Who We Are

About Us

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About Shona Travel

At Shona Travel our purpose is to help you discover the best safari experience. With over 27 years of experience travelling and living across Africa, creating incredible journeys is in our DNA. Take advantage of our trusted expertise and let us guide you in planning and delivering a memorable trip.

We take our name from the Shona people and language, which both originate in southern Africa, especially Zimbabwe.

Did You Know?

The traditional way to greet someone involves a clap after the handshake. The first person claps twice whilst saying Makadii?, meaning How are you? in Shona. The other person responds with two claps in return.


Jackie Devereux – Founder

Born in Zimbabwe, travel has always been part of who I am. My ancestors first travelled from North Africa in search of greener pastures in southern Africa, and due to the nature of my father’s job, we regularly travelled across Africa and were consistently on a journey of discovery. Memories from my childhood include exploring the Lake Kariba islands, seeing elephants at Hwange and travelling on a chicken bus with my mother and chasing baboons with my siblings.

I have been in the travel industry since the 1990s and have had the privilege to work for some of the UK’s luxury tour operators including Steppes Travel. I have climbed Kilimanjaro, canoed the Zambezi, paraglided over Victoria Falls and flown over the incredible Skeleton Coast. A few years ago I was also awarded and recognised as one of Conde Nast’s 2020 Top Travel Specialists.

As an independent safari specialist, you can rest assured that I have the experience and knowledge to create bespoke itineraries for you, without being tied to particular properties. This means, I’ll create a holiday that is tailored to you, getting to know more about your passions, how you like to travel and what you’d like to do on your holiday.

If you’re looking to start planning your next safari, I would love to have a chat with you over the phone, via Zoom or in person over coffee or dinner. We are also represented on Safari Bookings.

Jackie


Explore Jackie’s Favourites

Discover some of Jackie’s favourite destinations for inspiration.

Zimbabwe

brown sand under sunny sky

Namibia

tiger, walking

Zambia

Enquire Now

All our holidays are bespoke. Each one is designed with an individual in mind. Planning begins with a conversation, so that we can understand what matters to you on your holiday.

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