Chené is the assistant manager at our Christchurch Flagship store. She was born in South Africa, but spent much of her childhood in Christchurch. Alongside her work for Untouched World, she runs Kutwelo – Luxury Africa Travel with her partner Warrick, facilitating trips to Africa for New Zealanders.

Describe your personal experience of South Africa for us!

I was born in South Africa to two artists. We travelled the African bush and game reserves extensively for them to sell their art, and my love for nature stemmed from there. We moved to Christchurch when I was ten, but I returned as an adult thanks to an online competition. I spent the next eight years indulging my passion as a field guide in the luxury safari industry, working in the lodges and game reserves of my dreams.

What was the main takeaway from your time in the industry?

The African wild is a precious resource on our planet and large areas of it are being lost to human habitation. It is so important to support conservation companies that are working hard, not only to protect and preserve these spaces, but who also provide transformative experiences that deepen people’s understanding of why it is critical to protect our planet. That’s something we love sharing and believe is an integral part of crafting a safari. Much like with Untouched World, there’s so much good happening behind the scenes.

Where did you visit on your most recent trip?

We visited the Timbavati Game Reserve and the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve - two separate protected wilderness areas that are adjacent to the Kruger National Park, one of the world's best known game reserves. Both reserves are completely open to the Kruger National Park with no fences in between, which allows animals to move freely. The Kruger National Park is comparable to the size of Wales in the UK!

The Timbavati Game Reserve was our first stop. We stayed at andBeyond Ngala Tented Camp (you can read Chené’s blog post about this lodge ). andBeyond Ngala is a hidden gem in the Timbavati Game Reserve. It’s the kind of place where you can kick back in luxury while being totally immersed in nature - tented camps are great for this. The game drives are nothing short of incredible - we had some amazing sightings!

What we love most is their commitment to sustainability and supporting local communities. Through a unique partnership with WWF SA and the SANParks Trust, andBeyond contributes directly to the expansion of various high biodiversity regions throughout the country.

This dedication to conservation is reflected not just on a large scale, but in the thoughtful details - eliminating plastic bottles, sourcing intricate embroidery through collaborations with local women to adorn the rooms, and creating opportunities that uplift communities. It’s the perfect spot to experience the magic of a safari, while knowing you’re making a positive impact - which of course is always at the forefront of what we do as a safari travel company.

Our next stop was in the Sabi Sand Nature reserve, where we both used to live and work for a number of years, we stayed at Singita Ebony.

Singita is arguably one of the best safari companies across Africa. They work on a 100-year purpose to preserve and protect wilderness areas for future generations and their lodges are impeccable. They offer some of the highest levels of hospitality service you can find, and of course the game viewing here is unbelievable!

The Sabi Sand Nature Reserve has one of the highest populations of leopards in the world, so it is the perfect place to view them. Singita works alongside the global organisation Panthera who runs the Sabi Sand Leopard Project, a conservation and research project I used to be involved in while working there. The lodge itself sits on the banks of the Sand River, which is the ideal habitat for leopards and we would often have them passing by.

The habitat here is more riverine-like, but does have open grasslands on the southern end of the property, so is very different to the Timbavati, which lies about 100km drive north of the Sabi Sand.

What are some key experiences you’d love to share with New Zealanders?

Obviously, the wildlife viewing is a given, we had some of the most beautiful and intimate sightings of everything you could think of - from elephants and giraffes to lions and of course, lots of leopards! Seeing these animals was amazing but the beauty of purely spending time in nature within these protected wilderness areas can’t be overlooked – it truly is food for the soul. What adds to this is the warmth and generosity of the people we encountered. It is incredibly powerful to experience a place where the people live and breathe purpose. The infectious enthusiasm of the staff gives you a sense of home that is a feeling you just cannot experience anywhere else. A safari is one of the most raw and real experiences where you often go for the animals but leave with so much more.

From the photos, we can see your Untouched World pieces came in handy!

The temperature while we were there was between 32-43 degrees C, so breathable, natural fibres were a must! My partner Warrick absolutely loved wearing his Andy Shirt as it was light and breathable in the heat and looked great. He also wore his Terra Chinos and Alex Pants for the majority of the trip. His Myron Tee in Rice was another favourite too.

I wore the Nixie Pants on repeat! along with my Kaylee Tee, Avi Knit Top and Lucy Knit Tee. I actually travelled in the Lucy Knit Tee which was such a luxury, as it was light but also warm, especially on the aeroplane.

More than just the practicalities of the pieces though, being able to weave Untouched World on our safari experience meant a lot to us. Knowing that what we were wearing is purpose-driven clothing, aligned so beautifully with our ethos. We are keen to encourage our clients to pack a travel wardrobe that is easy on the earth, blending style with the natural/wilderness/safari aesthetic and Untouched World is the perfect pairing!