We are absolutely delighted to introduce you to Vanessa Beldam, our first official hire!

Vanessa brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and creativity to Bonamy.  We are very excited to have her on-board, helping to take the Bonamy service and offering to the next level.

Get to know Vanessa and what makes her tick by reading a quick Q&A between her and Toby & James below:

Toby: Tell us about your first ever African experience

Vanessa: It was May 2008, and finishing up a ski season in Switzerland I made a knee-jerk decision to accept a job in a safari camp in Zambia. I didn’t really know where Zambia was, but arriving on the banks of the Luangwa river, I shall never ever forget hearing my first hippo snort. The sounds and smells of your first day in Africa will stay with you forever, and it’s my favourite thing to share that with clients.

James: If you went to Africa tomorrow, where would you go?

Vanessa: I’d head to Zimbabwe. I just love the variety of landscapes, experiences and properties there. Zim has so much to be explored and in my opinion is a bit of an unsung hero.

Toby: Bells and whistles or back-to-basics?

Vanessa: Somewhere in the middle?! I love nothing more than an outdoor shower, and if it comes out of a bucket then even better. I enjoy having a variety of activities, so if there’s a photographic hide, an option to get into the bush on foot or in a boat, then sign me up. But really, I’m happy if I can just sit and be present. A waterhole, a fire pit, a starry sky…I’ll be ok with any of the above.

James: What’s on your African bucket list?

Vanessa: Definitely seeing the gorillas and chimps. But also, the vast landscapes of Liuwa Plains in Zambia and one day I’d love to see a Shoebill, I need to actually see one to believe they are real!

Toby: When you’re not safari-ing, what do you get up to?

Vanessa: Skiing is my other major passion; I’ve spent eight winter seasons in the Swiss Alps and still head there regularly in both winter and summer. In the UK, I live in the very beautiful Cotswolds, and grew up on a farm, so I’m generally found outside in search of fresh air and views with my doting Cocker Spaniel, Nala.

James: And finally, the classic question…favourite animal?

Vanessa: A bit of a classic answer too, but I could be with elephants all day long. Everything about them fascinates me. I was lucky enough once to witness a calf being born right in-front of the camp I was working in, the herd mentality around the new mother was incredible to see. A slightly rogue opinion, but I’m also quite a fan of a hyena. I think they get unnecessarily bad press, and I don’t believe deserve their ‘Ugly 5’ status. In recent years I’ve got more into my birding & now enjoy ticking off new sightings in my (very heavy) bird book!

If you'd like to get to Vanessa better, please do send through any other questions! Or, alternatively, pick up the phone and give us a call on the number in the footer of the website.