ABOUT US

WHO WE ARE

At Southern Africa 360 Luxury Holidays, we turn travel dreams into unforgettable journeys. As an all-female–run Destination Management Company, we design tailor-made holidays, group tours, and MICE experiences that showcase the very best of Southern Africa. Every trip is thoughtfully crafted with local insight, authentic encounters, and a touch of luxury — while supporting small businesses, empowering women and youth, and promoting responsible travel.

With us, you don’t just visit Southern Africa — you experience it, in a way that’s meaningful, memorable, and uniquely yours.

MISSION

To provide high quality luxury holiday experiences and share Southern Africa with the world. 

VISION

To make your Southern African travel dreams come true with carefully crafted itineraries, handpicked inclusions, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

OUR STORY

SA360 female led team - CEO Nikki Thaver

Southern Africa 360 Luxury Holidays was founded in 2009 from a simple yet powerful dream: to share the richness of Southern Africa with the world in a way that was personal, authentic, and unforgettable. The vision first took shape when our founder, seasoned tourism professional Collin Thaver, relocated from Johannesburg to Cape Town. What began as a husband-and-wife team quickly grew into a dynamic enterprise — one that has since evolved into a proudly all-female–led company under the leadership of CEO Nikki Thaver (appointed in 2025).

From the very beginning, our mission was clear: to go beyond the well-trodden paths of mainstream tourism and open doors to the hidden gems of the region. By curating luxury holidays and bespoke travel experiences in lesser-known destinations, Southern Africa 360 became the go-to operator for discerning second- and third-time visitors seeking something truly extraordinary.

Today, we design exclusive journeys across South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique, blending luxury with authenticity and adventure with meaning. Behind every itinerary is a team of highly skilled travel consultants and product developers, each bringing deep expertise in their markets while sharing a united passion: to craft unique, responsible travel experiences that uplift local communities and celebrate the true spirit of Africa.

What began as a dream has become a movement — redefining luxury travel in Southern Africa, one unforgettable journey at a time

MEET THE KEY SALES TEAM

Nikki Thaver
Chief Executive Officer
Nikki Thaver is the Chief Executive Officer of Southern Africa 360 Luxury Holidays, leading the company’s vision as a proudly woman-led luxury inbound travel operator. With over a decade of hands-on experience in the DMC sector and 14 years lecturing in Travel and Tourism, she combines operational expertise, academic insight, and a passion for discovery to deliver exceptional travel experiences. Having lived in Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Zambia, and travelled extensively across Southern Africa, Nikki possesses an intimate understanding of the region that informs every itinerary she curates. Her leadership is defined by a commitment to service excellence, innovation, and authenticity, ensuring that clients enjoy journeys that are both seamless and memorable. A passionate advocate for women’s leadership in tourism, Nikki mentors emerging talent and champions greater representation, helping to shape a more inclusive and dynamic sector.

Alethea Josephs
Operations Manager – Cape Town

With over a decade of expertise in the travel and tourism industry, Alethea serves as Operations Manager at Southern Africa 360 Luxury Holidays, where she plays a pivotal role in delivering the company’s promise of seamless, bespoke travel experiences. Her career has been dedicated to crafting and managing high-end journeys, with particular focus on family vacations, honeymoons, and exclusive luxury travel. Known for her meticulous attention to detail and personalised service, Alethea has cultivated a loyal client base who continue to entrust her with curating their most important travel moments. Alethea’s passion for exploration keeps her connected to the latest destinations and trends, allowing her to bring fresh inspiration and insight to every itinerary. Balancing her love of travel with time spent with her family, she understands firsthand the value of meaningful, tailor-made experiences—an ethos she brings to her work each day. As part of the leadership team, Alethea combines operational excellence with a client-centric approach, ensuring that every journey reflects the hallmark of Southern Africa 360 Luxury Holidays: uncompromising quality, authenticity, and the art of luxury travel.

SA460 Lerise Thaver
Lerise Thaver
Operations Manager – Johannesburg
With a strong family heritage in the travel industry, Lerise Thaver brings over a decade of professional expertise to her role as Operations Manager at Southern Africa 360 Luxury Holidays. Her career spans both corporate travel and FIT leisure, equipping her with a versatile skill set and a proven ability to manage complex operations with precision and care. Based at the Johannesburg office, Lerise specialises in group travel across Southern Africa and leads the company’s strategic growth within the Indian market. Her deep understanding of client expectations, combined with meticulous attention to detail, ensures that every journey is delivered seamlessly and to the highest standards. Known for her professionalism, collaborative leadership style, and client-first approach, Lerise plays a vital role in upholding the company’s reputation as a leading luxury inbound operator.

CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT

Intrinsic to Southern Africa 360’s culture and philosophy is that of ‘giving back’. We recognise the importance of and are committed fully to making a meaningful contribution to the significant environmental, social and human impacts tourism has on its surrounding environment.

Our support extends to both environmental protection through supporting the preservation of one of Africa’s most threatened wildlife species, and community development, empowering South Africa’s children through education.

TODAY'S READER, TOMORROW'S LEADER

A social interest that was close to the heart of Nelson Mandela has also become a priority of ours: empowering and educating the women of South Africa. Young and old, we work to assist the women of South Africa who would like to further their education within the tourism sector. We have pledged to assist young girls in school, students working towards a tertiary-level qualification, and young female entrepreneurs hoping to forge a path in the tourism sector of South Africa, by providing mentorship and funding towards skills development.

STOP RHINO POACHING

South Africa’s rhinos are in crisis, and the Stop Rhino Poaching Foundation are making every effort to help by channeling public support to selected key reserves and rhino security projects around the country.

As a registered supporter with the Stop Rhino Poaching Foundation, we are able to ensure that 100% of our contributions go to rhino protection programs working towards protection where it counts on the ground, collapsing poaching syndicates, reducing demand around the world, and the commitment to combating wildlife trafficking on a global level.

BROCHURE

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