The founder of Nziza Hospitality, Bernard is passionate about providing life-changing experiences to visitors from around the world, while encouraging a sustainable and more empowered Africa. His deep roots in Africa allow this hands-on destination specialist for East and southern Africa to add insight, authenticity and on-the-ground expertise to every Nziza experience.

Bernard’s own family history has shaped his passion for the safari industry. His generation is the fourth of his originally Rwandan family to be born in Uganda. His early days were deeply influenced by his uncle, Professor Kasenene, a lead zoologist with Uganda National Parks, who fostered his nephew’s passion for wildlife and included him in his work travel in Mweya Peninsula. Bernard attended school within the boundaries of Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park, which meant he grew up surrounded daily by wildlife and park rangers.

“I come from a very humble African background, with no capital but a huge amount of conviction. I always wanted to create a revolution in the safari industry, and I knew that someday it would happen,” says Bernard. With this background, it makes perfect sense that he is a passionate advocate for both ethical conservation and humanitarian programs, including The Zambezi Leopard Song Project, The Gorilla Research Clinic managed by Conservation Through Public Health, Chances for Children and Paper Craft Africa.

His life story is a lesson in vision and determination. In 1998, aged just 16, Bernard joined Jacana Safari Lodge in charge of guest laundry and camp inventory, quickly working his way up to room steward. This early introduction to the tourism and hospitality industry cemented his ambition. In pursuit of this dream, Bernard moved to the city, scrimping and saving to fund a degree in Tourism and Hospitality. During his studies, casual work at Jacana Safari Lodge and Mweya Safari Lodge gave him the opportunity to stay close to his passion for safari and nature travel.

After his diploma, Bernard gained invaluable experience in branded marketing, administration and management while working for one of the region’s leading branding houses, which focused on tourism and hospitality start-ups. He followed this with a safari-business start-up of his own, which he launched together with a safari-guide friend, travelling extensively throughout the safari circuits of East and southern Africa. Even though differing ideas about how to grow the company meant he and his partner eventually went their separate ways, this safari start-up awakened his entrepreneurial spirit.

With all this hands-on experience and in pursuit of his dream of offering magical, authentic and profound life experiences in Africa, Bernard’s decision to found Nziza Hospitality was the logical next step.

Wildlife, philanthropy and environmental preservation are central to Nziza’s ethos. With a team born and bred in Africa, Nziza excels in its bespoke style and on-the-ground expertise. This allows their safari designers to deliver all-round value for travellers and local communities alike, as well as efficient, cost-effective and suitable travel connections that combine to offer a flawless Africa experience.

Favourite destinations: Amboseli, Hwange, Kidepo, Matobo, Lewa, Laikipia, Aberdare, Serengeti, Victoria Falls, Bwindi Inpenetrable Forest, Budongo Forest, Okavango Delta, Volcanoes National Park, Mgahinga, Zanzibar and Cape Town.

A graduate with a BA in Tourism and Hospitality, Bridget joined us after having worked with Adrift East Africa, Lake Victoria Serena Resort and Marasa Africa as an Account Executive. Her current role is handling supplier contracts and looking after our social media pages. Bridget also uses her extensive knowledge to design itineraries for special groups. She has a profound passion for travel and finds fulfillment in designing and creating unique experiences for clients, including magical and unforgettable encounters with wildlife while on safari with Nziza.

My interest in travel and tourism roots right from my childhood dream and passion for nature discovery and traveling, a hobby I developed as I grew up in the rolling hills of tea estates owned by my great-grandfather, the incredibly spectacular views of Kibaale forests and Fort Portal a gateway to the most bio-diverse part of the country. Growing up in a group of many, my cousins, uncles, and samba staff, we would take nature walks in the evening to discover new trails into the forests for wild fruits, a quiet close watch of the olive baboons, watch River Mpanga as it flows down towards Kibaale national park.

Nature would reward us with the eye-capturing sight of the elephants wandering in the grassland of the swamp, the incredible sight of birdlife in the swamps between the hills, the whirling monkeys, and much more nature-rewarding sights and sounds within our vicinity.

I worked in different fields from government-based organisations to non-government organisations, but the void of motivation would be felt until one day I was reminded of my passion when I had a long mind-productive conversation about tourism and travel with one of my former workmates. And when I joined Nziza Hospitality as the reservation and booking officer, my adventurous being was unveiled again. I am getting exposure to different learning opportunities about tourism, intense reading and research about tourism, travel in the wilderness, and appreciation of nature, increasing my urge for advanced knowledge on tourism and travel.

As a Trainee Guide or Chief Knowledge Officer, Isma is assigned to do run daily office errands coordinating with the operations team and places where our guests will be hosted. No task is too small for him to accomplish.

Looking back, my fascination with fauna like elephants, renowned for their memory and being led by a Matriarch, fueled my passion for joining the tourism industry. With gained knowledge and improved interpersonal skills from the few years in the hotel industry, I knew my dream was finally within my grasp.

At Nziza Hospitality, nothing brightens my day like watching dreams and travel plans for our guests become a reality and knowing that they have created memories to last their lifetime.

The quest for knowledge and determination to stay atop and excel further in the unrivalled world of tourism and travel and to be in tune with this evolving industry led me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in tourism administration.

My professional skills in accounting with a major Business Computing aren’t dedicated to the adventurous sort. But having a network of friends in a community of travel mavericks, I would get inspired to join Nziza Hospitality. Considering the demanding professional routines in my expertise, the joy of working in the safari industry is getting the flexibility of working both remotely while enjoying time to explore new space ticking off boxes in some of the most enticing safari circuits.

It can be quite demanding to strike a balance between my daily life and of course as a mother; parenting is a full time job.

I’m a great advocate of Robert Halgren mantra of “Coach me and I will learn; challenge me and I will grow; believe in me and I will win”

My role at Nziza Hospitality is to improve on quality and I have a proven record of job performance, accurately and efficiently supporting administration and accounting activities for a diverse range of clientele. With 5+ years of expertise in customer care and service, office administration, data presentation, cost control analysis and financial reporting, I’m currently, on the road of adapting at all functions of tour consulting, accounting and providing executive administrative support.