Stefano Pesarelli

Co-founder & Managing director

Stefano Pesarelli is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Africa Wild Truck, a Malawi-based tour operator specialising in African travel and responsible tourism.

Born in 1969, Stefano has been a passionate traveller since a young age, exploring the Middle East, Asia, Europe and South America before Africa became the focus of his travels. His first journey to the continent marked the beginning of a lifelong connection with Africa, which has grown through more than two decades of exploration and first-hand experience.

In 2004, together with his wife Francesca, he undertook an extraordinary 23,000-kilometre, four-month overland journey from Turin to Mozambique in their old Fiat Campagnola, crossing Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Etiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. The journey became the Torino – Ilha project and marked the beginning of the Africa Wild Truck adventure.

Stefano has travelled extensively throughout Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya, developing an exceptional knowledge of African ecosystems, wildlife and birdlife. His expertise makes him not only an experienced field guide, but also an engaging travel companion, able to share the stories, landscapes and people encountered along the way.

Since 2009, Stefano has worked as a professional photographer. His work has received international recognition, including awards from the Black and White Spider Awards, PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris and National Geographic. He has also been recognised as a Qualified Italian Photographer (QIP) and Qualified European Photographer (QEP). His photographs have been exhibited internationally and published in major Italian and international magazines.

His photography is closely connected to his commitment to conservation and responsible travel. Through projects such as Africa through iPhone, as well as collaborations with environmental and humanitarian organisations, Stefano uses photography to document Africa and raise awareness of its changing landscapes and communities.

Stefano has also contributed to and authored travel guides published by Polaris, including guides to Tanzania and Mozambique, and has completed an intensive Tourism and Tour Design course organised by the Government of Malawi.

As Managing Director of Africa Wild Truck, Stefano combines his extensive field experience, knowledge of nature and wildlife, photography skills and passion for exploration with a strong commitment to responsible tourism.

Together with Francesca, he has built an experienced team that develops and delivers journeys designed to create authentic and unforgettable experiences.