Discover CAT Safaris

Who is Mahinda of CAT Safaris?

If you're considering going on a safari to Africa, why should you consult with me, Mahinda? The main reason would be if you prefer a custom safari for yourself and your family rather than joining a group of strangers on a safari. Designing a custom safari is a complex process, unlike planning a custom vacation to Europe, for example. Many people plan their own vacations to Europe because most of the information is available online. If you don’t like the hotel, switching to an alternative one is relatively simple. However, in Africa, it's different. If you choose a safari lodge or camp and find that you don’t like it upon arrival, you're stuck. Switching lodges/camps on arrival is not easy at all. The safari lodges/camps that offer the most authentic experience are small, with some having very few rooms. They have the best trained and most skilled safari guides, which are crucial for a successful safari. Moreover, if you don't like the facilities of the safari lodge/camp, there is unlikely to be another one nearby, and certainly no Uber to take you to an alternative one further away. Most lodges /camps are serviced by small bush planes with limited flights per day or week. In addition to choosing the right safari lodge/camp, you'll also want to select a lodge/camp that offers the safari activities that interest you the most. Today, there are many activities available, such as tracking mountain gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda, walking amongst the Big Five on Private Concessions in East Africa, learning about wildlife conservation, visiting local communities, and exploring geographical features such as the Great Rift Valley. With limited flights and a variety of safari activities based on lodge/camp location, it's not surprising that most people give up on the idea of a custom safari. Instead, they choose pre-planned group safaris that somewhat meet their preferences. However, you don’t have to give up on a custom safari, as this is where I can help you. We’ll have an extensive conversation, either over the phone or in my office, to carefully consider all the different options and create the perfect safari itinerary that suits you and your companions or family.

Why should you come to me for help with your safari planning? To begin with, I was born and raised in Kenya and I have a big family, many friends, and an extensive network of contacts throughout Africa that I can leverage when planning safaris. I have experienced all aspects of a safari while living in several different African countries and working in the travel industry. I have been living in California for over 20 years now and I have expanded my travel career by venturing into conservation work, humanitarian projects and logistics work on various film and photo projects. I frequently travel to East Africa to scout for new locations, expand my safari connections, and experience these new locations for myself before taking my guests on their African adventure. Living in the US and at the same time spending a lot of time in Africa, gives me an advantage of understanding both cultures and having an insight into what my guests might value and appreciate while traveling. As such, who better to consult for a safari than someone who has grown up in Africa, worked in the safari industry both in Africa and the USA, and is now based in Sacramento, California.  

My mission is to provide enlightening, life enriching and potentially life-changing travel experiences that bridge cultures through positive interactions. I take pleasure in the art of fine-tuning travel details to please even the most seasoned of travelers. Whatever your holiday dreams might be, from bush picnics in a dry riverbed to the walks on the whitest beaches on the coast of the Indian ocean, a close encounter with a rhino or a leopard to the family adventure of a lifetime, the ideal round of golf with a warthog looking on from the sides of the green to the perfect spot to watch a river crossing during the Great Migration, I will gladly make your dreams come true! With decades of established relationships at my fingertips, from local guides to hotel staff, I will go to great lengths, wherever you’re traveling, to ensure your travel experience is everything you dreamed it would be.  

So, give me a call and let me share my extensive knowledge of Africa and safaris to help you plan an unforgettable safari!