Magda Baillie
Having been in the industry for 30 years, Magda is an Operations Team Leader for Yellow Zebra.
Magda’s Most Memorable Experience
Magda recently had the incredible opportunity to spend 10 days in Rwanda. This has always been one of her bucket list trips and it ended up being everything and more. Bisate Reserve is simply out of this world and Gorilla Trekking likely the most amazing experience of Magda’s entire life. It was an emotion filled day being in awe of spending precious time with these beautiful animals. She had never felt closer to nature and a part of the circle of Life. It was a day filled with lots of laughs and also some tears, so special and something everybody should do at least once in their lifetime. All of Rwanda was incredible, from the humbleness of the people, how safe we felt and the incredible beauty. All of it exceeded Magda’s expectations and she hopes to be able to return one day.
Magda’s Bio
Born in Johannesburg in South Africa, Magda studied Travel & Tourism Management at the University of Pretoria. Her main goal for her studies was to go into a career in ecotourism. She was very fortunate to be offered a position at Thornybush Game Lodge after her studies. At Thornybush, she was responsible for the day-to-day running of the camp and hosting guests during their stay.
After her time at Thornybush, Magda developed a further keen interest, in aviation. She joined a private air charter company called Streamline Air Charter. Streamline’s flying was 100% tourism orientated, and she was responsible for all of the operational aspects of the charter flights, including dealing with all the DMCs and lodges. The team was fortunate in that the company was the main private flight provider for most of the big lodges, including Wilderness Safaris (as they were known back then) before they acquired Wilderness Air, Londolozi, Singita, and &Beyond.
Then, venturing into something brand new, Magda built and ran a 5-star hotel in the village of Dullstroom, called Peebles Country Retreat. This project involved seeing hospitality from a totally different perspective.
Magda took some time off work raising two children, and when she was ready to get back into work the only option for her was to return to travel. She found herself working for one of the DMCs in South Africa, The Inside Edge, managing bookings for the inbound tourism sector into Africa. She stayed with this company until the end of Covid. At that time (August 2021), she made the decision to emigrate to the UK.
Being offered the position at Yellow Zebra has been like a dream come true and she feels like she has finally found her happy place here in the UK.
African Countries Visited
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Rwanda
Gorilla trekking, Big Five safaris, and poignant history. Rwanda is a truly inspiring safari destination.
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Botswana
From dusty salt pans to delta floods, Botswana is a celebration of pristine African wilderness.
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South Africa
Big Five safaris, lively cities, and dramatic coastlines. South Africa delivers exciting contrasts and variety.
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Malawi
Experience scenic lake shores, ‘blue’ safaris, and a welcoming atmosphere in the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’.
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Tanzania
A classic safari destination home to big game, epic wildlife events, and iconic national parks.
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Mozambique
A standout mix of remote, wild spaces and magnificent tropical beaches.
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Kenya
The original birthplace of safari, where world-class wildlife experiences and beautiful beaches meet.
