open grassland with animals grazing and a large tree in the background.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

As serendipity would have it, a solo safari to Tanzania in 2009 changed the course of my life, eventually leading me to leave my career in corporate America and build an entirely new career in Tanzania.

Here is where I found the freedom to breathe life into my vision for Sidai Designs, a social enterprise that has grown into a creative hub for jewelry, interiors and design. Rooted in the extraordinary craftsmanship of Maasai women, Sidai today brings together traditional skills, contemporary design and new materials to create everything from jewelry to bespoke pieces for some of East Africa’s most beautiful spaces.

Woman sitting on a tree branch using binoculars to look at distant scenery in a vast open landscape with scattered trees and a cloudy sky.

FROM STORIES TO SAFARIS

As more and more people heard stories of “my other life” in Tanzania, they started asking me to organize their trips and safaris. Those early journeys made me realize how much I loved sharing this extraordinary part of the world with others. I went on to train as a professional Tour Director and Tour Guide at ITMI, and what had started almost by accident gradually became something much more. Safari Atelier was born and has since grown into an established safari company, designing and operating countless private journeys throughout Tanzania for travelers from around the world.

Having lived and worked in Tanzania for more than 15 years, my knowledge of the country comes from being here, on the ground, every day. I know the parks, the seasons, the camps and the people behind them, and I am constantly seeing what is changing, what is new and what is genuinely worth experiencing. Over the years, I have built deep relationships with exceptional guides, camp owners and communities across the country. It is this firsthand, constantly evolving knowledge that shapes every Safari Atelier journey we create.

LIFE BEYOND SAFARIS

Close-up of a monkey's face, showing detailed fur and brown eyes, with a dark green background.

There are lots of baboons in our garden in Arusha.

Close-up of a happy, brown dog with black nose and open mouth showing teeth, outdoor setting.

Pili is our longest living rescue, she is 14.

A woman with glasses and a young boy smiling, sitting close together, with the woman wearing a white shirt, on an airplane.

Proud mama to one incredible little human.

A tabby cat with a brown coat and green eyes is lying on a gray surface in a living room with a dark gray sofa, a small wooden table, and framed artwork on a white wall.

Missy adopted us 5 years ago, she is the queen of our home.