Who Are We?
The idea for Drive Into The Wild was born in 2003, when Richard, our Co-Founder, drove his expedition equipped 4x4 vehicle from London to Cape Town and back to London. Visiting more than 25 countries throughout the African continent, this trip formed the inspiration for Drive Into The Wild.
Fast-forward 20+ years, and Richard and his partner Kristin live in East Africa operating their business together. They have completed several overland trips, exploring and fine-tuning the best self-drive safari routes for intrepid travellers to discover the beauty of East Africa’s stunning landscapes and national parks, many of which don’t feature on typical tourist itineraries.
We have an unquenchable passion for East Africa, its wildlife, wild lands and people. Operating safaris in East Africa since 2003, we divide our time between our offices in Kigali, Kampala and soon-to-open Nairobi.
We have been fortunate over the years to travel the length and breadth of the African continent. Our most recent overland journey included driving around Lake Victoria, which is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropical lake and the world's second-largest freshwater lake. Traversing across four countries, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda, we covered in excess of 4,500 kilometers by road.
Our strength is local knowledge combined with curiosity: from the very best national parks, lodges and tented camps; to the most exciting activities and rewarding behind-the-scenes experiences. Striving to give our customers an authentic insight into the many wonders of East Africa, we are always on the lookout for the very best of what the region has to offer.
Drive Into The Wild is a trading name of the Travaleur Group, which is home to some of the finest travel brands in East Africa. Our office teams in Kigali, Kampala and Nairobi are comprised of an International mix of individuals from Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Canada, UK and Switzerland.
“There are those who say that the sense of exploration is in all of our DNA. Many people are happiest when discovering new destinations. Combine this basic human instinct with the ancient practice of sleeping under the stars in the midst of nature, and you have the perfect recipe for a hugely rewarding visit to East Africa.”
- Richard Pfäffli