Our Story

© 

Emmanuel "Promise" Shayo

Currently living in Tanzania's safari capital of Arusha, Emmanuel Shayo, known as "Promise," is originally from the  village of Marangu, located near the climbing base camp for Mount Kilimanjaro. He grew up in a family of nature lovers and credits his grandfather, a ranger with the anti-poaching unit in Tsavo National Park, as the reason he is a naturalist guide today. In his traditional home, the family slept on animal skins—typically from cow, goat or sheep, depending on what livestock was raised. Promise's grandfather had retired shortly before he was born, and to honor the diligent work he had done to protect the park's wildlife from poachers, he was rewarded with the skin of a male lion that was confiscated during his tenure. He gave that skin to his new grandson to sleep on. He remembers his grandmother telling him the story when he was a little boy, and from it grew a great love of both the grandfather he never met, and of the lions he sought to protect. From very early on, Promise wanted to follow in his grandfather's footsteps, conserving nature, which has pursued in his career as a naturalist guide. 

After secondary school, Promise went to Dar es Salaam to study tourism and guiding at the National College of Tourism, where he earned his  certification as a professional tour guide for Tanzania. After graduation, his first job was guiding from a camp in the Selous Game Reserve, now known as Nyerere National Park. Always intent on furthering his learning, he pursued additional training programs over several years, gaining expertise in leading walking safaris, rifle handling for safety in the bush, boat driving and camp management. Promise has also cultivated a love of photography, recording images of the animals, birds, trees and sunsets that enchant him on safari. Sounds, too, spark his imagination, and one of his favorite safari experiences is listening to the wild in the evening, as dusk moves toward night, the wind blowing softly, lions roaring in the distance and hyenas calling out to one another. 

In case you're wondering about Emmanuel/Promise's two names, it's common practice to bestow two upon a baby born into the Chagga tribe: one is the official name for a child's ID, while the tribal name reflects the special circumstances surrounding one's birth. In his case, "Promise" evolved from his mother's story. As the only girl born into a family of 14 children, she was fortunate to be sent to school, since it was not a priority at that time to educate girls. While she was in secondary school, she became pregnant and had to leave. When her baby boy was born, she named him Sikujua, which means "I didn't know." Others, however, gave a more hopeful nickname to her child, calling him "Ahadi Ya Mungu," meaning "He is God's promise." When Emmanuel started work in the tourism industry, the company that hired him already had five Emmanuels, and they were asked to choose different names to avoid confusion. That's when he decided to use Ahadi instead of Sikujua, claiming the meaning of "Promise" for his life and future. 

Promise has expanded his guiding expertise throughout East Africa and into the Okavango Delta. But he also yearns to travel to new places, one day hoping to see tigers in India, polar bears in the Arctic, the Galapagos Islands—the amazing creatures and places showcased on nature programs.

Upcoming Adventures with Emmanuel:
Tanzania’s Great Migration & Ngorongoro Crater

Praise from Nat Hab travelers: 

D. Diaz
Promise has an incredible depth of knowledge about both the animals and the environment we explored. His enthusiasm in sharing facts and anecdotes was infectious! I particularly appreciated how Promise presented information in a very connected way; for instance, how he interwove behaviors among animals (prey/predators) in relation to seasons, surroundings, instincts, etc. I have a background in wildlife and natural studies and his expertise blew me away!

J. Cushman
Promise was an awesome leader! He was very personable and attentive to us as guests and appeared to have very strong working relationships with all of the staff we encountered at the various camps and hotels.

K. Lozito
Promise was an excellent Expedition Leader and was a large part of the success of the trip. He was professional and engaging with guests and staff and was attentive to the needs of each guest. And he has a wonderful sense of humor! Promise is also an expert on Kenyan animals and birds. His knowledge enabled him to anticipate the actions of the wildebeest river crossings, allowing us to witness five river crossings in just three days! He also predicted the behavior of a cheetah and we were able to watch it hunt, catch and eat an impala.
Thank you, Promis,e for everything!

B. Bunn
This trip exceed any and all expectations I had. Promise is extremely knowledgeable, personable and has a great sense of humor. He by far made the trip even more successful by knowing where and when to be in certain areas from his understanding of animals behaviors. He is a remarkable young man who spent time with each guest and explained so many things we saw. Promise is an asset to the team and your company!

L. White
The trip in and of itself was amazing, but Promise made it even more special. He was always available and ready to help and is extremely knowledgeable and eager to share his knowledge. He has a great sense of humor, laughs readily, and always has a smile on his face. Promise was a huge factor in making the trip so very enjoyable. Hold onto that guy, and be sure to clone him if that technology is ever developed!

A. Glessner
Promise was an exceptional leader! He handled himself with grace and confidence and seemed to have an expansive depth of knowledge, which he expertly shared with the group. He's an all-round great human being, which, combined with his technical and leadership skills, made him an outstanding trip leader. He is also a fantastic role model for his team and seemed to excel at the mentoring role. I could not recommend him more highly!
Admin Note : Slideshow or Grid
Choose the version to show.
Current Version: old
Set Version

Get Weekly Updates

Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more.

Privacy Policy
We're Proud of the Reputation We’ve Earned
Voted "World's Best Travel Company" by Outside Magazine
Travel & Leisure logo
Voted "Top Tour Operator" in Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards
Newsweek logo
Voted "Best Adventure Travel Company" in Newsweek Reader's Choice Awards
VIEW MORE AWARDS

View Our 2025/2026 Digital Catalog

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Nathab 2024 Catalog

Together, Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund have teamed up to arrange nearly 100 nature travel experiences around the planet, while helping to protect the magnificent places we visit and their wild inhabitants.

Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Logos
Request Your 2025/26 Catalog
Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Continued - Page 2 of 2
To help us customize your catalog request, please tell us more about your travel needs:
Thank you for requesting a catalog
We’ve received your request. If you have any questions about our trips, please feel free to contact an Adventure Specialist today by calling 800-543-8917.

Get Weekly Updatess

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Me Travel Emails
Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Privacy Policy
Thank you for joining our email list!

Look for a special welcome message in your inbox, arriving shortly! Be sure to add naturalhabitat@nathab.com to your email contacts so you don’t miss out on future emails.

Send Us a Message

Send Us a Message

Have a question or comment? Use the form to the right to get in touch with us.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Us a Message
Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Thank you for your message

We’ll be in touch soon with a response.

Refer a Friend

Refer a Friend,
Get $250 Off
Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.
Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Refer a Friend

Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.

Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Thank you for the referral!

We've received your friend's information.

View Our 2025/2026 Digital Catalog

View Our 2025/2026

Digital Catalog

Help us save paper! We offer a digital version of The World's Greatest Nature Journeys. If you'd prefer a mailed copy, please provide your contact details here. To view our digital catalog, please enter your info in the form to the right.
Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
View Digital Catalog
Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Happy browsing!

Thanks for requesting access to our digital catalog. Click here to view it now. You’ll also receive it by email momentarily.

Our Trips

Polar Bear Tours

Polar Bear Tours

African Safaris

African Safaris

Galapagos Tours

Galapagos Tours

Alaska Adventures

Alaska Adventures

U.S. National Parks Tours

U.S. National Parks Tours

Canada & the North

Canada & the North

Europe Adventures

Europe Adventures

Mexico & Central America Tours

Mexico & Central America Tours

South America Adventures

South America Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Photography Expeditions

Photography Expeditions

Adventure Cruises

Adventure Cruises

Women's Adventures

Women's Adventures

Family Adventures

Family Adventures

New Adventures

New Adventures

Questions? Call 800-543-8917

Contact Us

Have a question or comment?
Click any of the buttons below to get in touch with us.

Hours
Mountain Time

  • 8 am to 5 pm, Monday - Friday
  • 8 am to 3 pm on Saturday
  • Closed on Sunday
Call 800-543-8917
Questions? Click to Chat
Questions? Click to Chat
/our-story/expedition-leader-bios/emmanuel-shayo/