“Quirky, unusual, fresh, and like nothing we’ve seen before…” – i-escape.com

About Us

Explorers Club is a unique collection of accommodation paired with off-the-map mini-expeditions based in South Africa, but also in Zimbabwe and Kenya. More than accommodation, Explorers Club offers an experience like no other. Each of our properties has its own distinct theme, character and story to tell.

We are a small, chirpy, team, in Franschhoek, dedicated to exploring new places and delivering memorable experiences to our guests. We love working with like-minded characters who share the same ethos and enjoy a good lunch.

How We Choose Our Homes

To be included in the Explorers Club portfolio, the property must be warm, welcoming and most importantly have an element of individuality. The property must also have some unique element to it, setting it apart from other holiday rental homes: each property tells its own story whether through its decoration, location or based on the people who have lived there. The emphasis is on interesting, home-away-from-home destinations, discerning, comfortable living (in some cases luxurious) and relaxed fun.

Our mini-expeditions are hand-picked and tried and tested by us. These are wonderful ways in which to reconnect with the natural environment and to share experiences between friends and family, around the warmth of a fire at night, hosted by an exceptional guide.

How It All Began

Over a bottle of wine (or two) and a long lunch.

We wanted to fill a niche in the accommodation (and now adventure) sector and bring a feeling of ‘home-from-home’ to guests arriving from weary travels. We love the idea of quirky and adventurous homes, unique wanderings in Africa, and equally their owners or custodians. It started with our own homes and over time we have collected a myriad of friends and their houses and adventures, to add to the growing collection.

Our Story

Our logo is the humble postage stamp – iconic symbols of travel and exploration. Knowing every adventurer needs a flag we designed one to represent all the elements the explorer must overcome: sky, water, earth and sun.

With every accommodation being unique we established what makes each property one of a kind. These stories served as the inspiration behind each stamp and were translated into a series of designs: each stamp’s aesthetic determined by its story.

The result? An identity that provides a window into Explorers Club, and each of the properties that form part of it.

We welcome you to come and discover us, off the map.

Our Crew

Jo Sinfield – Skipper. Planning and navigating the course and maintaining crew order. Occasionally barking commands but mainly on an even keel. Likes to keep a check on passenger welfare.

Melize Koekemoer – Purser. In command of engineering, upkeep of systems, purse strings and ballast. Also keeps a close eye on passenger welfare.

Mrs S. – Boatswain. Looking after maintenance of deck areas, rigging, sails, ships crew and passenger wellbeing. Also looks after sea urchins, if required.

Julie de Wet – Chief Stewardess. Longstanding crew member responsible for interior upkeep.