Discover Extraordinary Journeys:
Handcrafted experiential travel
for the discerning voyager
My Journey Through Africa
My African Journey: Heritage, Wilderness, and Conservation
My roots run deep in this land. My family history in southern Africa reaches back well beyond the 1820s, to French Huguenot ancestors who arrived at the Cape in 1688. Perhaps that is why I have always carried an irrational, all-consuming connection to this continent. South Africa, where I was born and raised, is a staggeringly beautiful yet often undervalued place. My father was born in Namibia and my mother in South Africa, and together they raised me with a deep respect for nature, an appetite for adventure, and a quiet understanding that land shapes character.
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Much of my childhood was spent outdoors, fishing along great rivers, watching animals on open savannahs, and learning, slowly, to read the wilderness. Those primordial landscapes, ancient ecosystems, and the indigenous knowledge of local communities became both my education and my refuge. That influence has followed me from Central Africa all the way down to the Cape of Good Hope.
As the years passed, curiosity turned into movement. More than 95,000 kilometres have passed beneath my boots and wheels across Uganda, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, South Africa, the Congo Basin, and Morocco. These journeys were never about sightseeing. They came through guiding, conservation work, and expedition planning, always learning, always giving back. I walked over 1,100 kilometres through the Greater Kruger region in support of anti-poaching and rhino protection initiatives. In the Congo Basin, while searching for indigenous Pygmy communities to learn from their traditional stewardship of the forest, I instead encountered the reality of a child soldier, an experience that permanently altered my understanding of wilderness, conflict, and humanity.
I have never sought danger for its own sake, but I have always believed in finding solutions in challenging environments. That belief has been tested, surviving a white rhino charge, and nearly losing my life while rescuing my beloved dog, Lady, from floodwaters. Beyond Africa, my path has included tracking tigers and Asiatic rhino in Asia, summiting Annapurna II, rafting the White Nile in Uganda, and spending a night camped on the rim of an active volcanic crater. Each experience carried its own lesson in humility, resilience, and perspective.
Innovation and entrepreneurship have shaped my professional life as much as exploration. My grandfather was a pioneer who imported South Africa’s first diesel tractor and later traded his land for payment in pure gold, long before such decisions were common. That same spirit led me to co-found a safari company with the Vogel family, build livestock and game farming operations, establish the Farmhouse Project in South Africa, and still serving over the past eight years as CEO of Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa in the Waterberg, South Africa. Alongside this, I’ve designed bespoke overland and backpack safaris for experienced travellers seeking something real.
At its core, my belief is simple: travel is not a luxury, it is a gift. The real Africa is not found in five-star excess or ticking off the Big Five. Its power lives in wild spaces, living cultures, and quiet moments, the rise of an African moon, the first unsteady steps of a newborn giraffe, the cry of a fish eagle across still water.
Above all, it remains my privilege to share this life with others. When we travel together through Africa’s wild heart, we do more than see a place, we connect to it. And we return changed.
Warmly,
Your Guide and Fellow Explorer
Fritz Breytenbach
Destinations to visit
Journey through Afrika...
ultimate Journeys
Extraordinary journeys, created for moments that linger long after the journey ends.
Step into the Untamed: Track Asiatic Tigers & Rhinos on Foot
Duration:
8 Days
Starting from:
20000 USD per person sharing
Live Ancient History: Stay Among the Bushmen, Africa’s Oldest Civilization
Starting from:
8000 USD per person sharing
We allocate 20% of gross revenue directly to the community.
Embark on the Ultimate Quest: Africa’s 7 Iconic Natural Wonders
Destinations:
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda & Botswana
Starting from:
42000 USD per person sharing
Face the Wild: Track & Film Earth’s 5 Fiercest Predators
Starting from:
64000 USD per person sharing
Stand on the Edge of Eruption: Conquer the World’s 3 Most Active Volcanoes
Duration:
12 Days
Starting from:
54000 USD per person sharing
Witness the Rarest: Encounter the 5 Most Endangered Animals Alive
Duration:
21 Days
Starting from:
85000 USD per person sharing
Build Hope in Africa: Construct a School & Watch Young Futures Grow
Duration:
Min. 3-year commitment.
This is a legacy project; only serious investors will be entertained.
A History of Media Recognition
Featured by leading publications since 2012, our work continues to earn attention for its quality, purpose, and influence.
A lion's Share
The Times, Feb 2012
By Marianne Schwankhart
Rhino Watch
Africa Geographic, Sept 2013
Author Unknown
Walk in the Park
Get It Lowveld, Nov 2013
By Benno Stander
A Lion's Tale
Food & Home, Nov 2017
Anzelle Hattingh
A Walk on the Wild Side
Harper's Bazaar, Feb 2018
By Antonella Salem
Mhondoro
Rooirose, Feb 2023
Author Unknown
ONCE IN A LIFETIME
How we Help
Africa is in our hearts, and we are fired-up to create meaningful change right where we live. Through every journey, we share our earnings with unexpected community members, spreading hope and opportunity. Follow @van.afrika
Together, we change lives, one powerful moment at a time.
Mariana Rios
Brazilian actress, singer, songwriter, and TV host
“I want to say a thousand times thank you to this couple, (Fritz and Ronel) who received us so well, with great affection and love”
January 16, 2018
20+ Years experience
who we are
Fritz Breytenbach
Van Afrika Founder
Ronel Breytenbach
Co-owner & Safari Specialist
Annie
Gocev
Co-owner & Client Liaison Specialist
Nicola Breytenbach
Van Afrika Head of Sales
About Us
We are a Family Dedicated to sharing our love for the extraordinary continent with you...
Nestled in the wild heart of South Africa, Van Afrika is more than just a safari company.
