The Shenton Safaris Family

When the season’s in full swing, our extended family of staff includes 66 members. Whether it’s our waiters, chefs, and housekeepers to our boilermen and mechanics, they will take great care of you while you’re in the camps. Our plot team at the vegetable garden outside the park supplies the camps with fresh fruit, vegetables and eggs.

The Shentons

The Shentons are involved in the day to day operations of the camp, working hard in back of house and operations as well as sales and marketing. When the children were younger, the family would spend half the season in camp, and the other half in Lusaka. Derek, Jules, Saphire and Jayabella are now based in Lusaka full time, but make regular visits into camp.

Read More

Getting close with our Expert Guides

Led by Derek Shenton and head guide Patrick Njobvu, our guides are trained by the best so they give our guests an unforgettable trip.

Patrick Njobvu

Pat has been with Shenton Safaris since Kaingo was built, trained by Derek in 1992. He’s a fabulous guide, fantastic storyteller and a firm favourite amongst our visitors. Pat is superb at bringing the bush alive with his encyclopaedic knowledge of its inhabitants and a passion for all things wild, particularly the birdlife.

Sylvester Mbaama

While he was guiding in other camps before us, Sylvester joined us in 2012 and quickly made his mark at Kaingo and Mwamba. “Sly” is qualified for game drives and bush walks, always ready to help our guests. He is also very involved in the local community – even creating a foundation to assist local projects.

Yoram Ndhlobvu

Yoram trained as a guide in the South Luangwa National Park and obtained his guiding license (game drives) in 2011. After guiding for two years in the Kafue National Park, Yoram was longing to come back to his native South Luangwa, joining us in 2013 to complete our experienced guiding team at Kaingo and Mwamba.

Philemon Banda

Philemon is an accomplished guide with 18 years of experience. His fascination with nature and it’s intrinsic value flourished during his primary school years as a member of the Chongololo Club, where he acquired fundamental principles about nature and wildlife.

This early exposure ignited a lifelong passion, which led him to join the wildlife conservation club during secondary school. Since August 2022, Philemon has been an invaluable member of Shenton Safaris, where he shares his profound knowledge and creates unforgettable safari experiences.

Braston Daka

In 2004, Braston worked at Shenton Safaris as a kitchen porter. After moving on from that role, he decided to pursue guide training. With 20 years of experience under his belt, he rejoined us at the end of 2023.

Braston’s favorite animal to see on a game drive is the Thornicroft giraffe. When he was a boy, he and his father would go out on game drives. On one of these drives, they spotted giraffes in the distance looking in another direction. Braston was certain they were looking at something significant. When they got closer, they spotted a pride of lions they had been searching for days, thanks to the signal from the giraffes. That experience left a lasting impression on him, and that’s why he loves giraffes so much.

Elias Kamendo

Meet Elias Kamendo. Having joined us in 2020 (the season that never was..) Elias is a new face to most of our guests. He joins our family with years of expert guiding experience and a passion for the bush that’s contagious.

He loves giraffe, enjoying the towering presence and beautiful markings of these gentle giants. He also loves birds, his favorite being the rare and beautiful Narina Trogon.

Our Managers

With years of collective experience safari and hospitality industries, our management team are brilliant at embodying the values of Shenton Safaris – to make you feel at home away from home.

Catherine Garden

Head Chef

After qualifying as a chef in 2000, Catherine Garden started work in the Timbavati before leaving to work in the Serengeti. At the end of 2012, Catherine returned to South Africa to start her own catering business, focusing on the sophisticated yet fresh and pure flavours that have become her signature.

We’ve been fortunate to have Catherine in the team since 2017, our spectacular setting and bountiful fresh produce that comes in daily from the plot her inspiration.

Cally Hanley

Kaingo Manager

Cally, born in Johannesburg, South Africa, spent most of her life in Durban and developed a deep love for the bush from a young age. Cally initially pursued a career in marketing, which she thoroughly enjoyed, but her true passion lay in the African bush. In 2000, an opportunity arose for her to relocate to Botswana, first working in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, before transitioning to the Okavango Delta, and later to the Tuli Block. After taking a sabbatical to spend time with her family, the allure of Africa called her back with an undeniable strength, ultimately leading her to join Shenton Safaris.

Emma Dunn

Mwamba Manager

Emma was born and raised in Zimbabwe, so the African bush was an integral part of her childhood. Growing up on a farm and enjoying numerous family holidays in the bush, she developed a profound love for safaris. In 2007, she moved to the UK for university but Africa’s allure remained strong. Determined to pursue her passion, Emma joined a travel company as an intern in London, eventually becoming a safari specialist. With over 10 years of experience across two travel companies, she yearned to return to Africa for an extended period. Managing a bush camp was her lifelong dream, and Shenton Safaris, a small, owner-run company with intimate camps, was the perfect fit.

Alexandra Harrison

Sales, Marketing & Reservations Manager

Growing up in the English countryside with three brothers, Alex’s sense of adventure was nurtured from an early age. At 18, Alex moved to France where the travel bug bit hard. Over the next 15 years, Alex spent time living and working in Europe, South-East Asia, Australia and the Middle East, before moving to South Africa in 2016. Alex’s first taste of Zambia was working for a lodge on the Lower Zambezi and her eyes were opened to the wild beauty of Zambia.

Although largely based remotely, Alex loves to get out in the bush when possible, especially if sundowners are on offer!

Our Office

Incredibly fortunate to live in the South Luangwa, our office is based at Kaingo whilst the camp is open, getting close to the day to day life of Shenton Safaris.

Rubin Doria

Operations Manager

Rubin was born in South Africa but moved to South Luangwa at a young age with his parents. When he was two, his family moved to Tanzania, where he spent the next 18 years. Rubin completed his guide’s course with EcoTraining to better his knowledge and love for the bush, previously working in North Luangwa for the Black Rhino Conservation Project.

Rubin joined Shenton Safaris in 2022.

Megan Woolley

Social Media Co-Ordinator

Megan, born and raised in Zambia with her two sisters, developed an unwavering passion for wildlife and the bush. Inspired by her time working at a lodge on the Lower Zambezi, she found her calling showcasing Zambia’s natural wonders through social media. Megan combines creative writing, videography, and wildlife photography to captivate global audiences. With a keen eye, she highlights the beauty of South Luangwa and our camps, promoting conservation through digital storytelling.