Andy Higgs is the founder and sole operator of The Grown-Up Travel Company, a Norway-based boutique safari specialist founded in 2018 and built on over 30 years of first-hand experience travelling and living in Africa.
The company works exclusively in Africa, focusing on private conservancies, owner-operated camps, and destinations where conservation and community impact are embedded in the business model — not bolted on. Every itinerary, whether a fully bespoke individual journey or one of the small-group expeditions Andy personally leads each year, is designed around low-impact, high-value experiences. The company currently covers over 15 destinations across East and Southern Africa.
As an ATTA member, Andy brings an unusual combination to the association: deep destination knowledge rooted in decades of living and travelling the continent, a highly qualified client base that is predominantly Norwegian but increasingly international — with clients now booking from the UK, US, and beyond — and a genuine commitment to the long-term health of the ecosystems and communities his trips depend on. He attends key trade events, including Essence of Africa, Indaba, Magical Kenya, BTTI, WTM Africa and Africa's Eden to maintain and deepen relationships with the operators, conservancies, and DMCs who share these values.
The client base is deliberately focused and carefully curated. Most bookings come through referral or from a loyal newsletter community, with consistently high conversion rates that reflect the quality of pre-qualification rather than volume marketing. Andy is not building a large agency — he is building a legacy of exceptional, responsible African travel, one extraordinary journey at a time.
Specialisms
Bespoke FIT itineraries, personally-led small-group expeditions, private conservancies, walking safaris, conservation-led travel, gorilla trekking, Scandinavian and Nordic market specialist.
