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A Tanzania expert at Yellow Zebra, Jo also knows South Africa well as she worked and lived there for over 20 years. We’re pleased to welcome her to the Yellow Zebra herd!
Born in the UK, Jo fell in love with Africa at a young age. Her father worked in conservation throughout the continent, and Jo visited for the first time when she was 12. The natural beauty and the vibrant cultures captured her imagination and she has never looked back!
Tanzania, South Africa
Until recently, Jo was living on one of the private reserves of South Africa’s Greater Kruger. She returns to South Africa often. In May last year, she visited Cape Town and then took a road trip from there, through the Karoo, to safari in the private reserves of the Greater Kruger. Her most recent visit to Africa, in February 2024, was a short relaxing trip to the north coast of Mauritius.
“There are so many special memories, from the excitement of my first giraffe sighting (so much taller than I’d ever imagined!) to breathtaking scenery at sunrise and sunset, accompanied by the unique sounds and scents of the African bush.
Close encounters have included an unexpected sighting of a very young leopard cub, stashed safely on the deck of a guest suite by its mother. A reminder that we are very much guests in the animals’ environment!
Narrowing down the experiences to Tanzania, a special memory here was witnessing a wildebeest birth her calf in the spectacular setting of the Ngorongoro Crater – quite remarkable that the calves can stand pretty much from birth and are able to move with the herd soon afterwards.
One other special mention would be the captivating sight of the wildebeest herds arriving, as if out of nowhere, at the location of a newly chosen lodge site on the edge of the Serengeti that we were planning the launch of at the time. What a relief! Although we can use our experience to estimate the route of the annual migration, it remains a totally natural phenomenon that is guided by the rains and associated grazing.”
Jo was born in Dorset, UK, into a family with a love for travel and a particular connection to Africa. Her first recollection of the continent, from about 7 years old, is watching slides of her dad’s travels in East Africa. She was fascinated. Jo’s father lived in Nigeria, so her first African experience was the remote northern city of Kano!
Family holidays followed to Kenya, with trips to the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, lakes Naivasha and Nakuru, and Mount Kenya. A move to South Africa created the opportunity for school holidays spent exploring the game reserves throughout South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, and Namibia.
Jo studied for a BA (Hons) in Geography at Liverpool University – a field trip to Jamaica was a major highlight – and travel experiences have always been at the top of her agenda!
After finishing university, Jo headed to Africa. She joined &Beyond at Phinda Mountain Lodge and led the Front of House team there. Jo met her husband at Phinda and together they were part of the opening team at Tswalu Kalahari – a place that will always remain very close to her heart. After Tswalu, Jo joined Virgin Limited Edition and headed to Necker Island, BVIs as Island Manager before returning to the bush again as Lodge Manager at Ulusaba Rock Lodge. Next up, Jo headed to the Serengeti, Tanzania and helped open Singita Sabora Tented Camp. Family life then followed, based initially in Cape Town and then in a long list of amazing destinations in the Maldives, Mozambique, and the Greater Kruger.
In 2020, Jo returned to the UK and made the transition from Operations to Sales, joining a niche safari company in the Southwest before moving to Yellow Zebra. She is very much looking forward to continuing to share her knowledge and passion for Africa.
Brian Jackman, safari expert for The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, Condé Nast, and the BBC
9 years in a row, since 2015
UK / International
CA
Australia
