Shownotes
A Tanzania luxury safari and conservation experience awaits! On this episode of Luxury Travelers Podcast, Hosted by Rodney George, he unveils a 2026 Tanzania safari (August 14–25) with Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld, CEO of African People & Wildlife, and Tim Tetzlaff, Director of Conservation for the Naples Zoo. Discover exclusive behind-the-scenes safari access, from rhino tracking in Ngorongoro Crater to meeting entrepreneurial women in beekeeping conservation in Tarangire. With only 12 spots available, this intimate luxury safari blends opulent travel with authentic conservation stories, connecting you with Tanzania’s wildlife and its champions. Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Explore a Tanzania safari with private charter flights and luxury stays.
- Dive into a conservation safari experience with rhino and elephant tracking.
- Witness the iconic wildebeest migration in the Serengeti.
- Meet Maasai elders and women in beekeeping conservation.
Book your Tanzania safari now! Visit us at Luxe Travel to secure one of 12 spots for this exclusive 2026 luxury safari with conservation experience.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Reflecting on the emotional experience of a lion’s roar on a Tanzania Safari, crediting the community conservation experience.
02:20 Offering a rare behind-the-scenes luxury safari seeing lions, rhinos and elephants going where other tourists are not allowed.
06:34 Meet women entrepreneurs in beekeeping conservation, the importance of pollinators and protecting the land around the beehives.
12:56 Discussion of the luxury safari, private chartered flights, interaction with locals, and overview of itinerary.
22:26 Luxury Tanzania safari experience scheduled for August 14th - 25th in 2026 is limited to twelve people.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Exclusive Tanzania safari offers behind-the-scenes safari access, including off-road rhino tracking in Ngorongoro Crater.
- Experience a luxury safari with private charter flights and intimate encounters with Maasai elders and conservationists.
- Witness Serengeti’s wildebeest migration and Tarangire’s beekeeping conservation protecting half a million acres.
- Limited to 12 guests, this 2026 Tanzania safari blends opulent travel with an authentic conservation experience.
ABOUT THE GUESTS:
Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld
As CEO of African People & Wildlife, Laly Lichtenfeld is committed to a world where communities and wildlife coexist and thrive. A twenty-four-year resident of Tanzania, she co-founded African People & Wildlife in 2005 to empower rural communities to conserve and benefit from their surrounding wildlife and natural resources. Laly specializes in holistic, landscape-level approaches to conservation and community development. As one of the few female CEOs in East African conservation, she is also passionate about elevating rural women as environmental leaders and drivers of social change in their communities.
Tim Tetzlaff
As the Naples Zoo’s Director of Conservation, he oversees funding for 27 field staff in seven countries and serves as Chair of the Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group. As the son of Naples Zoo founders, he has cared for diverse animals and educated millions, continuing his parents’ legacy by hosting Tanzania safari trips. He holds leadership roles, including President of the Florida Association of Zoos and Aquariums and board member for the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. With degrees from The Ohio State University, Tetzlaff, alongside his wife and daughter, blends conservation experience with luxury safari adventures.
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Transcripts
Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld: Yeah, for me, I mean, that's the thing, you know, it's an incredible feeling. Um, years ago, the Terrin Gary [00:00:15] Lion population was in steep decline. Uh, the community together with our team has come back and brought that roar back, not just to the national park, but also to the community surrounding the park.
h elder who tells you about, [:That's something really special when you see how important this wildlife is beyond your own eyes. But from a community perspective, it's very, very special.
Voiceover: Welcome [:So buckle up and prepare for a journey into the lap of luxury. [00:01:30] Now your host.
uh, we have a guest who may [:But Tim Teslov is the director of Conservation for the Naples Zoo. And Tim, [00:02:00] I think you've got probably the most exciting, uh, safari. Opportunity coming up next year, uh, that I've, that I've seen from you or from, from, for that matter, for most anyone else. And so, Tim, why don't you, uh, say [00:02:15] hi to everybody and then introduce our special guest and we'll get rolling.
Oh, good morning, Rodney. Good afternoon or good
safaris, one or two a year. [:So, uh, without further ado, my co-host for this, uh, safari. We is going to be the CEO of [00:02:45] African People in Wildlife, Dr. Laley Lichtenfeld, uh, that's A-N-G-O-A-A non-government organization based in Tanzania with about 250, uh, members of her team. Uh, and they're celebrating their 20th year. So we're looking forward to having a wonderful time together, [00:03:00] uh, exploring a lot of different things they do on the ground there.
but getting to step into the [:Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld: Hi Tim. Uh, so thrilled to be talking with you all calling in from Tanzania, my home for the last. 25 years. [00:03:30] So excited to be able to welcome people to Tanzania next year on this incredible journey that we have crafted together. Uh, we are going to be going to some of the most wonderful places, meeting the people behind the scenes, uh, that are [00:03:45] just doing remarkable conservation work, helping to save the big cats, elephants, rhinos, and all the other little critters out there too.
So I'm just so thrilled to be, uh, to be here with you all today and to be talking about this wonderful trip.
dney George: I know that you [:But what are the moments on this particular safari that you guys have put together just simply aren't available on other out of the box safaris?
aley handle the jury of that [:Uh, that is extraordinary that we have inside in Goran Goro crater. Uh, we're going at a time of year, uh, when it's a. [00:04:45] Perfect time to be in Tanzania for the wildlife, uh, and to be able to be in the crater and have the rangers take us off road where other tourists are not allowed to go. Uh, and that's a very special experience to be able to see the [00:05:00] rhinos in that space and some of the other animals that we encounter along the way, but guided by the, the head of the Rhino program and then will.
aordinary sites. But, uh, we [:Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld: Kudi of course, is a remarkable national park, [00:05:30] but very little known.
nia's very critical breeding [:Elephants that are moving from Kenya and Tanzania across wide landscapes. We're [00:06:00] tracking them. Um, and we'll have the opportunity to meet the team, to talk about the challenges, maybe even meet some of the National Park staff, get behind the scenes and really understand conservation from the people who are doing it on the ground every day.
Uh, we of course [:C, the wildebeest and the, and the zebra. But then after that, heading to my home, the Terran Gear M landscape, we're gonna be able to witness women who are, you know, protecting the land [00:06:45] through beekeeping. They're putting up hives, they're harvesting honey, they're improving their livelihoods while they're protecting their environments at the same time.
our environmentally friendly [:Just on my back porch there, we'll have a home cooked meal and really talk [00:07:15] about what life has been like out there over the last 25 years.
hat's based on Tanzanian law [:Uh, so to give you some perspective of the impact in the last decade because of beekeeping, these programs have, uh, protected [00:07:45] over a half a million acres of habitat, uh, for the folks in Florida. Imagine driving from Naples to the East Coast. Look left three miles, look right, three miles the entire way.
and that's the equivalent of [:Uh, it's, it's directly connected to, uh, to Lely and, and the work. Uh, we've been supporting this work for the last decade. Uh, very happy to be along for half of that 20 years, uh, and supporting, uh, 11 of their staff, [00:08:30] uh, for their salaries. So, uh, we've got a great team here, uh, and to craft this custom safari.
a safari as possible. You'll [:And you're not gonna have [00:09:00] those long days of bumpy travel where you got seven hours in the vehicle to get from one place to the other. Uh, so we're trying to, um, I, I've been taking safaris to, uh, east Africa for 15 years, and so as, as you learn and. [00:09:15] Understand what makes a very enjoyable safari. We, we refine that more and more.
est for your safari, for the [:Uh, so we'll be up in that landscape and the camp we have [00:09:45] is basically the center of the crossing zone. So we've got great access to break left or break right, uh, to check for those crossings. So, uh, it, it is truly custom crafted.
You know, many safaris, uh, [:But I think you guys are kind of taking a, a little bit of a different approach, and not only the wildlife, but the people that are there, the people who don't see tourists every day. Uh, the women entrepreneurs that, [00:10:15] that lately was just talking about, those are kind of an essential part of this safari, I believe, aren't they?
ten the piece that they miss [:And we're talking now, we're gonna be talking to the real conservation champions on the [00:10:45] ground. This is, work is difficult. It is hard. They do it with a smile. They give every last bit to their efforts, and they are so excited to always meet and talk about their work and show people what they're doing. So I think that really makes it very unique.
Um, [:Rodney George: [00:11:15] Well, and, and I know that, uh, uh, you're gonna have some encounters with your staff as well, I believe, right?
d many of the team have been [:We'll also meet some of the folks that come from the local communities and are driving conservation in their own [00:11:45] communities. Um, it's really a community led approach and that also makes it very unique.
le of years ago, but it just [:Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld: That's right. Yeah. I am a National Geographic Explorer. Been so fortunate to have a, a very long-term relationship with National Geographic, [00:12:15] um, and they really helped us in the, in the early years to spread the message about Big Cat conservation and continue to work with them today. In fact, one of the team member members that you may meet is also a National Geographic Explorer, Alys Morda, [00:12:30] and he's a Maasai elder and absolutely just a wonderful gentleman to meet.
f my favorite phrases, and I [:Tim Tetzlaff: Yeah. And, and I wanna be very clear, [00:13:00] this is first and foremost a luxury safari. So you'll have all the amenities, all the wonderful places, uh, that you'll see on a lot of other safaris, but we've crafted it so you get the best of, uh, and. [00:13:15] The, the truly special moments on safari are the moments you're interacting with people along with those stunning wildlife moments as well.
is, the most impact, or most [:What I've wanted to do is take that experience, which you know, there's gonna be somebody coming in half an hour after you are, and they're gonna see the same people and go through that same thing the people we're gonna be talking to. [00:14:00] They don't see tourists two, three times a day. We're gonna be talking to communities that are completely out of those tourist routes.
ere you travel in the world. [:Uh, that's the, that's the stories you're gonna come home with, the people you met and what they're doing, how hard it is, but also the successes. I mean, she's brought wines back to areas where [00:14:45] like. The night was quiet and now the roars are there and the pride, the, the community has that they have been part of that solution to bringing, bringing the prides back.
Rodney George: The pride that they have. A pride. A
Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld: pride for the pride,
Rodney George: [:Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld: And I would add to the authenticity, Tim, it's also, I mean, we are working with teams that really know these landscapes. They have a feel for the wildlife. They have a feel for their people. So sometimes we just end up in the right place at the right time [00:15:15] because we kind of have an.
ntributes to just remarkable [:Rodney George: Knowing that you've just stood beside the very people that made that encounter possible. [00:15:45]
ck, not just to the national [:And actually, when you talk to a Messiah elder who tells you about, you know, the disappearance of that roar and the return and what that means to him in terms of his legacy. In terms of his culture and how important [00:16:15] the lion is to the culture and how important it is to him that his grandchildren are hearing the roar of lion.
community perspective, it's [:Tim Tetzlaff: It's a really rich thing to, to get the full color of that. I mean, seeing some of these sites, I mean, they're Instagram moments to be sure, but. But you can see Instagram moments from other people.
[:Rodney George: So those are kind of the moments that you and I were talking about the other day that, that make you say that this is what makes this so unusual and so [00:17:00] unlike anything else, right?
Tim Tetzlaff: Yeah. It's again. There are many luxury safaris departing every day.
are departing all the time. [:Rodney George: Tim, what are the dates of, of this trip for next year?
th. Uh, but we do have a [:Uh, you get to be on the ground with giraffe. So there's some, some wonderful things, uh, going on there. [00:18:00] I can run through the itinerary real quick. And, uh, lely, if you can. You can provide any color along the way, just so they see the full run of the itinerary. So again, private chartered connections through all these places.
ere you land at Kilimanjaro, [:Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld: Savannah landscape, very beautiful surrounded by mountains. It's just a very, very special [00:18:30] place that very few people go.
rater, where this is a world [:Most people only take one. Uh, and this is where we'll meet up with the Rhino team and get off-road [00:19:00] experiences. Uh, and then of course, it's up into the, uh, the world renowned Serengeti National Park. Uh, we will be staying, uh, very short distance from the river, uh, and again. So close in proximity, we can go to where the [00:19:15] crossings are and, and wait for that iconic moments.
You can never guarantee it, but we're in the right place at the right time. Uh, from there, and,
gonna be a lot of fun, isn't [:Tim Tetzlaff: Oh, yes, yes. Uh, and, and yeah, just here and there. We're
Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld: gonna raise a toast once or twice, I think, in a very beautiful place.
Rodney George: That's where Tim gets to play. Bartender, right?
hat's a wonderful thing. Uh, [:Absolutely. And, and Serengeti is, [00:20:00] is an incredible place to do that. Uh, and beyond the river, we're in Serengeti, so the wildlife is extraordinary. Even if the river were not there, this is. One of the most magical places on earth, uh, to get into that natural environment. Uh, and from there [00:20:15] we fly into a private airstrip.
. Taryn Geary is the home of [:The landscape is just screams Africa at you. Uh, and so we've got, uh, time [00:20:45] down there to both enjoy the park, enjoy the programs with Lely, uh, and then we'd have one more flight, a quick about 20, 25 minute hop back to ausa. Uh, we'll get. A great opportunity to enjoy shopping in town. Uh, so anybody who wants [00:21:00] to pick up their tanzanite, uh, we've got great opportunities for that.
ed people are walking to the [:And as wonderful as that is coming into the country, it's 10 times better on the way out. Uh, 'cause you don't go through [00:21:30] two security screenings standing in the line, filling out forms that are very confusing. Uh, so we handle. All of the, all the things on safari that people wonder about. We take care of your tips, we take care of your laundry, we carry your bags, we provide you a bag.
Uh, all [:Rodney George: So if you guys are just hearing from Tim for the very first time, you might get the idea that he and legally have done this before.
f: Well, we, we've done it a [:And
re kind of behind the scenes [:Rodney George: Yeah. And in, in wrapping this thing up, there's, there's, there's kind of a [00:22:30] good news, bad news thing here. The good news is it's limited to 12 people. The bad news is it's limited to 12 people. Right?
Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld: Absolutely. Yeah. And we added it needs to be a small group. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. So that we can offer these intimate experiences.
Of [:Tim Tetzlaff: Yeah, from the people who've been on Safari before, were at six per vehicle. We added a bonus vehicle, so it's four people per vehicle. So if you've [00:23:00] got another couple you wanna travel with.
You'll be traveling in a private vehicle with just, just your four people.
t like, this is a dream trip [:They're much better. I wanna see, I wanna [00:23:30] see how high you can jump without bending your knees. Oh, no honey, that's noted. I gotta bend my knees to cheat. Lily, I, I want videos of that. Okay. Uh, I'm, that's been noted. Well, guys, [00:23:45] we wanna keep this short so that people will, uh, will get the, the, the deal, the gist of it, but they also, we have a ton of information that can come along to 'em as well.
has been fun. And folks, if [:Wow. Mayor son. Well, just like we say, uh, when we close up, uh, anything Tim? Tim, you got any last thing you wanna say? 'cause I was just about to shut it [00:24:30] down and then I thought I better give you the last word here. Come
Tim Tetzlaff: have a fun time with a couple friends who really love Africa and one who's lived there for 25 years.
Uh, you'll have incredible experience.
here and remember everybody, [:Voiceover: Thanks for joining us on the Luxury Travelers Podcast. For more information, head on over [00:25:00] to luxury travelers podcast.com to connect with our team or leave us a message. Until next time, safe travels and savor the [00:25:15] extraordinary.
