TravelHouse Africa

What TravelHouse Africa does

TravelHouse Africa (Pty) Ltd is a privately held, founder-owned bespoke travel agency headquartered at 65 Rose Street, Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, South Africa. Founded by Billy Hare and Ingo Brüggemann, the company designs and sells tailormade African travel experiences including self-drive holidays, fly-in safaris, luxury train journeys, and boutique hotel stays across 13+ destinations spanning Southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia), East Africa (Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania), and Indian Ocean islands (Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives). The firm also monetizes its Cape Town office by offering flexible shared desks and a six-seater boardroom for rent.

The underlying technology is minimal: TravelHouse Africa operates without a proprietary booking platform, relying instead on standard booking systems and direct consultant-to-supplier relationships. It has integrated three payment processors (PayGate, YOCO, and Flywire) to handle domestic and international client payments, the last enabling bank transfers and card payments from over 135 countries. Distribution is entirely direct via phone, email, and website enquiry forms, supported by organic social media (Instagram, Facebook), email newsletters, and content marketing showcasing African destinations and partner properties.

TravelHouse Africa earns revenue through commissions on bookings made via its network of accommodation, DMC, and experience suppliers. There is no public pricing; each itinerary is custom-quoted based on client requirements, destinations, and accommodation preferences. The customer base consists of individual leisure travelers seeking high-touch, personalized African journeys rather than packaged tours. The company carries SATSA bonded membership and IGLTA membership, alongside public liability and professional indemnity insurance, providing industry credibility and client financial protection in the Southern African tourism sector.

Name

TravelHouse Africa

Legal name

TravelHouse Africa (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://travelhouse.africa

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TravelHouse Africa is a Cape Town-based, founder-owned bespoke travel agency designing tailormade African itineraries, including safaris, self-drive holidays, luxury train journeys, and boutique stays, for individual leisure travelers across Southern Africa, East Africa, and Indian Ocean destinations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Travel Agencies (561510), Tour Operators (56152)

akta.pro primary industry

Safari & Wildlife Travel Agencies (THAKAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adventure & Expedition Travel Agencies (THAKAFAB), Luxury Travel Agencies (THAKAFAA)

Keywords

• Tailormade african travel
• Boutique safari bookings
• Fly-in safari packages
• Self-drive holidays africa
• Luxury travel planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Travel Package Commissions: The company earns commissions on bookings made through their network of accommodation and experience suppliers across Africa. They design and sell tailored African travel itineraries including self-drive holidays, fly-in safaris, luxury train journeys, and boutique hotel stays.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

TravelHouse Africa designs and books tailormade African travel experiences for individual travelers, including self-drive holidays, fly-in safaris, luxury train journeys, and boutique hotel stays across Southern, Eastern, and Central Africa and Indian Ocean islands. Personal travel consultants work one-on-one with clients to craft bespoke itineraries, leveraging a broad network of accommodation and experience suppliers. The company also offers flexible shared desk and boardroom rentals at its Cape Town office as a secondary offering.

Product overview

TravelHouse Africa is a specialist tour operator offering tailormade African travel experiences. Their core product is personalized travel planning and booking services, which encompass self-drive holidays, fly-in safaris, luxury train journeys, and boutique hotel stays across Southern, Eastern, and Central Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. Additionally, they operate a Cape Town office providing flexible desk and boardroom rental services. Their portfolio includes curated experiences such as safari beds under the stars, whale watching, walking safaris, Zambezi river activities, cycling tours, wine and food tours, and fine dining experiences at partner properties throughout Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lanzerac Wine Estate & HotelcoreOthersLuxury wine estate and hotel in Cape Winelands offering holistic experience with hotel, spa, restaurants and wine tasting cellar. Historic estate on outskirts of Stellenbosch.
• African Monarch LodgescoreOthersLodges in Namibia's Zambezi Region including Nambwa Tented Lodge and Kazile Island Lodge inside Bwabwata National Park. Built on conservation, community and conservancy principles.
• Time + Tide ZambiacoreOthersEight unique properties across Zambia and Malawi, part of Green Safaris. Luxury eco-travel with properties in South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi, and Liuwa Plain National Parks.
• Matetsi Victoria FallscoreOthersFamily-owned luxury safari lodge on banks of Zambezi River within 136,000-acre Matetsi Private Game Reserve. 16 suites, 2 family suites and private villa.
• The Liz McGrath CollectioncoreOthersThree iconic five-star hotels: The Cellars-Hohenort in Cape Town, The Marine in Hermanus, and The Plettenberg in Plettenberg Bay. Exemplify South African hospitality.
• Jamala MadikwecoreOthersOwner-managed luxury boutique safari lodge in malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve. Combines colonial style and African eccentricity with award-winning cuisine.
• Victoria Falls River LodgecoreOthersFirst luxury lodge built within Zambezi National Park in Zimbabwe. Features 13 Luxury Tented Suites and 6 Island Treehouse Suites on Kandahar Island.
• 21 NettletoncoreOthersSix-room boutique hotel in Clifton, Cape Town offering complete privacy and exclusivity. Cliff-top mansion with panoramic views of Atlantic Ocean and mountains.
• Kanonkop HouseminorOthersBoutique guest house overlooking Knysna Lagoon with views to Knysna Heads. Family-owned and managed with seven rooms and exclusive-use villas.
• Delaire Graff EstatecoreOthersLuxury lodge on Helshoogte Pass between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch. Named one of Top 50 wineries by World's Best Vineyards with award-winning restaurants.
• Grand DedaleminorOthersHistoric Cape Dutch Manor House on Doolhof Wine Estate near Bainskloof Pass. Six en-suite bedrooms and suites plus free-standing honeymoon cottage.
• 2INN1 KensingtonminorOthersStylishly renovated boutique guest house in Oranjezicht near Cape Town city centre. Victorian house combined with contemporary design, pool and garden.
• LabotessaminorOthersHistorical boutique hotel in Cape Town city centre with 17th century facade. Fusion of state-of-the-art technology and historical design.
• The DMCcoreOthersDestination management company based in Cape Town focusing on meetings, incentives, conferences and events.
• Future Found SanctuarycoreOthersPrivate mountain sanctuary on slopes of Table Mountain in Hout Bay. Luxury villas and suites with focus on sustainability and biomimicry principles.
• WineFairycoreOthersSpecialized wine tour operator in Cape Winelands. Qualified cultural guide Katie Barratt offers customized wine tours and experiences.
• Explore SidewayscoreOthersCurated food, wine, and cultural tour experiences in Cape Town and Winelands. Private, immersive tours customized to interests.
• Cycling FriendsminorOthersCycling experiences in Western Cape including bicycle rental, guided tours, and training camps. Family business with 30 years cycling passion.
• The Artists GalleryminorOthersContemporary South African art gallery on Bree Street, Cape Town. Run by artists showcasing diverse art from emerging to established.
• Restaurant Klein JANcoreOthersMichelin-star Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen's restaurant on Tswalu Kalahari Reserve. Fine dining showcasing South African culture through food.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Singita: Singita operates ultra-luxury safari lodges and tailormade African travel experiences in South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda. Directly comparable in serving luxury travelers seeking high-end safari experiences, though with most inventory owned rather than brokered.
• Wilderness Safaris: Wilderness Safaris is a major African safari operator with camps across Southern and East Africa offering tailormade itineraries. Closely comparable product offering (fly-in safaris, luxury lodge stays) and similar target customer base, but at significantly larger scale with owned inventory.
• African Travel Inc. African Travel Inc. creates tailormade African journeys including safaris, train journeys, and luxury stays across multiple African countries. Highly comparable to TravelHouse Africa in product mix (luxury train, fly-in safaris, boutique hotels) and B2C bespoke model.
• Micato Safaris: Micato Safaris is a US-based luxury African safari tour operator offering bespoke itineraries across multiple African countries. Comparable in offering highly personalized, consultant-led travel planning to affluent international travelers seeking African experiences.
• Timbuktu Travel: Timbuktu Travel is a long-established bespoke African travel company offering tailormade safaris, island holidays, and cultural experiences across Africa. Closely comparable boutique positioning, consultant-led model, and product offering to TravelHouse Africa.
• Roar Africa: Roar Africa is a luxury bespoke African travel company offering high-end curated safaris and experiential journeys. Comparable in serving affluent international travelers seeking tailormade African experiences with personal service and curated luxury supplier networks.
• Wild Frontiers: Wild Frontiers is an adventure travel company specializing in tailormade and small-group trips to Africa and other off-the-beaten-path destinations. Comparable in offering bespoke multi-country itineraries with personal consultant service, though with broader geographic scope beyond Africa.
• &Beyond: &Beyond is a leading luxury African safari and travel company operating high-end lodges and tailormade itineraries across multiple African countries. Directly comparable to TravelHouse Africa in product (tailormade safaris), customer base (luxury international travelers), and business model (bespoke trip planning with curated accommodations).

Emerging players

• Yellow Zebra Safaris: Yellow Zebra Safaris is a smaller bespoke safari operator specializing in tailormade African itineraries for international travelers. Comparable boutique positioning to TravelHouse Africa, with similar dependence on a network of curated suppliers and human-led trip design.

Regional players

• Asilia Africa: Asilia Africa operates safari camps and tailormade safari experiences in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. Comparable in offering fly-in safaris and bespoke itineraries, though focused on East Africa and with more owned inventory than TravelHouse Africa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Travelhouseafrica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/travelhouse-africa

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TravelHouse Africa