Meet our BOOKED Trips Kenya and Zanzibar Partners!
Partnership is at the core of BOOKED Trips book-inspired experiences. We work with local creatives, guides, and businesses on each our experiences. We’re excited to partner with Samantha Wakaimba, Founder of Essence of Kenya, an indigenous and female-founded luxury travel company and Sharon Machira, a Kenyan luxury travel journalist, cultural curator and founder of Weak Passport, Strong Taste for the Kenya portion of our August 5-16, 2026 BOOKED Trips Kenya and Zanzibar experience inspired by Kenyan writer Troy Onyango’s book “For What Are Butterflies Without Their Wings.“
Tell us a little bit about you and what inspired you to start Essence of Kenya (Samantha) and your work as a travel journalist and creator (Sharon).
Samantha: I grew up deeply rooted in Kenya’s landscapes, stories, and communities. School holidays were an invitation to traverse my homeland and experience it in wonderfully different ways.  Essence of Kenya was born from a desire to share Kenya’s depth and complexity with travellers beyond the typical safari postcard. But more than that, my mission was shaped by a single observation: Indigenous people led the experiences that defined Kenyan travel, yet not the industry itself. Fueled by this, Essence of Kenya also exists to centre Indigenous voices in a travel industry that still echoes its colonial past.
Sharon: I’m a Kenyan luxury travel journalist and cultural curator— ex BBC, ex-Google, now founder of Weak Passport, Strong Taste.
A social & travel club for the Afropolitan. I’m interested in travel as an expression of taste—how where we go reflects our values, politics, and cultural literacy, not just our passports.
What are you most looking forward to with this partnership? What stories are you excited to tell?
Samantha: I’m most excited about the opportunity to reveal Nairobi in a way few travelers get to experience. So often, people see the city merely as a stopover en route to other destinations, but Nairobi has its own stories and magic. This partnership allows us to explore its hidden corners and showcase the city as a destination worth lingering in.
Sharon: Telling Kenya and Africa beyond the safari postcard. I’m excited to spotlight contemporary Africa—its thinkers, creatives, homes, rituals, and food. That’s my idea of quiet luxury. The kind of stories you only access when you’re invited in.
At BOOKED Trips we bring travelers from the pages of some of our favorite books to the places they’re set in. What are some of your favorite books by Kenyan writers?
Sharon:
Dust by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, Havoc of Choice by Wanjiru Koinange and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s essays—especially for understanding Kenya’s political and emotional landscape beyond the obvious.
Samantha: I’ve always been drawn to works that explore Kenya’s history and the forces that shaped it, which is why
Petals of Blood by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o resonates so deeply with me. I studied Kenya’s independence as part of my master’s, and reading this novel brought those historical dynamics to life in a visceral and personal way.
Describe your perfect weekend in Nairobi. What are some of the underrated experiences you wish more people had in the city?
Sharon: A community run in Karura with @WeRunNairobi, Sunset drinks somewhere, design-led like Dijo rooftop bar. A supperclub at someone’s house who’s a coder/banker/lawyer by day and a self-taught chef by night. Nairobi’s magic lives in its living rooms, not only its landmarks.
Samantha: My perfect weekend in Nairobi starts with a morning game of padel to get the energy flowing, followed by a leisurely brunch at Talisman. In the afternoon, I’d explore a gallery or join a creative workshop. Nairobi has so much going on: from art to design and unexpected cultural experiences. As the day winds down, I’d enjoy drinks while watching the sun set, before ending the evening with a very indulgent dinner at Cultiva (which we’ll be visiting during our trip). Some of Nairobi’s most underrated experiences are those that let you connect with the city in intimate, unexpected ways – like attending a curated supper club or taking a hands-on cooking class. Clearly, you can see I’m a little food obsessed!
Looking ahead, what kind of journeys, literal or internal, are calling to you next?
Samantha: I’m drawn to journeys that combine curiosity with depth. I want to discover places that challenge assumptions, reveal new perspectives, and celebrate Africa’s incredible diversity. I have my hands quite full with travelling up and down Kenya at the moment, but I do hope that I can travel more widely across the continent this year. I have also attached a picture to go along with this.
Sharon: Slower travel. More cities. I’m drawn to journeys that deepen my taste—staying longer, listening harder, and letting places change how I think.
Join us!
Experience Kenya and Zanzibar firsthand during our August 5-16, 2026 trip. Spots are open until June 16, 2026!
