Episode 4: Women in Tourism, Safari Edition
Maasai guide Nashipae, of Basecamp Explorer, on the Mara Naboisho Conservancy. By Kathryn Romeyn
It took a dozen safaris in a handful of African countries for Kathryn to meet her very first female guide, at Basecamp Explorer in Kenya’s Mara Naboisho Conservancy. She made a lasting impression. In this first installment of a series on women’s roles in tourism, we tackle the emergence of females in the African safari business and look at the records of a few leading safari companies. Kathryn speaks with the aforementioned Agnes Nashipae (Nash for short), an inspiring Maasai young woman who avoided the tradition of early marriage in order to continue her education and turn her passion for wildlife into a career. And then we hear from the pioneering female founder and CEO Deborah Calmeyer of ROAR Africa, a mostly female-staffed high-end safari company. She shares her perspective on the rise of African women and what she’s doing to promote of woman-led experiences change the narrative.
Follow @basecampexplorer and @roarafrica for daydream-worthy safari photos and @conscioustravelerpod for a peek at Kathryn’s experience with Nash.
Zimbabwe-born ROAR Africa CEO Deborah Calmeyer on safari.