Ashlee Carstens: Senior Tour Consultant

With a fierce love for her family and a deep appreciation of her country, Ashlee is about as Namibian as the sand dunes around her home town of Swakopmund. And she’s fond of big fat capitals followed by at least three exclamations marks - another telltale Namibian trait.

Born in the 90s after Namibia gained independence from South Africa, Ashlee moved with her family to Swakopmund when she was two; since then the thought of living anywhere else hasn’t even crossed her mind. True story. She once said: it would have to be a whole other super-world to make me think about leaving Namibia. Now that’s contentment.

And why not? Surrounded by nature and her close-knit extended family, Ashlee’s roots run deeper than the acacia trees of the Kalahari where her aunt and uncle had a safari lodge and where she and her cherished sister spent as much time as school would allow.

No surprise then that the red dunes, the heady grass-quilted valleys and the holy silence of the Kalahari is her favourite place to visit in Namibia. That and the Kavango River in the Caprivi for a spot of quiet contemplation - and a dash of green.

To top it all, Ashlee loves (pardon, LOVES!!!) animals, photography and camping with just the essentials in the ‘stunning nothingness’ of Namibia.

With all that Namibia-lovin’ and contagious happiness swirling around, Team NTS and Ashlee make a pretty good fit, don’t you think?