The safari dream team: 40 years of Wilderness

“Having the privilege to have worked for Wilderness for 18 years I have seen some of the evolution of this company, the highs, the lows and the in-betweens. Good people have joined, good people have left, great people have stayed and what always stands out to me, no matter what we are going through, is the ability to be authentic, dedicated and passionate about what we do, while keeping our focus on our why as our beacon, our truth.

"This is the true spirit of our pioneering collective and I love it! Congratulations Wilderness on this big occasion. May the journey of success continue for the team, our stakeholders and our beautiful planet”. – Alexandra Margull​, Wilderness Chief Operating Officer.

“Wilderness is not just a company; it is a movement, a force for positive change, and a symbol of environmental stewardship. It symbolises a commitment to conserving the environment and promoting sustainable tourism. The smiles of the staff are a universal language, instantly making you feel at home from the very first moment. They are not just employees; they are stewards of a profound purpose. The pride I feel as part of this exceptional company is genuinely heart-warming. It's about understanding the impact each of us can have, one day at a time. It's a human experience, one that connects us to the world we live in and the incredible beings that share it with us”.  – Jason Glanville​, Environmental & Marketing Content Manager, Wilderness Rwanda.

Jason Glanville 

"You can see it in the people. The way we laugh with each other, the way we talk and interact. We’re a big family that is compassionate and driven. It’s beautiful.” - Aicha Phiri, Waitress at Wilderness King’s Pool.

Aicha Phiri

“My journey of 17 years working at Wilderness started in a one-roomed office in Lusaka as a mechanic/driver. I saw the construction of all the Kafue camps and I was given a great chance – to transform from a mechanic to finally being the Zambian Field Operations Manager. I have also seen the transformation from using HF radios to communicate, to satellite phones, to the internet, and how these simpler methods of communications have changed bush life and brought us closer to people. We as Wilderness have played a major role in contributing to the dissemination of information and how a carbon footprint affects the areas we operate in. Every day that I wake up in the middle of the wilderness with birds singing at 04:30 and getting louder as the sun brightens, the more I realise how lucky I am to be part of this great family. It’s been a life-changing experience. I celebrate 40 years of Wilderness proudly."

– Arnold Mulimba, Wilderness Zambia Field Operations Manager.

Arnold Mulimba and Shumba staff

“I’m very proud to be part of this organisation. Looking back on the successes of the last 40 years, I think it shows that we’re in a really good place to go forward and take what we’ve learned, to come up with something that pushes the boundaries of how we view our planet and the beautiful natural habitats that it has. I believe we’re in a prime position to be at the forefront of that. To learn a lot, to give back a lot, and to really set the standard as to what a wildlife area can mean to people and how we look after it”. – Iain McConachie, North America Retail Manager.