Lauren has a wealth of knowledge having guided across 'safari Africa' and worked for some top tour operators both in the UK and sub-Saharan Africa. Her knowledge of Tanzania, Botswana and Victoria Falls is superb.
Lauren joined the Yellow Zebra team when she decided it was time to return from living in East Africa. Through guiding overland safaris across Africa Lauren has built up a wealth of knowledge of all the destinations we design safaris however her specialist areas at YZ are Tanzania, Botswana, Victoria Falls and Cape Town.
Lauren's recent trips to Africa include a trip to Tanzania in late 2016 that covered both the northern and southern safari circuits as well as an extensive trip to Namibia in May 2017 and Botswana in June 2017.
Tanzania, Botswana, Victoria Falls and Cape Town.
Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
Having turned down opportunities at university, Lauren found herself carving a career in a field that she found rather uninspiring. Upon having a light-bulb moment of ‘there has to be more to life than this’, she decided to up sticks and go travelling! The African continent was first, followed by Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and the USA – a trip that would take 10 months… apparently.
Having fallen head over heels for Africa, Lauren made it as far as Thailand before cancelling the rest of her ticket and booking a one way back to South Africa. For the next three-and-a-half years, Lauren worked as a guide for an over landing coming running adventure camping trips, travelling through South Africa all the way up to Uganda and back again. When living out of a dome tent became too much, she returned to South Africa, where she worked in Operations. Lauren returned to the UK to work as an African Specialist for Abercrombie & Kent, but it wasn’t long before Africa came calling again.
Lauren has spent the last three years living in Tanzania, where she worked for leading tour operator Legendary Expeditions, who own the likes of the sensational Mwiba Lodge. Lauren’s final year on the continent has seen her living on beach island paradise Zanzibar, where she assisted in the start-up of a small tour operator and worked as a PADI scuba diving instructor.
There are way too many to choose just one… feeling elephants brush past my dome tent in the middle of the night in Botswana, climbing the rocky outcrops of Spitzkoppe in Namibia, hiking from Empakaai Crater to Lake Natron in Tanzania, trekking the mountain gorillas in Uganda… oh, and following a pack of wild dog in Ruaha National Park on my most recent trip to Tanzania. This list is endless!!
"Yellow Zebra (Lauren Lees) did an awesome job of listening to my requests and helping me to book a safari that was authentic with minimal tourists. Never having been to Tanzania, I found the country beautiful and diverse."
"Lauren at Yellow Zebra did a fantastic job arranging our safari. All transfers went very smoothly and we loved the places we stayed. I appreciated the option to mix and match low, medium and high end places. Our favorites were Chobe Elephant Camp and Shinde (Botswana). Our guides there were incredible and we saw so many animals! I will definitely recommend Yellow Zebra to my family and friends and use them again myself. Can't wait to go back to Africa!"
"Well that was a holiday of a lifetime and I am so glad that I booked it through Yellow Zebra Safaris with the very pleasant Lauren Lees to help me plan my trip! It was comforting to know she lived in Tanzania and so was very knowledgeable of where and when to go. All in all the service I received was very professional."
Ikuka is a classic camp boasting a fabulous location on the lofty Mwagusi escarpment, providing breathtaking views of the wilderness below.
With its amazing atmosphere and elephant wandering through daily, this is one of our favourite camps in Tanzania! Children aged 6 years and over are welcome, and management is happy to discuss options for anyone with particular needs.
We recommend this property to travellers seeking great-value deluxe accommodation in the North Serengeti! Children aged 6 years and over are welcome, and under-6s are sometimes accepted too.
This peaceful farm property is a fantastic base from which to explore the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara National Park! Children of all ages are welcome.
The green season marks the start of the rains in the Linyanti, but don't let that put you off, as the region is transformed from a dry and thirsty region to a lush emerald bounty bursting with colour.
By Lauren | 14 September 2018
YZ expert Lauren has just returned from a two-week adventure through northern Botswana, visiting newly opened properties in the Okavango Delta. She is one of very few lucky people to have seen these fabulous camps! Here are her first impressions…
By Lauren | 16 July 2018
