Having studied travel and tourism at college and International Tourism Management at university Tansy has always had an interest in the industry. 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 now works as a Travel Expert and has travelled across Namibia and Botswana, ending in Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls for a short stay to visit some of Aardvark Safaris’ favourite properties. She previously spent a month in Southern Africa including a safari in Kruger National Park, cultural experiences in Eswatini, and some time on the beach in Mozambique.

Favourite African experience
A moment of personal enjoyment came to me one morning in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. I watched the sun slowly rise above a watering hole (African skies never fail to disappoint). So beautifully calm, egrets and herons wading, a mother hippo with her calf slowly padding out in search of a deeper water channel as the heat of day kicks in, zebra and wildebeest with their necks bowed and in the near distance giraffe and elephant. A perfect African scene.

Favourite animal
Cats of any kind but recently I particularly enjoyed watching lions. They’re the only cat to live in groups (pride) and I loved the way their ferocity can easily be forgotten as they greet each other so affectionately, gently rubbing their battle torn faces together.

Favourite three camps
I’m going to cheat and say the best camp for me is any mobile safari camp. It doesn’t matter where it is, but there is no greater luxury, or thrill, than enjoying a morning brew made with water heated over the fire’s embers and having fresh bread daily cooked in the open air in tins. The tents might not be as big as a luxury safari camp, and the bathroom facilities are necessarily more simple, but mobile camps hark back to the days of pioneers and make me feel like an explorer.

African countries visited
South Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia

On arranging holidays
The joys of putting together a tailor made holiday is that you can plan your client the perfect trip for them. Taking time to get to know your client and drawing on your own knowledge and experiences of Africa to ensure any recommendations are best suited for their preferences whether it be a romantic hideaway for honeymooner, a luxury villa for a multi-generational trip or something a little unusual for those wanting to experience something outside of their comfort zone. Clients come to us for their first safari saying this is a once in a lifetime trip but more often than not they’re soon back in touch ready to explore what Africa can offer next, a true testament for perfectly curated trip.