Guide Profile

Dave Simpson - Professional Guide                                               

I was born in 1966 in Nakuru, Kenya, into a family who had been farming in the Solai Valley since 1912.  In 1972 our family moved to South Africa where I was educated, finishing with a Mechanical Engineering Diploma.

With camping and travel being my true love, I returned to Kenya in 1990 and started working in the Overland industry running “long haul safaris” (6 – 10 weeks) from Kenya to Zimbabwe. This was invaluable experience. I then began guiding with a small budget company running safaris through East Africa, namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Congo and Ethiopia. Traveling through these countries was where I learnt most of my bush craft and safari logistics. I also learnt how to manage some of Africa’s cultural differences. After three years of running international budget camping safaris I joined various high-end safari operators such as Royal African Safaris, Ker and Downey Safaris and Robert and William Carr Hartley, where I learnt how to run ‘safaris in style’ throughout East Africa and surrounding countries.

In 2008 Jayne (my wife) and I started Dave Simpson Safaris Ltd, which is a luxury mobile safari operation run from our home in Nairobi. We run small, exclusive, tailor made safaris to anywhere in East Africa. Coupled with our experience, local knowledge and the resources available today, we can offer the discerning traveler an unforgettable African experience.

My other passion is photography and we offer photographic workshops for those who are wishing to learn more about photography. These workshops are run as set departures or can be tailored to the needs of a group. To find out more please look at our website www.davesimpsonsafaris.com

Working in the safari industry has been a challenging and rewarding career. I have seen many amazing sights and met some fascinating people, many of whom I am still in touch with.    

During our free time Jayne and I take any opportunity to go on safari privately, using a roof tent and a simple kitchen in the back of the car. This system has allowed us to explore and learn more about Africa and her ways. We love the wide-open spaces of Africa, especially if they are littered with mammals basking in the early morning sun.

I am a Gold Level Guide within the Kenya Professional Safari Guide Association (KPSGA).

I speak English and Kiswahili.

I am a Kenyan citizen