About EliNa Safaris
Two People. One Promise.
The story behind EliNa Safaris – and why we built it this way.
Our Story
EliNa Safaris exists because of a simple, shared frustration: too many safaris are sold by people who have never actually run one. We wanted to build something different – a company where the person planning your trip has either negotiated a Swiss banking contract or tracked a leopard through the Serengeti bush, often both in the same week.
The name EliNa combines our own – Eli and Nadja – because this company is not a brand built to look personal. It is personal.
Our Journey
How two paths became one
Nadja in banking
More than twenty years in banking, compliance and international business – and travels to over eighty countries.
Eli as a guide
Years as a professional safari guide and driver across Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Arusha and Kilimanjaro.
EliNa Safaris founded
Two worlds, one story: Eli and Nadja combine their names – and their strengths – in one company.
Today: Moshi
Based in Moshi at the foot of Kilimanjaro, with a Swiss side for planning and contracts.
The Founders
The people behind your journey
Nadja Sitar
Founder & Managing Director
With more than twenty years of experience in banking, compliance, and international business, Nadja is responsible for the commercial side of the company, including business development, strategic planning, marketing, customer relations, sales, accounting, financial management, legal administration, and international partnerships. Having travelled to more than eighty countries, Nadja understands the expectations of international travellers and premium clients. Her multilingual communication skills and structured Swiss business approach create trust before clients even arrive in Tanzania.
Elinami “Eli” Shayo
Co-Founder & Head Safari Guide
Eli has spent years working professionally as a safari guide and driver throughout Tanzania. His extensive field knowledge spans Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara, Arusha National Park, and the Mount Kilimanjaro region. His strengths include wildlife tracking, photography positioning, local culture, guest experience, safe driving, safari logistics, lodge partnerships, and Swahili language and local community relationships.
Two worlds, one story.
A Swiss banker who had spent twenty years making sure complex things went exactly to plan met a Tanzanian guide who had spent years learning to read the land, the light, and the animals on it. Somewhere between a contract and a sunrise, they decided to build one life – and one company – together. Every EliNa Safaris journey carries a little of that story with it.
How We Work Together
Nadja handles the conversation, the contract, and the numbers. Eli handles the ground: the vehicles, the guides, the camps, the community relationships built over years, not months. Every EliNa Safaris trip passes through both of us before it reaches you.
Our Promise
Our Promise to You
Personal
Clients communicate directly with the founders. No call centres. No anonymous booking agents.
Authentic
Our itineraries are based on real local knowledge. We recommend destinations because we know them – not because they pay the highest commissions.
Transparent
Our pricing is honest. No hidden fees. No unexpected charges. Clients understand exactly what is included before booking.
Safe
Guest safety is our highest priority. Vehicles are carefully selected. Professional guides are employed. Accommodation partners are thoroughly vetted. Emergency procedures are established before every departure.
Responsible
Tourism should benefit local communities and protect wildlife. EliNa Safaris actively supports ethical tourism practices, fair employment, and environmental responsibility.
Ethical by design, not as an afterthought.
Every guide and crew member on an EliNa Safaris trip is paid fairly. Every lodge and vehicle partner is vetted against a written standard before we work with them. And from our first profitable year onward, 5% of our annual net profit goes straight into eco-sustainability and waste management projects in the communities around Moshi – home to one of us, and now, in a way, to every guest who travels with us.