James Weis Owner & Destination Specialist
I have a background in finance and accounting, and spent the first part of my professional career wearing a suit and tie and working in corporate America; first as a manager, and then running a consulting practice.
I worked a lot of long days and weekends but, when I was able to take time away from my work, I took vacations to places where I could see and photograph the natural world and its wildlife. One of those trips was to Africa. I fell in love.
James at Kicker Rock in the Galápagos.
From my very first visit, my love of Africa never wavered and, prior to starting Eyes on Africa (now Eyes on Adventure) with Nicky, I had already spent a year of my life on safaris throughout Africa. I went to magnificent places like Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Seychelles and more. This was travel I experienced as a paying guest, not as a travel agent. I stayed for long periods at a time and got to know the travel and safari experiences quite differently from most travel professionals. This is how I continue to see and explore our destinations – not on quick-visit agent trips; but on long-stay, in-depth explorations of an area, getting to know the camps, the local guides, the wild places, and the wildlife. This approach to experiencing our destinations gives me a real, tangible, client-based perspective of these places and it has served me well over the years in putting together safaris and adventure travel packages for our clients.
Today, I spend the majority of my days at home in Chicago, running Eyes on Adventure with Nicky and enjoying time with our son, Logan. Besides family, my fervor is for exploration and discovery, and this leads me away from home quite often. I typically spend two or three months of every year traveling the world, balancing my passion for wild places, bird watching, hiking, wildlife adventures and photography. I also lead one or two of our specialized photographic workshops, personally guiding our clients on trips to some of my own favorite destinations around the globe.
James in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.
If you want to travel the world and see its last remaining wild places, if you have the desire to walk through magical forests and listen to the sounds of nature, if you yearn to breathe in the smells of fresh earth after a rain shower and experience the ebb and flow of life away from the city, then I know just how you feel… I'd love to help you plan such an adventure!