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Katelyn Quinlan

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Katelyn has been with the Bench team for nearly 5 years now. Her love for Africa began on her first overland adventure through South Africa and Botswana. Katelyn has since been to African another 4 times, and is still left wanting more. Once this Coronavirus nightmare is over, Katelyn would love to visit Kenya and Tanzania on safari, and then head to Rwanda to trek with the Gorillas – a lifelong bucket list experience!
Katelyn Quinlan
Madagascar,Zimbabwe,South Africa

Where in Africa have you travelled?

South Africa
Zimbabwe
Botswana
Madagascar
Namibia.

Unfortunately, I missed out on Egypt due to COVID-19.

What is your Favourite African Hidden Gem?

Nehimba Safari Lodge in Hwange National Park. This rustic lodge absolutely blew me away. Under canvas tents you fall asleep listening to the amazing wild sounds of Africa and during the day elephants drink from the pool – literally metres away. Only in Africa!

Bio

Katelyn has been with the Bench team for over 5 years. Her love affair with Africa began on her first overland adventure through South Africa and Botswana. Katelyn has since been to African another 4 times, and is still left wanting more. Once this Coronavirus nightmare is over, Katelyn can't wait to hop on a plane to visit Kenya and Tanzania on safari, and then head to Rwanda to trek with the Gorillas – a lifelong bucket list experience!

My Top 5 Experience Recommendations

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Zambezi River and Hwange Safari
Zambezi River & Hwange Safari
Zimbabwe
10 DAYS
FROM  $6700
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Small Group Tour Madagascar
1000 Views of Madagascar Safari
Madagascar
12 DAYS
FROM  $3885
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Cape to Kruger Overland Tour
Cape to Kruger Overland Safari - Accommodated
South Africa, Zimbabwe, B
26 DAYS
FROM  $6080
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Victoria Falls Safari Lodge
Zimbabwe
4 DAYS
FROM  $1120
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Cheetah on Safari from Makutsi Safari Springs
Makutsi Classic Safari
South Africa
7 DAYS
FROM  $1980
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All Experiences

Meet the Team

Julie is one of our longest serving members, having worked for Bench for nearly 20 years. Julies love for Africa first began when she experienced her first safari to South Africa and Botswana.“Words cannot express what it felt like – it’s not only about the animals, that is a bonus. It is about the people, the landscape, the simplicity of life and how you realise the simple things in life are what ground us and how we forget that. Once you have gone there, you come back with a little piece of the magic that stays with you and makes you want to go back.

Julie De Palo

Operations and Groups Director / Africa Expert
It had always been Maria’s dream to travel to Africa on a safari, and after her first trip she knew she would just have to keep going back. Maria’s first African experience was joining a 7 week tour through Africa. Visiting East Africa, Maria was lucky enough to experience her first ‘Big 5’ safari in Tanzania which included a visit to the Ngorongoro Crater. More recently Maria visited Namibia for the first time, self driving around this huge country with its amazing landscapes, game viewing in the mind blowing Etosha National Park, but the biggest achievement of the trip was summiting Namibia’s highest sand dune “Big Daddy” – as Maria says “it was a killer, but definitely worth it”.

Maria Tropiano

Africa Expert
Lara Behrens was born and raised in Kenya and spent several years living in Ireland and England before migrating to Australia. Lara has worked at Bench Africa for over six years and previously ran an events company bringing with her a fantastic new insight and a wealth of marketing skills to Bench. Lara's family owns and operates safari camps in Kenya so she grew up on safari and has travelled extensively around Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Africa.

Lara Behrens

Marketing & Communications Director
Lyndal first travelled to East Africa in 1997. Setting off on a basic camping safari, nervous and excited to be sleeping under canvas, she headed into the unknown. On Lyndal’s first day on safari, in the Masai Mara she spotted so much game that she said that she could have gone home happy! Nevertheless, she continued her trip, through Tanzania and on to Rwanda, where she had her most memorable travel experience, coming face to face with a silverback! She has now visited 26 of the 54 countries in Africa!

Lyndal

Africa Expert
Katelyn has been with the Bench team for nearly 5 years now. Her love for Africa began on her first overland adventure through South Africa and Botswana. Katelyn has since been to African another 4 times, and is still left wanting more. Once this Coronavirus nightmare is over, Katelyn would love to visit Kenya and Tanzania on safari, and then head to Rwanda to trek with the Gorillas – a lifelong bucket list experience!

Katelyn Quinlan

Africa Expert
Jordan recently graduated with a tourism and events management degree. Jordan has always loved the adventure of travelling, meeting new people and exploring out in nature. She has been fascinated with wildlife and nature since she can remember and always feels happiest outdoors. Jordan was fortunate enough to travel for the first time to Africa at the start of 2020 and has been itching to go back since. From bungee jumping off the Bloukrans River Bridge, Sleeping out in the wild, getting tipsy on the Franschhoek Wine Tram, having to opportunity to see so much wildlife on game drives, on foot and by boat, Jordan couldn’t imagine a better area of the world to explore.

Jordan Stanford

Eric grew up in Cape Town, in South Africa and moved to Australia in 2011. Since then he has been back to Africa over 15 times, mostly on safari. He has been with the Bench team for over 2 years and promoting Africa as a destination for 20 years. Nothing compares to being on a safari and once Coronavirus is over and it is safe to travel he just can’t wait to head out to Africa. Doesn’t matter where – just somewhere out in the African bush.

Eric Vos

Africa Expert
Brett has been working at Bench for 4 years and within the travel and tourism industry for over 30 years in various capacities of a support nature. He is our guy behind the scenes keeping our reservations system ticking over nicely and making our lives so much easier; ensuring our Africa experts have all the support they need.

Brett Palser