Private East Africa, designed by the people who host you
Black Willow is a Zanzibar-born travel atelier. The specialist who plans your safari is the same trusted team that meets you at the airport — designing private journeys across East and Southern Africa.
Founder-led — planned and hosted by the same teamZanzibar-born · designing across East & Southern Africa5-star guest reviews on Wanderlog & tourhubA travel designer replies within 2 hours, 7am–11pm EAT
Rooted in Zanzibar. Reaching across East Africa.
The willow bends to the journey you want
Most safari companies sell trips. We design journeys — private, unhurried, shaped around your pace — and then we host them ourselves. No handoffs to anonymous ground operators. No call centers. The person who sketches your route knows the guide who will drive it, because they work side by side.
That is what our guests describe in their reviews: personalized attention, seamless logistics across borders, and a founder who stays in touch from first call to final farewell.
15+Years of experience
15kHappy travellers
10kSuccessful safaris
5kMICE events delivered
Signature journeys
Six ways into East Africa
Every journey below is a starting point, not a package. Prices are honest from-rates per person for two travelers, including park fees — your specialist confirms an exact quote before anything is booked.
Tell us five things. Watch your safari take shape.
Travel month, nights, party, interests, comfort tier — that is all our itinerary studio needs to draft a day-by-day route with realistic pricing and honest seasonal advice. Built on the same route library our specialists use, so the draft you see is a trip we can actually run.
Save it, print it, or send it straight to a specialist on WhatsApp with every detail attached.
“The Black Willow Experience team met us at the airport in Nairobi — and stayed with us the whole way.”
Our guests mention our founder by name in their reviews, because he is part of the trip: meeting arrivals, checking in across borders, adjusting plans when the weather or the wildlife suggests something better. That is the difference between a company that sells East Africa and one that lives here.
“Personalized attention, well-organized tours and exceptional guides. A truly luxurious and worry-free experience from the first email to the last transfer.”
Wanderlog review summary Multi-day private safaris, Tanzania
★★★★★
“The Black Willow Experience team met us at Nairobi airport and stayed in contact through the entire trip — Kenya, Tanzania, then Zanzibar. Every border, every lodge, seamless.”
M. & J., United States Kenya → Tanzania → Zanzibar
★★★★★
“The Zanzibar Beach Holiday was exactly as promised — private, unrushed, and full of small touches we never asked for but loved.”
Guest review via tourhub Zanzibar Beach Holiday, 7 days
★★★★★
“A 5-star safari experience. Our guide read the landscape like a book and the logistics simply disappeared.”
S., Germany Northern circuit, private safari
Reviews collected on Wanderlog, tourhub and Touristlink under our founding name, Black Willow Safaris. Read more →
The Willow Fund
Every journey gives something back
Each confirmed booking funds classroom resources and marine-conservation education for school students here in Zanzibar, where Black Willow was born. It is one program, chosen carefully, reported honestly — not a logo wall.
We publish the annual number, and guests are welcome to visit the program when they travel with us.
