Kenya-native Tim Lapage moved to Park City 20 years ago after a long career flying often in a bush plane over Africa. Acquaintances soon learned of his thorough knowledge of traveling in Africa and asked him to be their guide.
He formed a safari guide business, which over time evolved into the safari consultation firm Safari Experts that helps travelers book trips to Africa, South America, Australia, New Zealand and India.
Lapage has been successful because he knows his business.
“I spend three months a year flying my plane over Africa. We know more about it than probably anyone else outside of Africa,” he said.
The positive experiences he gives clients result in word-of-mouth marketing that has allowed him to expand his business. He now applies the same thorough planning to trips outside of Africa.
Through the years he added Gail Reed to his staff as a tour consultant. Recently his daughter Tana Lapage agreed to set up an office in London, England.
Just this summer Lapage added a new member to his team: Francie McNally. Having spent the last 37 years as an executive at a real estate firm in Jackson Hole, McNally is an expert in sales and customer satisfaction.
Having done a little adventure travel to Nepal and Tibet, McNally said she was drawn to Lapage’s line of work. But Safari Experts is not adventure travel; it is whatever the client wants it to be.
Lapage’s team is familiar with all the high-end resorts at the various destinations, as well as more economical options.
What makes their service invaluable, Lapage said, is that they know the locations, accommodations and communities well enough to guarantee the most enjoyable and comfortable experience possible.
If people want to see wild animals, he knows where they’ll have the best views. If people want to see wild animals while toting along a toddler, he knows the safest places for them to go. He can help plan for people’s physical limitations, level of comfort and interests.
McNally returned from Africa earlier this month after experiencing Safari Experts’ services for herself.
“Someone meets you at every stop you make. That’s what we do. We have fine-tuned it; it’s flawless. I saw all the work that we do and the end result is a trip with not one glitch,” she said. “There was not one camp I went to where someone didn’t say, ‘Tim Lapage is my best friend.'”
Those connections allow Safari Experts to offer the best value for the money, Lapage added. knowing the regions so well his team can plan the best vacation possible within the client’s budget and while meeting all their needs and desires.
“The knowledge of the guides is intense,” McNally said. “They knew the flora, the fauna, the roads there was not one question I asked that they didn’t know the answer.”
Unless a client has a specific itinerary in mind, Safari Experts tries to plan one that allows people to experience the local cities as well as a safari that includes exposure to culture along with wildlife.
This combination of urban and natural terrain plus contemporary and ancient humanity make the safaris a unique form of vacation, Lapage said.
“A safari is a spiritual journey. It changes one’s life forever whether it’s South America, Australia or Africa,” he said.