Rhino Africa Safaris | Safari Experts

At Rhino Africa we pride ourselves on offering our clients a unique and personal service. Our mission is to offer tailor-made holidays that exceed your expectations. Our enthusiastic and committed Travel Consultants are extremely well-travelled and have excellent experience in organising personalised holidays to suit your budget.

Meet the Leadership Team

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Bianca Johnstone Most memorable experience: Feeding orphaned elephants at the Pilanesberg National Park
	Bianca is a born and bred Capetonian with a passion for travelling off the beaten track! She spent 5 years in the UK but her love of South African road trips to her favourite hidden away places such as Arniston, Stanford and Greyton brought her back to African shores. This soulful creature has a wide array of interests from Reiki and trauma counselling to river rafting and sea kayaking. Her interest in river rafting led her to be a guide on the Orange River for a few years in her early 20’s. Bianca’s enthusiasm for travel, places, people and landscapes ensures that she will create a personalised travel itinerary for you that oozes with charm and excitement. Favourite Destination: Eastern Cape Favourite Animal: Elephant

Billy Hare Most memorable experience: Seeing the highest dunes in the world at Sossuvlei in Namibia!
	Billy gets the Rhino Africa prize for the most severe travel bug and having been to the most countries! Billy has sailed the seven seas as a sales manager on cruise ships over the last 6 years and has been to approximately 150 countries. Before the travel bug bite, Billy studied Hotel Management at Wits University after gowing up in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. He then worked in a well-known Durban hotel before moving to London for three years. Finally tired of the transient lifestyle, he has decided to make Cape Town his home. Despite all the cities he has seen, he maintains that there is no place quite like Cape Town! Read Billy's Blog... Favourite Destination: Namibia Favourite Animal: Leopard

Dorene Mundy Most memorable experience: Seeing hundreds of dolphins surfing in the waves in Plettenberg Bay
	Dorene has had a keen sense of adventure since a very young age and decided to turn her passion into a living! She studied Sales & Marketing Management in the Tourism & Hospitality industry and worked in the hotel industry for sometime before moving into travel consulting. A self-confessed beach addict, Dorene finally followed the sunshine home to South Africa in 2004 after spending almost 10 years in Europe. She loves the beach and anything related to water and spends her weekends making up for all the lost sunshine while she was in Europe! Dorene never takes the same route twice as she says that this is the way to find the real hidden ‘diamonds’. Read Dorene's Blog... Favourite Destination: Mozambique Favourite Animal: Dolphin

Dee Dlamini Most memorable experience: Meeting the Masai Tribe in Kenya & visiting Zanzibar Island
	Dee is a born and bred Capetonian with a deep passion for Africa and its diverse people, culture and landscape. Dee has been in the travel industry for over 10 years and specialises in travel to East Africa, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Having travelled extensively in Kenya and Tanzania it’s no wonder that these two beautiful countries have become very special to her! But there’s no place like home and Dee is not only patriotic but loves the mountains, beaches and animals of South Africa! She is most enthusiastic about her job as a travel consultant because she wants others to fall in love with Africa as she has. Dee is really an African expert and besides extensive travel in South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania she has been to Zanzibar, Mombasa, Uganda, Rwanda, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Read Dee's Blog... Favourite Destination: Kenya & Tanzania Favourite Animal: Elephant

Gareth de Jager Most memorable experience: Elephant trekking in Chiang Mai, Thailand
	Gareth has an international licence to shop! He developed his love for shopping in faraway cities after joining the travel industry at the young age of 19. He worked for Singapore Airlines for three years and loves the shopping paradise that is Singapore. He then worked for a German airline company and before joining RhinoAfrica he worked for Sure Travel Head Office as an inbound tour operator. This self professed “Madonna freak” is passionate about travel and a colourful addition to the RhinoAfrica team of consultants. Read Gareth's Blog... Favourite Destination: Singapore Favourite Animal: Cheetah

Gareth Turner Most memorable experience: Having a pet Meerkat for 3 days in Namibia
	After graduating with a Travel & Tourism Diploma, Gareth spent the last 4 years becoming an African travel expert. His vast knowledge of Africa’s hotspots ensures that he can give excellent advice to clients and create the ultimate itineraries based on his own exploration of the continent. When he is not absorbed by creating memorable holidays you will find him on the golf course or the rugby field. Gareth plays golf religiously and with a handicap of 6 we fear we might lose him to the game for good! Read Gareth's Blog... Favourite Destination: Thailand Favourite Animal: Tiger

Gillian Meyer Most memorable experience: I recently visited Sossusvlei in Namibia and climbed the highest dune which was a big personal achievement! The scenic reward was spectacular!
	Gillian is a born and bred Capetonian who boasts a Social Science degree with a post grad diploma in Tourism Development from the famous University of Cape Town. She has worked as a successful travel consultant for some of South Africa’s top inbound tour operators and is passionate about what she does. She believes that travel is part of one’s nature and starts at home! Whenever she has some time to spare she is out and about in Cape Town exploring her city and all its unusual corners of natural beauty and entertainment. The melting pot of culture that makes up Cape Town’s cosmopolitan energy is also fascinating to Gillian who loves meeting new people and listening to their stories! Favourite Destination: Cape Town Favourite Animal: Giraffe - for its grace in the wild!

Most memorable experience: Relaxing on Zanzibar beaches!
	Justine uses her impeccable organisational skills and knowledge of all of Cape Town’s favourite places to run Rhino Tripping – the day trip and transfer division of Rhino Africa. All of the city’s major attractions are covered including tours of the Cape Peninsula, cheese and wine tours of the Cape Winelands, Robben Island and Township Tours to name just a few. Justine will make sure that you get the most of your days in beautiful Cape Town! When she is not organising your leisurely Cape Town day tours she is an avid squash player and is somewhat of a self-professed shopaholic (perhaps “Justine’s Shopping Day Tour” will be the next addition to Rhino Tripping!). Her favourite paste time however, like most South Africans, is the age-old South African tradition of a Braai (barbeque) and the associated socialising over an open fire and under the African stars. Favourite Destination: Garden Route Favourite Animal: Leopard

Kyle Young Most memorable experience: A very extensive wine tasting in the most perfect Stellenbosh sunset you can imagine.
	Kyle grew up in Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs which border on the famous Cape Town winelands. He started his career in the hospitality industry by working on a wine farm before deciding to study Food & Beverage Management through City & Guilds. While he has expanded his skills to include creating ideal travel itineraries, he has not lost his enthusiasm for good food and spends many an evening sampling dinners from Cape Town’s fine array of restaurants. When he is not making sure your travel plans run smoothly (or eating at fine restaurants!), you will find Kyle surfing, reading fantasy novels, hiking or planning his next road trip. Favourite Destination: Dubai Favourite Animal: Squirrels and Penguins!

Leigh-Ann Combrink Most memorable experience: On safari - surrounded by 40 elephants on a misty morning in the Eastern Cape.
	From a young and tender age Leigh Ann was encouraged to travel and many happy family weekends were spent exploring Southern Africa! Born and bred in the Cape Leigh-Ann is an expert on self-drive holidays all through South Africa as well as the lodges in both Kruger National Park, Madikwe and the Eastern Cape. Her strong knowledge of Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia also ensure she can plan the perfect wild African experience. Leigh-Ann is proudly South African and one of the biggest supporters of South African wines ! With her passion for good food and great restaurants , Leigh Ann is able to add value to your African trip by advising you where best to wine and dine ! Read Leigh-Ann's Blog... Favourite Destination: Anywhere close to the ocean Favourite Animal: Cheetah

Luyanda Singenile Most memorable experience: Seeing a Leopard for the first time in Pilanesberg National Park
	Sprechen sie Deutsch ?! Well Luyanda does, having spent a year studying and living in Germany, where he worked for a well known German Tour Operator, who specialised in travel to Africa. Complete with his 3 year National Diploma in Tourism Management from Natal Technikon, Luyanda was one of a few top graduates invited to visit Germany as part of a South African Tourism initiative. He now joins us at Rhino Africa as a Junior Consultant. Originally from Lusiksiski on the wild coast in the Eastern Cape – Luyanda has been living in Cape Town for almost a year ! Read Luyanda's Blog... Favourite Destination: Mauritius Favourite Animal: Buffalo

Monique Vally Most memorable experience: Tracking from the Northern Province up to Victoria Falls, overland in a Land Rover
	Quite frankly there is isn’t much that Monique hasn’t done, and that’s precisely why we employed her ! Having studied the prerequisite Hotel & Catering Management and Travel and Tourism Management, Monique set out for the bright lights of Glasglow ( !)and Au Paired for a year and a half. She then moved to London and worked her way up the become the manager of a highly acclaimed fine dining restaurant. A quick stint back in her home town of Pretoria, before returning to Cape Town last year. Monique now joins us as Travel Consultant where she uses her instinctive experience of the needs of the overseas visitors to plan the perfect holidays. Favourite Destination: Malawi Favourite Animal: White Lion

Nicci Brand Most memorable experience: Looking an elephant in the eye, as he surveys our Game vehicle in an Eatsern Cape game reserve.
	Nicci is our holiday home and Villa rental expert. Having grown-up working in her parents holiday resort, Nicci developed an affinity with the hospitality trade and went on to study International Hotel Management. She has excellent experience in all aspects of the tourism and hospitality trades and has focused on Villa rentals for the past several years. In 2002, Nicci started her own Villa agency which she ran for two and a half years before selling her shares and joining the RhinoAfrica team. She is a great communicator and loves the fast pace environment of the Tourism industry. The more quirky side of Nicci reveals that she is obsessive about animals and in her next life would like to be a Lion! Read Nicci's Blog... Favourite Destination: Knysna (There's no place like home!) Favourite Animal: Lion

Niki Duncan Most memorable experience: Quad Biking in the Namibian Dunes near Swakopmund !
	Complete with a university degree in Tourism and several years experience in various aspects of the African travel industry , Niki Duncan is the ideal person to help you plan your trip to Africa! Niki produces beautifully tailormade travel itineraries and takes pride in giving our clients as much detail as possible about their trip to Africa, by personalising and making every day as special as possible ! Always completely in control and organised, Niki manages to exude an air of calm about her that some of us only dream about ! A keen runner and athlete, Niki is currently in training for some of Cape Town’s most well known road races ! Read Niki's Blog... Favourite Destination: Drakensberg Favourite Animal: Giraffe

Romy Taylor Most memorable experience: Sabi Sands – Being stuck in an open land rover with the wheels immersed in the mud and surrounded by a pride of 11 Lions..
	Romy hails from way up the east coast of South Africa. She grew up in East London which is the home of warm oceans and never ending beaches. Her love of travel and her 7 years of experience in the industry have taken her far away from beaches and into the bush. After completing a Travel & Tourism diploma she worked at the world famous Mala Mala reserve as well as some other top-notch game lodges. Fortunately for Rhino Africa she now calls Cape Town home and is back to enjoying the beaches, although the water is a little colder down south! Favourite Destination: Namibia Favourite Animal: Zebra

Sian Bester Most memorable experience: Swimming in the middle of the Delta while watching an elephant crossing the channel in the distance…enough said!
	Sian is our in-house nature girl! She studied Nature Conservation for 3 years before working on a private game reserve in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. She then managed a lodge in the Okavango Delta in Botswana before returning to Cape Town to join the Rhino Africa team of travel consultants. When she is not dreaming up idyllic travel itineraries for her clients, Sian is creating action packed weekends for herself. Beaches, mountains and camping trips are her thing and she jumps at the opportunity to do anything outdoors. To balance out the outdoor lifestyle image we have it on good authority that she has been known to indulge in good red wine on festive occasions! Read Sian's Blog... Favourite Destination: Okavango Delta, Botswana Favourite Animal: Elephant

Andiswa Bantom Most memorable experience: Being 5 feet away from a Lioness! She was tired and full but that did not stop my body from freezing!
	Andiswa is our Customer Services Coordinator who hails from Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape and puts all of our travel itineraries together. She journeyed to Cape Town to obtain her degree in Social Science from the University of Cape Town and then completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Tourism. Besides her passion for travel, Andiswa, is a chef of note and cooks with fervour! She loves creating things from scratch and applies this to cooking too by creating her own recipes. To further tantalise her tastebuds she belongs to a whiskey tasting club as she appreciates good whiskey. An expensive date we fear! Favourite Destination: Seychelles Favourite Animal: Elephant

Most memorable experience: His epic road trip from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town to start work in the Mother City!
	Hailing originally from Port Elizabeth, Kolo found his way to Cape Town where he has been happily involved in a vast array of interesting employment positions. He worked for a young mens’ forum that focussed on gender, cultural and health issues to name but a few and he also put in some good time with the Western Cape Education Department translating and editing literature books from English into Xhosa. His travel experience includes travelling throughout Southern Africa for 3 remarkable years providing customer service and tour guiding on board luxury coaches. This stylish young man is now part of the Rhino Africa document and despatch department and works very hard to fine tune your itineraries and make sure you get all your documents on time and looking pretty! Favourite Destination: Knysna Favourite Animal: Knysna Loerie

Tom Mongare Most memorable experience: The first time I drove along the famous route 62 and Chapmans Peak drive. Every time seems like a first time again and again!
	Tom is the friendly voice that welcomes you to Rhino Africa and directs your calls to the most appropriate Travel Expert! He is our front of house man and if you were to visit our offices in Cape Town, it would be his warm and generous smile that greets you as you enter. Born and bred in Kenya, Tom studied Hospitality & Tourism at the University of Nairobi before heading to Cape Town to add some top hotels and tour operators to his CV. Tom’s diplomatic and easy personality and his love of people makes him a great asset to the travel team at Rhino Africa. He is also a man of languages and we are continuously being surprised that he can speak yet another language! Outside of the office Tom loves to play pool and watch good football and the one thing that would make this gentle person angry would be to mess with his family! Favourite Destination: Cape Town Favourite Animal: Horse