Why Africa? An Interview with Sherwin Banda from African Travel Inc.

This travel journal is part of our TravelStore Passport Diaries Podcast. Watch the full episode below, and for more episodes, visit our Passport Diaries Podcast page or follow us on your favorite podcast platform.

The continent of Africa is large, diverse, mysterious, jubilant, complicated…and completely breathtaking. It is a place that, once visited, changes its visitors forever. As Sherwin Banda from African Travel Inc. shares, “You can leave Africa, but Africa will never leave you; it becomes part of your soul.” Yet, many travel enthusiasts find traveling to Africa out of reach or intimidating for a variety of reasons. It may strike them as very far away and difficult to reach, or its multitude of countries with vastly different cultures and ecosystems are too overwhelming to choose from. Many people simply do not know where to start – because they haven’t met Sherwin yet.

Sherwin Banda is the President of African Travel Inc., one of our esteemed safari tour partners that crafts stunning trips to all parts of Africa. His company specializes in all-things African travel, including game drives Tanzania to see the Big 5, gorilla trekking in Rwanda & Uganda, cultural & culinary immersions in South Africa, and much more. He sat down with us to share why traveling to Africa is not only far more accessible than some people believe, but it is also a phenomenal choice for travelers who want their travel dollars to actually make an impact.

Here is an excerpt from our conversation with Sherwin. Watch or listen to the full Passport Diaries podcast episode for more!

TRAVELSTORE

What do you love about bringing people to Africa for the first time?

SHERWIN BANDA

“Oh my God, I love that question. The only way to answer it is… it’s like going home and showcasing the place that I love and bringing that and sharing that with people. When people see and meet Africans there is a familiarity there that is felt and understood when they say, “Hello.” It’s like it’s a heart-to-heart soul connection. And then taking them on these journeys and having them experience, you know, the food, the lifestyle, the cities and most importantly, meeting Africa’s ancient cultures and wildlife.

There’s a saying that Africans often say: “You can leave Africa, but Africa will never leave you.” It becomes part of your soul because you travelled. I often say travel is the best education of bringing hearts together and cultivating understanding and internalizing that meaning because you took the journey. That’s the part that gives me goosebumps.

I know Africa is amazing. I’ve lived in Africa, I’ve breathed Africa. But to see how Africa touches people in real meaningful ways, that, to me, is a blessing.”

TRAVELSTORE

What do people expect when they ask you about traveling to Africa?

SHERWIN BANDA

“Most people will tell us they are going to Africa for the wildlife – the biggest surprise is everything else. Africa is so much more than the wildlife. The wildlife certainly is going to capture your reality and your imagination and the awe of seeing this wildlife firsthand because you cannot see this wildlife in any other part of the world. But Africa is a place of diversity. It is a place of influence.

When I look at customer feedback and surveys, the underlining thread that people say is, “I didn’t know…” Or something like, “It was more than what I thought it would be.” And I love hearing that. I think Africa is the world’s best kept secret in terms of travel, because the percentage of global travel that touches the continent of Africa is less than 10%. Yet the impact of the people who visit is far greater.

So, it’s exciting to share Africa with the world. It is exciting to tell the stories of Africa because once people hear it, they are awakened at what is possible when they travel to Africa.”

TRAVELSTORE

For those who are traveling to Africa for the wildlife, what is it like going out on safari?

SHERWIN BANDA

“The thing about going on Safari is you have something around every corner. And you don’t know what you’re going to find until you make that turn. One of my favorite animals to see is the leopard; they are so elusive. And when you look at it with the untrained eye, it looks like there is nothing…and then all of a sudden, the guide will point to your attention to a particular part of the Bush, and all of a sudden…there it is. The leopard has been camouflaged by its coat and its surroundings. There is a moment of complete awe and silence as you just take in what you are actually looking at. Most people will never find a leopard unless they have gone with a trained guide who knows what to look for. And most safari camps where our clients are going to stay will have a guide and a tracker.

TRAVELSTORE

What is the difference between a Guide and a Tracker?

SHERWIN BANDA

“The Tracker sits on a chair in front of the vehicle and is looking at the floor or into the distances for movements or tracks of animals. They will follow the tracks of the animals, or, if they spot something in the distance, they will direct the Guide – the Ranger – to go into a specific area and find this wildlife.

Nine times out of ten, if you make a wish to see an animal, you are probably going to find it on Safari. That’s how well trained these Guides and Rangers are when they take people out on these game drives.

Animals don’t necessarily see individual people, they see a shape. So, the vehicle would be a shape. And while you are in the vehicle, it’s pretty safe. And the Guides and the Rangers are very mindful about where these animals are and do not congregate together in one spot. So, when you go on Safari, if there’s a sighting, the Safari Guide would radio to all the guides in the nearby area, “I am here. I’m here at an elephant sighting.” They know that they have to hang back.

There is a great care for the wildlife when you are on Safari. And wildlife will continue to come to the area because it is safe for them. It’s a very fascinating thing to witness, having done many, many safaris. What’s impressed me the most is the amount of care these Guides and lodges and Trackers have in terms of the responsibility that they have for these animals and for the people who are there to see it.

TRAVELSTORE

Let’s talk about conservation and what it means to balance the impact and necessity of travel when it comes to Africa.

SHERWIN BANDA

“First of all, Africa’s lifeblood – in terms of growth – is tourism. Tourism is such a key cornerstone to economic development for the African continent. If people didn’t come and invest and travel to Africa, Africa could not – with its infrastructure – grow and provide jobs to most families.

At African travel, we are part of the Travel Corporation and we are the only company that has trademarked “Make Travel Matter.” so people ask, “Well, why is that such a big deal?”

It makes a difference when people choose to buy their travel purchase with a company that has a proven track record with regards to sustainability. The proceeds of that travel goes directly into the local communities and building in their investment and commitment to education and protection of traditions because people want that when they visit. So that’s the human aspect.

The wildlife aspect: In Africa, most of the regions where wildlife roam are protected areas. In most cases, the people who have taken responsibility for the that land has lived there for generations. They are the custodians of that land. So what the government does is say, “Fine, we are going to lease this land from you and people who come are going to pay a concession fee.” That concession fee protects the investment of that land, but it gets given back to the community and the protected areas for the wildlife to roam free. So every dollar that comes is done to protect causes to protect wildlife.

And I think I can give you my personal story…”

Check out the rest of our podcast with Sherwin from African Travel to hear how the travel industry changed Sherwin’s life for the better in innumerable ways and what else you can expect on your journey into the heart of Africa!

Photos by Katie Cadar