Gary Strand

Founder and Managing Director of Wildlife Explorer, Gary originally formed the company with his parents (John & Ella) and late wife (Jill), after leading long range expeditions across the length and breadth of the African continent
As a keen Naturalist and with his great in-depth knowledge of the areas in which Wildlife Explorer safaris, Gary's enthusiasm for the bush is quickly contagious!

Since 1980, Gary has been roaming and guiding across almost every country in Africa eventually settling in Tanzania where he has built Wildlife Explorer into the premier safari outfitter it is today.

Trained as a professional photographer, his eye for a great photograph has seen numerous publications and exhibitions including the front cover of Geographic magazine. Many of Gary's guests return time and time again to experience unspoilt Africa, choosing invariably to accompany him in areas that permit the freedom to walk and use less than orthodox methods to get that shot!

Although Tanzania is his first love, guests continually request his company when wishing to safari in other big game African countries, to date including Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.

Wilderness is Gary’s passion, which combined with a wry sense of humour makes for a very unique safari in the bush!

“I consider it an exceptional privilege to have been able to spend so much of my life surrounded by Africa’s unique peoples, landscapes and wildlife and to have been able to unfold the magic that is Africa to so many of my guests”

Born in the UK, Gary quickly escaped, to immerse himself in the African continent and live a life of pure wilderness. He lives with his wife Jo and their 3 children, Hannah, Jamie and Hunter on a small shamba outside of the tourism capital Arusha, in northern Tanzania.