Pay Mbaryo

Pay Mbaryo was born and raised in the remote villages around the Loliondo area of the eastern Serengeti, growing up close to the land and wildlife.

After completing secondary school, he began his career as a village teacher. It was during this time, while spending long hours in the local library and reading daily newspapers about elephant poaching, that he realised his interests lay beyond the classroom. Drawn to conservation and the natural world, he moved to Arusha to train as a guide, before continuing his studies in wildlife management.

Pay went on to spend ten years working as a park ranger, where he gained wide-ranging experience across the field, from guiding large groups and supporting guide training, to baboon research and day-to-day wildlife monitoring. It was during this time that he discovered a deep passion for walking safaris and for understanding the bush from the ground up.

In 2021, he joined Nomad as a walking guide. For Pay, being on foot is the best way to really experience the wilderness, It's a slower, more observant, and more connected way. He believes that the smallest details often tell the biggest stories, and he finds real meaning in sharing these moments with guests from around the world.