meet Katrina kucera

With over 37 years of experience designing bespoke journeys, Katrina Kucera is the founder and heart of African Expert. Her love affair with Africa began in the early 1990s, when she worked ‘on the road’ for an overland safari company - travelling from Nairobi to Cape Town and gaining first-hand insight into the continent’s landscapes, wildlife, and people.
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Since then, Katrina has returned more than 40 times! Her deep knowledge and personal connections ensure every safari is seamless, authentic, and truly unforgettable. Katrina’s favourite part of the job? Sharing her love of Africa and helping travellers experience the continent’s magic for themselves.

← Katrina in her happy place! Immersed in the magic of an African safari, wind in her hair and not a care in the world....

Meet Emma Barden

​Emma Barden is a passionate travel consultant with 22 years of experience crafting personalised travel experiences worldwide. Whether you're after a luxury escape, cultural adventure, or off-the-beaten-path exploration, she turns travel dreams into seamless, stress-free reality. 

A true explorer at heart, Emma has travelled to over 40 countries - her favourites include India, Borneo, Spain, and Bolivia, reflecting her love of wildlife, nature, and good food. Since joining African Expert in 2018, she’s helped travellers explore the world with authenticity and ease. Next on her list? An African safari and a long-awaited trip to Japan.

← Emma exploring Cartagena, Colombia!

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Meet Samantha Woodland

Samantha is currently in her 6th year in the travel industry, inspired by her dad’s passion for travel from a young age. She started her career working with domestic airlines at the airport before moving into the travel agent side, where she loves that no two days are ever the same.
With a genuine love for travel, Samantha could talk about it for hours. She’s been lucky enough to experience ski seasons in Japan and New Zealand, backpack through Northern Thailand, went dune bashing in Dubai, and explore different parts of Europe. She’s all about authentic travel experiences, with one of her favourites being riding a Vespa through Tuscany, something she’ll never forget, or bungee jumping in Queenstown, something her mum will never forget!.. 
What she loves most about her job is helping clients create their own memories and getting to live those moments alongside them.
Many places are on her bucket list, but at the top is seeing the hot air balloons in Cappadocia or doing a surf camp in Sri Lanka.

Meet aanya bhatt

Aanya is a travel enthusiast with a deep love for Africa. Having lived in Kenya for seven years and Mauritius for six, she has experienced the continent’s magic firsthand.

She loves adventure and experiential travel, including safaris in Kenya, rafting at Victoria Falls, and summiting Kilimanjaro! Her favourite destinations include Kenyan safaris and beaches in Lamu, Tunisia, Mauritius, Victoria Falls, and savouring Ethiopian cuisine. What's next? Aanya hopes to visit Namibia, Cape Town, and Rwanda next. She joined African Expert in 2025.

← Aanya on her first day climbing Mount Kilimanjaro!