Julia Grass

Julia is just as content in the bush as she is with a good glass of wine or bare feet near the ocean. She’s travelled widely, lived in Rome and Munich, spent eight months crossing several continents on her own and still happily admits she needs both camping and luxury in her life. That mix of curiosity and comfort with contrast feels very Julia. She grew up in Freiburg, on the edge of Germany’s Black Forest, a city of old streets, busy cafés, bicycles and woodland just beyond. Love eventually brought her to South Africa, and Cape Town didn’t exactly make the decision difficult. Sunshine, the ocean, different cultures and languages, good food and wine... it had rather a lot going for it. What has kept her connected to Africa, though, is just as much the people: the warmth, big smiles and that unmistakable joy of life she finds here. When she plans for guests, she starts by looking backwards before she looks ahead. What trips have you loved before? What made them memorable? Those answers help her work out what will make the next one feel personal rather than simply impressive on paper. She especially loves the moment when a trip stops being an idea and starts becoming something you can actually picture yourself taking. On safari, she’s a leopard spotter by speciality and a repeat offender by instinct. Tented camps, elephants, remote places, good food, wine, ocean, desert, mountains... Julia’s version of Africa has room for all of it. And if you ask for her insider secret? Nice try. Apparently you only get that once you start planning with her.