A WORLD WITHOUT NATURE, IS A WORLD WITHOUT BEAUTY.
JOIN US IN PRESERVING AFRICA’S MOST PRECIOUS TREASURE.
As our brand name Naturecrazi suggests, we really are crazily in love with nature. And crazily in love with Africa too.
At Naturecrazi, we view the continent’s rich natural biodiversity, endemic wildlife species, friendly people, and diverse cultures as interdependent ecosystems.
And these fragile ecosystems are Africa’s most precious treasure. A treasure that needs to be conserved for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.
ABOUT US
Naturecrazi’s love story began with its founders, Gavin van Staden and Ronell Volschenk.
Gavin’s love of the outdoors led him to qualify as a FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa) safari guide, a career spanning 28 years that has honed his skills and passion for wildlife while working with guests at numerous game reserves, five-star lodges, and safari tour operators in South Africa and Botswana. The Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga and the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserves in KwaZulu-Natal sparked his passion while Botswana’s Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve sealed his heart to the soil.
Ronell’s love of people, culture, and cuisine led her into the hospitality industry. After completing the Advanced Programme in Culinary Arts and Food & Beverage Service at The Hurst Campus Culinary School in Cape Town in 2004, Ronell started out as Chef de Partie, progressed to Sous Chef, and finally to Executive Chef at several restaurants and safari lodges. Her latent talents in hospitality management soon progressed to Front Of House Manager, Food and Beverage Manager, and General and Operations Manager positions.
A Spiritual Connection
As fate would have it, it was only a matter of time and location that these two spiritual souls, one committed to wildlife and the other to hospitality, should meet, fall in love, marry, and combine their passions to give birth to Naturecrazi. Which they did while working at Evolve Back Gham Dhao Lodge in Botswana’s Kalahari region in 2000, after which they became the resident management couple at the 5-star rated Tenahead Lodge and Spa in the Eastern Cape near Rhodes before relocating back to Botswana to focus on developing their Naturecrazi child full time.
And this child is growing rapidly to become a mature and responsible ecotourism organisation making a positive impact on the planet, people, prosperity, and biodiversity protection across southern Africa.
OUR TEAM
DESMOND LANGKILDE
Non-Executive director / cmo
Desmond (aka “The Fossil”) is an independent tourism marketing consultant and serves in a non-executive director capacity to provide Naturecrazi’s Board of Directors with guidance on corporate governance issues and sustainable tourism implementation. He also currently serves as Naturecrazi’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).
With over four decades of experience in the Africa inbound travel industry, The Fossil has been instrumental in nurturing the “child” from infancy to maturity. He is also an animal activist and an illustrator of educational comic books on human/animal conflict issues.
Kesetse Hopkins Kebareng
Botswana Co-Founder
Ketsetse (aka Ketse), is a country representative and pending co-founder of Naturecrazi Botswana (Tours & Safaris).
Based in Maun, Ketse is passionate about sharing her country’s natural wonders with local, regional, and international tourists.
Ensuring that every guest has a memorable experience and delivering on our sustainable tourism promise are her top priorities.
Ketse has over two years of experience in the travel and tourism industry, having served in diverse roles such as reservations, guest liaison, and reception.
OUR PROMISE
Naturecrazi promises to offer authentic ecotourism experiences that help you to connect with nature and culture, while learning about biodiversity and supporting sustainable development in Africa.
OUR Companies & Culture
Naturecrazi, today, is composed of three interdependent business organisations; Naturecrazi Tourism Consultancy (Pty) Ltd (Botswana), Naturecrazi Botswana, and Naturecrazi South Africa.
Future expansion plans through mergers, acquisitions, and new company registrations will enable Naturecrazi to make local impacts on job creation and conservation awareness in neighbouring countries, such as Angola, eSwatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe (and beyond into East and West Africa over time).
Our organisational culture is defined by our Mission, which guides our decision-making and informs our actions in all areas of our business operations.
OUR Commitment to Sustainable Tourism
Naturecrazi is committed to sustainable tourism – a concept that covers the complete tourism experience, including concern for economic, social and environmental issues as well as attention to improving tourists’ experiences and addressing the needs of host communities.
Our Sustainable Tourism Guidelines manual is therefore based on the three pillars of sustainable tourism:
PLANET:
Environmental sustainability.
PEOPLE:
Social sustainability.
PROFIT:
Economic sustainability.
The guidelines serve as a blueprint for Naturecrazi subsidiary companies to grow whilst involving local communities in planning and decision making. The impacts of our organisation and products are assessed annually against these three pillars.
Tourism has the potential to contribute to all seventeen of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), directly or indirectly.
In particular, sustainable tourism has been included as targets in Goals 8, 12 and 14; on inclusive and sustainable economic growth, sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and the sustainable use of oceans and marine resources, respectively.
Accordingly, Naturecrazi gears towards the SDGs mainly through its planet, people and profit oriented pillars in to drive responsible, widely accessible, and sustainable tourism.
OUR Products & Services
Based on wildlife, people, and landscapes, we select areas that provide our guests with an authentic African experience, combined with concise information about the biodiversity you might see while on a day-tour or eco-safari journey. Each tour itinerary is made with the future conservationist in mind.
Our day-tours include a knowledgeable local guide while, in addition to a local field guide, our extended journeys include guest speakers to inform guests on specialist topics.
OUR partner programme
We’re thrilled to have you exploring Naturecrazi, your one-stop shop for all things wild and wonderful! But guess what? We’re not just nature enthusiasts, we’re community builders too.
That’s why we’ve launched the Naturecrazi Partner Programme, a vibrant hub for eco-conscious creators, businesses, and individuals who share our passion for the planet. Think stunning travel blogs, handcrafted eco-goodies, and guided adventures to secret spots – all united by a love for the great outdoors.
So, if you’re buzzing with ideas to inspire green getaways, connect with fellow nature lovers, and make a real difference, then dive deeper into the Partner Programme and let’s rewrite the story of our planet, together!
VISIT OUR PARTNER PROGRAMME