Our Journeys Change Lives

A well-known Setswana proverb “go tsamaya ke go bôna” means “to travel is to really discover and experience”. 

 

There can be no doubt that travelling opens the mind and touches the soul, leaving behind learnings and memories to last a lifetime. 

 

Since 1983, Wilderness has been dedicated to crafting life-changing journeys to Africa’s wilderness areas; journeys that not only expose our guests to new landscapes, cultures and ecosystems, but also to new ways of viewing the world, our place in it, and, ultimately, its sustainability.

 

 

 

This life-changing journey is not limited to our guests, but is in fact even more marked in our 2 700 staff. More than 85% of our camp staff come from remote, rural communities, and each lodge staff member directly supports a further seven people as a result of their employment. 

 

As people rethink how they travel going forward, we are hopeful that the purposeful journeys we offer will become more attractive. Our model of high-end, low-impact ecotourism offers the luxury of wide open spaces, untouched pristine wilderness areas, exceptional wildlife encounters and an exclusive safari camp offering. 

 

 

 

By choosing to travel with us, people get to reconnect to their wild roots and immerse themselves in unspoilt wilderness, whilst simultaneously helping to fund the conservation of 2.3 million hectares of precious intact ecosystems and biodiversity. 

 

We strongly believe that this will be a hugely attractive proposition in the new world of travel. And while the focus remains on health and safety, we will continue to ensure that we are doing everything possible to offer our guests peace of mind so that they are truly able to relax, unwind and reconnect with the natural world around them.

 

 

 

Here are a few quotes from our staff and guests, highlighting how our journeys change lives:

 

“Our Journeys Change Lives is not just a motto. It’s absolutely true! But let us remember, it’s not just our lives as visitors but also the lives of the communities supported by Wilderness”.

Linkwasha guest

 

“You will lose your heart to it, that is guaranteed. There is something both miraculous and shocking about arriving in a place so remote and unspoilt, and so alive with the primordial textures and rhythms of life, that you cannot help but feel it touch you deep inside your soul”.

Keith Bain, Equinox magazine

 

“Beautiful landscapes and sightings aside, there’s something magical about Wilderness Safaris’ properties. It’s a combination of an unwavering conservation commitment, proud and passionate staff and the fact that the company hasn’t changed its approach to what it does – conserving and restoring Africa’s wilderness and wildlife – in 35 years. As we sat quietly alongside the river, watching yet another glorious African sunset, I noticed the words sewn onto the back of our guide’s jacket: ‘Our journeys change lives’. They do – and not just the human kind”.

Ingrid Wood 

 

 

 

“Not only has Wilderness Safaris given me a life-changing journey, but every member of staff at the three lodges we visited have also been given a life-changing journey. Wilderness Safaris are not only dedicated to wildlife conservation but it also strives to help the local communities to ensure that responsible tourism helps benefit the people and their culture. I was amazed to see how the staff managed the lodges with such diligence and love. This photo depicting our departure shows the empathy felt by the staff at Damaraland Camp for all of their guests. The whole team assembled to once again sing in harmony such wonderful words that expressed their feelings of both sadness at our leaving and joyfulness of being able to have been part of our lives for the period of our stay. Our minds are forever embedded with wonderful life-changing memories from our trip to Namibia, and I commend Wilderness Safaris for the marvellous work they do with the training and teaching of the wonderful staff. These are the people who make the camps and lodges, especially as they go about their daily business, happily employing the company strategies of Commerce, Conservation, Community and Culture. What a great motto ‘Our Journeys Change Lives’”.

Suzanne Nixon

 

“Beautiful landscapes and sightings aside, there’s something magical about Wilderness Safaris’ properties. It’s a combination of an unwavering conservation commitment, proud and passionate staff and the fact that the company hasn’t changed its approach to what it does – conserving and restoring Africa’s wilderness and wildlife – in 35 years. As we sat quietly alongside the river, watching yet another glorious African sunset, I noticed the words sewn onto the back of our guide’s jacket: ‘Our journeys change lives’. They do – and not just the human kind”. – Ingrid Wood “The moon shone so bright that night. It stole the light from everywhere else. I sank into this thought and enjoyed it, falling asleep by midnight. I have had some outstanding memories in the African continent, but nothing will beat waking up at 4:30 in the morning to see a moonless sky ablaze with stars by the billions. Only the heavens could have created this, I thought to myself. It was magnificent. If I could share the exact experience with all of you, I would…”

Alexa Cancio