The Awards Judges
All the Good Safari Guide Award Judges have been nominated by the trade as the most highly-respected, knowledgeable independent tour operators.
Click on a judge's name to read their biography.
Albee Yeend's intense love of Africa was ignited on her first trip; a 5 day canoeing expedition down the Lower Zambezi in Zimbabwe, followed by an elephant-back safari through the flood plains at Abu Camp in the Okavango Delta. Bitten by the Africa bug, Albee proceeded to work in African travel, running San and then Jack's Camp in Botswana, and then Tongabezi and Sausage Tree Camp in Zambia.
In 1998 Albee returned to England, where she became GM of Art of Travel (which is now part of Steppes Travel). Albee prides herself on spending approx. 2 months of every year getting to know Africa even better; doing more gorilla trekking in Bwindi, hot air ballooning over the Masai Mara, big game fishing in Mozambique, diving in South Africa, climbing sand dunes in Sossusvlei, quad biking in Botswana, jumping off bridges in Zimbabwe, sailing to Timbuktu, and releasing green back turtles in the Seychelles!
Steppes Travel
Steppes Travel (or Steppes East as it was then) was founded in 1989 with the objective of creating a travel company where service and knowledge are of the highest priority. Steppes offers individuals the ability to travel safely in remote areas in the knowledge that one of the Steppes Team has been there before. Furthermore Steppes runs a 24-hour emergency service, which ensures that at any time, a member of staff is on call to help resolve a local difficulty. To achieve this Steppes demands a very high calibre of staff who, through a combination of upbringing and education, can objectively analyse the resorts they visit and absorb the culture and history of the country and who will, at a moments notice, disappear off to some far flung remote corner to visit a particular treasure which, for what ever reason, has grabbed their attention.
Contact Details
Albee Yeend
Steppes Travel
51 Castle Street
Cirencester
Gloucestershire
GL7 1QD
Telephone: 01285 650011
Email: albee@steppestravel.co.uk
Website: www.steppestravel.co.uk
Caroline Grayburn began her safari career in Zambia and Malawi, followed by South Africa working with horse safaris. More recently she spent five years working in Botswana and then Kenya before returning to the UK in 2003 to join Tim Best Travel. She has a great love and understanding of Africa and since joining Tim Best Travel she has visited many other African countries, some a number of times, including Mali, Morocco, Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Botswana.
Tim Best Travel
The team at Tim Best Travel are experts in travel to Africa, Latin America, India, Australia and the Indian Ocean Islands. The company focuses on small, exclusive lodges, hotels and camps, many of which are off the beaten track where a range of activities and superb guiding are all on offer. They have all been brought up or lived and worked in many of the countries in which they specialise and invest much of their time revisiting old haunts and exploring new and exciting places and bringing a wealth of knowledge, experience and personal service to their clients. Tim Best Travel is committed to eco-friendly outfitters and companies who are concerned for the wildlife, the environment and feel a responsibility both to their local communities and areas in which they operate.
Contact Details
Tim Best Travel
4 Cromwell Place
London
SW7 2JE
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7591 0300
Email: info@timbesttravel.com
Website: www.timbesttravel.com
Having organized and accompanied a sort of 'fun ralley' in 1984 in South Africa which was filmed for German TV, Gabi realised this is was where her future lay. Gabi swiftly moved to run the company's South African office and immersed herself in all the continent had to offere. Finally returning to her native Germany Gabi founded Jacana Tours and has never looked back; 'to be honest: us tour operators are very spoilt, as we can enjoy the most beautiful places in the world and still call it work!'.
Jacana Tours GmbH
Jacana Tours was established in 1991 and specializes in tailor made tours to Southern and Eastern Africa. The members of the Jacana team are either from Africa or have lived or travelled there extensively. The focus is on the touristic assets of these destinations: the small and intimate country houses, camps and lodges - often owner run, individually designed, and offering high quality accommodation and guiding. Jacana sells the Africa that the team loves - off the beaten track.
Contact Details
Jacana Tours GmbH
Willibaldstr. 27
D-80689
Munich
GERMANY
Telephone: +49 89 580 80 41
Fax: +49 89 580 85 04
Email: info@jacana.de
Website: www.jacana.de
Brought up the National Parks of Zambia, Giles has led safaris from the age of 18. He worked for 10 years in geological exploration, before returning to Zambia to run Norman Car Safaris and then setting up his own walking and mobile safari operation in the North Luangwa National Park. Giles marred and returned to the UK in 1996 to set up Scott Dunn World, a luxury specialist tour operator. Giles has travelled the length and breadth of Africa and much of Asia. He now continues to run the tailormade holidays at Scott Dunn and lives near Winchester with his wife and three children.
Scott Dunn
Scott Dunn is a luxury tour operator based in London and Chichester. Scott Dunn specialises in tailormade holidays in Africa and around the world as well as operating luxury ski chalets in the Alps and villas in the Mediterranean. Known for its depth of knowledge and individual service Scott Dunn has thrived and its tailormade holidays now account for the major part of Scott Dunn's business.
Contact Details
Scott Dunn
Fovant Mews
12 Noyna Road
London
SW17 7PH
Telephone: 0208 682 5070
Email: africa@scottdunn.com
Website: www.scottdunn.com
Jane Durham had visited South Africa several times but it was not until she ventured to the 'swamps' in Botswana in 1989 that the Okavango Delta worked its magic and she feel in love with the continent. With regular trips to Africa, constantly searching out new properties while revisiting familiar ones, she has been able to spend the last 20 years devising the perfect holidays for clients while renewing her passion for the people, scenery and wildlife in southern and east Africa.
Okavango Tours & Safaris - Voted travel company of the year*
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the company specialises in individually tailored itineraries to southern and east Africa. Each member of the enthusiastic team has either lived in Africa or travelled widely so there is a breadth of knowledge to be called upon. Their attention to detail is reflected by the AITO's Award for the Tour Operator of the year which has twice been given to Okavango Tours & Safaris.
Contact Details
Okavango Tours and Safaris Ltd
White Lion House
64a Highgate High Street
London
N6 5HX
Telephone: +44 (0)20 8347 4030
Fax: +44 (0) 8347 4031
Email: info@okavango.com
Website: www.okavango.com
Fully bonded with the Civil Aviation Authority for your protection ATOL 2945
* in the 2007 Customer Satisfaction Survey by AITO (the Association of Independent Tour Operators)
After finishing his Masters' degree in business economics at Amsterdam University, Joost taught marketing before embarking on his first round-the-world trip that brought him to Asia and Australia. Returning home even a marketing job at KLM could not pin him down and after topping up his travel budgets again he set out to Africa more than 25 years ago, on a 13-month discovery of what was going to change his career and life. First visiting Egypt and the Sudan. For many people, these countries do not typify Africa, but they are the source of Joost's profound love for the continent. From here he entered 'safari-Africa' and was 'sold'. The people, the lively towns and markets, the sights and sounds and, most of all, the smells – these are infused throughout his being.
And then, of course, there is the wildlife. His first experiences in the (Kenyan) bush were not the most memorable ones, due to the mass tourism he encountered on his first safaris. Luckily never old enough to change ways, Joost then discovered 'the other side of safari' further south in Zimbabwe. Expanding his daily travel budget by 1200%, Joost made the best investment of his life by booking a 4 day safari into Mana Pools NP where the old master Jeff Stutchbury ran Chikwenya Lodge. Combining canoeing on the Zambezi with discovering the rich bush life on foot sparked a much deeper interest in the bush. Unluckily foreigners could not become Professional Guides in Zim, so Joost resorted to a converted Landrover that became home and safari vehicle for the next 6 months and the bush never left him again.
Thika Travel
Joost's passion for Africa's wildlife lies at the core of Thika Travel and is the reason the company was born in 1987. It became the ideal 'excuse' to venture into the bush as often as possible, and to share his unique experiences with his guests. At the same time Joost is privileged to be surrounded by an expert team of Africa fundis, eager to share their travel knowledge and passion with you. They never tire of Africa and its wildlife and people. It is part of them, and they hope it will become part of you.
Driving by the requests from many a repeat client, Thika Travel ventured into other – mostly pristine - wildlife areas and now operates bespoke individually tailored journeys into Latin America, Alaska and Canada, the Indian Subcontinent and all the Polar Regions. Grown as a beach extension to the safaris, Thika Travel also runs a resort program into the Indian Ocean Islands, is a long time wildlife travel partner for WWF and is proud to have been chosen by National Geographic Benelux to run their travel program.
Contact details
Joost Tania
Thika Travel
6 Kerkplein
3628 AE Kockenge
Telephone: (00)31-346-244070 (Africa department)
Email: safari@thika.nl
Websites:
www.thikatravel.com
www.nationalgeographicreizen.com
Thika Belgium:
2 Pastoor Van De Wouwerstraat
2600 Berchem (Antwerp)
Belgium
Telephone: (00)32-3-4511400 (Africa department)
Email: africa@thika.be
Websites:
www.thikatravel.com
www.nationalgeographicreizen.com
Julian's first trip to Africa as a schoolboy was rudely terminated when his mum refused to sign the permission form on the grounds that he was going to catch a heinous disease and die. Despite this less than promising beginning the call of Africa could not be denied, and he is now a frequent traveller to the continent.
Julian cut his travel-planning teeth in the offices of Let's Go Travel, publishers of the Let's Go travel guides, and is certified as a South African Fundi (expert). Photography is one of Julian's passions when on safari and he will go to great lengths in the name of the perfect shot, including being duct-taped into a doorless helicopter over the Okavango Delta in Botswana. The risks have paid off and he has won awards for his photography, with his work currently on display at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Julian has made it his personal mission to introduce as many camps as possible to his sundowner of choice: hot chocolate and Amarula ˆ la Londolozi, and remains resolutely free of heinous diseases.
Timeless Africa
Julian is the founder of Timeless Africa and heads up the office in London, England. Timeless Africa specialises in creating customised African safaris to the finest destinations in Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Victoria Falls, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Timeless Africa focuses on bringing their clients the best that Africa has to offer, in small intimate camps and lodges set in exclusive wilderness areas undisturbed by mass tourism.
Kate Berg is co-owner of Cedarberg African Travel and heads up the South African office after moving there in 1993. Bright as a button, Kate read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford and worked in Management Consultancy and International Marketing before taking an MBA at Insead, France. Kate has always been passionate about Africa; her most memorable travel experience is a toss up between standing on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and sleeping out on the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Botswana.
Cedarberg African Travel
Cedarberg African Travel has offices in leafy Twickenham, London, and in South Africa. Cedarberg began in 1995 and the last 14 years have been spent working solely with people who want a high value, highly tailor-made safari or holiday in Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. Their clients range from parents anxious to make sure that all that the family's needs are met on a first-time safari, via time-pressured honeymooners, to safari veterans keen to try somewhere different. As well as tailormade safaris and holidays, Cedarberg has a particular interest in family safaris and walking safaris & hiking tours.
Kate, and the Cedarberg team of 17, have plenty of first hand experience throughout Africa visiting safari lodges and camps, driving the roads, sleeping in the beds, watching the sunrise over a waterhole on the game drives... It's a tough life!
Contact Details
Kate Berg
Cedarberg African Travel
De Heinings
Clanwilliam
Western Cape
South Africa
Telephone: +27 27 482 2444
Email: info@cedarberg.co.za
Website: www.cedarberg-travel.com
UK Office
Ginny Russell
Cedarberg African Travel
5 Oriel Court
106 The Green
Twickenham
Middlesex
TW2 5AG
Telephone: +44 20 8898 8533
Email: ginny@cedarberg-travel.com
Marc held down a succession of deeply unrewarding jobs in the city simply to fund his trips around Africa, before deciding that enough was enough and swapping it all for a Land Rover in Cape Town. After spending the next year researching the continent, he set up Tanzania Odyssey where he remains MD to this day. He still loves being able to devote his time to experiencing the very best of Africa and the Indian Ocean, and imparting that information to those that are about to discover the joys of Africa.
Tanzania Odyssey
Tanzania Odyssey was founded on the principle of knowing the most about the destinations offered, and being able to impart this information in an intelligent and unbiased manner. To this end all of the Tanzania Odyssey consultants regularly visit Africa (usually at least 3 times a year) and one has even written a guidebook to Tanzania (the Cadogan guide).
From early beginnings in Tanzania, the company is now proud to offer Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, the Seychelles and Mauritius, always without compromising exacting standards, and never selling areas or lodges that they don't know backwards.
With private presentations to clients in the Fulham offices, Tanzania Odyssey will shortly open a satellite office in Texas to provide the same level of service to those in the States. Their extensive video library alone is a fantastic aid for those clients trying to decide where to visit.
Contact details:
Marc Harris
Tanzania Odyssey
1 Swan Mews
Fulham
London
SW6 4QT
Telephone: + 44 20 7471 8780
Email: info@tanzaniaodyssey.com
Website: www.tanzaniaodyssey.com
Born in New York City, Nina was a permanent fixture at the nearby Bronx Zoo, trying the patience of the staff with incessant questions and forming a life-long fascination with animals. Starting out on her first African safari in 1976, she soon found she had followers on subsequent trips and by 1985 she had turned her passion into a business, escorting small groups off the beaten track in Eastern Africa. With over 100 trips to Africa already undertaken, Nina has no intention of slowing down and loves nothing better than sharing her expertise with all looking to travel to the wonderful continent.
Hippo Creek Safaris
With Nina and her son, Dan Saperstein, at the helm of Hippo Creek, clients can be assured that their dreams for an African safari are realised. Whether Eastern or Southern Africa, visiting gorillas or lions, Hippo Creek will find the safari to make their client's heart soar. The Hippo Creek team is continuously travelling to 'safari' Africa and prides itself on personally inspecting any lodges or camps before recommending them to any client. Since 1991 Hippo Creek Safaris has been selected by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine as one the 'Top Travel Specialists for African Safari', a true testament to the hard work and commitment of the team.
Contact Details
Hippo Creek Safaris
7 Overlook Drive
Woodcliff Lake
New Jersey 07877
USA
Telephone: +001 201 930 9124
Email: info@hippocreeksafaris.com
Website: www.hippocreeksafaris.com
Born in Kenya, Sandy was initiated immediately into tourism by her father who was with United Touring Company. Travelling a great deal as a child, Sandy was inevitably bitten by the travel bug and decided that she could make a living out of it. Her first job in the industry was as a tour guide in Kenya and Tanzania, moving on to running hotels and lodges in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and SA. After living in Europe, Sandy's love of all things Africa led her to set up Pulse Africa from her spare room over fifteen years ago, sending her first clients to Kenya.
Pulse Africa
Established in 1992, Pulse Africa has a long and successful history of sending happy clients to all corners of Africa. Pulse Africa aims to plan holidays that are original and tailored specifically for the clients' needs. With a head office in South Africa and a staff of 16, Sandy and her team are able to draw on a great deal of local knowledge and expertise. All destinations offered to clients have been visited by a member of the team, each of whom is passionate about the areas they sell. Pulse Africa prides itself on keeping current with the finest that Africa has to offer.
Contact Details
Pulse Africa Tour Operators
PO Box 2417
Parklands 2121
Johannesburg
South Africa
Telephone: + 27 11 3252290
Email: info@pulseafrica.com
Website: www.pulseafrica.com
A back-packing trip around the world as a teenager sparked Sarah's love for travel but it wasn't until she went on a Kilimanjaro climbing expedition a few years later that she realised what she'd been missing out on in Africa! After further visits to Kenya and Tanzania confirmed her love for the continent, Sarah joined Audley as an East Africa Specialist. Over the following few years she has been lucky enough to spend many weeks on safari, fly camping in Zambia, camel trekking in Kenya, mokoro boating in Botswana, mountain gorilla tracking in Rwanda, snorkelling in the Indian Ocean and generally getting Africa more and more under her skin!
Sarah now looks after the East Africa team at Audley and is well settled in the Oxfordshire countryside although still ensures she makes it out to Africa at every opportunity.
Audley Travel
Starting out in 1996, Audley is now firmly installed in its converted 17th Century mill in Oxfordshire. The heart of Audley's business has remained unshakeably its country specialists; individuals such as Sarah who have all travelled independently and extensively to regions and have an infectious passion for what they have experienced.
Contact Details
Audley Travel
New Mill
New Mill Lane
Witney
Oxfordshire
OX29 9SX
Telephone: 01993 838 000
Website: www.audleytravel.com
Tom Corcoran is the youngest member of the judging team, but vital nonetheless! His enthusiasm for discovering the off-the-beaten-track gems that Africa hides is palpable, as is his desire to share these gems with his clients. Tom has always worked within the tourism industry and has chosen to specialize in selling Africa and the Indian Ocean. Tom's love of Africa is rivaled only by his love of surfing. Thankfully he is able to satiate both desires as he is now based in Cape Town, meaning frequent trips to the continent -and many weekends surfing. One of the highlights of being based on the ground is that he is able to meet a large number of clients who travel to Cape Town and personally escort them to some of the best bars & restaurants in the city - a tough job, but somebody has got to do it.
to escape to
Tom is a Director & co-founder of to escape to, a UK tour operator specialising in tailor made holidays, with offices in London & Cape Town. More akin to a personal secretary than a tour operator, to escape to offers expert advice and a comprehensive booking service, from flight tickets and transfers to added extras such as romantic restaurant bookings, alternative safari experiences and surprise snorkelling excursions to deserted islands. to escape to is committed to staying ahead of the game and bringing unique and interesting resorts to their clients- particularly those resorts featured in the Good Safari Guide.
Contact Details
43a Berwick Street
London
W1F 8SD
Telephone: + 0871 711 5282
If calling from outside UK: +44 (0)207 060 6747
Fax: + 07005 860 282
Email: holidays@toescapeto.com
Website: www.toescapeto.com
South Africa office
PO Box 32484
Camps Bay
8040
Cape Town
South Africa
Telephone: +27 (0)21 791 0333
Fax: +27 (0)866 335 243
Email: tomc@toescapeto.com