Spotlight On Hannah Strand

Is there something you are passionate about besides safaris?

Yes! So many things, women’s health and yoga being two of them. I co-founded Mwandamo Women CIC, an I-NGO with the mission of improving women’s healthcare across Northern Tanzania. I love connecting with women in communities bordering our wild spaces, listening and discussing how to empower them and improve access to healthcare.

Yoga is also a big part of my life. I was certified as a teacher in 2016 and I love leading sessions out on safari, whether it’s in the shade of an acacia, in the middle of the savannah, or perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the plains. These moments allow us to slow down, breathe, and really connect with our surroundings.

And of course, I’m deeply passionate about having my kids with me on safari. I guided my first safari nine weeks postpartum both times, and Willow and Chala have each been on 15+ working safaris with me and Chris. Guiding together allows us to be a family unit — just as I grew up on safari with my own parents. I love watching my girls interact with the crew, learning to bake bread, clean up camp, and witness the teamwork it takes to run every safari. They’re also learning about nature’s intricacies, from Willow’s passion for birds to Chala’s obsession with babies, and gaining so much from meeting guests who’ve traveled across the globe. For me, these moments and the bonds forged in the wild are truly priceless.

 If you could be any African wildlife species for a day, which one would you choose and why?

An elephant, but specifically the matriarch of a family group. I’d love to feel the connectivity and communication between the family. Also, to be the boss 😉

What’s the most amusing or unexpected encounter you’ve had with an animal while on safari?

I was sitting on the door of an open safari vehicle while watching a pride of lions lazing around in the afternoon heat. I sometimes sit on the side to more easily speak with everyone in the back. As I was answering questions and discussing the lions’ behaviour, one of the big male lions got up and started walking towards the car. With habituated lions, ones used to the vehicles, they aren’t afraid and may even rest in the shade of the car. I was expecting that he may do just this or perhaps walk past… he walked up to the car on the side I was seated, turned and proceeded to mark (drench) me with his urine. Wow, let me tell you it’s not easy to get the smell of lion pee out of your clothes/hair/skin.

If you could invite any historical figure, alive or not, on a safari, who would it be and what animals would you hope they’d encounter?

For me, it would be Jane Goodall. And it wouldn’t be to show her a specific animal, but to be with her in these beautiful intact ecosystems and hear about how she has spent her life fighting to protect them.

Do you have a favorite wildlife-related joke or pun that you like to share with guests to lighten the mood? I most certainly do! But only in the right time and place, and in the company of elephants. If you’ve been on safari with me you know the one I tell!

If you were stranded in the wild for a day with only three items, what would they be?

Hat, drinking water, binoculars.

What’s the quirkiest or most interesting wildlife behavior you’ve ever observed during a safari?

Behaviour is so often surprising! No sooner have you decided a certain species would *never* do something, they will find a way to prove you wrong. An example that comes to the top of my mind is a young male cheetah and adult hyena hanging out in the Serengeti plains together. The cheetah kept chirping at the hyena, and purring, and the hyena just laid there beside him watching and listening. Stories and experiences on wildlife behavior are endless and best shared around the campfire under the stars.

If you had to give a safari animal a personality trait, which one would you make the “class clown” of the animal kingdom, and why?

Any of the baby animals!

If you could create a safari playlist for your guests, what songs would be on it to set the mood for the adventure? I have so many safari playlists!

For rainy days, for sunrise drives, for sundowners, for long days in transit from A to B…I love music. If “What’s Going On?” by 4 Non-Blondes comes on in the car with me, I challenge you to sing it louder than I do!

Do you have any favorite wildlife-themed books, documentaries, or movies that you recommend to your guests for a deeper safari experience?

BBC’s The Hunt (series)

Queen of Trees by Mark Deeble and Victoria Stone (film)

Castles of Clay by Alan Root (film/book depending on medium)

Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal (book)

Ecological Intelligence by Ian McCallum (book)