OUR FAMILY
SAFARI FRANK stems from the Steenhuisen family. Johan and Welna, with children Frank and Karin, are South African born and brewed – and now live in Australia. Our African heritage and close knit family have seen us travel overland through the African bush for over 30 years. Every family member is ‘instilled’ with a great love of the African land. Going on Safari in Africa for us is not a holiday, it is lifestyle. We want to share these real Safari experiences with you. We champion the wilds of Africa, educating, conserving and supporting as we do so.
We can’t wait to share our wild Africa with you!
The Steenhuisen Family
- CEO turned SEO (Serial Explorer and Overlander)
- Real deal Afro Aussie, addicted to Africa
- Adventurer at heart
- Active conservationist
- Hates unexplored spots on the map
- Loves exploring Africa
- Passion for startups, small business and personal service
- Bino’s the ‘weapon of choice’
Based in Africa and Australia
- Heart of the team and a hippy in the city
- Never leaves home without waterproof mascara
- Loves snakes
- Creative soul inspired by the beauty of Africa
- A foodie with kick ass cooking skills around the camp fire
- Once an athlete, but has learnt that in Africa – only food runs!
- The best wildlife spotter of us all
Based in Africa and Australia
- Grew up in South African bush, schooled in Australia
- Prefers tracking lions to city life
- Botswana obsessed
- Professional wildlife photographer
- Qualified walking and vehicle guide
- Passionate about sharing the complexity of the African bush
- A super bird nerd who is fascinated by the smaller things
- Believes a campfire is an essential part of life
Based in Africa & Australia
- Changed her career from tv-producer to guide, to full-time writer
- wrote three German bestsellers, a safari cookbook and several children’s books
- Loves elephants more than anything… except maybe husband Frank
Based in Australia
- Afro Aussie, whose heart lies in the African bush
- Loves rhinos and is passionate about their conservation
- Degree in Business and Property
- RHINOS RHINOS RHINOS!
- Favorite sound is a lion roaring in very close proximity
- An adrenalin addict who is a teensy bit scared of elephants
- Proud mommy to beautiful baby Marissa
- Did we mention Karin loves rhinos?
Based in Australia
- Switched on electrician who is happiest when he’s ‘off-grid’ in the African bush
- A warrior when it comes to conservation
- Lover of… and fighter for rhinos
- Travelling is his addiction as long as great coffee is also in the back pack
- Exercising makes Jan feel alive, but as a serial bookworm, so does a great read
Based in Australia
The Team
The SAFARI FRANK expert team is led by Johan and Frank, bringing with them a shared love of Africa and years safari travel experience. But the success of SAFARI FRANK lies in the cohesion of our team. By working together we share our safari knowledge and are best able to serve our customers, design incredible safari itineraries and ensure a flawless travel experience. Get to know each of us better!
The SAFARI FRANK team
Johan has spend the majority of his life living in South Africa. He has explored Southern Africa extensively over the years while overlanding. As a result he knows Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe inside and out! With his vehicle the BEAUTY, he continually explores the wilds of Africa determined to leave no spot on the map unvisited.
Johan has also visited Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania on multiple occasions, exploring new amazing safari destinations for our clients.
Frank is our resident safari guide and wildlife photographer. Much like Johan, Frank has explored Southern Africa extensively over the years and knows safaris in Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe like the back of his hand. He’s our Zambian and Botswana safari specialist!
Frank has also spent a great deal of time on safari in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
- Born and raised in Germany
- Based in Cape Town since 2014
- Travelled the world extensively before deciding that South Africa is the place she loves most and making it her permanent home
- Passionate about nature and wildlife
- An experienced travel planner with a background in airline reservations & luxury travel sales for Southern Africa and East Africa
- When she is not busy planning unforgettable trips for her clients, she enjoys gardening, surfing and spending time with her dog
- Born in Chile to diplomatic parents, raised in South Africa and Argentina.
- Based in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria.
- An extrovert at heart who loves connecting with people.
- Has a professional background in customer service, marketing and sales, and arranged photographic safaris to some of the world’s most photogenic locales for a number of years.
- Loves elephants, cats (wild & domestic), thunderstorms, photography, crime documentaries, being active and spending time with her loved ones.
- Currently based in East Africa
- Has developed a passion for Southern Africa and especially Namibia through various travels
- Loves: sunsets in the Erongo Mountains, the incomparable starry sky of the Namib, walking in the bush – preferably with the migration in the Serengeti
- There is nothing better than sitting around the campfire after an exciting safari day
- Born and raised in Switzerland
- Lives in South Africa
- Her passion for the African bush led to her safari training. Today she loves to be in the bush on foot
- The Okavango Delta is one of her absolute favourite places, besides that she has traveled to other regions of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Kenya
- Nothing makes her heart beat like an encounter on foot with a black rhino, and nothing is as memorable as an encounter with elephants.
- Born and raised in South Africa
- From the airline industry to now having feet firmly on the ground, she’s currently exploring the “WILD” side of life
- Perfect evenings consist of summer nights, starry skies & an ice-cream large in size!
- Home is where the heart is & hers beats for Africa
- Born and raised in South Africa
- Lived in Switzerland & the UK for a few years, but decided South Africa is the place to call home.
- Lives in Johannesburg
- Passionate about Africa and all things travel!
- My Favourite memories are skydiving in Swakopmund, exploring the Okavango Delta in mokoros, overlanding through Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia & Malawi, island-hopping in the Seychelles & rediscovering South Africa with my kids.
- My favourite ways to travel are road trips with my kids, good music, a general direction, & going off the beaten path!
- Nothing beats the African sunrise over good coffee and the African sunset whilst chatting around a crackling fire.
- Based in Cape Town
- Grew up in Germany and moved to South Africa in 2015
- Has done Safari Safari guide course and worked as a cycling and hiking Tour guide in South Africa
- Her passion is the African bush and the wildlife
- Best place to enjoy a morning coffee is on top of a dune in Sossusvlei during sunrise, or sitting at a waterhole watching elephants drink
- Loves to create amazing itineraries that show the beauty of Africa, might even get more excited for the clients traveling, than the clients themselves 😊
- Grew up in the beautiful Garden Route of South Africa
- Pippa travelled and worked in Europe and the big smoke in Australia, before exchanging the corporate jungle for the idyllic NSW Northern Rivers
- When not wrangling two young boys or dealing with resident reptiles, she finds peace in numbers, books and anything to do with the beach!
- She will always dream of being under African skies
- Born and raised in South Africa
- Has been a Southern Africa Travel planner for many years, and loves what she does.
- Enjoys being in the bush and could sit for hours watching an elephant, Zebra or Giraffe
- Loves to laugh, it’s good for the soul!
- Sundowners while enjoying the beautiful African Sunset, are the best way to end the day.
- Dual citizen (South Africa/Germany) – But born and raised in South Africa.
- Developed a deep love for the wildlife and landscapes of Southern Africa through numerous camping expeditions over the years, as well as a gap year in Zimbabwe.
- Always keen to share his passion for traveling in Africa.
- An avid wildlife photographer, rarely seen in the Bush without his camera.
- Favourite spots include Gonarezhou, Central Kalahari Game Reserve, and the Ai-Ais/Richtersveld. A good rule of thumb is the more remote the better.
- When not taking photos, he enjoys reading and tending to the campfire.
- Dual citizen (Brazil/South Africa), having lived in both countries for many years
- Based in Cape Town, has been working in the travel industry for over 8 years
- Happiest watching a sunset at the beach or in the bush
- Favourite animal is the leopard
- Passionate about making client’s travel dreams come true
Get in touch!
We’d love to talk.