The women who keep the wheels turning at Classic Africa Safaris

When most people think of an African safari, they picture golden sunsets, lions on the prowl, and a rugged Land Cruiser bouncing along a dusty trail. What they probably don’t picture is the team of remarkable women back at base who make sure those Land Cruisers actually start in the morning. At Classic Africa Safaris (CAS) in Entebbe, Uganda, the workshop isn’t just a place where vehicles get fixed — it’s a place where stereotypes get dismantled, one torque wrench at a time. This International Women’s Day, Classic Africa Safaris is shining a spotlight on the five women who are, quite literally, the engine behind their operation.

The Commander-in-Chief
Every workshop needs a leader, and Classic Africa Safaris’ happens to command a fleet of Toyota Land Cruisers with the calm authority of a general and the smile of someone who knows exactly how good she is at her job. As Caroline – our Workshop Manager, she orchestrates the daily rhythm of our entire mechanical operation — scheduling services, coordinating the team, and making sure every vehicle that rolls out of the bay is safari-ready. The Land Cruisers lined up behind her? They know who’s boss.

CAS Workshop Manager Caroline surveying her domain — and yes, those Land Cruisers are standing to attention.

The Shine Specialist
There’s a saying at Classic Africa Safaris: “a clean car is a happy tourist.” Alright, we may have just made that up, but our Shine Specialist Imelda, lives by it. Responsible for the cleanliness of every vehicle in the fleet, she attacks red Ugandan dust with the kind of determination that would make a car wash franchise jealous. After thousands of kilometres on bush tracks, CAS Land Cruisers come back looking like they’ve been through a war zone. She sends them back out looking like they’re fresh off the showroom floor. If cleanliness is next to godliness, this woman is practically divine.

Where red dust meets its match — Imelda is in control.

The Engine Whisperer
If you’ve ever heard someone say “she really knows her way around an engine,” they might well be talking about CAS Senior Mechanic Penny. Elbow-deep in a 1HZ diesel with a smile that says “I’ve already diagnosed it,” she is the technical backbone of the CAS workshop. In an industry where female mechanics remain a rarity, she doesn’t just hold her own — she sets the standard. From full engine rebuilds to stubborn electrical gremlins, nothing fazes her. The Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series is famously tough. So is she.

Under the bonnet and completely in her element — Senior Mechanic Penny at work.

The Fuel Behind the Team
Napoleon said an army marches on its stomach. Well, a workshop crew wrenches on theirs. Our resident chef – Ruth – keeps the entire team fuelled with hearty Ugandan meals that turn lunch breaks into the highlight of the day. Posho, beans, matooke, groundnut sauce — served with the kind of warmth that makes you forget you’ve been lying under a chassis all morning. She doesn’t just feed the troops; she feeds their spirits. Try getting a team to rebuild a gearbox on an empty stomach. Exactly.

Ruth feeding the troops — because no great safari ever started with a hungry mechanic.

The Keeper of All Things
Behind every great mechanic is someone who actually knows where the 14mm socket went. Janita – Classic Africa Safaris’ Spares and Tools Manager is both a skilled mechanic in her own right and the guardian of the entire parts inventory. Need a fuel filter for a 2022 Land Cruiser? She’ll have it in your hand before you finish the sentence. In the world of African bush mechanics, having the right part at the right time is the difference between a safari running on schedule and a very awkward phone call to a guest. She makes sure CAS is always on the right side of that equation.

Janita – the Keeper of All Things — where every bolt, bearing, and bushing has its place.

More Than a Workshop
At Classic Africa Safaris, their workshop has never been a boys’ club — and they are proud of it. These five women don’t just contribute to their operation; they define it. They bring skill, resilience, laughter, and an unshakeable work ethic to a space that is better for their presence. So this International Women’s Day, CAS and Kusini raise a spanner (freshly cleaned, of course) to the women who keep the wheels turning at Classic Africa Safaris. Without them, the lions would be waiting a lot longer for their audience to arrive!