As founder of Headed to Africa,  I don’t operate traditional safaris — I curate safari–conservation trips that introduce people to Africa as I’ve experienced it: "Incredible wildlife encounters through expertly guided game drives, paired with meaningful, behind-the-scenes access to conservation work through the organizations I’ve worked and traveled alongside".

I partner with some of the best specialist safari guides in Africa to design these journeys, personally organizing the experience and often traveling with guests to help shape it firsthand.

I’ve spent years returning to Africa, learning from extraordinary guides, researchers, wildlife teams, and the conservation organizations I’ve collaborated with. Over time, friends and colleagues began asking to see Africa the way I do: private, flexible game drives, time with exceptional guides, and authentic encounters with conservation teams. That personal, purpose-driven style of travel became the foundation for Headed to Africa.

Today, my focus is more intentional. I connect with people through conservation events, donor communities, and creative collaborations — and when someone feels compelled to experience Africa more deeply, I help open that door. I introduce them to the organizations I know well, the rangers and veterinarians I’ve spent time alongside, and the landscapes where conservation is actively unfolding.

When clients choose to travel, established safari specialists manage the logistics, while I help shape the conservation experience on the ground with the NGO teams in Africa. This may include time with anti-poaching units, observing wildlife procedures with vetted veterinary teams (within ethical guidelines), or visiting long-standing community-led projects with proven impact. The specific experiences vary — it depends on the conservation work underway at the time and what the client feels most drawn to participate in.

This isn’t traditional safari tourism. It’s purposeful, immersive travel — shaped by meaningful relationships and grounded in responsible, ethical engagement.

Guests stay in eco-conscious luxury lodges, learn directly from conservation leaders, and encounter wildlife in unforgettable and often intimate ways. And because these journeys are deeply personal rather than mass-produced, they’re tailored to individual interests, timelines, and preferred levels of involvement.

I believe the most meaningful moments in Africa happen when you step into the work that protects it.

SAFARI & CONSERVATION

EXPERTLY GUIDED

How I travel matters.  A truly exceptional safari doesn’t happen by chance — it’s shaped by experts who understand the countless details that influence the experience. Working with specialist private safari guides is invaluable; their deep knowledge of wildlife behavior, local ecology, cultural context, and even the political landscape of each region ensures every day is thoughtful, safe, and deeply enriching.

Time flexibility is essential for me. I like having the freedom to leave camp before sunrise, stay out longer when the bush is alive with activity, and shape each day around what we want to explore — whether that’s studying animal behavior, photographing wildlife, trekking on foot, or spending time with community-based conservation projects. (All, of course, within the regulations of the reserve.)

But even with the best planning, nature has her own script. Some of the most powerful moments I’ve experienced were completely unplanned — the surprises you couldn’t schedule even if you tried. Learning to welcome that unpredictability has transformed how I safari.

I stand firmly for ethical, responsible travel in Africa. I only work with specialist guides and operators who are aligned with legitimate conservation and wildlife-management initiatives. And to be clear: I do not support hunting in any form.

UPCOMING SAFARI CONSERVATION ADVENTURES

ABOUT LISA GOLDSMITH- Filmmaker | Conservation Traveler

     LISA GOLDSMITH

FILMMAKER |  CONSERVATION  TRAVELER

My journey spans a prolific 30-year career as an Assistant Set Decorator and Buyer in the film and television industry, and a deepening commitment to Africa’s conservation landscape. With roots in London and architectural studies at UCLA, my work has taken me from Los Angeles to London, Vancouver, and New York — shaping a visual and creative foundation that continues to influence everything I do.

But it was my connection with Africa that opened an entirely new chapter. Over the past thirteen years, traveling through its wild landscapes and working alongside dedicated conservation teams has reshaped my understanding of the natural world. Through volunteer work with organizations such as Wildlife ACT, Africa Impact, Ulinzi Africa Foundation, and ME to WE — and through strategic alliances with NGOs including Project Rhino, Rhino 911, Blood Lions, The Soft Foot Alliance, and Game Rangers International — I’ve gained invaluable insight into the urgent realities facing Africa’s wildlife. I also support conservation fundraising efforts through global initiatives like the annual Global E-Race Extinction and others.

Over time, this deep immersion in conservation — from fieldwork to collaborations with NGOs and involvement in fundraising — expanded my path beyond film. In 2020, I created Headed to Africa as a natural extension of this work: a way to share the Africa I had come to know through years of experience, relationships, and on-the-ground involvement. It’s not a safari company; it’s a platform that brings people into meaningful connection with Africa’s wildlife, landscapes, and the dedicated teams protecting them.

Today, my work bridges filmmaking, conservation advocacy, and purpose-driven travel. Whether I’m in the field with rangers, collaborating with NGO partners, or guiding travelers into deeper conservation engagement, my approach remains rooted in a single belief: connection inspires protection.

I also carry a deep love of design from my decades in film, and that perspective naturally extends into the way I see Africa’s lodges and wild spaces. This has evolved into a growing interest in styling and refreshing safari lodges — work I share more fully through my Curating Wild Spaces portfolio on this site.

Visit Lisa's IMDB profile for a glimpse of her cinematic journey: IMDB Profile. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0326101/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2

Education: UCLA - Interior Design/Architecture

Lisa@HeadedtoAfrica.com

US 323-420-5390 | UK +44 7477 014320