Tanzania Beyond the Safari: An Immersive Storytelling Journey

A photography tour that explores ethical visual storytelling

Tanzania is amongst Africa’s top destinations for photography, and for good reason – it’s home to iconic safari destinations like the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. But for our new photography journey to Tanzania, we’re offering keen photographers something different: the chance to engage deeply with local communities and to document cultural stories that matter. We invite you to spend a week immersed in daily life alongside the Maasai, while visiting nonprofit initiatives where photography can offer valuable visual storytelling tools. Guided by humanitarian photographer Anna Lusty, this journey blends storytelling, ethics, and photography into a fully immersive experience.

The Heart of Northern Tanzania

This trip takes you to Northern Tanzania, an area that is home to a rich tapestry of cultures, with the Maasai forming one of the region’s most recognisable communities. Their semi-nomadic traditions, strong family structures, and deep connection to the land shape daily life in the villages you’ll visit. Around them, other local communities maintain long-standing craftwork, farming practices, and social rituals that offer a clear window into rural Tanzanian life. Understanding this context helps photographers approach each moment with sensitivity and intention, creating images that reflect both culture and place. 

Cultural Engagement

This photo tour is all about storytelling and community engagement. We’ll spend a lot of time in Maasai villages, engaging in an unhurried way and observing daily routines. “I’m most excited about spending time in the community,” says Anna. “Sleeping in a Maasai village, waking up to the rhythm of daily life, and being able to capture the moments that unfold from sunrise to sunset. Being welcomed into that space and having the chance to document life as it naturally happens feels incredibly special. It’s witnessing the small routines, and unexpected moments of connection that I cannot wait for us to capture.”

Nonprofit Photography: Capturing Stories That Matter

A key element of this trip is the chance to photograph meaningful work in action. We’ll visit a number of nonprofit organizations, where we’ll learn about their objectives, observe daily projects, and document their essence. The NGOs will be giving the use of these images, which will help them tell their stories, raise awareness, and reach potential donors.  

You’ll spend time at three grassroots nonprofits; Mwema Children Centre, The Hidden Hope Foundation, and ECIO. Mwema Children Centre provides protection, education, and support for vulnerable children in Karatu, offering mobile classes, reintegration programs, and community services. The Hidden Hope Foundation empowers people with disabilities by helping them develop and sell traditional crafts, creating pathways to income and independence. ECIO strengthens Maasai communities through initiatives in girls’ education, women’s economic opportunities, conservation education, and climate resilience. 

As a photographer on this trip, you’ll create visual storytelling tools for each of these initiatives by documenting their daily work. On top of this, you’ll accompany Mwema children on a field expedition into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This day blends wildlife photography with environmental education and helps support future conservation opportunities for the children. And what makes it better still – your participation funds the kids’ involvement.

Get storytelling photography tips from Anna Lusty

A Fully Facilitated Journey

If you join this trip, you’ll be able to focus fully on your creative journey, as all logistics will be taken care of. You’ll enjoy a carefully crafted itinerary, and transport, meals, and accommodation are sorted. You’ll stay in comfortable lodges for most of the trip, offering hot showers, reliable amenities, and a restful base between field activities. One night is spent camping inside a Maasai village in clean, well-equipped traditional tents – simple but safe, and designed to support a deeper connection with the community. Anna will be with you throughout your journey to ensure things run smoothly, and you’ll get as much out of the photographic experience as possible.

Who This Trip is For

Unlike our humanitarian photography workshops in South Africa, this trip does not require a certain amount of photography experience, and it doesn’t have an application process – anyone can join. Whether you’re a beginner eager to master the basics, or a seasoned photographer wanting to explore a different side to your craft, this trip can offer what you’re looking for.  “This journey is perfect for anyone who feels called to use photography as a force for good,” says Anna. “It’s for people who want to contribute meaningfully, and deepen their storytelling skills in a respectful and ethical way.”

Also on our blog: Capturing Change – Stories From the Field

A Bit More About Your Photography Guide: Anna Lusty 

Anna Lusty is a seasoned humanitarian photographer with close to two decades of experience documenting the work of nonprofits across Africa. Her background spans visual storytelling, NGO communications, and ethical field photography, making her uniquely qualified to guide photographers through sensitive community settings. Anna’s approach is grounded in respect, curiosity, and collaboration – values she brings to every assignment. On this Tanzania tour, she’ll help participants navigate real-world storytelling: from building trust with subjects to creating images that organisations can use to drive meaningful impact.

Have We Sparked Your Interest? 

For photographers interested in combining cultural immersion with meaningful storytelling, this upcoming Tanzania trip is built around exactly that. With support from Anna Lusty and access to local nonprofits and Maasai communities, you’ll contribute images where they’re genuinely needed, while building your own documentary skills, whatever your starting point.

Find out more details about our Cultural Photo Tour to Tanzania