our story a journey with purpose
A 29 year legacy of conservation and communities
Our Story
The founders and owners of Isibindi Africa Lodges, Brett & Paige Gehren, both come from a strong conservation background. With twenty-nine years of pioneering sustainable wildlife lodges, all built on the bedrock of including and empowering our neighbouring communities. Together, they run a collection of unique luxury wilderness lodges positioned in exceptional ecosystems in Southern Africa.
“We aren’t just offering the safari of a lifetime, we’re offering a future”
The Isibindi Family
A family business, we don’t operate lodges that we don’t own, every one of our camps we have built and we run. It starts as an Isibindi vision, it evolves and unfolds into somewhere special, an exceptional location with considered spaces, which we would have chosen for our honeymoon or wanted to take our children to holiday. Having happy staff is an integral part of our business, we have a lot of fun at Isibindi doing what we do and we want to share that with you. We live by the motto courage & fun.
“Our natural responsibility,
JOURNEY WITH PURPOSE”
The Isibindi Foundation
The Isibindi Foundation was established in 2019 to consolidate our 23 years of community and conservation projects, and to also create a purpose driven entity to assist these initiatives. The Foundation allows our guests to be philanthropic travellers and to journey with purpose.
“ Travel is powerful when it connects us to a purpose and a community.”
- Tom Brown Jr.
6 core values of isibindi
community • respect • integrity • courage • love • fun
our family at Isibindi Africa Lodges
Driven by conservation our purpose is stronger than ever today to contribute to protecting wilderness areas whilst including local communities; making conservation worthwhile for them. As we grow our conservation projects inside our protected areas alongside our socio-economic projects on the periphery, we see a future for Africa's wild places. We are a passionate group of individuals both at our head office and in our lodges who love what we do and the beautiful places we live in. We endeavour to make all our guests feel like family by abiding by the 6 core values of Isibindi which are community, respect, integrity, courage, love and fun!
Brett Gehren
Founder & CEO
Brett Gehren completed a B.Comm degree at Stellenbosch University, but his love for the outdoors…
The early days
at Isibindi Africa Lodges in the 1990's...
This luxury lodge company has its roots in a river rafting company on the Buffalo…
Paige Gehren
Founder
Marketing and Sales & The Isibindi Foundation
Paige Gehren practiced as an Environmental Economist for 9 years working for the Bureau of…
Graeme Mann
Business Manager
Graeme was born and schooled in Durban, after which he left KZN to study a…
Matthew Steyn
Group Operations Manager
Matthew was raised and schooled in Johannesburg and every family holiday was spent on the…
Lucy Cooke
Group Marketing Manager
Lucy grew up on a farm in the Dargle area of the KZN Midlands, and…
Bronwyn Doidge
Group Financial Manager
Bronwyn Doidge hails from Mooi River and completed her schooling at Estcourt High School before…
Pamela Sindane
Human Resources Manager
Pamela Nosipho Sindane graduated with a 4 year Diploma in Human Resource Management. After ten…
Carl Moller
Group Executive Chef
Carl Moller is group executive chef for Isibindi Africa Lodges and is based in Durban,…
Kerin Cope
Reservations Manager
Kerin is no stranger to the Isibindi Family, having worked for Isibindi for 14 years…
Gill Thorpe
Sales Manager
With over 30 years experience in the travel industry, in both the inbound and outbound…
Luke Martin
Manager of The Isibindi Foundation
Luke Martin attended St Charles College in Pietermaritzburg and then went on to complete his…
Blessing Mngomezulu
General Manager - Kosi Forest Lodge
Brett Gehren was driving along the road looking for people to assists him with the…
Thami Nsele
General Manager - Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
Thami was born in Matubatuba area and is the father of 3 kids – 2…
Nunu Jobe
Director - Isibindi Africa Trails
Nunu Jobe has journeyed from being a poacher as a young child living alongside Mkuze…
Michell Jewaskiewitz
Reservations Assistant
Michell joined the Isibindi team in November 2014 and has loved every minute of it….
Zama Mgobhozi
Reservations Assistant
Meet Zama Mgobhozi, our whiz-kid Reservations Assistant! With a Diploma in Hotel Management and 13…
Yolande Hay-Buchanan
Sales & Marketing Assistant
Yolande was born into a family of hoteliers and grew up in the KwaZulu Natal…
Audrey van Tonder
Senior Bookkeeper
Audrey is our Senior Bookkeeper at Isibindi which she joined in 2017. “I am so…
Lynette de Meyer
Financial Assistant
Lynette is a born and bred Eshowe girl who completed her schooling in Durban she…
Kelly Coates
Operations Assistant
Nothing makes Kelly happier than being with family, walking barefoot, and having a clear filing…
Abednego Nzuza
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Abednego Nzuza, Project Coordinator at the Isibindi Foundation, is a passionate conservationist who brings a wealth…
Saneliso Mathenjwa
MARINE MONITOR
Saneliso Ndumiso Mathenjwa was born in Mabibi Village, Northern KZN. He attended Mabibi Primary School…
Andy and Denise Higgins
Partners
Andy and Denise’s love for travel and scuba diving is what first brought them together….
Some fun facts about Isibindi
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