One of the founders of Aardvark Safaris, Richard comes from a background working in both Africa and travel. Shunning the exciting world of quantity surveying (with apologies to all exciting quantity surveyors out there) Richard spent the first ten years after university flitting between summers on a river somewhere in the world as a raft guide, videographer or canoe instructor, and winters in the Alps as a ski guide, or the Operations Manager for a ski company.

His claim to fame (in his own mind) is that during his time working on the Zambezi River, based in Victoria Falls, he was one of the members of a group of kayakers who made the first moonlit descent of the rapids in the Zambezi Gorge. In addition he spent time in Botswana and Zimbabwe making promotional films for safari companies, and met the other Aardvark Safaris’ founder John Spence.

Richard is a keen sportsman but though he has tried many sports including football, volleyball, kayaking, canoeing, skiing, snowboarding, telemarking, bouldering, mountain biking and bmx-ing he’s not particularly accomplished in anything. With the ability to swim, ride a bike and run, he was gripped by a midlife crisis a few years ago and trained for enough hours to annoy both family and work colleagues and eventually became an Ironman triathlete, completing the 2.5 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26 mile run in something just over 14 hours. He also recently podium’ed as 3rd placed Grand Vet in a downhill mountain bike competition (and no there weren’t only three in his category).

Having founded Aardvark Safaris with John in 1999, Richard travelled intensively throughout Africa for a number of years before his children grew old enough to start asking why they weren’t invited. Since then he’s travelled with his wife and kids to Mauritius, Kenya, Namibia,  Zambia, Malawi and South Africa. With a wide breadth of geographical knowledge (in Africa at least) and having arranged safari holidays over the years for many of our clients, Richard is a good person to talk to about almost all of the countries we offer, no matter who you are or with whom you’re travelling.

Favourite African experience

I particularly enjoyed the look on my wife’s face when she realised the beautiful breakfast set up under an acacia tree in the middle of the African plains was for us – we were the VIPs that the chef (in full whites) and camp team were waiting for!

Favourite animal

It changes. Right now it’s warthogs. I love the way they stick their tails in the air as if radio controlled. Annoyingly they seem to always run away from you though, meaning a good photo seems almost impossible to get.

Favourite three camps

I saw three different leopard on a single wildlife drive from Mombo Camp in the Okavango Delta and on our return to camp there was a porcupine displaying its quills under the boardwalk. The density and quality of wildlife, together with rooms where ‘you can almost see from one end to the other on a clear day’ makes Mombo one for the memory banks.

Family of leopards, Okavango Delta, Botswana, Mombo camp

I love the quirkiness of the rooms at Kaya Mawa on Lake Malawi; they’re all different to each other and blend in with the granite outcrops fabulously. More an inland sea than a lake, the waters are great for freshwater snorkelling and diving – not only do you get great fish viewing, but you’re not sticky with salt afterwards.

On the shores of Lake Malawi, Kaya Mawa

Stopping at three camps doesn’t feel right; I could go on for pages. However if I have to finish I’d end with Greystoke Camp in the Mahale National Park on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. You have a sandy beach in front of you, with forested mountains rising 600m behind you. In the forest are groups of habituated chimps whose interactions are as thrilling as the scenery is stunning.

Greystoke Mahale, Tanzania

Oh no, what about the pastel colours at Wolwedans in Namibia, or watching whales from Princesse Bora on Ile Ste Marie, or a sunset across the Luangwa from Nsefu Camp? Can’t we make it your ten favourite camps?

African countries visited

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland, Morocco.

Tropical islands visited

Madagascar, Mauritius, Zanzibar

On arranging holidays

There can’t be many jobs where people want to buy what you sell. I can’t imagine people go into the service department of their local garage happy to plan their service and then part with their money. That’s what we get though; people who are excited about arranging a safari holiday and who just need us to use our knowledge to match them with the myriad of options for them in Africa.
It’s lovely to get so many people saying ‘thank you’ when the planning is complete and the decision made. It’s even better when they come back from Africa with the holiday having exceeded their expectations, thrilled by what they’ve seen and done and bubbling over with excitement. We share all the feedback we get around the offices and I know each of us gets a big thrill when the trips we’ve helped arrange work well and a bit of vicarious pleasure reading each other’s nice feedback too.

It’s a top job and there are few things I’d swap it for, and those I would I’m not skilled enough at (see the previous comments regarding my sporting prowess!)

Alice Gully, one of the owners of Aardvark Safaris, has been involved in African travel since 1995. Her interest in all things African started with a zoology degree at Newcastle where her entomology tutor inspired with stories of exotic creatures that could only be found in Africa. When a second degree in vet science did not go according to plan, she fulfilled a dream by working in Zambia.  First, she helped set up a safari camp on Lake Kariba and undertook a small study on a family of seven elephants that shared her island. Next was a stint skippering catamarans on the Zimbabwean side of the lake where sailing along the wildlife filled shores of Matusadona National Park still inspires wonderful memories.

Her last job was living the dream as a back-up guide for a riding safari in Hwange, Zimbabwe, which she describes as one of those few jobs where you forget it’s work, and where managing 28 horses and showing guests the wonders of Africa from horseback was pure joy.  She decided on her future career as an African tour operator before her return and now says that anything is possible in Africa if you know how.

Now married, and mother to three daughters, Alice runs the Scottish office.  Riding is still a big passion she competes and hunts when time allows.   Alice and husband Jim are keen hill walkers and love the outdoors, and on their African travels they are happiest on foot, in a canoe, or on horseback. She is also an experienced diver and counts the peaceful reefs of Mozambique as some of the best in the world. Her triplets got a taste of Africa at the age of two on a camel safari in Kenya with some time at the coast – never too young!

In her many years organising holidays, Alice has travelled extensively through Africa, exploring some of the more off the beaten track safari areas as well as the better known.  Kenya remains an old favourite and she has returned six times, unable to resist the draw of all that’s on offer here.  Post children she’s also come to appreciate the value of R&R holidays in beach destinations like Mauritius and the Seychelles.  Of the countries Aardvark Safaris sells, it’s only Madagascar and Malawi that Alice has yet to explore, but it’s only a matter of time.

Favourite African experience

Too many to pick one, each time I travel something takes my breath away, the people, the endless scenery, the incredible wildlife. For pure wow factor, riding horses through the migration in the Masai Mara or flying in a private plane along the Skeleton Coast of Namibia.

Favourite animal

Other than giraffe (which I’d most like to come back as) it’s the little stuff like the insects and birds that enthral me. If you sit still in Africa, life is busy all around you, no matter where you are. Under the sea, in the ground or high in the trees, there is never a dull moment.

Favourite three camps

I love the small owner run camps where you feel as though you are staying with a friend. The host is your guide and looks after you in every way, they care how you feel and what you do, some of these camps (and owners) include PJ and Barney at Okavango Horse Safaris in Botswana, Kerry Glen at Karisia in Kenya, Ant and Tessa Baber at Ant’s Nest in South Africa, but there is a long list, not just three! Luwi Camp in the South Luangwa, Zambia is my desert island camp if there was only one last African trip.

Okavango Horse Safaris, Okavango Delta, Botswana

Camel safari, Kenya, Laikipia, Karisia Walking Safaris

Luxury safari accommodation Waterberg, South Africa, Ant’s Nest, Ant’s Collection

Hippos on a walking safari, South Luangwa, Zambia, Luwi Bushcamp

African countries visited

South Africa, Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Namibia, Republic of Congo

Tropical islands visited

Seychelles, Mauritius, Zanzibar

On arranging holidays

I pride myself on the fact that no two holidays I plan are the same. I enjoy really listening to what people want, before going to the drawing board to sketch out ideas. I believe in top end customer service, so no wedding anniversary goes unnoticed or dietary requirement is missed, and I will spend hours thinking about what could improve everybody’s experience – I want everyone to come home with the same warm fuzzy feeling about Africa that I have. As an experienced rider, I know what makes the difference between a good riding safari and an unforgettable one and will do my best to match riders to the most suitable horses and will always try to look after the non-riding spouse (I have one) as well as learner riders (like my three girls). As a mother I know the pitfalls of travelling with children and will do my utmost to choose the best camps and lodges to create a perfect family holiday – I’m proud to say my repeat and word of mouth business speaks for itself.

Francis grew up outdoors, spending far more time on his parents’ farm than he did at school. As well as being engrossed in the books of Wilbur Smith from an early age, a growing obsession with Africa was given a major boost on a family holiday in Kenya when he was just 10.

Having attended agricultural college, he spent 18 months exploring outback Australia, mostly working on massive cattle stations many miles from a town of any size, and learned to love being barefoot in the bush.  Having successfully dodged wild cattle and numerous snakes, he returned to the UK to farm in Wiltshire, which he did until 1995 when the call of the wild overtook him once more and he headed for Africa.

For the following five and a half years Francis travelled the length and breadth of the continent, guiding groups of up to 20 clients on overland safaris, in 22 countries from Morocco to Cameroon, and Kenya to Namibia. He became an expert guide in wildlife, culture, geography and general African knowledge during this time, and since he had a vehicle under his command he was able to explore new and unknown places on most trips.

He then went home again, got married, and made the mistake of running a post office and shop for seven years, before joining Aardvark eight years ago.

Away from work, Francis is a family man, a keen rider, and enjoys tennis and cricket as well as cycling. He also likes food, wine and beer, and occasionally mows the lawn.

Happiest when barefoot in the bush, Francis is passionate about wildlife, conservation and sustainable travel, is fascinated by other cultures, and the benefits that well planned travel can deliver for less fortunate communities in developing countries.  He has superb wildlife knowledge and is also a good person to talk to if you are interested in the cultural side of Africa.

Favourite African experience

It’s really hard to name just one, but these are among many; meeting Slot (an elephant) in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park; seeing and hearing Dogon dancers on the Bandiagara escarpment in Mali; being seriously close to chimps in Mahale Mountains National Park in Tanzania; canoeing the length of the lower Zambezi, camping on islands in the river; the sight of 250 salt laden camels with their Tuareg herders crossing the Sahara to Timbuctoo in Mali; Samburu people watering their stock at Sarara’s Singing Wells.

Favourite animal

The elephant, for its majestic size, complex family and social structures, and its intelligence and longevity. I have spent hours sitting watching them.

My favourite three camps

Goliath Safaris in Mana Pools for the most intimate wildlife encounters.

Sarara Camp in remote northern Kenya for its stunning setting and the Singing Wells.

Chada Katavi in western Tanzania for its remoteness, beauty, and the feeling of being truly wild.

Jack’s Camp in the stunning, other-worldy landscape of the Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana.

African countries visited

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zaire (now the DRC), Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Cameroon, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Morocco, Egypt

Tropical Islands visited

Seychelles and Madagascar.

On planning holidays

I like to take time to get to know about my clients, to learn what really matters to them, and to provide holidays which suit them perfectly. I work extensively with families, and enjoy coming up with exciting and varied holidays which mix adventure and wilderness with great wildlife and masses of fun in the bush. I enjoy any opportunity to produce an unusual, mixed itinerary, perhaps taking people out of their usual comfort zones and into remote, uncharted territory, even if just for a few days, and also offering the chance to spend time with some of the continent’s fabulous people.

I relish any chance to talk about my favourite places and to enthuse my audience with my passion, hopefully without inducing a yawn.

Part of the joy of the work is the feedback we receive (we contact every client for it on their return), and the satisfaction and excitement engendered in our clients by the holidays we arrange. Our testimonials page makes for great reading.

Jo joined Aardvark’s Scottish office in September 2006, fresh from two ski seasons, and as a farmer’s daughter felt instantly at home with the chickens, ducks, sheep, dogs and horses that frequent Aardvark Scotland!  Animals and skiing aside, Jo’s passions include cooking, travelling, hiking and horse riding. She was a chalet manager in the Alps for two winter seasons, while the summers took her to the north of Scotland to cook for large house parties.  As a child, Jo was fully immersed in the Fife Hunt pony club, and has more recently worked with top eventers and racehorses.

She put her cooking skills to good use on a two month sabbatical in Uganda and Rwanda where she was tasked with improving the food and sourcing new ingredients in some of the top lodges. A highlight of her time here was tracking mountain gorillas on three occasions – Jo is therefore an excellent person to talk to about holidays here as she can give you her own honest and unbiased advice.

Now a senior sales consultant at Aardvark Safaris, Jo has been given the exciting challenge of managing a sales team.  Sociable, outgoing, fun and very well-travelled, we believe she is the perfect person for the job. Based in Edinburgh, Jo is more than delighted to come and meet guests with maps and brochures, to chat their holidays over in person.

Favourite African experience

Sleeping in a hide on the Boteti River in Botswana. There were elephant splashing around in the river and two prides of lion roaring to each other from opposite banks. I didn’t sleep a wink, but it was one of the most thrilling nights of my life!

Making it to the summit of Kilimanjaro. Having that sense of satisfaction, whilst seeing the sun rise up through the clouds below, has to be one of the most magical things I’ve ever experienced.

Favourite African animal

Giraffe – I have always wondered what it’s like to be tall……they’re the complete opposite of me; tall, graceful and quiet.

Three favourite camps

Tsarabanjina off the north west coast of Madagascar, for its truly remote location, sugary white sand, warm translucent water, and amazingly romantic and private bandas.

Schoeman Skeleton Coast Safaris’ Kunene Camp in northern Namibia. It’s on the border with Angola and is totally unique, simple and beautiful.

Sand Rivers in Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve for its exclusivity, wonderful river location and the sound of hippos from any part of the lodge.

African countries visited

Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia

Tropical Islands visited

Madagascar, Mauritius, Zanzibar

On arranging holidays

There’s nothing better than speaking to guests who have just returned from a fantastic holiday.  It gives me such a buzz. There’s plenty of room for error when planning these trips so it’s essential to get everything absolutely right and that’s where the first hand-knowledge and attention to detail comes in.  I travel regularly, and though it’s a wonderful perk, it’s also crucial to help plan the perfect holiday.  I take a lot of pride in trying to make all the trips I plan the best they can possibly be, no matter how long takes.  Making people happy is very satisfying.

Lucinda joined the Aardvark team in 2010, fresh from several years working at a remote bush camp in Zambia’s South Luangwa Valley – a position she found after her passion for Africa was sparked by a charity climb up Kilimanjaro and a Kenyan safari – organised, coincidentally, by Aardvark. Unable to drag herself away, the initial five month position eventually spanned four years and stints working for two of the best safari companies in Zambia.  It only came to an end when a 15kg sausage fruit fell on her wrist, resulting in an injury that required surgery back in the UK.

As well as visiting some of the more remote areas of Zambia, her travels around the continent include Mozambique, Malawi, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.

Prior to Africa and Aardvark, Lucinda completed a degree in History of Art, spending a year at a Rome university where, in her spare time she worked as a city guide leading six to seven hour tours of the Vatican City, walks of the historical city centre, and tours of the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Returning to Rome after graduating, she spent a further 18 months leading and developing tours around this ancient city and the surrounding areas. Other employment in her wonderfully peripatetic career includes working on a magazine and a spell as an estate agent.

Away from the office Lucinda is a keen photographer and grew up riding and eventing.  She loves the opportunities that Africa provides to indulge in both these passions.  Having run safari camps she has a good insight into Africa and the people who come to visit, and what makes an average camp truly great.

Favourite African experience

There are so many but these would be a start: Watching nearly a thousand pelican flying through the pink streaked sunset sky in Liuwa Plains, Zambia; riding with white rhino and walking with black rhino in South Africa; spending time with the endangered mountain gorillas; reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro; and lying in bed at night listening to the hippos in the river and the local lions roaring in camp.

Favourite animal

Impossible to answer – I am as happy watching elephants at a waterhole or a leopard up a tree with its kill as I am marvelling at a flock of carmine bee-eaters. Apart from snakes, I will admire any African wildlife for hours on end.

Favourite three camps

Mchenja in the South Luangwa will always have a special place in my heart as the first camp I ran. It has a stunning position, a wonderful team of staff and fabulous wildlife all around, and quite often inside, camp.

Singita Ebony in the Kruger – who wouldn’t want to watch elephant and buffalo, amongst others, from the comfort of their private plunge pool?

Tswalu – a completely unique area with stunning landscapes and great wildlife viewing, with some rarer species like the elusive Aardvark.

Can I have just one more? Virunga Lodge in Rwanda has some of the most extraordinary views I’ve ever seen and is the perfect base from which to track the mountain gorillas.

African countries visited

Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Tropical islands visited

Maldives, Seychelles, Zanzibar.

On arranging holidays

I am lucky enough to have a job which is essentially about making people happy. We strive to ensure that, through our knowledge, we can plan and put together superb holidays. What makes a perfect safari will depend completely on the person I am are arranging it for – a simple dome tent works for some while a room with a private plunge pool would be better for others. There are some key essential ingredients; excellent guiding, great wildlife and few other people in the same area, but really it’s all about getting to know what you want. I particularly enjoy hearing about the trips I’ve arranged when my clients return, it’s a great buzz when we manage to exceed expectations.

With both her parents born in Africa, Roxy certainly has Africa in her blood.  She went on her first safari at the tender age of six, and frequent visits throughout her childhood have kept the African connection strong.

Her gap year between school and university saw her backpacking around South Africa, Australia, Bali, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Following a clearly exhausting three years at the University of Newcastle, a second gap year was much needed and she went off to Kenya to work at Offbeat Mara Camp, Offbeat Meru Camp and Sosian Ranch, part of the Offbeat Safaris circuit, and finished the safari stint by teaching tennis in a prep school in the rift valley. It was these experiences, and hosting guests on safari, that led her to becoming an African tour operator, desperate to send people to the camps and lodges she had loved, and for guests to have an exquisite African experience too.

Riding at Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, Kurland

With relatives in Kenya and her second home being a family house Plettenberg Bay in South Africa, Roxy not only travels for work but for holiday too.  Her son made his first trip to South Africa at just five months old, and she is of the firm mind set of ‘have children – must travel’.  Watching him meet his first elephant was a true wonder, and she hopes as he grows older he will share the same love for these majestic and wondrous creatures as she does.

Favourite African experience

Baby chimpanzee, Image credit Volcanoes Safaris

It is tough to pinpoint a favourite experience, so here are a few that are top of my list… Chimp trekking in the Mahale Mountains in Tanzania, a walking safari in the South Luangwa in Zambia, a fly-in safari with Skeleton Coast Safaris in Namibia, a sleep out under the stars in the Makagadikgadi salt pans in Botswana, gorilla tracking through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda and sundowners anywhere with a view.

Favourite animal

The African elephant. No question.

Favourite three camps

Romantic sundowners at Offbeat Mara Camp, Masai Mara, Kenya

Offbeat Mara Camp, Mara North Conservancy, Kenya – A typically East African tented camp with traditional safari bucket showers, wildlife in abundance, game drives, bush walks, night drives and sundowners with no more than 14 guests. I was lucky enough to run this camp when it very first opened over 10 years ago, so it has a special place in my heart

San Camp, Makgadikigadi, Botswana

San Camp, Makagadikgadi pans, Botswana –Take a quad bike across the plains into the sunset, sleep beneath the stars, get up close to the habituated meerkats, walk back in time with the bushmen and drive for miles looking for elusive brown hyena before retiring to a beautiful tented camp, enriched with unique artefacts and in the middle of nowhere, literally.

Luangwa Bush Camping, South Luangwa, Zambia, Robin Pope Safaris

Luangwa Bush Camping, South Luangwa, Zambia  – An incredible operation for a walking, simple yet comfortable tents with your very own bush kitchen and bar, and true feeling of being in the wild.

African Countries visited

Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zanzibar.

On arranging holidays

We really do arrange trips of a lifetime, so it goes without saying that hearing guests’ feedback that their holiday not only met, but exceeded expectations, is always one of the thrills of the job.

I’m lucky enough to have explored the continent of Africa extensively, and have travelled wearing many different hats; as a single traveller, honeymooner, mother, and as part of a big family group.

Half the fun is getting to know my clients. Asking questions and listening to their experiences before applying my own knowledge is all part of the process of putting together their trip of a lifetime.  We are always looking for ways to go above and beyond expectations to make our safari holidays extra special.

Louisa has recently made the move back to Scotland from London where she worked for a competitor for the past three and half years.

As a child she loved hearing about the exploits of her grandparents and great grandparents who travelled all over Africa. Whether it was her great grandmother climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania or her grandfather flying small cargo planes over Zambia. She was therefore raring to start her own adventures and has enjoyed foreign travel from a young age. Her first trip to Africa was to Kenya when she was ten and this is where her love affair for Africa began, returning at every possible opportunity.

Having studied Politics and Sociology at Newcastle University with a keen focus on Anthropology she has always been interested in different cultures and travel has been a means to experience this first hand. Over the years she has also travelled extensively in Europe, Asia, North and South America, travelling overland from Chile to Mexico in her year out after university. However, Africa has always been her favourite continent where she has had some of her most exciting and memorable experiences.  This is what led her to working in the African travel industry and she hasn’t looked back since.

Favourite African experience

Arriving in the Namib Desert, its spectacular red dunes was incredibly special; it is one of the most remarkable places I have ever visited. The classic scene of the mystical looking oryx with the back drop of the famous burning red sand dunes is something I will never tire of. Sleeping on a raised deck under the most magnificent, twinkling stars in the middle of the desert is another unforgettable experience.

Favourite African animal

It has to be the African elephant, particularly the babies, when they don’t yet have the use of their trunk they look a little goofy. I also love that they feel emotion just like humans.

Three favourite camps

Greystoke Mahale on the edge of Lake Tanganyika is definitely one of the most remote lodges I have been to. I was blown away by the shabby chic design of the lodge. The chimp trekking is fantastic and the guiding is exceptional.

Chimpanzee tracking at Greystoke Mahale, Tanzania

Chiawa Camp in the Lower Zambezi is another of my favourite camps. For me the Lower Zambezi is one of the most beautiful places with the views out to the river and the backdrop of the escarpment.

Chiawa Camp on the banks of the River Zambezi, Zambia

Chada Katavi Camp in the remote Katavi National Park in Western Tanzania is a very special camp for me. I love how far from civilisation you are, you really feel totally removed from the man made world and immersed in the wild.

Chada Katavi – zebras and giraffe herds, Katavi National Park, Tanzania

African countries visited

Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia

Tropical islands visited

Mauritius, Seychelles

On arranging holidays

I really enjoy sharing my experiences with others and being able to create the most amazing and unforgettable trips. The best part is that each and every holiday is completely different to the last so you never get bored and there is always something new and exciting. Holiday time is precious and I know how important it is to get a trip just right whether it’s a honeymoon, family holiday or even a short trip. That is why it is essential we get to know everyone’s likes and dislikes. I love talking to clients after their trip and hearing all about the different places they went and experiences had, it is also incredibly important to hear feedback, good or bad as it means you can constantly improve and keep your finger on the pulse.

Jess  joined Aardvark Safaris following five years in the tailor made travel industry and a season running Time + Tide Nsolo Bush Camp in Zambia’s South Luangwa Valley. Having started as an admin assistant for a self drive safari company she quickly found herself picking up information about African properties and routes, and developed an overly keen interest in maps. After answering enough questions correctly in a spot quiz one day she was packed off to Zambia to drive from Livingstone to Lilongwe and came back with a confirmed passion for Africa and a new favourite possession; Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa.

Over the following years she has continued to explore Africa, visiting new countries and properties and developing an appreciation for the delicate relationship between tourism and conservation. Her love and knowledge of wildlife, and of birds in particular, has grown with each trip and there is nothing she enjoys more than being out in remote and beautiful scenery watching wildlife or just soaking up the views.

Jess studied Fine Art and Art History at university and enjoys drawing in her free time, using photographs of the wildlife and landscapes she encounters on her travels as her inspiration. At home long walks with the dogs give her the chance to get the binoculars out on an ‘English Safari’, finding as many new British birds as possible.

Having grown up in Lambourn, she started riding at an early age, switching from scruffy ponies to sleek racehorses aged 15. She rides at every opportunity and never passes up the chance to watch wildlife the most exhilarating way, from the back of a horse.

Favourite African experience

My favourite experience in Africa was one morning in South Luangwa when, standing in front of the campfire with a cup of coffee, watching swifts and swallows circling over the lagoon as the sun rose, one of the guides pointed to a bird and identified it as a Bohm’s spinetail. It is a type of swift with a very short tail. It was a moment that made me appreciate the insight that can arrive with years of dedication to a particular subject, allowing you to see things that are invisible to others. This is the essence of what I find so special about being guided on safari.

Favourite animal

I love watching wild dogs, they are such a tight unit and always playing around with each other before the hunt begins. It’s even more special watching these interactions as they are so notoriously difficult to find, moving great distances each day. We followed them for an entire hunt once, and watched at a distance as they failed to catch an impala. They ended the hunt at a hyena den which we had been monitoring and tried to take on the female hyena which was guarding three generations of puppies. She defended herself marvelously. The pack then had a drink at a waterhole and spotted a crocodile enjoying the last of the warmth of the sand. They made a very half hearted attempt to have a go at this one last chance for supper before retiring for the night. We heard reports they ate the next morning, so my concerns for their hunting skills and survival were only short lived.

Favourite three camps

Nsolo Bush Camp, South Luanwga, Zambia – I’ve just returned from six months running Nsolo, and the experiences I had there were breathtaking on a daily basis. We saw leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, kudu, zebras, warthogs, impala, puku, a Pel’s fishing owl, martial and fish eagles to name a few from the camp itself, and towards the end of the season we had wild dogs coming through camp every few days.

Namiri Plains, Serengeti, Tanzania – To my mind the perfect tented camp – great position, slightly more comfort that you technically need and excellent guiding. It is in an area which up until 2014 was used for cheetah research and rehabilitation so big cat sightings are common. Importantly there is no other camp within an hour’s drive so you can enjoy game viewing in relative privacy, an increasing rarity in the Serengeti.

Marataba Safari Lodge and Trails, Marakele National Park, South Africa – I spent a night here and almost missed my plane the next morning. The surroundings are some of the most stunning I have seen and the walks from camp were wonderful, we saw white rhino and hyena on foot plus a nest of giant eagle owl chicks.

African countries visited

Botwana, Namibia, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya

Tropical islands visited

Zanzibar

On arranging holidays

I count myself incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to travel to Africa multiple times. For many it is the culmination of years of dreaming, and I try never to forget that when putting my client’s trips together. I love to get to know my clients and find that the more time I take to do this at the initial stages of an enquiry, the better my recommendations for them will be. The best thing about this job is putting an itinerary together and hearing the reaction from the client both when they first receive it and then after they come home from their holiday. Hearing the stories and seeing the photos of clients enjoying these trips makes me realise I am doing a job which is bringing people’s dreams to reality, which is a great feeling.

Becky’s passion for travel began while studying Geography at Edinburgh when the long summer holidays allowed her to explore far and wide. Properly hooked by the time she left university she set off whenever she could, returning regularly to the lakes in New Hampshire, USA, where she spent several three months stints working at a girls’ summer camp. It was here she discovered her love for outdoor adventure – with wakeboarding, hiking and paddle boarding right on her doorstep.

Having completed her degree, she delayed getting a ‘real job’ and spent a ski season working in the Alps. Unlike many seasonnaire jobs, Becky was lucky enough to spend almost every day on the slopes with clients. She particularly enjoyed helping families on their ski holidays, from watching the three year olds stomp around in their ski boots, to helping the grandparents navigate the mountain to meet their families for lunch. Now living in Edinburgh, Becky often retreats back to the family farm in the Scottish Borders for her countryside fix, where she enjoys long walks with her mud-clad Labrador in tow.

Most recently she returned from Tanzania where she witnessed the wildebeest migration cross the Mara River in a dramatic, adrenaline filled morning in the Serengeti.

Fully bitten by the travel bug, Becky is thrilled to be working with Aardvark Safaris’ Scottish team and to be able to share her love of travel with likeminded souls.

Favourite African experience

While on a morning game drive from Lamai in the northern Serengeti our guide spotted a leopard lying on a nearby rock. We watched for a couple of minutes before a young buffalo, separated from its mother, piqued his interest. The leopard went straight into hunting mode and grabbed the buffalo with its paw. All of a sudden the rest of the herd came out of nowhere, charging towards the leopard and chasing him off. The young buffalo survived, albeit a little shaken up.

Favourite animal

Elephant. Their size alone is overwhelming. They’re intelligent, majestic and mesmerising to watch as they interact with each other.

Favourite camp

Kuro Tarangire in the Tarangire National Park for its rustic bush camp feel and enviable location which you can explore from a vehicle, on foot or on a night drive.

African countries visited

Namibia, Tanzania

On arranging holidays

Having already worked for a luxury travel company – organising magnificent adventures in Scotland – Becky is well used to planning holidays of a lifetime, and loves finding out the smallest detail to lift holidays from ordinary to extraordinary.

Rosanna’s passion for Africa and travel began when she spent six months teaching in a Masai school just outside Arusha in Tanzania. She learnt Swahili in order to communicate with her pupils and still tries to keep it up as best she can and even taught her daughter to count up to ten when she was just four. During her time in Tanzania she camped in Lake Manyara National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti – watching the sunrise over the Serengeti for the first time was a moment she will never forget. From there she went white-water rafting in Uganda, travelled into Kenya and up through Samburu in an overland truck and onto Lake Turkana in the north before finishing up on the coast in Diani. This would be her last African experience before returning to university in the UK but she knew there was more to come and like many others who experience Africa for the first time, she was hooked. Rosanna joined the Scottish office having spent a year working for another company specialising in bespoke African safari holidays.

After studying History of Art & Sociology at Newcastle, she worked for Sandstorm Kenya, a luggage company based in Nairobi. Her role would soon take her back to Kenya and she would often tag on some personal travel time at the end. This is when she first experienced the wonder that is Laikipia and a love affair with the Lewa Downs began – she even picked the best spot for her (now) husband to propose to her – he didn’t take the hint and instead got down on one knee on a snow-capped hill in the Scottish Borders.  In 2018 she returned to Tanzania for the first time since teaching, heading south to the Selous Game Reserve where she went on her first boat safari before hopping over to the spice island of Zanzibar.

When Rosanna isn’t dreaming of Africa she is kept busy by her two young children who love to race around on their bikes or build sand castles on the beautiful East Lothian beaches. She can’t wait to take them on their first safari when they are a little older and watch their eyes widen as they see their first elephant in the bush. She also has a creative side and loves to paint and be crafty – when she has the time.

Favourite African experience

On an afternoon game drive in the Chitabe Concession of the Okavango Delta, we thought we’d spotted some movement in the undergrowth so went to explore – only to be surprised when, from a completely different area on the other side of the vehicle, a leopard popped out and casually strode past. We followed her until she hopped up into a tree and then sat for around an hour taking in her glory.  We were lucky to be with a professional photographer who gave us a free lesson so I have some wonderful pictures to remind me of the experience.

Favourite Animal

I just love the way giraffes move gracefully through the open plains. They look like they are galloping in slow motion. They are so elegant and poised, plus who wouldn’t want a pair of their eyelashes.

Favourite Camps

Lewa Safari Camp will always be up there with my favourite places to stay. Partly because of its incredible location in the Lewa Conservancy but also because of the happy memories of staying there with my parents and brother on their first trip to Kenya.

Lake Manze in the Selous Game Reserve brought us back to the authentic safari experience of staying in a tented camp with no electricity and wifi so you really feel part of the bush. The wildlife was exceptional in and around the camp and with the help of our guide, who had binocular-vision, we tracked down some mischievous lion cubs. Boat safaris gave me a new-found curiosity for birdlife and I especially loved watching the bee-eaters. The food here was also exceptional and I enjoyed swapping safari tales with other guests in the evening.

Jack’s Camp in the Makgadikgadi Pans is just one of three in a million-acre private wildlife reserve.  1940s in atmosphere, the Bedouin-style tents are furnished with brightly coloured Persian rugs and drapes.  I had so much fun quad biking on the pans, playing with meerkats and meeting the San Bushmen who were fascinating.  I even saw an Aardvark (a stuffed one in the camp’s museum!)

Little Vumbura is in one of my favourite areas of the Okavango Delta.  It is on a private island surrounded by water and you arrive by boat which is just so magical.  The wildlife is incredible – we saw wild dog, cheetah and so many elephants.  The helicopter rider over the extraordinary Delta was unforgettable.

African Countries visited

Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia

Tropical Islands visited

Mauritius, Zanzibar

On arranging holidays

I love getting to know my clients and working with them to create the perfect holiday.  I am very lucky to travel regularly, seeing new camps and exploring areas I haven’t visited before, and it’s great to return to the office and be able to use my newfound knowledge to help plan the perfect trip for someone else. Being a mother, I am also fully aware of the anxieties that go along with travelling with children and I hope I can help allay these concerns so that everyone can relax and enjoy themselves.  It is lovely working in an industry where our main focus is making people happy.

Having grown up in the Scottish Highlands, wildlife and the outdoors played a big part of David’s upbringing, with the Cairngorm Mountains providing the perfect childhood playground. After university David spent much of his time working his way round the globe where jobs ranged from airport security at Sydney Airport, to running a ski school in Courchevel, France. He still enjoys sport and after a sporadic rugby career was ended by a touch rugby dislocation of his little finger (!) David threw himself into marathons completing nine to date, the best for sure being the New York marathon dressed as a rhino. After finally settling in Edinburgh in 2001 he spent the next eight years working in the financial sector advising private clients. A chance holiday to Botswana, organised by Aardvark Safaris in 2009, changed everything. Such was the impression left by Botswana on David and his wife Alice that they were back within six months – this time to live in, and run, photographic camps for the next five years.

David readily acknowledges that becoming an accomplished photographer is much easier when you live nine months of the year surrounded by your subject. He was also working for National Geographic’s Dereck and Beverly Joubert, running the Great Plains Conservation camps, some of the most photographically focused camps in Africa, including Zarafa Camp, their flagship in the Selinda Reserve.

David is now based in the UK but travels back and forth to Africa designing and running photographic trips as a photographic safari specialist. He is also developing an education programme, in two UK schools, for National Geographic as their Big Cats’ Education Representative.

A self confessed camera geek, he acknowledges far too much time is spent looking at camera gear websites rather than actually out taking shots!

Favourite African experience

Finding myself in my camp, face down in the Botswana sand of the Selinda Reserve, surrounded by inquisitive wild dogs having just eaten an impala… luckily with my camera.

Favourite animal

Any of the big cats, of course, but without a doubt wild dogs. I have seen so many wonderful sightings of them hunting.

Favourite three camps

I’m sorry I am very biased! Selinda Explorers Camp is just perfect. Situated on a double bend of the Selinda Spillway I have seen more wildlife whilst situated in this camp than any other I have ever visited.

The Zanzibar Collection’s The Palms is out of this world. There are so many great photographic opportunities in Zanzibar also.

Again biased but Mara Plains Camp for its incredible predator sightings. The Mara on the whole is just one of the most amazing spectacles of big cats on the planet. I have never gone a day without seeing a big cat at some point during the day.

African countries visited

Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania (Zanzibar), Zimbabwe, Zambia

On arranging holidays

As far as photography is concerned it is so important to consider what you actually want to do with the images you take. In fact do you even need to take a camera if a smartphone will do? Many people feel overwhelmed by all the camera equipment that is available and that they must buy the most expensive bit of kit out there. My role is to make it simple and enjoyable for people and to match them up with the right camera for their trip and teach them how to get the most out of it.

Charlotte arrived at Aardvark Safaris as the fourth employee when the company was just a year old.  Fifteen years on she still thanks her lucky stars that the day she decided to return to work coincided with Aardvark’s advertisement in the local newspaper.  Her degree in town planning has little relevance to safaris, but her pre-children career in PR and marketing, including an exciting stint working in Hong Kong, has been put to good use in Aardvark’s marketing department.

A keen horsewoman Charlotte rides and competes regularly.  This year’s equestrian challenge has been learning to ride side saddle – she’s now reasonably accomplished and able to hold her own competing against those riding astride.   Away from horses, she enjoys tennis and skiing and spends a fair amount of time keeping (trying to) her teenage sons in order.

She first visited Africa on honeymoon in Kenya, when a love of Africa (and hopefully her husband) was born.  She has since visited Botswana, Namibia and the Seychelles. Charlotte has also tested a number of our trips with her husband and aforementioned teenagers. So far they have sampled Mauritius, South Africa (twice), Kenya, Zambia and Malawi so she is a great person to talk to if wanting to travel to Africa with children.  Her desire for comfort in unspoilt surroundings makes her a good yardstick when planning a safari for many of our clients. Her close attention to detail ensures our clients never leave home unprepared.

Favourite African experience

Has to be my very first educational trip with Aardvark which was a mobile camping safari in the Okavango Delta. I’d foolishly claimed that camping wasn’t my thing when I first arrived in the office so sending me on this utterly wonderful mobile trip was the perfect way to prove me wrong. Uncharted Africa run the Rolls Royce of mobile camping safaris, with huge tents, cast iron beds, proper linen, glorious food and a drinks cabinet to rival any you’d find in a five star hotel. The guiding was superb, the wildlife prolific and I came back completely hooked.

Favourite animal

Nothing beats giraffe for the elegant, graceful way they roam the plains – I could watch them for hours. I’ve been lucky enough to spend a night at Giraffe Manor in Nairobi where these gorgeous creatures poke their heads through the windows to be fed cattle nuts – maybe not true safari, but one of my real African highlights none-the-less.

Favourite three camps

It’s a private house rather than safari camp that is currently top of my favourite list. Chongwe River House which, from the outside, looks similar to something Fred Flintsone might have built, is quite extraordinary. Step inside and you’re transported into a safari wonderland: the beautifully appointed interior opens to a garden and pool deck with views over the river where all manner of game comes to drink. The private boat is great for river cruises, there are picnics on sandy islands amid the Zambezi River, and a private vehicle and guide to explore the park. Fabulous for a family or groups of friends travelling together.

Rekero Camp in the Masai Mara, which has long been an Aardvark favourite, is high up on my personal list too. Our boys, who at the time of my visit were nine and 11, were treated like kings by the Masai guides – they left with bow and arrows, Masai clubs, a smattering of Swahili, and memories that will last a lifetime.

Ant’s Nest in South Africa was so good we’d booked to return before we left. There’s horse riding, cycling, walking, swimming, and great game – but it’s the other bits that make it so special. The kids squealing with delight as they galloped up and down the grass runway, being given a machete (to their mother’s alarm) and going out to help clear a new road, riding pillion behind owner and guide extraordinaire Ant Baber to check on his Sable herd. I could go on and on, but words will never do justice to this magical lodge.

Countries visited

Botswana, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa

Tropical islands visited

Mauritius, Seychelles

On arranging holidays

Most of my time at Aardvark is spent on marketing activities, but when time permits, nothing gives me greater pleasure than organising a family safari. I know from personal experience how wonderful it is to show children this beautiful continent and if you get the trip right, safari is one of the best family holidays ever. As a mother I know what it’s like to worry about the little things – will we be safe, what happens if someone’s ill – and am always happy to chat for as long as it takes to make sure we get exactly the right trip for you.

Renate joined Aardvark’s Hampshire office in 2014. She studied business management at university and began a career in advertising and marketing on graduating. After gaining a chartered marketeer qualification she worked as website editor for the disability charity, Guide Dogs. Here she nurtured a passion for digital accessibility and usability.

Having travelled extensively throughout Europe, Central and South America, and Australasia, Renate is an Africa novice but is itching to explore this beautiful continent. Currently top of the bucket list of experiences to try are diving in Mozambique and Lake Malawi, a gorilla encounter in Rwanda and exploring Namibia.

After qualifying as a Chartered Certified Accountant, Richard moved into industry and held a number of finance positions over a nine year stretch with Coca-Cola in London.  Nine years hard work warranted an 18 month career break which took him on travels to Central America, Malaysia, Thailand, Borneo, China, Burma, Australia and Fiji.  He worked for O2 in Slough on returning before deciding to look for a fresh challenge in a smaller, friendlier but equally dynamic working environment. He arrived at Aardvark in December 2012.

When not working Richard attempts to emulate Bradley Wiggins on the bike and can also be found playing rugby at his local club.

Gale joined the Scottish Office in June 2005 following a 17 year stint in the banking sector in the Isle of Man.  Happily for Gale, whose great loves are the outdoors and travelling, she now works for a company which provides ample opportunity to experience both.   Aside from travelling, she has a real interest in hill walking and is a keen skier. Gale also has a passion for interior design, so really appreciates the finer points found in some of the really high end camps and luxury lodges.

Although Gale’s primary role is to assist with day to day administration in the Scottish office, she has travelled extensively in Africa and experienced many of the holidays we plan first hand so is also a good person to chat to about any queries you may have after the initial planning stages have been completed.   Her attention to detail will ensure you have the holiday of a lifetime.

Favourite African experience

Witnessing first-hand the wildebeest migration crossing the river in Masai Mara is without doubt one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. The spectacle, noise and excitement of the crossing is a moment that will live with me forever.

Favourite animal

Lion – a magnificent animal that epitomises power, courage and strength. I have been fortunate to see many lion and cubs on my travels often very close up! To see a pride hunting is an experience never to be forgotten.

Favourite three camps

Beho Beho in Tanzania for its stunning location and pure luxury. Chitwa Chitwa in South Africa’s Kruger National Park for its boutique design and superb cuisine. Kaya Mawa on Likoma Island, Malawi for its amazing island setting, crystal clear lake waters and Robinson Crusoe barefoot luxury feel.

African countries visited

Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, and Malawi.

After 20 years working in various private and public sector companies, most latterly four years with Audit Scotland, Alan McBrier joined Aardvark Safaris’ Scottish office in April 2017.   With experience in human resources and executive assistant roles his organisation skills are second to none – perfect for the professional and seamless service we offer our clients.  He’d been looking for a new challenge, but wasn’t sure what that was until he saw the vacancy with Aardvark Safaris.  We’re delighted to have him.

When not working he loves to eat out and travel. He’s only made as far as the USA so far but says African safari is definitely on the bucket list!

Moving to the UK from Bangkok, Thailand, after having worked in sales and office administration—including human resources and payroll—for a satellite communications business for 14 years, Mook looked for an opportunity where she would be able to apply her experiences and skills as well as enjoy doing something close to where her passions lie, i.e. travel. In January 2018, she joined the Aardvark Safaris team as a sales administrator.

Mook likes exploring and seeing how people, cultures, nature and foods vary in different parts of the world. She has been to China, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Nepal, Japan, Taiwan and the USA (California and Nevada). Mook enjoys hiking and has been to the Everest Base Camp, Gokyo Lakes, Renjo Pass and Kala Pathar in Nepal. She’s keen to visit some more mountains around the world, and ultimately to make it to at least one of the Seven Summits—the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is therefore on her wish list and also walking safaris in Africa.

Lastly, Mook /mu:k/ means ‘pearl’ in Thai.

Having studied travel and tourism at college and International Tourism Management at university Tansy has always had an interest in the industry. That said, her administrative career to date has included managing a swim school and working remotely as a PA for private ophthalmic surgeons. So she was delighted to join the Aardvark Safaris team in June 2019 as a sales administrator and to be able to put to good use her knowledge of the tourism industry.

Tansy’s African travel so far has been a month spent in Southern Africa including a safari in Kruger National Park, cultural experiences in Eswatini, and some time on the beach in Mozambique. Personal highlights were seeing a leopard enjoying an impala kill at sunrise, and watching and listening to the humpback whales while sitting on the beach. Tansy would love to travel more and her bucket list is growing with every trip she helps to organise.

Carolyn joined the Aardvark Safaris Hampshire team in May 2018, where she works as a finance assistant alongside Richard Preston. Her previous finance experience comes from 21 years working for the family manufacturing business, so this has been quite a change.

Her young family keeps her busy most of the time but when she does get a spare moment she loves reading, football (watching not playing) and going to see live bands.

She enjoys travelling and Africa is definitely on the list for a future holiday as she thinks the girls would be amazed to see the wildlife up close and personal. Botswana is high on her wish list and she would love to see any of the big cats.

Anna looks after the concierge side of things  – working with properties to ensure clients are well looked after, enhancing itineraries wherever possible and generally making sure our holidays just offer that little bit extra.

Inspired by Kenyan school friends, and Elspeth Huxley’s tales of Kenyan pioneers in The Flame Trees of Thika, Anna’s first trip to Africa was to Lamu 20 years ago and she was immediately hooked.  Several years, and numerous Lamu holidays later, she and her husband were persuaded to give up their television jobs in London and take their young family to Kenya to start a new career in safari lodge management.  Much to the dismay of their families, employers, and clients, they quit and were on a plane heading for Ol Donyo Lodge six weeks later.  Two years of camp management under the tutelage of Richard Bonham was a life changing experience and enough to develop a serious case of Mal d’Afrique, only tempered by frequent return visits and safari chat in the Aardvark Safaris’ office.

Ol Donyo Lodge – Anna managed this lodge

Anna is now the mother of three, a keen horsewoman, loves to ski, play terrible tennis and will upholster anything that stays still for long enough, but is happiest of all travelling as far off the grid and away from any form of technology as possible.

Next on the African hit/wish list is a canoe safari in Zambia, a stay at Jack’s Camp in Botswana, a Safaris Unlimited horse safari, a stay at Greystoke Mahale and a comprehensive tour of the &Beyond Mozambique lodges!

Jack’s Camp sundowners

Favourite African experience

Sleeping out with my husband on the Kopjes at Ol Donyo during a lunar eclipse. Two bedrolls, a gun and a cool box.

Deep sea fishing and swimming with pods of wild dolphins with Louis Van Aardt off Kizingo, Lamu. I hooked a Marlin almost the size of our boat (honest) and then jumped into the water to swim with the wild dolphins. 1km out to sea watching 40 dorsal fins coming towards you is heart stopping. Very wild, very remote and totally exhilarating.

Kizingo sand spit

Favourite animal

My all-time favourite animal is a horse and nothing can beat a safari on horseback. In terms of African animals it has to be a hyena. The Bonhams adopted a hyena cub – found next to its dead mother aged two days old. It was bottle fed and became domesticated. It would appear every evening having spent the day sleeping in the lava rock behind their house. When their teenage son followed it back to its lair he discovered it had stolen tens of cuddly toys from the house and built himself a little nest surrounded by cuddly friends. “Ena”, as he was known, was the most friendly and amazing animal and the relationships he had with the Bonham family members were fascinating to see. When he finally “left home” he would return occasionally bringing his mates with him.

African countries visited

Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, South Africa, Morocco.