Melanie Hochkins

There are first travel experiences, and then there are first travel experiences. Mine was a horse riding safari with Offbeat Safaris in the Maasai Mara in Kenya — an introduction to the continent that set an almost unfair standard.

I joined The Classic Safari Company in September 2025, which makes me the newest face on the team. I bring with me more than 30 years of administration experience — reception, office management, payroll — alongside a passion for travel that has been with me for just as long. Finding a role where the two sit side by side feels like an absolute gift.
Much of my travel story began with polo horses. For 25 years I worked with them, living and working across the USA, New Zealand, the UK and all over Australia — often for several months at a time. The gaps between seasons became adventures of their own, taking me through Europe and Scandinavia. The polo world gave me my first real taste of life abroad, and I never quite recovered.

The most recent entry on my list of travel highlights is summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. There are many places that hold a special place in my heart for different reasons, but standing on the roof of Africa is something I won’t forget in a hurry.

What I find most rewarding about working at The Classic Safari Company is the team itself — a group of people with an extraordinary depth of knowledge and a genuine passion for what they do. I’ve learned an enormous amount in a short time, and helping to put together itineraries for clients is endlessly rewarding. My own travel bucket list is growing at quite an alarming rate!