Who we are - TransAfrica team, nearly 30 years of African experienceTransAfrica provides a mixed team of European and African travel specialists, whose prime directive and motivation is to provide their clients with unforgettable travel experiences, all the while maintaining that fine balance between professionalism and warm hospitality. The founder of TransAfrica is Alberto Nicheli. He is Italian and has been living in Togo since 1985. However, he organized his first trans-Saharan expedition in 1972. Alberto’s sense of adventure makes him the ideal manager of TransAfrica’s ‘Great Expeditions’. He truly represents the “nomadic” spirit of the agency and every year he devises new itineraries based upon his own exploratory travels in the region. He has a profound knowledge and understanding of African art and of the many traditions and customs of the people who inhabit these remote territories. Alberto has been responsible for the organization in the field research for the photo-ethnographic book "African Ceremonies" by Angela Fisher and Carol Backwith, as well as for related material for National Geographic; he also managed the travel logistics and arrangements for a Discovery Channel film crew making a movie-documentary on the salt caravans of the Sahara. Alberto also worked on archeological and ethnological expeditions to investigate customs and traditions of the Tuareg people and the pre-historic rock art in the Sahara. He has also organized several 'first-time' explorations between Taoudenni-Oualata and Taoudenni-Chinguetti in Mali and Mauritania. Roberto Cerea is also Italian. He is responsible for the 'Special Journeys'. Married to a Togolese and proud father of two sons, Roberto is an expert in ethnology and has published a range of works on African traditions. In addition, Roberto has been responsible for planning the logistics of a number of research expeditions in the Sahara region for National Geographic, Public National Radio and RAI. Alberto and Roberto are assisted by a talented team of well-experienced and friendly staff members, each of whom brings something special to the smooth functioning of TransAfrica: they have a wealth of knowledge and experience that is unmatched in West Africa. In the office of Lome (Togo):Susan Carlslund, Danish, has lived in Africa since 1984; she has lived in Nigeria, Ghana and since 1991 in Togo. Today in TransAfrica she plans trips and leads some great Saharan expeditions as an assistant. She speaks English, French and Italian. Nadége Amey, Togolese, is a secretary and accountant and does her job with Susan; she speaks French and English as she has studied in Ghana. Fatima Bayor, Togolese, is a secretary in charge of the booking office. She speaks French and English and is in contact with hotels, airports, village chiefs so that the groups of TransAfrica can be received everywhere in the best possible way. Noah Katcha, Togolese, has been guiding groups in Togo, Benin, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali and working on the documentaries for National Public Radio. Now he is a member of the team in the office that organizes TransAfrica travels. He speaks French and English. Our guides on the field:Ghana, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso:Gabriel Ameko, Togolese, is the most experienced among our guides. He belongs to a family of traditional chiefs. He has been working with Alberto Nicheli since 1985 and has guided trips in every country of the region, even with thr RAI and Canale 5 crews. He studied in Italy and so speaks fluently both French and Italian. Paul Agboglo, Togolese, guides trips in Togo, Benin, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Mali. He studied in Germany and speaks French, English and German. Georges Kossi Dabadji speaks French, Spanish and English. He has a great experience, is patient and tactful. Yawogan Agbenohevi is young but already a specialist, what a lot of our German speaking groups have been pleased to experience. He speaks French, German and English. Sena Gatri speaks French, Italian and English. He is from Togo but lived part of his life in Ghana, so he is familiar with several local languages: with him you will never feel lost. Janvier Houlonon is French and English speaking. He has started as a guide in the Abomey Museum and he is now very experienced from the Coast to the Sahel. He was nominated as one of the 10 best guides by Explore Travelers in 2009. He is an expert in Voodoo religion. New entry in the staff is Maéva Sadorge, from France so she speaks French but also Spanish, Italian and English. She has started leading groups by herself after having been trained for months. She has a great personality. Mali, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Burkina FasoBarthelemy Ouedraogo has been working in tourism for long time. He speaks French, English, Italian, German and some Spanish. He is our specialist of about Guinea and Guinea Bissau. Djigui Cissé is our German speaking tour leader. He is very respectful and professional. Amed Haidara Kabirou is a Malian from Timbuktu who speaks French and Italian. Thanks to his charm, he will always be able to turn the trip into a wonderful and unforgettable experience. Bujama Ould Andak is Malian and our local representative for our trips to Timbuktu and the Saharan areas of Mali and Mauritania. He belongs to a nomad Moorish family from the area of Araouane. Bouba Sissoko speaks French and Italian and has a great experience. We are very proud of him! Marco Pacini is Italian and has been living in Mali for years. He is therefore an expert of the Malian territory as a whole and in particular of the Dogon area where he spends long periods of time, so long that he even has been given a Dogon name of adoption. Our driver-guides, all have extensive experience in West African trails and populations:Evou Komi: He is well appreciated for his kindness and professionalism. Rafiou Okotan: He has a great experience, as he has followed Alberto in his most important Saharan expeditions. Yaya Dare: He is young and dynamic and never gets tired behind a wheel. Jean Awumey Kofi Walako: He is very kind, the perfect partner during a trip. Abdoulaye Mizamilou: He is known for his patience and professionalism and is as comfortable driving a 4x4 as he is driving a truck. Seyidou Koubadja: He is an absolute expert of all Western Africa. Good personality. N'Fa Bakayogo, Mohamed Oumar Ada Cissé, Adramane Goita, Nazim Ould Alhamdou are all very skilled drivers when it comes to deal with the African trails and the desert, from the Dogon area to the dunes of Timbuktu. Their ability has been tested many times and they never got lost! In our garageWe have our own garage in Lome, so that we can maintain all our vehicles, mostly 4x4 and minibuses with equipped air conditioning and shower facilities for our bush camps. Thanks to this garage our cars are in a permanent good condition, well prepared to go on expeditions and to hit the African trails with comfort and safety. Amen Agbeviade has taken part in many expeditions and knows how to solve all the problems the African roads can mean. Our cooksMensah Konou likes preparing dishes with a creative look. Daniel Attah is as comfortable cooking in the middle of the desert as in a tropical forest and can prepare different African traditional dishes. Toto N’guissan completed his studies in a professional school and is skilled in food preservation. Edjo Nokou is a specialist in combining a creative cuisine with a high standard one. John Mawugbe has been part of TransAfrica from day one. Who travelled with him says that it is a shame not to be able to enjoy his cooking even when we eat at the hotel restaurant! Jean Abotsivi is highly professional and always listens carefully to the guests’wishes. Djibril Keita has been part of so many expeditions both in Guinea and Guinea Bissau that he has gained a high experience allowing him to be both a cook and a real guide over there! Baba comes from the Malian desert North of Timbuktu. He is a specialist of the Saharan food and the uncontested master of couscous with dates. |
