What to expect from Wilderness in 2025

Magashi Peninsula will offer our guests exceptional access to wildlife, such as white and eastern black rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, elephants, leopards, lions and over 500 bird species. Overlooking Lake Rwanyakazinga and the dramatic Mutumba Mountains, the camp will also provide stunning views of the area’s diverse landscapes, from vast open plains and woodlands to expansive lakes and rolling green hills.

While Magashi accommodates 16 guests, Magashi Peninsula is an exclusive eight-bed camp, providing an even greater sense of privacy and connection to nature. When you need to truly reset, this level of exclusivity can be transformative for the soul. The camp consists of a beautiful Villa as well as two twin suites, all with their own plunge pools and gorgeous vistas over the lake.

The private four-bed Villa is the epitome of luxury, allowing you to feel almost entirely alone in the wild. Offering personalised in-Villa meals and a private guide, the entire reserve can feel like your own private sanctuary. With a spacious main bedroom, two en-suite rooms and an extra multi-purpose room that can be used as a gym, office or family room, the Villa is the perfect place for families seeking a retreat together. For the ultimate experience of Rwanda’s Great Rift Valley wilderness, we recommend combining your stay at Magashi Peninsula with East Africa’s finest gorilla trekking base – Wilderness Bisate Reserve. 

Like all Wilderness camps, Magashi Peninsula is dedicated to protecting wildlife and habitats, while uplifting and empowering neighbouring communities. As part of the Magashi Peninsula development, Wilderness is working closely with the Akagera Management Company – a collaboration between the Rwanda Development Board and African Parks – to support essential conservation initiatives, including predator monitoring, invasive plant management and educational programmes for the next generation of conservationists.   

Since 2020, Wilderness Magashi and our Children in the Wilderness programme have partnered with Akayange village near Akagera National Park, providing environmental education and supporting school infrastructure. Rooted in the belief that conservation and community empowerment go hand in hand, we are expanding this commitment through Magashi Peninsula, to further empower a new generation of conservation leaders.

Chitabe is temporarily closed for an extensive rebuild of the guest suites, with plans to reopen in mid 2025. The rooms will be larger and airier, featuring eco-friendly cooling methods inspired by ancient Egyptian and Persian techniques. These upgrades are aimed to enhance guest comfort in Botswana’s heat, whilst remaining committed to efficient and sustainable energy use. 

The culinary experiences at both camps are also undergoing enhancements, with revamped menus that offer a memorable taste of the Delta. 

Wilderness Bisate has its own spa refurbishments underway, set to be added to the lodge’s beloved Kwanda Day Lounge, a sanctuary for early-arrivals, as well as departing guests, to relax after a last exciting gorilla trek before their onward transfer. Nestled in Bisate’s organic vegetable garden with sweeping views of the surrounding rainforest, the lounge is the perfect place to take a walk through the greenery, shop for a memento, indulge in a delicious light meal or unwind with a shower or massage after their morning activity. Keep an eye out for more news on Bisate’s wellness offering, which is planned to launch later this year. 

Southern Africa’s ongoing drought has severely affected local communities who depend on the land for their survival, as well as the wildlife that shares these lands. Recognising the urgent need for support, the Wilderness Trust partnered with various stakeholders, local partners and community leaders in December 2024 to provide critical food relief where it’s needed most. By the end of January 2025, this Drought Relief Nutrition Programme will have provided 9,000 essential monthly food parcels to at-risk communities in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

This initiative is not just about delivering sustenance; it’s about fostering hope and ensuring that people and wildlife can coexist harmoniously during these challenging times. It’s a testament to our belief that conservation is as much about people as it is about protecting wild places.

In late 2024, we launched the Wilderness Impact Challenge, an ambitious initiative aimed at supporting transformative conservation projects. Focused on advancing environmental protection and sustainable practices within the tourism industry, the Challenge invites innovative project ideas across various areas, from wildlife data and monitoring solutions to education programmes, technological inventions and beyond. The winning entrant will receive prize money of USD100,000 to bring their vision to life.

These initiatives underscore our commitment to creating a future where Africa’s wild spaces thrive, not just as havens for wildlife, but as places where both people and nature can flourish together.