Meet the team

Kate has lived in South Africa since 1993 having met her South African husband whilst studying in France. She’s travelled extensively throughout the region to Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe and has explored most parts of South Africa including some of the remoter areas such as the Kalahari, Maputaland and the Limpopo Province. She adores travelling and discovering new places. Her home looks up to the Cedarberg Mountains, where she enjoys hiking when not testing out, with the aid of her 3 small children, the family appeal of our hotels and lodges! Prior to setting up Cedarberg African Travel she read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University and then worked in Management Consultancy and International Marketing before taking an MBA at Insead in France.
Most memorable travel experience: Either standing on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania or sleeping out in the middle of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Botswana.

Mari has a dual role: she’s both a senior travel consultant for our web clients and she also focuses on our marketing. She’s been with Cedarberg since the beginning of 2003 and in SA tourism for 16 years. Mari is confident, enthusiastic and particularly adept at matching the right accommodation options with your particular likes and dislikes. She loves to travel and research trips include the Sabi Sands, Garden Route, Victoria Falls, Botswana, the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, Mauritius, Kenya and Tanzania, Mpumalanga and mostly recently Pafuri and Mashatu game reserves.
Most memorable travel experience: Visiting Pafuri in the remote northern part of the Kruger National Park. "The scenery was truly stunning, with an amazing variety of landscapes. It was a true wilderness experience!"

Cecily is the senior member of our team. After completing her degree she returned to the family farm in Clanwilliam. She's worked at Cedarberg African Travel since 1995 and is our Product specialist. She ensures that our reservations system is up to date with the latest product information, prices and special deals. Her passion is things botanical and she plans our Wild Flower tours. She loves the wild open spaces of Southern Africa such as the Kalahari and Namibia: don’t send her to the cities!
Most memorable travel experience: Walking with the elephants at Stanley’s Camp in Botswana, followed by the most superb game viewing experience at Chief’s Camp in the Okavango Delta.

Nita has recently begun a new role at Cedarberg. After being our Accounts Manager for many years where her thoroughness and tenacity were a wonderful asset, she is now working from home. With her wealth of experience, she is assisting keeping our website up to date. She also travels for Cedarberg African Travel, often with her three small children - to South Africa’s northern game reserves, the Wild Coast, Victoria Falls, Zambia and recently to Mpumalanga.
Most memorable travel experience: Whilst having sundowner drinks on a game drive in the Sabi Sands game reserve with her three year old child, the ranger subtly warned her to get back onto the vehicle as there were lions nearby. They were only just on the vehicle when the lions calmly walked straight past.

Gloria’s professional and calm persona makes for a great contrast with some of our louder personalities. She’s worked for Cedarberg since the end of 2000 and has an excellent knowledge of the destinations of South Africa. Gloria is a travel consultant for our European clients. She has travelled widely throughout the Western and Eastern Cape, Sabi Sands and Namibia which, contrary to her expectations, she really enjoyed. Most recently she's completed an epic road journey from the Kruger up through Mozambique to the Benguerra Islands.
Most memorable travel experience: Either the Tsitsikamma treetop canopy experience in the Garden Route, or sliding down the ‘roaring’ dunes of the Skeleton Coast in Namibia. "You will never believe the sounds that emerge unless you go there!"

 Sonja is a travel consultant for our UK market, having joined us in 2002. Her quiet but positive disposition is a boost to the office, as is her great attention to detail, which makes her perfect for our family itineraries. Being a mother of two busy boys herself, she can direct families to the most suitable options for their holiday to South Africa. She has travelled extensively throughout South Africa, to KwaZulu Natal, Madikwe, the Garden Route, the Greater Kruger National Park and the Eastern Cape. She also checked out the family holiday opportunities in Namibia and came back bursting with enthusiasm. Recent trips include the Kruger National Park and private game reserves.

Most memorable travel experience: Visiting the Fish River Canyon in Namibia with her family followed by trying to keep up with her boys (ten and twelve years old) on quad bikes on the coastal dunes of Sossusvlei. She failed!

Madelyn’s boisterous and enthusiastic personality adds much to the good morale of the office  and can lift your spirits immediately. Madelyn, who’s been with Cedarberg since the beginning of 2001, focuses on all our group quotations and tours. Recent tours have included several walking tours and a Two Oceans marathon and a half marathon group. Her research trips have focused on Cape Town, the Winelands, Garden Route, Namibia, KwaZulu Natal and to the Limpopo province and Mpumalanga.
Most memorable travel experience: Staying with her family at Honeyguide Khoka Moya tented camp in the Greater Kruger Park. She was walking from her tent to the main lodge with her son, Jaco (then 18 months), and they found themselves in the midst of a herd of visiting elephants. "Seeing the wonder on his face was priceless".

Natasha joined us in 2003, initially working part-time as she studied for her diploma. She now works fulltime as a Travel Consultant for one of our Continental European clients and one of our North American agents. Natasha is hard working and diligent, to the point that Kate is sometimes chasing her out of the office at the end of the day. Recent research trips have been to Namibia, Cape Town, the Winelands, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga.
Most memorable travel experience: I lost my heart to Namibia in early April this year and it's been my most memorable experience to date. Having visited southern Etosha, the dramatically beautiful Damalarand and the Sossusvlei desert, I have to single out Sossusvlei as my favourite! Photos could never do the amazing dunes any justice! You have to experience and witness this yourself! A perfect end to a perfect trip was spending the night under the stars on my rooftop.... 

Sandra also joined Cedarberg at the end of 2006 and is from an accounting background. She has taken over Nita’s role as Accounts Manager and her calm persona, attention to detail and dry sense of humour is always appreciated. She has a degree in Business Commerce from Stellenbosch University.
Most memorable travel experience: A 4x4 expedition along the Orange River in the Northern Cape with the huge dunes of the Richtersveld on one side and the river, rumoured to be full of diamonds on the other.

Lee joined us in 2007 having been working overseas. Her maturity, wicked sense of humour and quick-witted grasp of the travel industry are invaluable. She is a Travel Consultant for our American clients. Living in the dry hot climate of the Cedarberg, she particularly enjoys visiting the Garden Route with its peaceful temperate climate and landscape.  She’s visited Cape Town, Winelands, Madikwe Game Reserve and most recently Gloria and Lee did an epic road trip through the Greater Kruger Park and into Mozambique travelling up to the Benguerra Islands.

Lee's most memorable travel experience was seeing the large herds of elephant in the Madikwe. "Some had recently had babies and so there were several little ones. I loved the sense of openness and serenity in Madikwe and yet we were so close to Johannesburg…"

Michelle joined us in 2007 having run her own business. She is now moving into travel consulting and her particular responsibility is for the Cederberg Heritage Route - our collection of community based fully portered walking trails. Michelle's favourite part of South Africa is Cape Town – she loves the beauty and the vibe. She’s visited Cape Town and the Winelands and Mozambique.
Most memorable travel experience: Travelling around Mozambique, visiting Maputo and the small mozambiquan villages. "I really enjoyed traveling out to the islands. My husband asked me to marry him on a Mozambiquan beach so I will always have a soft spot for it!"

Conrad is a brave man indeed (or lucky?) to work with a team of 12 women. He's joined us recently in 2008, having been running his own business, and has immediately settled in. He works as a Travel Consultant for both European and American clients.

Conrad's most memorable travel experience was a private dinner on the deck of Susuwe Island Lodge in Namibia, with his new wife, watching the animals in the river channel with lights shining in the trees.

Laré joined Cedarberg recently in 2008. Her main role is to be keeping this website updated with hotel reviews, blog posts and the latest trip reports. As you can imagine, that keeps her very busy.
My most memorable holiday experience was definitely when we went for a 2-week safari holiday in the Limpopo Province e at Mareba Game Lodge. Game viewing by foot and driving were something never to be forgotten. True bush cuisine as I have never experienced before.