A conversation with Sian Loehrer

The vehicle is parked in the shade of an apple-leaf tree, engine off. Nothing moves except the heat. Then, at the edge of the riverbed, a shape that doesn't quite fit the dry grass. A lion. Just sitting there, watching. Not the moment you planned for. The moment that changes how you think about planning.

Sian Loehrer has been in that vehicle, in that silence. It's why she built Marula Hill.

We sat down with our co-founder to talk about where she came from, how she designs a safari from the first phone call, and which wild places are holding her attention right now.

Sian, how did Marula Hill come to life?

Before starting Marula Hill, I was the Marketing Director for a well-known American consumer brands company. It was a real chapter in my life. I loved the work. But my passion was always travel and Africa. At some point I realised I was still young enough to begin again, and I saw a real gap: people who wanted a safari that felt properly considered couldn't find anyone who actually cared about getting the details right. So I made the move. Second career, doing what I love, for people who feel the same pull toward the wild that I do.

What does "tailor-made" actually mean at Marula Hill?

It means no two trips are ever the same. We start by understanding your story: your style, your pace, who you're travelling with, what matters to you. Then we build around that. We're matching you to the right lodges, the right terrain, the right guide, the right time of year. You won't receive a template from us. Every detail is chosen for you specifically.

This is where working directly with the people who design your trip makes a difference. You speak to us, not through us.

Which destinations are inspiring you most right now?

I'm drawn to the contrasts. Botswana's Okavango Delta is unlike anything else. Wild, reflective, intimate in a way that's hard to describe until you're on the water at dawn. Tanzania's Tarangire doesn't get the attention it deserves. It flies under the radar, but the scenery is extraordinary: ancient baobabs, dense elephant herds, long golden light in the late afternoon. And South Africa's Sabi Sand is the benchmark. If you want to understand what a private game reserve can be at its best, that's where you start.

What's a safari moment you'll never forget?

The first time I saw a lion in the wild. I remember everything about it: the hush that fell over the vehicle, the way the light caught its mane, the quiet weight of its presence. It wasn't roaring or hunting. It was simply there, powerful and completely itself. I felt something shift in me. That's the thing about safari. It's not really about ticking off animals. It's about what happens to you when you're out there.

That answer tells you something about why Sian designs trips the way she does. The logistics matter, but the feeling is the point.

What makes Marula Hill different from booking through a larger agency?

We lead with care. You don't get passed along a chain of consultants. You speak to me or to Vikki. We know the lodges we recommend because we've stayed in them, eaten around those fire pits, spoken to those guides. We're not working from a brochure. We're working from experience, and from a real interest in getting your trip right.

The follow-up matters too. We're in touch before you go, while you're away if you need us, and after you're back. Some of our guests become people we hear from for years.

Is conservation part of how you choose who you work with?

It has to be. We only work with lodges and operators who have a real commitment to conservation and community. Not just the language of it on their website. A safari should give something back to the places it moves through. Our Caps for a Cause programme is one way we put that into practice: proceeds from every cap we sell go directly to the Endangered Wildlife Trust, in support of Wild Dog protection. Our travellers appreciate knowing their trip is connected to something larger.

What do you tell someone who's never been on safari before?

I tell them to ask every question they have. There are no silly ones. What should I pack? What's the food like? Is it safe? Will I cope with the early mornings? We talk through all of it. And for a first safari, I almost always recommend starting in South Africa. The infrastructure is excellent, the wildlife is extraordinary, and you come away with a real sense of what safari is before you start adding complexity. After that, the rest of Africa opens up.

Sian is the person on the other end of the call when you start planning with us. She's also the one who's been out on that Lowveld road at first light, watching the bush come awake before anyone else was up. That combination of operational care and lived experience is what shapes every trip we put together.

If you've been turning the idea of a safari over in your mind and aren't sure where to begin, that's exactly the right time to get in touch. We'd love to hear where your head is.