Polly Townsend-Rose

Polly Townsend-Rose is the founder of Journey South and one of a small number of true specialists in family travel across Africa. Her expertise is lived, not borrowed: in 2010 she and her husband James set out to drive an old Land Rover from London to Cape Town. One year and 23 countries later they arrived and have never left. Cape Town has been home ever since, where they are raising their two children, Sienna and Oscar.

What began as planning trips for friends, and then friends of friends, grew into a business built on a single conviction: that the best family adventures in Africa go well beyond the Big Five. Polly designs each itinerary from scratch around the family travelling, their children's ages, interests and stamina, weaving together wildlife, culture, conservation and genuine human connection. As a mother, she knows first-hand the kind of holiday that works with different ages, and the kind that looks wonderful in a brochure but falls flat in practice.

She travels constantly, regularly returning to the lodges and experiences she recommends, often with her own children alongside her. That firsthand knowledge, paired with deliberately keeping her client list small allows a level of personal attention rare in the industry. Journey South was recognised at the 2025 LUXlife Travel & Tourism Awards, holds a five-star client rating, and is a member of the We Are Africa community and SATSA. Polly speaks candidly about African adventures, safari safety, timing, budgeting and the realities of travelling in Africa with children of every age.