A Lifetime Exploring Africa… And the Journey That Led Me Here
Post Author: Adele
From my journal entry, November 2022:
“In the beginning, Man was an individual, connected to and part of the natural world.
Whether he encountered starlight, a cloud, a tree or animal, they knew him —
and she knew herself through what knew her.”
Hi, I am Adele.
A wanderer, awestruck by the beauty of this world.
A creative.
An avid writer of poetry and stories.
An explorer of everything bright and beautiful in Nature.
I live on the tip of the African continent, where I was born — a third-generation daughter to a father who was bound by his love of the wild open spaces of the Namibian desert and storyteller of magical forests far away.
Early childhood memories are rich with adventures in the old Ford — packed by my mother for every eventuality, my father behind the wheel, and me on the back seat with a stack of books to tide me over on the long drive.
Growing up, I dreamt of becoming a game ranger, living among wildlife in the heart of the bush. I devoured books on flora, fauna, and women conservationists, and eagerly led friends on road trips to anywhere that felt wild.
“Falling in love with Nature is like falling in love with a poem woven all around us.
The magic exists. Just look closer and you will see with your heart.”
That love eventually shaped my life’s work.
In 1996, I founded my first travel company, La Croix du Sud, guiding European guests into some of Southern Africa’s most remote landscapes and crafting luxury journeys for travellers seeking something deeper than a traditional safari. Alongside, I raised two beautiful daughters with family road trips — wildlife, snorkelling, surf adventures — becoming joyful rituals.
The word JOMO has always appealed to me — the joy of missing out.
Slow travel.
Lingering longer.
Silence.
Vast skies filled with stars.
The crackle of a campfire.
In 2023, I had the privilege of fully living this philosophy on a year-long overland journey through Southern and Eastern Africa in a fully equipped 4×4 with my partner and our families. We camped in some of the wildest places in Africa, often not seeing another vehicle for days.
It was pure heaven — not without certain challenges. Extreme heat and no water for bathing at times. Getting stuck in rivers. Waiting patiently while an elephant enjoyed seed pods for dinner above our tent. Lions circling at night. A giant spider on my pillow.
I would do it all again in a heartbeat — for the wildness, the beauty, and the magic of it all.
“Africa has a magnetic pull to those who feel its call.”
Over the years, my travels (and homes) have taken me into deeper connection with Nature and further across Southern and Eastern Africa — into lesser-known regions, new seasons, and extraordinary landscapes. Along the way, I have built long-standing relationships with trusted lodges, guides, and partners on the ground, and uncovered experiences that can only be found through time, presence, and return.
Retreat to Africa represents the natural evolution of a lifetime on this continent, and three decades of curating private, luxury journeys for travellers who wish to experience Africa with depth, ease, and beauty.
Today, we offer two ways to travel with us.
First, our private luxury travel design service — bespoke journeys shaped entirely around you, crafted with care and supported by decades of experience and trusted relationships across the continent.
Alongside this, I have created our Signature Journeys — my personal passion project. These intimate small-group experiences reflect the journeys I most love to design and host: immersive, thoughtful, and rooted in deep respect for Africa’s landscapes, cultures, and communities.
My invitation to you is to step into your own love story with Africa and let her wildlife, beauty and nature weave their magic forever in your heart.
