Jacqueline Wade went to Africa for the first time in 1976, and within minutes of her feet touching African soil, she was in love.

She loved the scenery, the animals and the people. She loved them so much that she has returned to Africa almost every year since.

Now, as the founder and director of International Safaris, she specializes in taking others to see what has made such an impression on her.

Wade, who moved to Heidelberg, Germany, about 18 months ago when her husband took a job with the Installation Management Agency-Europe, began conducting safaris to Africa in 1982. She had been giving guided tours for several years before that — beginning when her husband was active-duty military and they were living in Greece and she secured a job escorting officials for the military and U.S. Embassy.

She used that experience to launch International Safaris in 1982, and has made two or more trips there every year since. She says she conducts tours for small groups of eight to 10 people and uses her own drivers and guides, which makes it possible to customize trips.

Her company has gone across Africa: to Uganda, Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Zanzibar, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zululand, Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa.

She says Kenya and Tanzania are the most popular options and Kenya her favorite.

“I advise anyone that has never been to Africa before to go to Kenya’s Masai Mara for their first time,” she says. “It is paradise on earth for me and is home to the most wildlife, including all of the big five, I have ever seen in Africa. I haven’t missed a migration in 23 years and I am just excited to go this year as if it were the first time.”

Wade says she handles all the details for her tours and that they never go to a camp or lodge she has not visited. Most of her clients are Americans, including Department of Defense personnel, teachers and diplomats.

And whenever and wherever she goes, she tries to make sure that her clients end up feeling the same love she does.

Know & Go ...

International Safaris’ trips for this year are: “The Great Migration of East Africa,” Kenya/Tanzania, July 29-Aug. 11; “Pride of South Africa,” a photo safari, Aug. 11-21; and Mozambique, Aug. 22-25.

For more information on these and a brochure for 2006, write to Wade at International Safaris, Letzenbergstr. 16, Suite A, 69231 Malschenberg/Rauenberg, Germany; call (+49) (0)7253-279434; or e-mail intsafari@aol.com.

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