Caroline Perkins

Lucky Bean Travel Founder

I have been selling Zimbabwe to the world for over 30 years.

I live here. I know every corner of this country personally.

I genuinely believe it’s one of the greatest safari destinations on earth.

My name is Caroline Perkins. I was born in Bulawayo, raised near Masvingo in the shadow of Great Zimbabwe, and I’ve spent my entire career in Zimbabwe’s travel and tourism industry.

Victoria Falls has been home for many years now, which means when I recommend a sunset cruise, a lodge, or a guide, I’m not reading from a brochure.

I know these people. I’ve been on that boat. I know which table to book.

How Lucky Bean Travel Started

I came into tourism the way most Zimbabweans of my generation did — through a deep love of the bush. Horses, rivers, birds, wild spaces. I grew up at the edge of the wilderness and never really left it.

My career began when I founded Armadillo Travel, Zimbabwe’s first dedicated representation and marketing company.

Through Armadillo I worked with Inns of Zimbabwe which included Inn on the Rupurara, Inn on the Vumba, Pine Tree Inn and Norma jeans.

I built deep relationships with some of the finest owner-run camps the country has ever produced — properties like Musango Safari Camp, Imba Matobo Lodge, Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge and Mahenye, as well as Jijima Camp, Imbabala and Senuko, camps that were extraordinary in their time and are still remembered warmly by those lucky enough to have visited.

I also worked with Somalisa in Hwange and Kanga in Mana Pools in their early days — two camps with a very particular intimacy and magic that drew me to them, who have now gone on to grow in one of Zimbabwe’s premium brands,

These were small, passionate, owner-driven operations. The people who built them cared enormously about Zimbabwe’s hospitality, wildlife and wild places.

Working with them shaped everything about how I understand good safari product — and what I look for when I recommend somewhere to a client today.

A New Era

From Armadillo, I founded Lucky Bean Travel in 2014.

Named for the beautiful Lucky Bean tree (Erythrina lysistemon) that flowers brilliantly red across Zimbabwe’s landscape each spring.

Like the tree, I’m deeply rooted here.

Alongside building Lucky Bean Travel, I also had a long and rewarding chapter with Ilala Lodge and Palm River Hotel in Victoria Falls.

These are two of the town’s most enduring and best-loved properties. I worked in their trade marketing, sales, and representation, only leaving in 2024.

Marketing Worldwide

Throughout all of this, I have travelled the world selling Zimbabwe.

Trade shows in Europe, North America, the UK, Australia and across Africa — meeting agents, building relationships, and making the case for why Zimbabwe deserves a place on every serious traveller’s list.

Those relationships, built over decades across source markets worldwide, are a cornerstone of what Lucky Bean Travel offers today.

My Focus

Today my focus is on curating personalised Zimbabwe itineraries for discerning travellers and agents – and I continue to follow one of my deepest passions: marketing exceptional owner-run camps.

The world is a book, and those who do not travel only read one page

Lucky Bean Travel Is Proud To Represent

For over 30 years, we have operated as a Zimbabwe safari specialist and tour operator selling our region.

These three properties embody everything I have always believed great African safari should be.

Daka Plains Safari Camp: An exclusive camp in the far northwest corner of Hwange National Park – one of the remotest camps in Hwange.
Daka Expeditions: Booked on an exclusive basis, Daka Expeditions has just three tents – perfect for a small, adventurous family in Hwange.
Rhino Safari Camp: A bush camp set on a private concession along the shores of Lake Kariba within the Matusadona National Park.

What I Do – And How I Am Different

Lucky Bean Travel is a boutique destination management company specialising exclusively in Zimbabwe.

I create tailor-made safari itineraries for international travellers and agents — from Victoria Falls and Hwange to Lake Kariba, Mana Pools, Matobo Hills, Great Zimbabwe, and the Eastern Highlands

Zimbabwe – And Why I Keep Believing In It

Zimbabwe has always been the Africa that seasoned travellers return to.

The guides are exceptional. The wildlife is extraordinary. The national parks are vast and beautifully uncrowded. And the warmth of Zimbabwean hospitality is unlike anywhere else on the continent.

For many years, I have exhibited at the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo – Zimbabwe’s premier travel trade show.

Here, I created and managed a stand called Best of Zimbabwe, bringing together some of the country’s most loved owner-run camps, lodges, and guest houses to showcase the very best of what this destination offers.

After 30 years, I still find myself genuinely excited to put together a Zimbabwe itinerary. Every single one is different. Every client discovers something that surprises them.

Working With Me

When you book through Lucky Bean Travel, you’re working directly with me – not a call centre, not a booking engine.

I answer my own phone and emails. I know the people at the lodges you’ll stay at. And if something needs adjusting while you’re travelling, I’m here.

I work with international travel agents and DMCs who need a trusted Zimbabwe ground operator, and directly with individual travellers planning their own Zimbabwe journey.

Either way, the service is personal, and the knowledge is genuine.

If you’re planning a trip to Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia – whether you know exactly what you want or are starting from scratch – I’d love to hear from you.