Celeste Knijnenburg

Celeste is a self-declared “Garden Route girlie”, now living near Paarl with her husband, toddler, teenage daughter, two dogs, two cats and a fairly full house. She likes coffee, scenic drives, podcasts and dining out, but safari is the thread that keeps pulling everything together. She chose tourism almost on a whim and, more than two decades later, still calls being a Luxury African Travel Expert her favourite chapter yet. On safari, Celeste wants to know what’s happening beyond the game drive. Yes, she loves the wildlife, the lodge and a good Cap Classique at sunset, but she’s just as interested in the guide’s family, staff stories and the community or conservation work behind the scenes. Solar-powered camps, local schooling projects, staff development... she notices it all. Her own words? “I’m such a bleeding heart!” That explains why she’s happiest when every part of a trip feels considered. Celeste loves the fine-tuning stage: when you’re almost there, but one clever change can sharpen the whole thing. Sometimes that means introducing you to a place you hadn’t considered, simply because she knows it fits. And when that left-field recommendation becomes one of your favourite parts of the trip? Those are the moments she lives for.