About African Vacation: Safari Lodges and Activities

When we first started in the safari industry some 27 years ago there were literally a handful of destinations to choose from. This made finding the safari of your choice a lot simpler and invariably the few people in the travel industry were well acquainted with the different safari products. Today however there are a myriad of destinations and lodges to choose from. African Vacation markets a wide range of safari lodges and activities allowing us to create a customized African safari of your choice.

At African Vacation we have endeavoured to select a range of safari lodges and activities well known to us, some rustic some luxurious. The aim of this website is to allow you to put your own African vacation together where we can offer you advice, work through your concerns and queries and make your African safari perfect in every way. A lot of what we have to offer is through first hand experience from both sides of the table, here is a little about our histories.

Bruce Meeser formerly Zimbabwean entered the South African safari industry in 1980 working as a field guide taking guests out on safari in 4x4 vehicles and by foot. Bruce worked at a few different prestigious game lodges and over the years worked his way up into management level. In 1985 he met his wife to be Judy who was then working as one of the first woman field guides in the Greater Kruger Park.

After getting married Bruce and Judy took a break from tourism and spent two years managing conservation areas in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve. They were involved in erosion control and bush clearing of invasive species as well as reclaiming any degraded areas that were the result of incorrect tourism practices and management in the past.

After leaving the Timbavati Private Game Reserve they moved to the Manyeleti Game Reserve, pioneering private safaris in this then little known reserve, establishing their own safari lodges, Khoka Moya (meaning take a breath in the local Shangaan language) and Honeyguide, at the time one of the first tented safari camps in South Africa (1990).

Bruce and Judy have always strived to originate new and innovative ways of introducing the African bush to its visitors, one such product was Transfrontiers Wildlife Walking Safaris and although they recently sold this company they still actively market the product. Bruce and Judy developed many other new and interesting concepts in eco tourism, one such undertaking was the creation of Rhino Monitoring Units. This unique concept allowed eco tourists to get involved in a hands on programme monitoring, documenting and researching the free roaming rhino in certain areas of Limpopo and Mpumalanga at a time when these large placid animals were under serious threat.

As a couple and with colleagues and friends they have rescued a pack of wild dogs from an area where the dogs faced certain death and relocated them safely to Umfolozi Game Reserve in Kwa Zulu Natal. They also recognised the need, campaigned for and assisted in establishing community driven tourism in remote parts of Limpopo Province. They bring this passion and experience to the establishment of African Vacation.

Bruce and Judy live on their game farm near the Timbavati Private Game Reserve in South Africa where they operate horse trails. They have a son and a daughter who both love the outdoors and the African bush.

Ian Malcolm who is the third partner in African Vacation was born in the United Kingdom, he first visited South Africa in 1981, fell in love with the country and decided to stay. Ian was one of Bruce and Judy's first regular guests and like many others he became a good friend. After arriving in South Africa Ian developed a strong connection with the African bush and it's wildlife.

Ian has spent many years coming to the bush, visiting and supporting the various new ventures often introducing a new friend or two to his passion and has acquired a balanced perspective of a clients needs and expectations. He has passed on his interest and passion for the African bush to his only daughter Kym, who is now an assistant manager at a safari lodge in Botswana.

A professional photographer by trade, Ian has owned and operated his own web-based company for many years and has travelled extensively in Africa, both on business and for pleasure, he brings this knowledge to African Vacation.