About me
I first realised my passion for travel during my year out before university when I left school and went travelling around Europe visiting 15 different countries. I was also lucky enough to have done lots of travelling with my parents as a child holidaying in Sardinia, the Greek Islands, the USA, and one of my favourites - a safari and beach holiday in Kenya.
Catching the travel bug has resulted in my desire to see the world and in the last decade I have visited a plethora of amazing places some of which include Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Morocco, Dubai, Canada, Iceland, Thailand, Cambodia and Peru. My passion for travel ultimately led me to Scott Dunn!
After trips away with the company I now specialise in South Africa, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zanzibar. I love that all the destinations in this continent are so varied and awe-inspiring and that I never tire of seeing the wonderful African wildlife, and I can’t wait to explore more of its fascinating countries.
Favourite places I’ve been
South Africa - cosmopolitan Cape Town, chic accommodation, culture, mouthwatering cuisine and wonderful winelands!
Rwanda - stunning scenery, rainforests, tea plantations, diverse culture and of course the gorgeous gorillas!
Tanzania – plentiful game across wide open plains and stunning sunsets over the Selous!
Zanzibar – beautiful beaches, fantastic snorkelling and diving, relaxation, and spices galore!
Mauritius – opulent hotels, wonderful spas and white sandy beaches
Italy – food-glorious-food, beautiful historic cities, romance, language - I love it all!
Peru – remarkable ruins and breathtaking views, colourful markets and culture, excellent ceviche!
Thailand – aromatic, fantastic food, marvellous massages, Buddha’s and temples
Cambodia – Elephants! Hidden temples and ruins, monks and monkeys!
Hong Kong – Hectic, bright lights, unusual food, and great shopping
Australia - Sunshine, sushi, stunning scenery, sky-diving and scary spiders!
Iceland – moonlike mountains, epic vistas, waterfalls, mesmerizing geysers, and the Blue Lagoon!
USA – New York: most favourite city in the world!
The Alps – sensational skiing, stunning scenery, sunshine glistening on crisp snow – divine!
Travel nuggets
01. Self-driving in South Africa is a must, the roads are good and it means you can do and see everything at your own pace as you will definitely want to keep stopping to take photos of the diverse and stunning scenery! A good camera is also a must!
02. When trekking in Rwanda to see the gorillas take some good gardening gloves, gaters and light waterproofs to protect you from the thistles, stinging nettles and possible rain showers! It’s also advisable to take a good insect repellent to all East African countries!
03. Always try to sample local delights where possible – you never know what you may discover you like/dislike and you’ll only kick yourself later for not trying! And savour every moment of your holiday in whatever way suits whether it’s by taking lots of fabulous photos or writing a travel diary to keep those magical memories!
My hot picks
01. Birkenhead House – The place to be in Hermanus! I have never been made to feel so welcome or so well looked after anywhere – they really go out of their way to ensure you have everything you might want or need and as for the location – nowhere beats it to watch the whales breeching over the crashing waves of Walker Bay!
02. Kwandwe Game Reserve combined with Kurland – a fabulous family holiday combination – one of the most amazing safaris I’ve ever had at Kwandwe staying in their fabulous funky suites and Kurland is a little gem of a country hideaway but not far from all that Plettenberg Bay has to offer! I didn’t want to leave either after being so well looked after!
03. Baraza Resort – the ultimate in Zanzibar-luxury! First class food, service, facilities and activities with the most amazing spa – again the kind of place that is hard to leave!
04. Fundu Lagoon – a little slice of paradise to escape to for the ultimate in barefoot luxury, where you can kick off your shoes and totally chill out.
My blogs
Gardening Gloves, Gaiters and Gorillas
What my guests have said
"We had a wonderful time, thank you so much for your help in arranging our holiday, Olivia. Next time we're arranging a trip overseas, we'll definitely come to Scott Dunn again."
"We were extremely impressed with everyone we came into contact with at Scott Dunn, and especially with Olivia Hollowood, without whom we wouldn't have had a Christmas holiday!"
"Your customer care is wonderful."
"In my dealings with Olivia she was extremely professional and competent. You found me the holiday I wanted. Olivia gave me very good info on visas and vaccinations, baggage allowances on small planes and I was confident that she knew I would be happy at Fundu Lagoon because she had been there herself."
"Olivia had a good knowledge of the various resorts we chose and was very efficient in sending out quotations and responding to variations. Olivia had a good knowledge of destinations and speedy handling of enquiries."
"Olivia you´ve been such a great help for us! You literally saved our trip to Rwanda! ;)"
"It was truly a 'magic' holiday, and I think we have the Safari 'bug'. We look forward to you arranging another holiday for us next year."
"Olivia's attention to detail and patience with us was excellent. I would highly recommend Scott Dunn for the personal relationship with your clients, attention to details and knowledge of your product. Nothing was too much trouble."
"Fabulous, thanks Olivia. And thanks again for all your hard work with this – you have been an absolute superstar and we really appreciate it!"
"Both Olivia, who booked our holiday, and Michelle who handled the change to arrival arrangements on the Saturday our friends from Australia were due to arrive but were delayed by a day due to flight cancellation, were extremely helpful. We used Scott Dunn to plan a trip to Argentina last year and as well as our recent trip to South Africa - will definitely use again when we need travel plans booked for us! The recommendations, flexibility in changing arrangements in the planning stage, and taking the stress out of booking hotels/pick ups etc., as well as the very helpful way last minute hiccups were handled to relieve the stress!"
