The Call of the Wild: How Africa Shaped Kirsty Gordon and Sparked Anywhere in Africa Safaris

Some people fall into careers. Some are nudged. And then there’s people like me, who are claimed by a continent. It started at age 19, a heartbeat I found a rhythm in and one that I’ve been dancing to ever since.

The Invitation That Changed Everything

After finishing school, I was invited to a 21st birthday celebration in Botswana by my friend Caroline Hartley. Caroline’s parents were safari pioneers, founders of one of Botswana’s earliest operators, Hartley Safaris. Her father, Dave Hartley, had helped shape the safari landscape long before luxury canvas tents became a trend on Instagram.

It was meant to be a celebration, yet for me, it became a conversion. A calling, if you will.

There, in Botswana’s wild theatre, I experienced my first safari. That trip introduced me to the people behind a safari. Families who built conservation into meaningful commerce, where it was more about giving than taking. Operators who understood that tourism, done intentionally, could protect wilderness and create opportunity.

Africa was no longer a postcard. It was a possibility. And I knew I had to be part of it.

The Big Fish and Bigger Lessons

Travel for me was never passive observation. It was participation. Africa taught me that experiences are not consumed. They are earned.

Take the Tiger fish I caught on the Zambezi a few years back. It was not just about landing a big fish. It was about patience. You see, the wildness allows you in but only if you are fully present.

That is Africa’s way. You do not spectate. You engage.

Three Bucket Lists and One Mountain

For someone who once felt unsure of the path ahead, I returned from overseas with three very clear promises to myself:

• Summit Mount Kilimanjaro
• See lemurs in Madagascar
• Trek mountain gorillas in Rwanda

Kilimanjaro was my proving ground. The long, lung-burning ascent. The thinning air. The quiet negotiations in my own head at altitude. Reaching Uhuru Peak was not just about standing on Africa’s highest point. It was about remembering that growth happens step by step, especially when the air feels scarce.

Madagascar offered wonder in wide-eyed, ring-tailed form, playful and prehistoric all at once. 

Rwanda delivered reverence. Kneeling in mist as gorillas moved with ancient calm, shifts something in you. It is impossible to leave unchanged.

Each journey stitched something new into my understanding of this continent and its extraordinary generosity.

From Personal Passion to Purpose

Over time, I began to notice a pattern. Every transformative moment I experienced was guided by people who cared deeply about their land and communities. The safari industry, at its best, is equitable. Intentional. Legacy-driven.

And so a question formed quietly in my mind:

What if more travelers could experience Africa this way?

Not rushed. Not surface-level. But meaningful. Responsible. Defining.

That question became Anywhere in Africa Safaris.

It was never a boardroom brainstorm. It was born from lived experience. Anywhere in Africa Safaris is my way of creating those defining moments for others. Connecting travelers with lodges that give back. Crafting journeys that are not just holidays, but stories that stay with you long after your boots are unpacked.

Africa Gives Back

When I look at what Africa has given me, the list stretches far beyond landscapes.

It gave me resilience on a mountain.
Patience on the water.
Humility before wildlife.
Friendships rooted in dust and dawn.
A career built on purpose.

And perhaps most importantly, it gave me a way to invite others into the same love affair that began with a 21st birthday in Botswana.

Sometimes all it takes is one trip.
The rest becomes a lifetime.