Daniel Baraka Shayo — Dabsy
Daniel Baraka Shayo · Moshi, Tanzania

The Person You'll Actually Be Talking To

Why "Dabsy"?

My name is Daniel Baraka Shayo. Dabsy comes from my initials — Da, B, S, Y — and it's what everyone from Serengeti lodge colleagues to my neighbours in Moshi calls me. When you book through Safaris by Dabsy, there is no team hiding behind the brand. It's me.

The short honest version of my story

I didn't start this company because I love websites. I started it because I spent years watching two sides of the same industry — and saw exactly where travellers get let down.

2022

People & Culture Intern, Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti. Graduated in HR from the Tanzania Institute of Accountancy and joined Four Seasons the same year. First lesson: a flawless guest experience is built by people the guest never meets.

2023 – 2025

People & Culture Officer → Generalist → Team Leader, Four Seasons Serengeti. Three and a half years living inside the park. I learned the migration and the seasons — and I learned what separates a great safari operation from a forgettable one, from the inside.

Oct 2025 – Mar 2026

People & Culture Manager, Mapito Safari Camp, Autograph Collection by Marriott. Advisor to senior leadership on the operational rigour behind a five-star camp — staffing, payroll, standards.

2026

African Scenic Safari, a licensed tour operator. I deliberately crossed to the operations side: sales, reservations, vehicle logistics, field operations. The half of this industry that lodge staff never see — and the half where trips are made or broken.

Today

Founder, Safaris by Dabsy — licensed travel agent, Moshi. I don't run tours and I don't own vehicles, on purpose. I use everything I learned inside lodges and inside an operator to vet the companies that will actually run your trip — and to stay personally accountable to you throughout it. [CLIENT TO PROVIDE: year Safaris by Dabsy was registered]

"Every guest who travels with me will say they have never lived a day better than their time in Tanzania. That's the promise behind the name."

[CLIENT TO PROVIDE: 60–90 second founder video]

Why Moshi

Moshi is the town at the foot of Kilimanjaro — I see the summit from here on clear mornings. It's where climb crews live, where gear shops are, and where every Kilimanjaro trip actually begins. Arusha has the safari offices; Moshi has the mountain. Being here means when I tell you an operator's camp equipment is good, it's because I walked into their store this month — not because their website says so.

It also means that when your flight lands at Kilimanjaro International Airport, the person who planned your trip is forty minutes away — not on another continent.

Licences & Credentials

Verifiable, or it doesn't count. Ask me for copies of any of these — I'll send them without blinking.

TALA Licence Licensed Tanzanian travel agent — [CLIENT TO PROVIDE: TALA licence number]
TATO [CLIENT TO PROVIDE: TATO membership status / number]
Business Registration [CLIENT TO PROVIDE: BRELA registration / TIN]
Background 4 years inside Four Seasons & Marriott safari properties; tour-operations experience at a licensed operator

My Vetting Checklist — Published, On Purpose

This is the exact standard every ground operator must meet before I'll put your name next to theirs. If a company I recommend ever slips below it, they're off the list — and I've done it.

1 · Valid TALA operator licence

The legal minimum, verified against the licence document itself — not a logo on a website. No licence, no conversation.

2 · Tax registration in Tanzania

A TIN and VAT registration means a real company that pays taxes here — and one that can be held accountable here if something goes wrong.

3 · Insurance that actually covers you

Liability insurance and, for climbs, evacuation arrangements (including rescue-fee coverage) that I've read — not just been assured about.

4 · KPAP affiliation for Kilimanjaro

Independent monitoring of porter wages, meals, gear, and load limits. Porter mistreatment is this industry's ugliest corner; I don't send money into it.

5 · Years in operation & track record

An established operating history and a review trail that holds up when I read the one-star reviews first — which is always where I start.

6 · My own inspection

I meet the team, look at the vehicles, check the camp gear, and pay attention to how crews talk about their employer when no manager is around. Paper passes are not enough.

Now you know who I am.

Tell me who you are, and what kind of trip you're dreaming about.

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