Aurélie was born in France in 1985 and moved to South Africa in 2008.

Her passion for African wildlife goes way back and reached its peak when she trained and worked as a game ranger in private game reserves adjacent to the Kruger National Park (Hoedspruit).

In 2014, settled in Cape Town, she created and developed her travel agency, African Heart Travel, while continuing her career as a guide.

She and her daughter Maya (8) packed their bags in June 2022 and moved from Muizenberg (in Cape Town) to Marloth Park, in the Mpumalanga province.

There, began a challenging time to have her house completed but through hard work and some roaring (Bayabhonga is the Zulu language), the house finally rose above ground. The lioness made it happen!

This is the beginning of a new journey… long lives Bayabhonga.

In 2024, Aurélie closed African Heart Travel and created, in France, Bayabhonga Travel, which can assist with any travel needs in Africa.