Meet the Team

JO GORDON

Jo joined Aardvark’s Scottish office in September 2006, fresh from two ski seasons, and as a farmer’s daughter felt instantly at home with the chickens, ducks, sheep, dogs and horses that frequent Aardvark Scotland!  Animals and skiing aside, Jo’s passions include cooking, travelling, hiking and horse riding. She was a chalet manager in the Alps for two winter seasons, while the summers took her to the north of Scotland to cook for large house parties.  As a child, Jo was fully immersed in the Fife Hunt pony club, and has more recently worked with top eventers and racehorses.  Her next plan is to sign up to ride with the household cavalry in London to keep riding fit.

She put her cooking skills to good use on a two month sabbatical in Uganda and Rwanda where she was tasked with improving the food and sourcing new ingredients in some of the top lodges. A highlight of her time here was tracking mountain gorillas in three occasions - Jo is therefore an excellent person to talk to about holidays here as she can give you her own honest and unbiased advice.

Now a senior sales consultant at Aardvark Safaris, Jo has been given the exciting challenge of running Aardvark’s new office in London.  Sociable, outgoing, fun and very well-travelled, we believe she is the perfect person for the job. Being in London allows Jo to get out and about, and she is more than delighted to come and meet guests with maps and brochures, to chat their holidays over in person.

Favourite Africa experience
Sleeping in a hide on the Boteti River in Botswana. There were elephant splashing around in the river and two prides of lion roaring to each other from opposite banks. I didn’t sleep a wink, but it was one of the most thrilling nights of my life!

Making it to the summit of Kilimanjaro. Having that sense of satisfaction, whilst seeing the run rise up through the clouds below, has to be one of the most magical things I’ve ever experienced.

Favourite African animal
Giraffe – I have always wondered what it’s like to be tall……they’re the complete opposite of me; tall, graceful and quiet.

Three favourite camps
Tsarabanjina off the north west coast of Madagascar, for its truly remote location, sugary white sand, warm translucent water, amazingly romantic and private bandas.
Schoeman Skeleton Coast Safaris’ Kunene Camp in northern Namibia. It’s on the border with Angola and is totally unique, simple and beautiful.
Sand Rivers in Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve for its exclusivity, wonderful river location and the sound of hippos from any part of the lodge.

African countries visited
Botswana, Namibia, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zanzibar, Mauritius, Kenya, Madagascar.

On arranging holidays
I’ve travelled extensively throughout southern and east Africa, and have visited many of the Indian Ocean Islands, so have a great breadth of knowledge. I really enjoy providing our clients with wide ranging ideas for their holidays.

Aardvark Safaris London


Tel: +44 (0) 20 8150 7216
Email: joanna@aardvarksafaris.com