Wilderness Mombo newsletter – February 2025

This month we hosted a guest who was absolutely intent on seeing an ostrich. During their stay they had numerous great sightings – from a pack of wild dogs taking down a lechwe, to large herds of buffalo, impala, zebra, elephant, wildebeest and giraffe scattered across the plains in front the main area. One guest traveling with them noted that “it looked like a scene right out of The Lion King”.  

Even so, he was insistent on seeing an ostrich. At one point he told their guide that they would not be leaving Mombo until he got them their ostrich.  And according to their guide, they were only half joking. After two days with no luck, a family of ostriches decided to make an appearance close to camp – on Valentine’s Day. This ostrich family had last been seen in the area more than a month ago.

Working and living together in camp for more days out of the year than we spend with our families back home builds a strong sense of camaraderie amongst the teams. Since joining Wilderness, I’ve witnessed more instances of workplace altruism than I have in any other company I’ve been a part of. I came to learn early on that one of the most deeply ingrained aspects of the Wilderness culture is our willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty. This applies to doing so for guests and colleagues alike. It’s the “Wilderness way”. Whether it’s a manager covering for a scullery hand who’s under the weather or a guide helping the airstrip attendant herd warthogs off the airstrip, we all find ways to lend a helping hand to our colleagues, for no other reason than to be of service to a team-mate. It doesn’t have to be any singular life-changing or monumental act. As it’s often said, “it’s the little things that count”. 

Temperatures ranged from an average low of 22°C to an average high of 31°C. Total rainfall was 72 mm.