Tanania Impact Storytelling Expedition
May 2027 · Tanzania, East Africa
This is not your typical group trip. In partnership with AFRISOS, Raichlee and I are leading a small-group expedition to Tanzania! An expedition built around collaborative storytelling, cultural preservation, and one of the most meaningful communities in the world: the Hadzabe.
You'll witness the Great Wildebeest Migration, photograph some of East Africa's most iconic landscapes, and work alongside the Hadzabe Media Center to create media that actually benefits the community you're documenting. The work you create here has a life beyond your camera roll.
✦ Accommodations, exact dates, and budget are being shaped collaboratively with interested participants. Reach out to express interest and we'll build this together.
Location
Tanzania, Africa
2027
May TBA
Price
TBA
Difficulty
Moderate
Max People
10 participants
Expedition Itinerary
Exact day-count is being finalized. The below reflects the intended flow of the expedition.
KILIMANJARO / ARUSHA · ARRIVAL
Arrival & Group Orientation
Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport and transfer to Arusha. Explore local coffee farms and markets, run through gear and media prep, and share a group dinner to align on intentions for the expedition ahead.
LAKE NATRON
Lake Natron & The Mountain of God
The drive toward Lake Natron winds through dramatic, almost Martian terrain. The lake itself — brilliant pink and red from salt-loving algae — is a flamingo breeding ground unlike anywhere else on earth. Opportunities to photograph Ol Doinyo Lengai, the sacred active volcano revered by the Maasai, and a possible Maasai community touchpoint.
SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
The Great Wildebeest Migration
April–May is rutting season in the Serengeti — male wildebeest battling for mates, herds stretching for 40 kilometres across vibrant green plains. Lions and cheetahs follow close behind, targeting vulnerable calves. By late May, the herds begin moving toward the Grumeti River for their first major crossing. The green season landscape, reduced crowds, and extraordinary predator activity make this one of the best times to be here with a camera.
NGORONGORO CRATER → KARATU
Ngorongoro & the Road to Yaeda
Descend into Ngorongoro Crater — a collapsed ancient volcano that forms a self-contained ecosystem with some of the highest wildlife density in Africa. Near-guaranteed sightings of the Big Five, including the endangered black rhino. Overnight in Karatu among farms and forested hills before the final leg into Yaeda Valley.
YAEDA VALLEY · HADZABE TERRITORY
Time with the Hadzabe Community
The heart of the expedition. We arrive in the Yaeda Valley during honey harvesting season — one of the most culturally significant times of year for the Hadzabe. Alongside community members, participants will take part in hunting, foraging, and the honey harvest itself. This is observational and participatory, not performative.
YAEDA VALLEY · HADZABE MEDIA CENTER
Collaborative Storytelling & Media Work
Working through the Hadzabe Media Center, participants will co-create photo and video content that the community has direct agency over. This includes documenting traditional knowledge, supporting language preservation, and building a media archive that lives with — and benefits — the Hadzabe themselves. Photographers and filmmakers of all experience levels are welcome. This is not about perfect technique; it's about meaningful documentation.
CLOSING
Debrief, Post-Processing & Departure
Group review of the media created, storytelling debrief, and discussion of how participants can continue as ambassadors for the community and the campaign. Depart for Arusha / Kilimanjaro or extend your time in Tanzania.
Why This Trip Exists
The Hadzabe are going viral right now — but almost none of that attention benefits them. TikTok and Instagram are full of content portraying them as "the last Stone Age tribe," sensationalized for clicks, with communities earning nothing and controlling nothing about how their stories are told.
This expedition is a direct response to that. In partnership with AFRISOS and the Hadzabe Media Center, we are building a model of collaborative, community-led storytelling — one where the Hadzabe own the narrative, the media created serves cultural preservation, and participants leave having contributed something real.
If you lose your food systems, you lose your culture. Honey harvesting, foraging, and traditional knowledge are disappearing as globalization accelerates. This project exists to document and preserve that knowledge — in the community's own voice, for future generations.
Photo & video storytelling assets co-created with the Hadzabe community
Media assets supporting Children of Honey — an impact campaign connecting Hadzabe food systems to global environmental issues
A potential photography book or written editorial piece produced from the expedition
Real-world experiential learning and strengthened documentary skills for all participants
Exhibitions planned for Toronto and New York
Opportunity to continue as a long-term storyteller and ambassador for the community
What Could Come Out Of This
What's Included
INCLUDED
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All in-country transportation between destinations
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National park entrance fees (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Natron)
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Expert guide and safari vehicle
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Access to Hadzabe Media Center programming
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Photography & storytelling mentorship throughout
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Group meals on expedition days
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Accommodation (details being finalized with participants)
NOT INCLUDED
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International flights
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Tanzania visa fee
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Travel/health/equipment insurance
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Meals outside of included expedition days
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Personal camera equipment
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Gratuities
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Personal expenses
Meet The Team
Jenna Dixon’s journey into photography began on a quiet night at her home lake in Manitoba, where she first captured a long-exposure image of the northern lights. The moment the glowing auroras appeared on the back of her camera screen, something clicked—a whole new world of photography opened up to her, and she’s been chasing that feeling ever since.
Now based in the Canadian Rockies, Jenna is a dedicated landscape and adventure photographer, drawn to remote, cold-weather, and mountainous regions. She thrives in the raw elements, using her lens to showcase the untamed beauty of nature. With a passion for storytelling, she blends her imagery with the written word, creating immersive experiences that pull the viewer into the journey.
Her work has been featured in Time Magazine and National Geographic, with exhibitions spanning from New York to Miami, as well as in Canadian publications. She has collaborated with Travel Alberta, Travel Yukon, Tourism Vancouver Island, and other tourism boards, alongside commercial brands and publications.
Jenna continues to explore, create, and share the magic of the natural world, capturing its fleeting moments with authenticity and artistry
Hey everyone! I’m Raichlee, a photographer, filmmaker, and adventure storyteller based in the Canadian Rockies. With a passion for meaningful travel and cultural exchange, she has explored 16 countries, often solo, seeking experiences that foster genuine connection and a deeper understanding of the world.
My passion lies in documenting people, places, and the stories that shape them. Whether I’m trekking through Canadian Rockies landscapes, sharing meals with local communities, or capturing everyday moments through my camera lense, I have grown to love travel experiences that encourage curiosity, humility, and human connection.
I love creating experiences that bring people together, challenge perspectives, and inspire a greater appreciation for different ways of life. Through this expedition, I’m excited to support both you, and AFRISOS participants in meaningful cultural and creative exchange to tell stories that matter.