Live Africa
Destinations
Cross Africa
About Us
Introducing: Cross Africa & Co.
We design custom Africa itineraries and safari adventures. Our intimate knowledge of the continent and connections to the world’s best properties and guides (and the best locally-kept secrets) ensure a seamless journey that will awaken your senses—and renew your soul.
We are Cross Africa & Co., your connection to an Africa beyond the clichés, and beyond imagination—to an Africa of boundless possibilities, each customized specifically for you.
At Cross Africa & Co., our sense of safari isn’t conceptual. Our team of advisors has lived and loved a multitude of life-transforming safari adventures and destinations. Our team members are certified safari guides themselves, so we’re able to evaluate safari experiences with an “insider’s eye.”
Our understanding of Africa isn’t relegated to meeting with lodge owners and tour operators at stateside trade shows. No—we’ve grown up in the bush and called Africa home. We feel the continent deep within our bones, and we’re always hungry to journey back into the bush to awaken our senses again, to reconnect with the wild sense of wonder only Africa inspires.
Yes, we have the expertise and the experience. But what does that mean for you?
That you’ll be paired with not only an outstanding safari experience—but an experience finely tailored to your particular interests, passions, style, and desires.
That we’ll not only recommend vetted luxury safari lodges—we’ll recommend specific safari guides at each property who we trust to deliver the best, most exhilarating game viewing experience.
That you’ll not only get a custom itinerary—we’ll stitch your seamless itinerary together from beginning to end, so your comfort and safety come first every leg of your African journey.
An effortless yet life-changing escape—that’s the Cross Africa promise.
Our Experience
Our Team
Our Process
Pay it forward
Experience Africa, Expertly Planned.
A-to-Z Itinerary Design, for Safaris and Beyond
We understand that investing in an Africa escape requires a great deal of trust. Here’s why you should trust Cross Africa & Co. to deliver nothing less than perfection:
Knowledgeable
When it comes to planning an Africa escape, most travelers don’t know what they don’t know. This is where we provide exceptional value.
Our team has extensive on-the-ground experience, forging relationships with expert guides and scouting safari locations. We’re not just travel planners—we’re cross-continent translators, shepherding you to the very best.
Independent
We are not tour operators or lodge owners. We do not funnel our clients to a handful of pre-determined properties, just for kickbacks.
We’re an independent agency of Africa experts, dedicated to sending you on an Africa journey that best fits your needs—wherever and whatever that may be.
Safety-Minded
We’ve lived and worked all across Africa—we know the country, its customs, and its people.
So we know how to steer you away from tricky situations. Simply put, you get an experience that’s safe, seamless, and comfortable—yes, even while you’re gripping the sides of a 4×4 inching its way toward a pride of lions in the bush.
The Team
We’ve lived Africa, we love Africa—and we can’t wait to show you why it keeps calling us back. Meet the team of experts who will design your custom itinerary based on their deep knowledge, on-the-ground experience, and abiding respect for Africa.
Matthew Crosser
Founder & CEO
From scaling cliffs to exploring the ancient frescoes of Abuna Yemata in Ethiopia, to remote Himba tribes on the border of Angola and Namibia, Africa has given me experiences I’ll never forget—and I want to give our clients the same.
Before founding Cross Africa & Co., I spent 16+ years traveling to the region – and four years living there. From my post in Cape Town, I led early market development for sub-Saharan Africa—and I spent every free moment of my time exploring the continent. At this point, I’ve visited/worked in 20+ different African countries and have been on countless adventures and safaris. I’ve seen first-hand the difference between a “nice” safari experience, and a truly transformational one.
When you work with me and my team, you can rely on both our depth and breadth of experience. With my military background in the Marine Corps, security training, and experience as a medical first responder, our client’s safety is at the foremost of every trip we organize.
Africa is breathtaking in so many ways, from its natural beauty to its abundant cultural traditions. It’s opened my heart and my eyes to wonders I never knew existed—and we’d be honored to design an African journey that leaves you forever changed, as well.
Currently: San Francisco, California
Favorite Africa destinations:
- Mathews Range in Kenya,
- Tigray Region in Ethiopia and Eritrea
- The Serengeti
- Damaraland in Namibia
Matthew holds a license from the Field Guide Association of Southern Africa (FGASA), a Pilot License, and a First Responders Medical Certification. He’s also an aspiring amateur polo player, photographer and an explorer at heart.
The Signature Cross Africa Planning Process
Our five steps to an indelible Africa experience, designed just for you:
01
Inquire
After you submit a short inquiry form, we’ll arrange a complimentary consultation call with you. We want to collect more information on the kind of experience you’re after—not just where you want to go, but what you want to discover, how you want to feel, and any hesitations you may have.
02
Design
Next, our experts will begin building several itinerary options for you. Before we begin our extensive research, you’ll take care of the Professional Planning Fee—this varies depending on the complexity of the trip, so we’ll share it with you on your consultation call. (This fee also allows you to keep and use the itineraries we craft for you, whether you book with us or not). You’ll receive two to three itinerary options from us, in about a week, detailing your recommended destinations, accommodations, excursions, and more—all tailored to your particular travel style.
03
Choose
We’ll chat with you again to answer all of your itinerary questions and address any additions or subtractions you may have. Together, we’ll narrow down your options to a single perfect-fit itinerary that embodies the best Africa has to offer, customized to you. As you can see, we remain very consultative throughout the process to ensure this becomes a dream come true experience.
04
Book
To secure your full itinerary, we’ll begin the booking process, managing all your deposits and reservations for you. This includes: ● Accommodations ● Transfers and private ground transportation ● Excursions ● Private and small-group tours ● Flights We’ll also keep you informed of any special visas or documents you need to travel, so nothing takes you by surprise. When you book with Cross Africa & Co., you’re guaranteed to enjoy a safe and seamless experience, thanks to our vetted ground partners. This includes having a representative meet you at each airport to guide you through customs, collect your luggage, and assist you to your private driver or onto your next flight—you may even be able to fast-track through immigration.
05
Journey
Finally, you’ll depart for your journey, with your seamless itinerary available to you via mobile app, web, and pdf—clearly laying out every last detail for you. If you have any questions or concerns while you travel, you’ll have access to us as well as our on-the-ground support team, who will keep tabs on you throughout your journey. A solution is always close at hand, with support on call 24 hours a day. And, you won't have to fear being on your own. Thru our vetted network, you will always have access to the most dependable people specifically there to look out for your well being.
Our Pay It Forward Partners
Orkeeswa School. Arusha
We are proud to partner with Orkeeswa School in the form of contributing towards the scholarship fund for students.
For every bed night you book, $10 goes towards a scholarship for a pupil at Orkeeswa School. Since 2008, Orkeeswa School has grown out of an organic process of experimentation in collaboration with local leadership. As a result, they have developed a model of holistic education, responding to the specific needs of our students and their community. The Scholarship Program is what keeps Orkeeswa School going.
Scholarship support provides one student with:
- 1,400 hours of academic classes in 10 subjects
- 450+ hours of sports, clubs and activities
- 55+ hours of Life Skills education
- Unlimited access to counseling, healthcare & more
Our clients can be as actively involved as they would like to be on their trips. School visits can be arranged, but we like to ensure that there is maximum benefit to the pupils, sometimes in the form of interactive groups where they can engage with, and learn from clients.
Latest News
23.02.2023
Maasai in East Africa
If we are planning your safari to East Africa, there’s one experience that you shouldn’t miss: immersing yourself in Maasai culture. Th…
Read More
05.02.2023
Tented Safari Camps
As someone who loves adventure and nature, I have been captivated by the experience offered by mobile safari camps in Africa. Most camps offer a un…
Read More