Mandy Francis-Pope,
Director & Reservations Manager
Mandy is South African born, and began her working career in the Medical field, moving into Personnel Management, before embarking on a career in Tourism, which has spanned the past 17 years.
Her involvement in the Okavango Delta and Botswana as a whole has been vast, and she has visited most camps and lodges in the region. Botswana is her passion, although Northern Mozambique and Zambia's South Luangwa National Park are right up there too!
Since joining Island-Safari.com 6 years ago, Mandy has enjoyed great success with many satisfied and returning clients. Soon after joining the company she was made Reservations Manager, and was appointed a Director of the Company in 2008.
She is based in Johannesburg, South Africa
Alison De Bruyn
Alison was born and raised in Johannesburg, but with strong connections in the UK, Ireland and Kenya. Alison loves travel, and has the chance to visit the Maldives, England, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Switzerland, France, Monaco, Netherlands, USA (Seattle) and of course Botswana, Victoria Falls, Zambia, Namibia and Mozambique.
She has been a dedicated Southern Africa travel specialist for well over a decade and has had the opportunity to work with all of the major Southern Africa suppliers directly. She joined Island-Safari.com 4 year’s ago, and thoroughly enjoys looking after client requirements, in terms of personalised itineraries, and ensuring that arrangements are tailor-made.
Her motto: "may the dust of Africa settle on your heart"! She is based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Cara Lloyd
Although Cara started life in Cape Town, she has always been passionate about the bush.
Family friends who owned a game lodge in the Caprivi Strip knew of her love for the bush, animals and photography and offered her a 6 month contract working at the lodge and the rest is history (she ended up staying a year). After leaving the Caprivi Strip she returned to Cape Town to study photography before heading back to the Timbavati Game Reserve adjacent to the Kruger Park for another year.
She then decided on some international travel, and worked in London for 2 years, with numerous trips around Europe as well as backpacking for 3 months in South East Asia and 3 months in South America, but Africa is where her heart is so she returned home and began her career in tourism. Game Reserves, game lodges and safaris have been a big part of her life for many years so this is the direction she wanted her career to go in.
She worked for another big inbound Safari operator for a few years before joining the Island-Safari.com team and she has never looked back. Her speciality areas are Zambia, Mozambique, Kruger Park, Botswana and South Africa.
She is based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Carien Simons
Carien has been involved in the Travel Industry for some 16 years, the last 5 of which have been with Island-Safari.com. She has travelled extensively over the years, but now specialises in Mozambique, Mauritius and Botswana. Carien has tried skydiving, but says here most amazing experience was an elephant back safari in Zambia. Client satisfaction is of the utmost importance.
She is based in Pretoria, South Africa.
Claudia Batschari
Claudia hails from Frankfurt, Germany. Before moving to South Africa in 1996 she lived in the USA and Italy, and has travelled extensively throughout the world, including much of Southern and East Africa. She speaks three languages and has a deep understanding of people and the diversity of cultures that share our earth. Southern Africa is especially close to her heart.
Claudia is passionate about her job and loves to fulfil her client’s dream holidays. Her vast experience and excellent work ethic ensure that all clients receive personalised service of the highest standard.
She is based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Elize Cavill-Taylor
Elize started life close to the Kruger National Park, and she attributes her life-long love of nature to this, having spent many days in and around the Park.
After her marriage in 1995 she and her husband started a guest house in the Western Cape, and 1998 became part of the Management Team of Xakanaxa Camp in the Moremi Game Reserve. Elize then worked for one of the largest tour operators in Southern Africa, gaining much experience in the process.
With her extensive experience, along with opportunity to travel extensively in Southern Africa (Botswana, and Namibia in particular), she is well placed to assist with Safari arrangements.
She is based in Hoedspruit, South Africa.
Hamilton Mandizvidza
Hamilton owns and operates Falcon Tours and Safaris in both Zimbabwe and Zambia, his close association with Island-Safari.com enables him to provide expert advise on Victoria Falls and his company will handle most of your land and activity arrangements whilst in Victoria Falls
Hamilton is based in Victoria Falls
Louise Eksteen Louise grew up on a farm in South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province, and started a working career as an animal health technician, before being seduced by the idea of running a private lodge in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, in 1999. Having gained extensive experience, she then decided to expand her Tourism credentials, by moving to Cape Town and working for a Tour Operator, specialising in Botswana, and then Southern Africa.
There is hardly anywhere in South Africa where Louise has not travelled, and she has also enjoyed visits to Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia. Her motto: Have suitcase - will travel…
She is based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Michelle Muller
Michelle and her husband lived in Botswana managing The Chobe Safari Lodge in The Chobe National Park and Pom Pom Camp in the Okavango Delta for many years.
Her knowledge of Botswana and the many Safari Lodges and Camps throughout Botswana is second to none
She is based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Patricia Ko
After completing a degree at Amsterdam University, Patricia travelled extensively.
As her partner is a wildlife photographer, she has spent extended periods of time in Africa, helping to get that ‘perfect shot’!
She also managed Oddball’s Camp in The Okavango Delta for many years.
Being a mother herself, she is passionate about planning that perfect family safari.
She is based in New Zealand.
Rob Parkinson
Otherwise known as The Tourists Friend' - Rob has handled all of Island-Safari.com's 'Meet and Greets' at Johannesburg and Cape Town Airports since the Company started.
Rob and his Team of 27 also provide the majority of Guides for our Cape Town and Johannesburg Tours
He is based outside Cape Town - and still personally Guides many of our Tours
Jane Ham
Associate Consultant
Based in Dallas, Texas - Jane helps co-ordinate our considerable number of Texan clients with the Consultant who specialise in the region they wish to travel to.
Jane is well known on the Dallas scene and has introduced many satisfied and repeat clients to Island-Safari.com
For Feedback and client reviews on our Consultants please click here
Also check out TripAdvisor and Fodors by searching "island-safari.com"
Our Management Team:
Nigel Garner
Managing Director
Nigel founded Island-Safari.com in 1999 - based on an idea he had whilst managing Delta Camp in the Okavango Delta. Many guests at Delta Camp mentioned the difficulty of obtaining good information on The Okavango and Botswana - Nigel saw the growing use of the internet as a way of providing that information and marketing the numerous Lodges & Camps.
Passionate about Botswana - the Company has also enabled him to travel and interact extensively throughout the Country.
Janice Campbell
Director & General Manager
Originally from the UK, Janice definitely has Africa in the blood. After finishing a degree in Zoology and Archaeology, Janice started work with a major Southern African tour operator, with the idea of this being something to do for a short while – and 19 years later is still happily learning.
She has extensive experience with the operational and product side of Tour Operating, and has travelled extensively in Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda and Tanzania (including Zanzibar), with trips to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Madagascar too. Janice has been with Island-Safari.com for 2 years, where she started at Product Manager, and was made a director in 2008.
She is based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Mandy Francis-Pope,
Director & Reservations Manager
Mandy is South African born, and began her working career in the Medical field, moving into Personnel Management, before embarking on a career in Tourism, which has spanned the past 17 years. Her involvement in the Okavango Delta and Botswana as a whole has been vast, and she has visited most camps and lodges in the region. Botswana is her passion, although Northern Mozambique and Zambia's South Luangwa National Park are right up there too!
Since joining Island-Safari.com 6 years ago, Mandy has enjoyed great success with many satisfied and returning clients. Soon after joining the company she was made Reservations Manager, and was appointed a Director of the Company in 2008. She is based in Johannesburg, South Africa
Trymore Hove
Director and Chief Accountant
Trymore is originally from Victoria Falls. He grew up with a passion for accounting and the travel industry.
He started his accounting career in 1999 and worked for some top safari companies such as Shearwater and Safari Par Excellence in Victoria Falls. He joined Island-Safari.com in August 2003 based in Victoria Falls and later moved to the Cape Town office in 2005. He holds a diploma in Financial Accounting and is currently studying for a diploma in International Financial reporting.
He has travelled to most Southen African countries as well as Mauritius and the UK. His most memorable holiday experience is his honeymoon which was a combination of Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, the Okavango Delta and Mauritius - all arranged by Island-Safari.com of course!.
He was appointed a Director of the Company in 2008
Trymore is based in our Cape Town Administration Offices
Martin Van Loggerenberg
Director, Wildlife Photographer and Advisor
Martin is a an exceptional and gifted photographer, he travels extensively taking photos for Island-Safari.com which are used on our 'image-hungry' WebSites.
He trained as a Field Guide in The Kruger National Park
He was appointed a Director of the Company in 2008
Our Administration & Technical Team:
Melissa Cronje
Administration Manager
Melissa provides an invaluable back-up to all our Consultants - she double-checks all itineraries and contacts every Lodge, Camp and transfer provider the day before clients travel to ensure that every single detail of their trip runs without the slightest problem.
Wellington Kanokanga
Bookkeeper
Wellington is a qualified Bookkeeper and assists Trymore Hove in the Accounts Department
David Retief
Search Engine Optimisation
David works in the highly specialised field of search engine optimisation. Island-Safari.com have over 40 WebSites - but a WebSite is pretty useless if no-one can find it!
Being a relatively new 'science' - we have sent David on various courses in the UK and America to ensure we are completely 'up-to-date' on all the technical aspect of SEO
Clement Davies
Search Engine Optimisation and Web Design
Clement also works on Search Engine Optimisation as well as the design aspects of the various WebSites
Jaco Meyer
WebMaster
Jaco is the WebMaster for our main WebSite- www.island-safari.com which has many thousands of pages and requires continual updates
Jannie Van Loggerenberg
Trainee Web Designer
Jannie is learning all aspects of WebSite construction and design - and has already build and designed a number of our WebSites
