There are many moving parts to a safari. Camps change, landscapes shift, new guides and teams are introduced, and each destination brings an entirely different set of experiences. On every departure of The Asilia Edit, however, there will be one constant throughout the journey: a Dedicated Host travelling alongside the group from beginning to end.
It is one of the defining features of The Asilia Edit, our collection of curated small group tours through East Africa. Each departure will have its own Dedicated Host, there to provide continuity throughout the journey, smooth the transitions between destinations, anticipate the needs of the group, and become a familiar point of contact along the way. When the first departure of The Asilia Edit sets off this October, it will be Baraka Thomas in the role of Dedicated Host on The Signature Edition.
From camp manager to travelling host
Baraka is no stranger to creating memorable safari experiences. Having spent many years working in camp operations, including as a camp manager, he now forms part of Asilia’s Guest Experience team. His understanding of both the operational and personal sides of hospitality makes him particularly well placed to accompany the first group.
For Baraka, the opportunity to become a Dedicated Host represents something slightly different from his previous roles. “What excites me most is the opportunity to be part of the guests’ entire journey,” he explains. “Having spent many years in camp operations, I’ve always been passionate about creating memorable experiences, but this role allows me to connect with guests on a more personal level.”
That distinction is important. A camp team may spend several days getting to know a guest before it is time for them to continue their journey. On this departure, Baraka will travel with the group. As the landscapes and camps change, that relationship can continue to develop.
The value of a familiar face
The October departure of The Signature Edition will take guests from Naboisho Camp in Kenya’s Naboisho Conservancy to Namiri Plains in the eastern Serengeti, before finishing at Jabali Ridge in Ruaha National Park. Three camps. Three distinct landscapes. Three different teams waiting to welcome the group. Moving between them should feel effortless.
Baraka describes the Dedicated Host as “a constant point of support throughout the journey” – someone who gradually gets to know the guests, understands what matters to them, and helps each stage feel personal. That familiarity becomes increasingly valuable as the journey progresses. “I think it gives guests a real sense of comfort and connection,” he says. “They know there is always someone familiar who understands them and their journey, regardless of where they are.”
This is the role the Dedicated Host is intended to play on every departure of The Asilia Edit: providing a thread of continuity as everything else around the group changes. While every camp provides its own warm welcome, guests have someone travelling alongside them who already knows their journey.
It’s often what you don’t see
Much of what makes exceptional hospitality feel effortless happens out of sight. A preference remembered. An arrangement double-checked. Information passed ahead to the next camp. A potential complication recognised and resolved before it ever becomes a concern.
“It’s often the little things happening behind the scenes,” Baraka explains. “Remembering preferences, anticipating what a guest might need, checking that arrangements are in place, and communicating ahead with the teams.” Guests may never know about many of these moments. In many ways, that is precisely the point. Baraka’s years in camp operations have taught him that hospitality is not simply about responding when something is requested. It begins much earlier.
“Great hospitality starts with knowing your guests. Building that connection helps you understand the little things that matter to them, anticipate their needs and personalise the journey in a way that feels natural.”
It is an approach particularly well suited to a small group journey. Travelling together over several days provides an opportunity for relationships to develop organically and for the Dedicated Host to understand the individuals behind the itinerary.
When safari has other plans
Of course, even the most carefully curated safari cannot control everything. Wildlife does not follow a timetable. Weather can intervene. Plans occasionally need to change. Part of the joy of being on safari is accepting a certain amount of unpredictability. It is in these moments that having an experienced Dedicated Host travelling with the group can become especially valuable. “For me, it’s about reading the situation, reassuring the guests and adapting quickly,” Baraka says.
Not every unexpected development needs to feel like a disruption. Sometimes, he points out, “those unplanned moments become the best stories and memories from the journey.” The role of the Dedicated Host is not to remove the spontaneity that makes safari so rewarding, but to take care of the details around it. Guests can embrace the unexpected, knowing there is someone alongside them helping everything else fall into place.
The beauty is in the journey
For his departure this October, Baraka will accompany guests across three very different corners of East Africa. Asked which part he is most excited to share with the group, he finds it difficult to single out one. “The beauty is in the journey itself,” he says. “Each place has its own character, wildlife and experiences, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the guests connect with each one differently.”
Perhaps that captures the purpose of the Dedicated Host particularly well. The Asilia Edit is about more than the individual camps on an itinerary. It is about what happens between them, the experiences that connect them, and the journey that emerges when they are brought together. For this first departure, Baraka will be there to experience that journey alongside the group.
He hopes to create a warm and relaxed atmosphere, where guests can enjoy travelling together while still having the space to experience safari in their own way. There will be shared game drives, meals, conversations and discoveries, but ultimately everyone will take something different away from the experience.
Leaving the details to someone else
There is a certain luxury in not having to think about what happens next. Knowing that someone is communicating with the next camp. That arrangements have been checked. That there is a familiar person to speak to if you have a question. That someone has come to understand how you like to travel without needing to be reminded. For Baraka, that is ultimately where the value of travelling with a Dedicated Host lies.
“The greatest value is having someone who gets to know you throughout the journey, understands your preferences and anticipates your needs,” he says. “It makes the experience feel seamless, personal and allows you to simply relax and enjoy every moment.”
This October, Baraka will have the privilege of putting that philosophy into practice as he accompanies the very first departure of The Asilia Edit. The people filling the role may change from one departure to the next, just as the landscapes and experiences differ across the four Editions. What remains consistent is the idea behind it: every group has someone travelling alongside them who understands their journey, takes care of the details, and provides a familiar point of contact from beginning to end. Leaving guests free to concentrate on the reason they came in the first place – experiencing Africa.
Choose the Edition that works best for you, and join the journey.
