To get a better idea of who we are and what we love when it comes to travelling, read on and find out more about the People of Portfolio.
Meet the People of Portfolio
James
What do you do at Portfolio… co-owner and creative director
I love to travel with… friends, and dog when he''s allowed
My favourite type of holiday… bush
Most memorable travel experience… Watching the light of sunrise over the glaciers on top of Kilimanjaro
The best place I’ve ever travelled to… Mana Pools
My favourite place in South Africa is… the Waterberg. Then Ndumo, the Eastern Cape, Karoo, Braamfontein, St James, the Limpopo lowveld, Lion Sands, Hogsback, Clifton 1st beach and downtown Cape Town.
The Portfolio place I recommend... Samara, The Gorge, Grootbos
My top 5 travel essentials are… Packing light, spontaneous decisions, great food, a view from the bedroom, attentive staff
My top 3 bucket list destinations are… South Luangwa, Tokyo, Tswalu
I hope my next holiday is to… the Zambezi River
Ian
What do you do at Portfolio... CEO
I love to travel with... partner, kids, surf boards, mountain bikes, walking shoes, good coffee…
My favourite type of holiday… beach, bush or mountains
Most memorable travel experience…Climbing Kilimanjaro with my partner, Pippa
The best place I’ve ever travelled to… Bolivia, Turkey, or Indo – too close to call
My favourite place in South Africa is… Cedarberg
The Portfolio place I recommend... Grootbos or Hog Hollow – tough question!
My top 5 travel essentials are… good coffee, sunglasses, walking shoes, 2 good books, boardshorts
My top 3 bucket list destinations are… snow boarding in the Alps, mountain bike touring in British Columbia, campervan South Island New Zealand with 5mm wetsuits (been lucky enough to have ticked off 20 or more other ones already!)
I hope my next holiday is to… Mozambique
Renee
What do you do at Portfolio… I’m a consultant for our Portfolio members. I experience each place first hand so that our guests can be assured of great hospitality, service and quality, and that their expectations will be met and exceeded. While I’m travelling I’m also on the lookout for great new places to bring into the collection.
I love to travel with… family or friends. And I also love the adventure of travelling on my own, with just my music, my thoughts and endless open roads and experiences.
My favourite type of holiday… all and any – beach, berg, bush, foodie, unplanned road trips, surf trips, family holidays...
Most memorable travel experience… too many to name, but some that spring to mind would be diving off Aliwal Shoal, Sodwana, Maldives and Great Barrier Reef; exploring Mapungubwe as well as lonely Eastern Cape mountain passes feeling like the only person on the planet, very spiritual; surfing one of the best waves on the planet at J-Bay, the forever euphoria; white water rafting and bungee jumping at Vic Falls, the adrenaline!; days spent hiking through Big Five wilderness, coming face to face with elephant and rhino on foot; the vastness of the Serengeti, the natural zoo that is Ngorongoro Crater and the birding paradise of Lake Manyara…
The best place I’ve ever travelled to… I''ve had so many wonderful and unique experiences throughout South Africa that it is simply too difficult to choose just one.
My favourite place in South Africa is… again, there are just too many, >But I do like to escape from civilization sometimes, to places where there’s no cellphone reception or WiFi, places that are wild and beautiful, like the Wild Coast, the bush, remote beaches and mountains. Growing up we spent a lot of time as a family in the unspoilt marine and wetland sanctuaries of iSimangaliso, and hiking along rivers and waterfalls into the Drakensberg mountains. So they will always hold special memories.
The Portfolio place I recommend… All of them! Each one is unique, whether it’s the special people who make you feel welcome, the spectacular scenery, fabulous food, the smallest details that delight…I personally recommend each and every one.
My top 5 travel essentials are… camera, comfy walking shoes, 2 pin adaptor, sunglasses, book(s)…I like to travel light!
My top 3 bucket list destinations are… Mana Pools soon to be ticked off the list, can’t wait!; Madagascar; overland trip through Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Zambia…this list keeps growing, let’s just say a year-long overland trip through Africa!
I hope my next holiday is to… a remote beach with endless waves, dolphins and friends or family to share it with.
Heather
What do you do at Portfolio… Publishing Project Management
I love to travel with… Husband and 2 kids
My favourite type of holiday…. Beach
Most memorable travel experience… 3 weeks in Peru
The best place I’ve ever travelled to… Angkor Wat, Cambodia
My favourite place in South Africa is… Cederberg
The Portfolio place I recommend… Bartholomeusklip
My top 5 travel essentials are… Have ground arrangements in place on arrival; Keep documents safe; Write a daily diary; Open your mind; Smile
My top 3 bucket list destinations are… USA, Fiji, Russia
I hope my next holiday is to… Namibia
Wendy
What do you do at Portfolio… I am a consultant for Portfolio, and travel a large part of SA and Namibia visiting Portfolio places, as well as prospective Portfolio places
I love to travel with… Most of the travelling I do is solo, when working. When on leisure, I like to be with friends and family.
My favourite type of holiday… I like a variety of holidays, but a holiday on the beach with a good book is hard to beat!
Most memorable travel experience…There are many!! Luckily way more good than bad!
The best place I’ve ever travelled to… Our country is so diverse. Visiting somewhere spectacular or doing something out of the ordinary for the first time always has a special thrill. Each area in SA has something that has one spellbound whether one is travelling the vast Karoo open spaces, or along the SA coastline – I never get over the thrill of seeing so much of our awesome country’s offerings
My favourite place in South Africa is… Too many to name! By the time it gets to the end of the year – there is nothing quite like home!
My top 5 travel essentials are… Warm jersey / jacket – even in summer, Plenty of bottled water, My own hair products (!!), Use the smallest suitcase possible, iPad
My top 3 bucket list destinations are… Maldives, Victoria Falls, Japan
I hope my next holiday is to… Europe or the Far East
Shae
What do you do at Portfolio… DTP, web and few other things in between
I love to travel with… My hubby, daughter & friends
My favourite type of holiday… Beach & resort
Most memorable travel experience… Was when we went away for a long weekend in Knysna with hubby... a place in the forest/mountains…very romantic & secluded
The best place I’ve ever travelled to… I haven’t really “travelled “
My favourite place in South Africa is… Hermanus
My top 5 travel essentials are… Fully charged cellphone (it’s my GPS, Bible, bank, etc) money, clean clothes, food & hubby & daughter
My top 3 bucket list destinations are… Australia, New York, London…just want to experience all the hype…
I hope my next holiday is to…An Island resort
Kathryn
What do you do at Portfolio… I write the blog content, guide book blurbs, social media etc
I love to travel with… My husband and my 2 kids. I love introducing them to new experiences and opening up the world to them!
My favourite type of holiday… Any holiday! I love the serenity of the bush, the relaxation of a beach break and discovering the history of almost anywhere.
Most memorable travel experience… Getting caught in a tropical downpour while exploring the back streets of Stone Town, Zanzibar
The best place I’ve ever travelled to… Italy – home of wine, pizza, pasta, gelato, limoncello. Need I say more? I loved exploring this country. From the Venetian waterways to the Tuscan hillsides, the ruins of Rome, the art of Florence and the quaint and quirky seaside towns of the Cinque Terre and Amalfi Coast, I loved it all.
My favourite places in South Africa are… The Garden Route and the Kruger
The Portfolio place I recommend or most want to visit… All of them!
My top 5 travel essentials are… My camera, good walking shoes, a capsule wardrobe of clothes, a good book, sunscreen.
My top 3 bucket list destinations are… New York, South of France, Okavango Delta
I hope my next holiday is to… An island – I’m not fussy which one.
Lauren
What do you do at Portfolio… All the marketing for both Portfolio and Moja Heritage
I love to travel with… always with my husband, and often with my group of close friends
My favourite type of holiday… definitely beach – I want sand and bare feet for days! I also love hiking and trail running, so anywhere in the mountains is another favourite.
Most memorable travel experience… 3 weeks backpacking around Thailand, getting married in the middle of our trip on a private beach in Koh Samui, just the two of us. I don’t think I can ever top that!
The best place I’ve ever travelled to... in terms of countries, Thailand and Brazil, while my favourite city is a tie between Berlin and Palma, Mallorca.
My favourite place in South Africa is… I’m going to be biased and say that Cape Town is hard to beat, but I also love Buffelsbaai near Knysna. I spent many family holidays there growing up, and it holds special memories for me.
The Portfolio place I recommend… recently stayed at Blue Gum Country Estate which was just gorgeous. I am dying to go to Dugong Beach Lodge in Mozambique.
My top 5 travel essentials are… great companions, a lightweight bag, my camera, a go-with-the-flow attitude and a sense of humour – you’ll need it!
My top 3 bucket list destinations are… Indonesia, Zanzibar and Mozambique
I hope my next holiday is to… one of our beautiful game lodges – my last safari was when I was 10, so I think it’s time.
Heidi
What do you do at Portfolio… My role is quite varied… however the common factor is communication with member properties. All the back-and-forth regarding the member’s advert in the guidebook, their content and images on the website and app, problem solving, distribution and payment of their membership fees.
I love to travel with… Kids and husband, sometimes, just my husband for a desperate break
My favourite type of holiday… Anywhere, where the kids will be entertained if they are with us. That is the first thing we search for, child friendly destinations. However if it’s just my husband and I; we love doing spa treatments; hotels that have a spa on the premises. We once did a day/night visit to Mangwanani…. Bliss.
Most memorable travel experience… Durban: Ushaka Marine World, walking through the spice markets – as I love cooking and a visit to The Midlands – Hartford House
The best place I’ve ever travelled to… Sadly Durban is as far as I have been for leisure
My favourite place in South Africa is… My fave place in Western Cape is Avalon – as it is so child friendly and we go there quite often. I also love River Edge on the Breede River
The Portfolio place I or most want to visit… Umngazi River Bungalows for a family holiday and Cascade Country Manor for a Romantic Break
My top 5 travel essentials are… Camera, Phone, Sun-glasses, comfy clothes and good company either a ‘human’ or a ‘book’ – besides ($$$)
My top 3 bucket list destinations are… a Game Lodge in the Kruger National Park (somewhere), Zanzibar and Brazil.
I hope my next holiday is to… A quiet relaxing stay in a beautiful destination…. For a weekend break with my husband…Or a child friendly destination in summer with my two gorgeous girls….
Natasha
What do you do at Portfolio… Reservations
I love to travel with…open minded people
My favourite type of holiday… has to be a sensory experience, whether it be for the eyes, palate, or the soul.
Most memorable travel experience… Island hopping in the Mozambique Quirimbas
The best place I’ve ever travelled to… Ibo Island Lodge
My favourite place in South Africa is… Cape Town of course!
The Portfolio place I most want to visit… Erongo Wilderness Lodge in Namibia
My top 5 travel essentials are… camera, batteries for camera, lip balm, good travel companion, sunglasses
My top 3 bucket list destinations are… Kenya (hot air balloon over the Masai Mara, Rwanda (Mountain Gorilla trekking), Madagascar (unique wildlife and endemic flora)
I hope my next holiday is to… India - for the festival of colour.
Raze
What do you do at Portfolio… I make it happen ;)
I love to travel with… my sweet girl and our friends
My favourite type of holiday is…"glamping" at the sea - wide open chilled spaces with early morning swims does it for me.
Most memorable travel experience… working for the Sultan of Brunei whilst living in London/ traveling Europe
The best place I’ve ever travelled to is… Thailand - the people, culture, food and night life was incredible
My favourite place in South Africa is… Plettenberg Bay and Prince Albert
The Portfolio place I recommend… Breezes in Zanzibar.
My top 5 travel essentials are… hat , sunglasses, 6x Kikoys, sun cream, tooth brush and Bobbi brown mascara
My top 3 bucket list destinations are… India, Mexico and Cuba
I hope my next holiday is to… Cuba
Kathy
What do you do at Portfolio…I run the online Tour Operating division for Portfolio called Africa Collection SA, which specialises in tailor-making personalised itineraries for guests traveling to South and Southern Africa!
I love to travel with… the people that I love, and my lip balm! There is no greater joy in sharing special experiences with the those that are close to you. But, if Bradley Cooper ever needed a travel partner, I’m there, with soft lips! Without a doubt my ideal holiday is anywhere quiet, with a book, and plenty of sunshine.
My most memorable travel experience… was gliding through the waters of the Okavango Delta, Botswana, in an ngashi-driven Makoro (traditional dugout canoe), with the sky mirrored perfectly in the still water around me, casually spotting the tiny multi-coloured frogs perching on the passing reeds, and the Lechwe and Elephant feeding in the distant. It is the most peaceful and soul-reflective game viewing activity, I recommend never to be missed when visiting Southern Africa.
The best place I’ve ever travelled to… without a doubt is Mnemba Island just off the northern coast of Zanzibar. It’s not a destination but more an experience which is unmatched in all the countries I’ve visited.
My favourite place in South Africa is…the Karoo region or Kalahari, with its vast open spaces and arid vegetation. It’s my special case of “less is more” with its unique beauty, and an ideal place of solace when needing a retreat from the hustle of our busy lives.
A special portfolio place that I recommend… would be the gorgeous country escape of Grand Dédale Country House. A Portfolio place I would love to visit, and despite visiting the Sabi Sand Reserve many times, I have yet to experience the magic at Sabi Sabi Earth lodge.
Top 5 travel essentials… a good book, Lip Balm, a warm jacket, comfortable shoes and my camera!
Top 3 Top bucketlist destinations… No 1 has to be is the Inca Ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru. Besides the obvious extraordinary beauty of this ‘lost city” and it being the soul of my Paddington Bear, I might actually just want hug a llama. I would also love to see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in Norway, or have a picnic in Central Park, New York. Flying first class would help me along on these dreams!
I hope my next holiday is to… The Seychelles!