Ian Batchelor was Born in Nakuru, Kenya in 1965, and spent his early childhood in one of the more beautiful parts of Africa. His parents moved to Zimbabwe when he was five years old and this is where he developed his love and passion for everything that Africa embraces.
Antonette “Nonnie” was born in Ndola, Zambia in 1961 and her parents moved to Zimbabwe when she was seven years old. Her parents were the largest strawberry farmers in Southern Africa and she grew up on a farm just outside of Harare and spent most of her holidays fishing on Lake Kariba where she fell in love with her country and the “African way of life”.
Ian and Nonnie met in 2004 in the USA while Ian was on a marketing trip and Nonnie was working for a large Safari Operation based in Houston Texas. Nonnie had been living in the USA for 20 years and it was love at first sight. Ian asked Nonnie to move back to Africa/Tanzania with him which she did. Their son Lian was born that same year and they both remained in Tanzania for the following 6 years travelling extensively around Tanzania and working in the Safari Industry. Ian and Nonnie wanted to move back to the country they both loved so much, so in 2009 they did just that and this is when “Upmarket Safaris” was started.