Lauren Johansson

*Featured in Condé Nast Traveler as a Top Travel Specialist*    

I’ve been with Go2Africa for two decades and still get excited about putting together a dream vacation – a handful of beauty, a bucketload of wildlife, a sprinkling of ‘take your breath away’ moments, and heaps of genuine, passionate people from Africa makes for magic.  

I grew up in rural Eastern Cape, South Africa, and my first grand adventure at the age of 19 was to Kenya – that destination stole my heart and I still call it home. But let’s be honest, I’m the consultant at Go2Africa who likes to go to those off-the-beaten-track places; if you can’t pronounce it, then I’ve probably visited (or am planning to). My ideal vacation is one where there are no people but plenty of wildlife or spectacular scenery – travel through Africa is never, ever, boring.   

What excites me most is when I get requests for off-the-beaten-track places – or multi-generation families whose parents or grandparents have visited and want to introduce the younger generation to the wonders of the continent. Africa has a way of stealing a part of your heart and soul – if you didn't feel that, then your travel agent didn't send you to the right places!     

Soulful Safari Reflection    

I last visited Lamu 30 years ago and recently had the opportunity to return to this special place on the East African coast. My greatest fear was that modernization would have changed this fascinating place, and I was really nervous about visiting again. I was so happy that Shela and Lamu remain as I remembered – so charming, still slow-paced.  

When my fiancé and I checked in at our beach lodge on Manda Island, it wasn't two days before we decided that this was our perfect elopement spot. My dream wedding, with two in attendance and some new friends – lodge staff and fellow guests, took place at sunset on the beach. Nothing could have been more perfect and impulsively romantic! I could have spent weeks planning this, but it ended up that I handed the reins to the lodge manager and said, ‘Do what you do best,’ and it was 100% exactly what we wanted. A moment that will never be forgotten and at the very top of my list of ‘best things ever’ in Africa.  

Meeting the meerkats at Makgadikgadi Salt Pans comes second – and that was INCREDIBLE too (a life-changing experience!). Africa tends to give 'best moments,' so much so that it's often hard to decide which are the best. 

Most Memorable Experience Organised for a Client  

The thing about visiting Africa is that often you end up making friends with your guide, lodge staff, and fellow guests. Keeping in touch during the good times and the not-so-good times – I had a family who had visited Kenya before COVID and who befriended one of the lodge staff. When things went terribly wrong and no one could travel, this family contacted me to ask how they could help their friend.  

We arranged an entire herd of goats – yes, goats – to be delivered to his family. There were many of us involved in planning this heartwarming surprise – to this day, I get a tear in my eye thinking about how kind people can be. The giving back to wildlife or community is what makes my heart sing, and I’ll arrange any surprise for anyone so long as it's a happy one!  

My Best African Travel Advice

My biggest mistake on my first safaris was definitely that I had a camera in front of my face most of the time – I truly wish I had been taking memory photos. Just pause – close your eyes, listen to the sounds around you, smell the air, open your eyes and take it all in. Those brief moments of just being in a place and feeling the absolute peace of the moment.   

The other thing that I’ve learned to put aside is the stress and tick boxes – coming on safari, everything is preplanned – you actually do not have to think about anything. Relax and enjoy the time here. Probably my best piece of advice when coming to Africa is to consider visiting just off the peak season – often by moving your travel dates by a few days or weeks, you can enjoy the highlights (such as the migration) but avoid crowds. The best part is you get incredible deals, meaning you can book that lifelong dream of a hot air balloon ride or upgrade to accommodation that caught your eye. Personally, I feel just off-peak time is the best time to visit.  

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• Condé Nast Traveler Contributor