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Who Are We?

A little bit about who we are at the SAFARI Company, please click on a name for further info.

Directors

Chania Paterson
Roger Sylvester
Paolo Parazzi

Managing Director

The Marketer - Chania is passionate about travelling and her motto in life is 'laughter is the best medicine'.

Life in General - She was brought up on a tea estate in Kericho, Kenya's highlands. Though she lived in Kenya all her life, she went to school in Dorset and university in Cardiff, before moving back to Kenya in 1997.

Life in Travel - Chania has worked in travel and tourism since 1995, she’s worked in lodges, hotels, wildlife documentary's and marketed just about any product that needed marketing ... until she tripped into her passion, marketing Kenya. Chania has represented numerous fabulous lodges including Shompole and Alfajiri, Cottars 1920’s and Manda Bay before developing fully informational visitors maps of Kenya and setting up her ultimate passion, The SAFARI Company.

Contact Chania
Non Executive Director

The Laughing Travel Agent – Roger’s advise is just don’t take anything too seriously....work hard, laugh a lot and keep your friends close.

Life in General – I was brought up in Kisii and went to school in Kericho and Nairobi. Afterwards, I went to College in Dundee and ended up as a croupier for a year before retuning to Kenya for my career in tourism.

Life in Travel – In 1973 I joined Southern Cross Safaris. After my stint in Nairobi, I ventured out into the ‘bush’, where I lived on Ol Pejeta working for Adnan Kashaoggi for 8 years, then Universal Safari Tours for 5 years, Block Hotels for 6 years and owned Bunson Travel Service until 2008. It’s all been in travel...and loved every minute of it !!!

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Financial Director

The Kitesurfing Financial Director - Paolo chose accounting and financial management over kitesurfing because...........He also doesn’t know why?

Life in General - Paolo was brought up in Watamu, a small village on the Kenyan coast. He went to Primary school in Kenya before going to High school in Natal, South Africa. After his Gap year he went to the University of Cape Town where he did his undergraduate and post graduate in Financial accounting.

Life in Travel - Paolo took a gap year after school and went to Cyprus and Greece where he did his Kitesurfing and Windsurfing instructors. Has also travelled around Europe and Africa on various occasions. Paolo has a passion for the outdoors and spends most of his free time exploring the beach or bush.

Contact Paolo

Safari Specialists

Lilian Onyango
Nicky Butler
Clair Mathews Crawford
Anne Thyaka
Richard Muthaka

Department Head and Safari Specialist

The Safari Guru - Lilian loves being able to help clients create memorable experiences. No two clients are exactly alike and everyone’s trips are unique. I enjoy the excitement of speaking with clients visiting a place for the first time and I am just as passionate about being able to help clients who have been to a region numerous times plan something different. Each time I plan someone’s trip, I feel like I’m a part of their experience.

Life in General - I was born and brought up in Mombasa before relocating to Nairobi for further studies in hotel and tourism operations.

Life in Travel - Having worked with hotels in Mombasa, Nairobi, Masai Mara and Fukuoka - JAPAN, I gained extensive knowledge that made me understand more of the workings of the hospitality industry. The experience I gained paved the way for me in the tourism industry making me rise quickly through the ranks to hold key senior positions.

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General Manager

The Plane-Mad Manager - Nicky is an explorer at heart and it was her wanderlust and yearning for adventure that first brought her to Kenya. Her favourite travel quotation is, “I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.”

Life in General – Born and educated in the UK, in 2007 Nicky emigrated for good to Kenya whose wide open spaces, temperate climate and quality of life she found unmatched anywhere else in the world – as well as the amazing bush flying!

Life in Travel - Given her background in travel, hospitality and events, lodge management seemed a natural progression when she first arrived here and she moved to the Masai Mara to run a luxury tented camp, satisfying her thirst for knowledge by learning about wildlife management, community projects and guiding during her stay there. She has remained in the travel and aviation sector ever since and is passionate about sharing her love of Kenya with fellow adventurers and holidaymakers everywhere.

Contact Nicky
Safari Specialist - Our Girl in America

Our Specialist in America – Having lived and worked in East Africa for seventeen years, Clair can offer first-hand experience and advice on any query you might have. Clair will also be on skype-live to the Kenyan office daily, so will be able to offer you up to the minute information.

Life in General – Clair was brought up in England and the Far East, after finishing at The University of Edinburgh she worked for the Expedition Advisory Centre of the Royal Geographical Society and was a press officer for David Bellamy. She moved to Kenya in 1993 to work in conservation and suddenly found herself married to one of Kenya’s more notorious safari guides and rally drivers. Clair now has three gorgeous children who will be moving with her and her husband to Rochester, NY.

Life in Travel - Clair has run one of Kenya’s oldest family owned mobile safari companies (Mathews Safaris was formed in 1967) since 1995. Clair will be taking bookings and marketing safaris both for herself and The SAFARI Company whilst in the States.

Contact Clair
Safari Specialist

The Voyager – My main hobby is travelling and adventure. This pushes the passion in me to make a dream come true for another adventurer elsewhere by being able to organize unforgettable memoirs for them.

Life in General – Anne was born and brought up in Machakos, the eastern part of Kenya, before going for my Tourism and Hospitality studies in Eldoret. I later relocated to Nairobi.

Life in Travel – Anne has worked with various tour operators who have different clientele with totally different ‘tastes’ of properties and destinations in East Africa. This has given me a broad knowledge of our Kenya’s “tourism product” and confidence in selling East Africa at large as a touristic destination.

Contact Anne
Safari Specialist

The Adventurer – Richard loves adventure as it literally runs in his veins having come from a family of Safari-seekers. He loves giving guests the ‘feel’ of a Safari experience making their adventure a memorable encounter. His favourite saying: ‘Life is too short, enjoy it while you still can, besides you have nothing to lose!!’

Life in General – This ‘gentle giant’ was born, brought up and studied in Dagoretti division, Nairobi with no ‘rural village roots to call home’ as most Kenyans have a rural home, his family roots are traced in Nairobi before it was even earmarked as a province. Having lived in Nairobi most of his natural born life he calls himself, ‘the city dude’.

Life in Travel – His late grandfather being a driver-guide in the ‘60s, started the Safari frenzy in the family. Richard started traveling with his grandfather and father in the early 80’s when he was at a tender age of 5 visiting some few National Parks of Kenya as per what his mind can remember. His career catapulted immediately after high school, joining tourism and started simple and for 10 years he’s been doing what he loves: Safari adventure, name it: camping, biking, cooking, tourleading groups, and when not doing this, sits behind a desk selling beautiful Safari destinations.

Contact Richard

SAFARI Consultants

Annie Tundo
Christiane Plumbe
Simon Ball
Katrina Dingley
Debbie Mayer
Linda Allen
Phillippa Stewart
Charlie Hoare
Lisa Davies

Our Consultant in Dubai

Your Specialist in Dubai - Anne loves to pass her enthusiasm for Africa onto others. Once you have lived in, or even just made a trip to Africa, its magic stays with you forever.

Life in General - She was born and brought up in North Kenya on a cattle ranch, leaving for school and university in the UK and returning to Kenya in 1996. She moved to Dubai 5 years ago with her husband and three children, but heads back to Kenya as often as she possibly can.

Life in Travel - With a degree in Travel and Tourism Management, Anne has worked in the business since 1996, firstly in sales and marketing for two safari companies in Kenya, before setting up and running her own small Tour Operating business from 2000 to 2005. She is very excited to be joining The SAFARI Company team in helping people organise trips of a lifetime to Africa.

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Our French Speaking Safari Consultant

The food addict - If Christiane had a motto she would borrow Rudyard Kipling’s words “The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it” and she would add to it “and to taste its food” Life in general - She was born and brought up in Switzerland, on the shores of lake Neuchatel. As a young girl she was enthralled by the letters she received from her godmother who lived in Africa. She was quickly nicknamed “the African girl” as she developed a strong interest in African cultures and would wear as many necklaces and bracelets as some African tribes do.

Life in travel - Christiane worked for a humanitarian organization and was sent to Rwanda in 1994. Even though it was an extremely hard time, as she set foot on the African continent she felt an immediate connection. She has since lived and worked in almost every East African countries and some West African ones and has eventually settled in Kenya in 2000.

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The Ornithologist and Private Guide

The Guide - With over 20 years field experience in East Africa, Simon has guided private safaris for many discerning clients to the wildest places either side of the equator.

Life in Guiding - Having gained a Zoology/ Ecology Hons degree eons ago, from London University, I'm now able to share my passion for Africa's fauna and flora with guests who wish to be off the beaten track. Being a member of the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association, being an avid birder & mammal behaviour specialist has enabled me to accompany all types of guests from private individuals, small family groups to specialists in their field.

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Safari Consultant - Our Girl in Laos

The Safari Expert - 'Nothing ever becomes real until it is experienced' is Katrina's belief. Travel is an important part of Katrina's life and she wants other people to have the privilege of sharing her experiences.

Life in General - She was born and brought up in Kenya but educated in the UK. After marrying in 2007 she moved to Laos, where as someone once said 'Life is what happens whilst you are making other plans' so she has continued to plan other peoples holidays to remind her of home whilst her Asian life continues.

Life in Travel - Katrina worked in travel and tourism for 6 years in Kenya specializing in arranging Incentive travel and Festivals in the Masai Mara. She loved her work and was so very sad to leave, however she has since embarked on a different career in Laos. When not working, Katrina spends many an hour tempting people to travel to the land she is so passionate about and where she calls home.

Contact Katrina
Our Consultant in South Africa

About Debbie - I am a born African! A true African can never stay away for too long…there will always be a constant hunger to get back and feel the African soil between your toes, to smell the dust as the rain beats down on our rich soil! It is my passion to share our beautiful continent with others.

Life in General - I was born and raised in South Africa. Being married to an Engineer has had me living in almost every region of this beautiful country, from the Cape to Northern Natal. I spent six years living in Magadi, the lowest point of the Rift Valley in Kenya. I am currently living in Broederstroom at Hartbeespoort Dam, South Africa..

Life in Travel - I got involved with travel by default. Being as passionate as I am about Africa, I have constantly found myself ferrying tourists around. Through this, I have found my true passion. I am thrilled to be joining The SAFARI Company team and being able to offer my clients so much more than before!

Contact Debbie
Your resident safari addict in Kenya

Mother and organiser of a safari mad family

Life In General - Linda was born and brought up in Western Kenya and has lived here all her life, she is a second generation Kenyan. She completed her studies in South Africa and then went to Art College in England.

Life In Travel - Linda has a family who have always been mad on Safari – so she has spent much of her early life in a tent … somewhere! She has a son who is an avid Butterfly collector so has travelled throughout Kenya, to many ‘out of the way’ places. She is looking forward to introducing others to this wonderful country!

Contact Linda
Our Consultant in Hong Kong

Phillippa is a multimedia journalist with a passion for travel.

Life in General - Her inquisitiveness has led her to Africa, Asia, Australasia and Europe. Her favourite destination? It's a tie between South Africa and her boyfriend's homeland of Kenya.

Life in travel - Phillippa studied modern history and politics at Oxford University and has a masters in journalism at the University of Hong Kong.

Contact Phillippa
Our specialist in Hong Kong

Charlie is a Kenyan in Hong Kong who can give you knowledgeable, impartial advice on your African adventure.

Life in General - in his early years Charlie was brought up in Kenya and then he moved with his family to the UK for schooling. After a GAP year working in a ski resort and traveling solo around South America he studied Business and Spanish at Exeter University. Having spent some time working in London he got the travel bug once again so headed out to Hong Kong with his girlfriend.

Life in Travel - Charlie has traveled extensively in Africa, Asia, South America, Australasia and Europe and has lived and worked in many of these places. He is now loving the excitement of Asia but heads back to Africa as often as he can to see his family and get back in touch with his roots!

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Our Consultant in Bangkok, Thailand

Mother of 4 who loves a challenge – With only two living at home still, one currently in Canada and one in China.

Life in General – I love a challenge. With my husband, we have had a country house hotel with 2 restaurants in the UK, we have renovated a large property in the South of France and we still run it as an exclusive hotel / B&B. I am British but born and raised in Borneo. I Have lived in Malaysia - UK - Switzerland - Caribbean - France & currently in Bangkok.

Life in Travel – I love to travel, I love to see new places, to try new food, to meet all kinds of people and experience lots of different things. I would love you to experience the Africa I love.

Contact Lise