Take nothing but photos. Leave nothing but footprints. Kill nothing but time.
At Safari Compass, we go further: Take memories, leave hope, awaken purpose.
Safari Compass Mission & Team
Where every journey protects wilderness, empowers communities, and rewilds your spirit.
Take nothing but photos. Leave nothing but footprints. Kill nothing but time.
At Safari Compass, we go further: Take memories, leave hope, awaken purpose.
Safari Compass Mission Statement
Safari Compass ignites and guides transformative journeys that honor Africa’s wilderness, empower its communities, and awaken the explorer in everyone by sharing our love for Africa, its nature, wildlife and warm-hearted peopleWe bridge adventure with purpose, crafting safaris where every footprint supports conservation, every story deepens understanding, and every moment reconnects you to the wild’s timeless rhythm. Through ethical guiding, soulful photography, and unwavering respect for nature’s balance, we don’t just show you Africa. We invite you to protect its legacy.
Safari Compass Team
Kim Paffen
Africa Travel Expert, Marketer, Published Photographer, Qualified Safari Guide, Content Creator and Founder of Safari Compass
Tessa Winkelman
Safari Blogger, Photographer, Certified Nature Enthusiast, Content Creator, Partnerships Coordinator & Trip Planning
Kim Paffen: Matriarch of the Wild, Guardian of Africa’s Legacy Through Safari Compass
Spending time in the African Bush infuses Kim with new energy and increases her sense of being connected to a larger world!
Just as elephants leave footprints that shape the land, Kim aims to leave journeys that shape heartsKim navigates Africa’s wilderness with the grace and wisdom of a matriarch elephant—guiding, protecting, and nurturing every journey she curates. A former policy advisor turned award-winning wildlife photographer and qualified safari guide, Kim traded boardrooms for the untamed rhythms of the savanna, where her work now mirrors the elephant’s profound connection to land and legacy. Like these gentle giants, she leads with intuition, fostering bonds between travelers, communities, and wildlife while safeguarding fragile ecosystems. Her lens captures stories as enduring as an elephant’s memory, and her safaris, crafted alongside trusted partners and local experts, leave footprints as purposeful as a herd’s migration—light on the earth, deep in impact. For Kim Paffen, the wild is not just a place to explore, but a legacy to honor, one frame and one footprint at a time.
Kim: Facts & Figures
- Africa Travel Expert with 15+ years of travel experience in 13 African Countries
- FGASA & CATHSSETA qualified Safari Guide, trained in the Greater Masai Mara
- Ethical (Wildlife) Photographer published in National Geographic, Travel Africa, Inflight Magazines, Walking Safaris of Africa book, and global galleries/websites
- Winner NatGeo Photographer of the Year 2019 & Finalist AfricaGeo Photographer of the Year 2020
- Listed Top 40 most famous wildlife photographers worldwide
- Studied Geography Teaching & Organization Sciences, and earned 2 Bachelor’s degrees in Business & Public Administration
- Used to work as a Policy Advisor in the Dutch local government
- Jumped off the 111m high Victoria Falls Bridge & jumped out of a plane twice in Cape Town & Zanzibar
- Hearing the birds sing in the morning makes her happy, and she gets excited every time the sky turns in pretty colors.
- Passionate about reconnecting people with nature, whether through her images, safari blog, or ethical safari tours
- Languages: English, Dutch, German, a few words Swahili
In the Media
On L1 TV
NatGeo Photo Exhibition
Museon Photo Exhibition
Africa Geo Finalist
On L1 TV