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