A Londoner visiting a remote village in East Africa has described being “treated like a celebrity” by locals who rarely see visitors. Daniel Pinto, 26, from Lambeth in south London, is an adventurous traveller who has journeyed to 134 out of 195 countries, including the Philippines, India, Sudan, and Iraq.
Daniel, who considers himself a “danger tourist”—a niche in the tourism industry involving travel to dangerous destinations—recently shared his experiences from his travels through Africa. Despite encountering challenges such as being detained while attempting to enter Congo from Angola, Daniel remains undeterred in his quest to explore the world.
In April 2024, Daniel and his friend, Nuno Abrantes, 27, were travelling to Tanzania when they made a stop in a remote village in northern Burundi to visit the Tanzania Batwa pygmies, an Indigenous group known for their short stature. The villagers warmly welcomed Daniel, following him around for hours and showing him their highland home.
“I was there for the afternoon, making my way to Tanzania when I stopped there,” Daniel said. We went into the village and spoke to the people. The village is high up in the highlands; it is very beautiful. It’s a place that doesn’t get many tourists.”
Daniel, who began traveling solo at the age of 20, has been to diverse locations such as Bali, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. He documents his travels online to showcase unique aspects of countries often overlooked by mainstream tourism.
“I try and be different. I want to show parts of the country that nobody else knows about,” he explained. “I don’t want to show the settings that everyone else shows.”
Among the many countries he has visited, Daniel finds it hard to pick a favorite but holds a special fondness for India. “India was amazing, it has everything you need. There are big cities, tribes—it has everything.”
He also praised Algeria for its Mediterranean-like beaches and enjoyed Sudan despite its negative portrayal in the media.
Though Daniel often travels to high-risk areas, he insists he knows how to handle himself, though he did recount a “close call” in Libya. “The worst situation I have been in is Libya. I was hitchhiking, and at a checkpoint, we were detained for seven hours, handcuffed, and had a gun to our face by a militia group. That was worrying.”
Daniel hopes to visit every country in the world and continues to inspire others with his tales of global exploration and the unique cultures he encounters.
For more about Daniel’s travels, follow his journey online where he shares videos and stories of his adventures.
