Five Questions for Wandlay

Tracking gorillas in Rwanda, observing desert elephants in their natural habitat, and… helping to protect the world’s most endangered species? How does that all fit together? Wandlay, the “boutique” travel agency founded by WHU alumna Lea Henzgen, provides adventures for those looking to have a vacation well off the beaten path. The company offers sustainable and individually curated tourist experiences focused on nature and animal preservation. Henzgen, who is also the co-founder of the AMES Foundation, an organization dedicated to the same cause, explains how passion led to her business model and how ecotourism helps protect the environment. 

Lea, how did Wandlay come to be? And what separates it from other travel agencies?

I initially had the idea just as I was finishing my bachelor’s degree at WHU back in 2018, but I wasn’t sure that I could do it. It’s always been something of a passion of mine to organize private events or group travel plans. And then, in 2024, it just hit me. I was sitting on the shore in South Africa, watching the sun rise, and I just knew that it was time to turn my vision into reality.

Wandlay is no traditional travel agency, rather a “boutique” service that offers personalized, unique, and memorable experiences in sub-Saharan Africa. Our clients are not merely traveling; they’re visiting places that are much harder to reach and making connections there.

Why types of travel do you offer specifically? And who are your clients?

For each trip, everything is custom designed on the ground: the arrival destination, the accommodation, the agenda. And we offer everything from a honeymoon on a remote beach in Mozambique to gorilla tracking to visiting anti-poaching stations. It’s about offering something unique, not something for the masses. Our portfolio stretches from luxury lodges to nights spent outside under the open sky. And we offer both individual and group packages, as well as company retreats, always with personal guidance and close contact with our people and our other projects on the ground. 

Our clients are very varied: young couples on their honeymoon, entrepreneurs seeking some inspiration, and even whole families simply determined to travel. Most of our packages cost between 4,500 and 8,000 euro per week.

How strongly is Wandlay connected to the AMES Foundation, which you also founded?

Very strongly connected. Without the experiences gained and the contacts I made through the AMES Foundation, Wandlay would not exist in its current form. And ecotourism is the biggest source of funding for nature and animal preservation. Many of our tours go through the regions where the AMES Foundation is active. Our guests get to observe nature and also to truly learn about our activities firsthand and help us out with everything we have going on there, for example, the protection of rhinoceroses. Three percent of the profits from the packages sold go directly back into our preservation projects. It essentially works the same way as Lufthansa’s Miles & More does, except guests don’t earn miles, but rather “impact points.” They can use their points to help a variety of projects, including the ones they themselves have visited. Sustainable tourism is a system that really works. The AMES Foundation and Wandlay are intertwined: Guests visit the reserves maintained by the foundation. We generate funds for their upkeep, and guests have unforgettable experiences there. Our travel offerings create real added value for the nature, wildlife, and communities in Africa.

What makes for a successful trip?

A successful trip is one that has an effect long after it’s over. I like to help others craft memories that last. Moments that remain in their hearts for years to come. Anyone who wakes up one day to see wild elephants or a horde of rhinos is going to see the world through a different lens. We want our guests to relax, enjoy, and simply be in the moment—and also rest assured that they’re giving something back. And that is at the heart of what Wandlay is. Our slogan is “memories are best when you make them”—and we want our clients to have those unforgettable moments.

Where do you see your company in the next ten years?

Over time, we want to become the world’s premiere agency for highly curated, sustainable, and personalized travel packages to sub-Saharan Africa. We will stay small and personal, but become more professionalized. My wish is that every trip is unforgettable for our guests—and leaves something behind that endures.

Thanks for the chat, and we wish you a lot of success for the future.

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