WHO WE ARE

Elise Kreusch – Founder

From my accent, you’d be forgiven for thinking I was an Aussie but – though schooled in Australia – I’m really a South African girl who is intent on creating unforgettable journeys into Africa for my clientele.

As a child, I was intrigued by the vivid stories my father told after the filming of his wildlife movie in the early 70s. He went off in his Land Rover and Mamma Truck (a vehicle which he kitted out and painted like a giraffe) in two six-month stints, each time eager to return to the wild. Looking back, I think it was because of his love for Africa that I started my long career in travel. I studied Tourism in Sydney, Australia and worked in the hotel and restaurant industry there, for some years, before returning home to South Africa, where I joined an award-winning safari operator in 1997.

Over the next couple of decades, I worked for several tour operators specialising in Southern Africa, East Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. During this period, I gained vast experience and made valuable connections, while my attachment to Africa grew stronger. I enjoy designing wonderful holidays, but for me, travel is about something more enduring: it’s about the joy of exposing my clients to the priceless sights, sounds, and aromas of the African wilderness. Who is not moved by the cry of the fish eagle; the brilliance of an African thunderstorm; or the chance sighting of a leopard, looking down from the branches of a marula tree?

I have travelled extensively through Africa, and continue to do so, to find the very best lodges to add to Africa by Heart’s ever-growing portfolio. My services have been recommended in the New York Times and on Trip Advisor, and I have worked directly with people from diverse backgrounds. These include CEOs, world-renowned sports celebrities, barristers, news correspondents, and many local and overseas friends and family.

Whatever your walk of life, Africa by Heart is committed to designing an experience that will leave you forever changed by the magic of Africa. Know too, that in merely visiting these rare wildernesses, you will have played a role in conserving them – and supporting the local communities connected to them.

Dion Kreusch – Operations

With a background in Operations and management, I’m a super organised guy, and a team player, who likes to get things done. As a good motivator, I can get you over the line – especially when it comes to plotting a great off-road trip! I love the outdoors, whether overland or out at sea, as long as there’s breathtaking scenery to enjoy.

But my “drug of choice” is adventure biking, and even better if it’s dirt roads. Not only do I ride to work every day, but I’ve done a number of adventure bike-riding trips all over the country, from The Garden Route to the Karoo, to the spectacular Sani Pass, on the border of Lesotho and South Africa. Originally just a bridle path, Sani is an extreme ride; it’s a terrific climb with plenty of switchbacks. I enjoyed the challenge so much that I did it twice.

I am constantly on the look-out for great riding trips, and my repertoire is growing steadily. Recently I was instrumental in organising a very successful adventure motorbiking weekend to the battlefields, staying at Fugitive’s Drift Lodge, and touring the Battle of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift from there. Next on the list is a trip to the Spioenkop battlefield. In the near future, I have Namibia and Malawi in my sights. Why not come along for the ride?