To many, the term safari often connotes visions of luxury vacations, complete with glamping tents, wide-brimmed hats and an earth-toned wardrobe palette ala Meryl Streep in Out of Africa. However, the safari, as its original definition conveys, is so much more than a trip. It’s a way of life. It’s a vestige of a culture that remains true and dear to the locals of the majestic continent of Africa.
“The word safari means to journey in Swahili, so that is what you're doing,” says Deborah Calmeyer, founder and CEO of Roar Africa, who details the beauty of the safari in Assouline's Classics Collection book, African Adventures. “You're going on a journey. It can be a very intense inner journey triggered by the outer landscape on your journey, which is, safari. I think it's beautiful how Assouline has sort of transcended the experience to such a cultural and artistic level," she says.
When the idea of crafting this book came to mind, Calmeyer knew she wanted to embark on this journey alongside photographer Aline Coquelle to capture the essence of safari through an authentic lens and create the perfect agenda. "If I had 12 days to see the very best I could in Sub-Saharan Africa, where would that be?” says Calmeyer. The result? The Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the great migration in Kenya, and the Silverback mountain gorillas in Rwanda. “I thought, that's the greatest Safari on Earth," Calmeyer said.
In a video conversation with Alex Assouline, Calmeyer discusses everything from remarkable visuals to eye opening text. Immerse yourself in safari, and discover the landscapes, the people and history of this celebrated ritual.