The Experts' Guide to Safaris
Somehow, it feels unlikely that the industry’s most renowned safari experts call Newport Beach home. And yet, luxury safari design agency and Volume 2 member, Ubuntu Travel, was named a Condé Nast Top Travel Specialist for the past four years.
While the husband-wife duo who founded Ubuntu Travel are indeed Newport Beach-based, their roots in Africa run deep. “It’s been in my blood and a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” shares South African-born Kyle Green. It’s clear that their shared passion for safari exploration also runs deep. They are both emphatic that “a safari in Africa is more than just a trip — it’s a life-changing, inspiring journey.”
By all Ubuntu Traveler accounts, the Greens and their international team achieve such life-changing experiences routinely — for clients and the communities and wilderness landscapes they encounter. “Every journey we create transforms the lives of our travelers and contributes to local conservation and community development,” reports Kyle.
To understand how Ubuntu Travel achieves this for its ultra-discerning clientele, we chatted with Kyle and Leah, who dished on their top travel tips and favorite itineraries.
TRAVEL PROFILES
Like most great businesses, Ubuntu Travel’s origin story is interwoven with that of its founders, Kyle and Leah Green. Born and raised in South Africa, Kyle Green developed a passion for African wildlife and landscape at an early age. It was only natural that he take the entrepreneurial leap with his wife, Leah.
KYLE GREEN
Hometown: Newport Beach, CA by way of Johannesburg, South Africa
High School: Corona del Mar High School
College: B.S. from SMU, MBA from USC
First Safari: Some of my earliest childhood memories are of going on safari. It’s been in my blood and a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
Favorite African Destination: East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, & Rwanda, Uganda) for the range of experiences and wildlife. Tanzania + Kenya for the great migration, big cats, and incredible abundance of wildlife. Rwanda + Uganda for the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees.
Next Safari: Exploring Zambia in more depth, particularly experiencing South Luangwa’s famous walking safaris.
LEAH GREEN
Hometown: Newport Beach, CA
High School: Newport Harbor High School
College: University of Michigan
First Safari: At Michigan, I was the Chair of an organization called Student Athletes Leading Social Change and was able to travel to Kenya to assist in the construction of a school that our organization funded.
Favorite African Destination: Botswana! The density of wildlife and opportunities for up-close interactions is unmatched. Pair with Cape Town for amazing food and sightseeing, and the Cape Winelands for relaxation and wine tasting. And don’t miss your chance for a late afternoon mokoro canoe ride!
Next Safari: The Seychelles!
TRAVEL TIPS
TSG Newport Beach: What does the safari planning process look like with Ubuntu Travel?
Kyle Green: To create truly unforgettable African experiences for our clients, it all starts with relationships. We take the time to build a strong connection with both our clients and our on-the-ground partners to deliver completely private, tailor-made luxury itineraries that strike the perfect balance between comfort and adventure.
Every journey starts with a conversation so our team can craft the most personalized experience possible. If geographically possible, we prefer to meet in person to best understand each client’s preferences, interests, and, ultimately, dreams for their adventure.
From there, we create a customized itinerary based on the client’s desires, ensuring every detail aligns with their vision. Once the itinerary is confirmed, our team handles all the logistics, providing comprehensive travel guides and insights to ensure clients are fully equipped for an unforgettable experience.
TSG Newport Beach: And once clients touch down?
Leah Green: Our team, many of which are based across Africa, ensures every experience is seamlessly organized so clients can fully immerse themselves in the experience and, most importantly, create the lasting memories that inspired Kyle and me to create Ubuntu Travel. And, should travelers ever need support while abroad, Ubuntu Travelers have a direct line to us or our team.
TSG Newport Beach: You work with an amazing breadth of travelers — from solo adventurers to multi-generational groups — how do you help clients hone in on the right itinerary for their safari?
Kyle Green: For those who have yet to go on a safari, it can be difficult to decide where to start and what mix of locations is the best! A unique set of questions and personal experience from our travel designers helps us design a safari specifically for you. That personal connection, paired with our extensive experience and personal connections throughout Africa ensures we will design the perfect trip.
TSG Newport Beach: It’s clear Ubuntu Travel takes a uniquely personalized approach. Why is this so important?
Leah Green: First, Africa is huge. The United States, Europe, India, Japan, and China could all fit into the African continent. Some wilderness spaces are the size of Texas! In other words, you can’t see it all. So, our personal approach allows us to discover and acknowledge which experiences are most important to our travelers. This, in combination with our thoroughly vetted rolodex of local partners, empowers us to design a safari that is deeply personal and moving.
TSG Newport Beach: What kind of experiences does Ubuntu Travel specialize in facilitating?
Kyle Green: We create elevated experiences tailored to each client. Whether it’s experiencing high-end cuisine or enjoying traditional favorites shared with locals, luxury lodgings or philanthropic endeavors, relaxation or adventure-seeking, we connect Ubuntu Travelers with highly sought-after guides, experiences, and accommodations.
TSG Newport Beach: Let’s talk logistics. What should travelers consider when planning a safari?
Leah Green: For travelers who have specific tastes, lodges, or experiences in mind, we highly recommend beginning the planning process 12 months in advance. Some of our favorite lodges are incredibly intimate — think three to twelve rooms — so they book quickly during peak travel periods. That said, we have planned incredible adventures with just a few weeks notice. Last-minute travel is possible!
TSG Newport Beach: Are there any logistical elements that surprise travelers?
Kyle Green: The luggage restrictions are the biggest surprise. Small bush flights restrict travelers to soft-sided duffel bags and weight limitations. But we can help ease concerns with our travel-tested packing lists.
TSG Newport Beach: It feels impossible to talk about safari and African tourism without considering its environmental and social impact. How does this influence your business model and itineraries?
Kyle Green: We believe travel can change lives. And we’ve found this belief to be equally true for those who go on safari – it’s truly life-changing – and the wilderness areas and communities living alongside, and at times in solidarity with, wildlife. Ubuntu Travel is, down to our name, inspired by the essential human virtues of compassion, sympathy, kindness, respect, and humanity. We spread ubuntu through travel, conservation, cultural discovery, and zest for adventure.
To do so — and help our clients do so — we only partner with companies that share our ethos and organizations that lead the way in conservation and community development.
“WE BELIEVE TRAVEL CAN CHANGE LIVES, FOR TRAVELERS, COMMUNITIES, WILDLIFE, AND ENVIRONMENTS.”
TSG Newport Beach: Can you share specifics of how you accomplish this?
Kyle Green: Our Conservation Safaris — like our rhino conservation experience — exemplifies these efforts well. Additionally, we have partnered with “With My Own Two Hands,” an East African organization dedicated to the development and social empowerment, especially that of women, in rural communities. Ubuntu Travel also partners with Ocean Co. which ensures our clients contribute to preventing ocean-bound plastics from ever reaching oceans. To date, Ubuntu Travelers have prevented 630,000 plastic bottles from reaching our oceans while supporting 730 collectors and workers. And that’s before Ubuntu Travelers even leave the United States.
TOP DESTINATIONS
For honeymoons… Safari in South Africa followed by island adventures off the coast of Mozambique. View Ubuntu Travel’s 14-Day South African honeymoon itinerary…
For multi-generational trips… Exploring the Okavango Delta in Botswana. View Ubuntu Travel’s “Best of Botswana” itinerary…
With friends… Wine tasting in the Cape Winelands. View Ubuntu Travel’s “The Best of South Africa” itinerary…
For couples… Mnemba Island in Zanzibar. View Ubuntu Travel’s suggested itinerary…
For milestone celebrations… Witnessing the Great Migration in East Africa (Kenya & Tanzania). View Ubuntu Travel’s Summer Safari itinerary…
For eco-tourism… Kenya to focus on wildlife conservation programs. View Ubuntu Travel’s suggested itinerary…
For adventure… Cape Town to Victoria Falls. View Ubuntu Travel’s suggested itinerary…
For good… Rwanda for the expansion of gorilla habitat in Volcanoes National Park. View a Gorilla Trekking and Safari Experience itinerary…
To relax… Clear blue waters of Seychelles. View Ubuntu Travel’s suggested itinerary…
To learn more about working with Ubuntu Travel or begin planning a bespoke safari, reach out to the Volume 2 members here. For wanderlust and an insider’s perspective on Africa, follow along with their Newport Beach + Africa-based team on Instagram. And don’t forget to tell them Scout sent you.
