WILDERNESS SAFARIS
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WILDERNESS Safaris
A walk on the WILD SIDE
Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Wilderness Safaris offers thrilling wildlife adventures, filled with intoxicating landscapes and exotic animals. Safari excursions and lodges in remote terrain help holidaymakers’ dreams come true, while also helping to spread the word about conservation.
company ethos is based on T hefundamentals of ecotourism,
with community partnerships, environmental awareness and preservation at the top of the agenda. The sensational death of Cecil the lion in Hwange made headline news, but has not affected occupancy levels at its lodges in the area. In a year which did have an adverse influence due to the Ebola virus, the company still managed to increase revenue and profits. But there are still challenges remaining. Chairman of Wilderness Holdings,
Parks Tafa, explained: “Potential travellers in our key source markets in the northern hemisphere chose not to travel. The resulting hype caused a great disservice to ecotourism and community empowerment. “However, we cannot miss the opportunity that Ebola has given us to educate the world. It is our vision and underlying blueprint and values that keep us progressing. It is also this environment of purpose that ensured that, in the midst of the Ebola hangover, we managed to help facilitate the largest ever cross-border
move of critically-endangered black rhino from South Africa and Zimbabwe into Botswana’s Okavango Delta. In so doing, making a major contribution to the long-term conservation of this species, so under siege currently from poaching and wildlife crime.” Operating some safari camps and lodges, as well as scheduled overland safaris in Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, the Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Wilderness Safaris is run primarily by a group of like-minded wildlife enthusiasts who came together to build a successful safari business. AFRICAINDUSTRYMAGAZINE.COM 3
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WILDERNESS Safaris
Wilderness Safaris employs 2,600 staff from more than 20 different ethnic groups, looking after approximately 35,000 visitors each year However, it is not a charitable venture – their aims also include fair returns for shareholders and stakeholders Wilderness Safaris operates luxurious, environmentally-friendly lodges and camps, situated in some of Africa’s best wildlife and wilderness areas across seven countries. They strive to operate the best safari camps, in the best locations, with the best service and guided experiences possible, whether this be in the Namib Desert, the Okavango Delta, Hwange or Mana Pools National Parks, Etosha, Damaraland, or Kafue National Park. “In order to host our guests, and therefore ensure the sustainable protection of the wilderness areas in which we operate, we have built a selection of small intimate safari camps across Africa. Of paramount importance to us is that our camps cause as little impact on the environment as possible”, said Mr Tafa. Wilderness Safaris is also a touroperating business, with its main booking office located in Johannesburg and with established relationships with some 2000 agents in the travel industry across the world. It prides itself in creating unique experiences and journeys for guests, employing the motto: “Our journeys change lives.” Investment Wilderness Safaris is investing heavily in expansion as it retains its core belief in the future of African ecotourism. New facilities in Namibia, Rwanda and Zimbabwe will enhance its portfolio.
Cheetah in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Exploring the Okavango Delta
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Of paramount importance to us is that our camps cause as little impact on the environment as possible. Chairman of Wilderness Holdings, Parks Tafa
On safari from Linkwasha Camp, Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
The construction of two lodges in Rwanda marks its first incursion into this country. Situated along the Albertine Rift and one of Africa’s most biodiverse regions, it is a haven of rainforest, with its most celebrated wild mammal being the iconic mountain gorilla of the Virunga Massif. The country’s forests are also home to another of Africa’s great apes, the chimpanzee, as well as a multitude of other primates, such as the striking golden monkey, a littleknown, but magnificent inhabitant of the bamboo forest. It is around these rare and threatened great ape and primate species that Wilderness Safaris Rwanda will build its new lodge circuit. “The opportunity to use the Wilderness Safaris model of responsible ecotourism to contribute to positive
Elephants are easily seen around Linkwasha
WILDERNESS Safaris
conservation and community empowerment in such a unique and exciting environment is exactly why we do what we do”, said Keith Vincent, group CEO. “More than that, we have found the Rwanda Government, ecotourism industry and conservation community to be nothing but welcoming and hospitable, in partnering with us to pioneer a new kind of ecotourism in this inspirational country.” Bisate Lodge, expected to comprise approximately nine rooms, will be set adjacent to the Volcanoes National Park, boasting spectacular views of the brooding Bisoke, Karisimbi and Mikeno volcanoes. The lodge will offer the perfect base for mountain gorilla trekking and Bisate Lodge will also be a visionary conservation and community project, with its first phase focusing on indigenous reforestation of a core 26-hectare site. This will be done in close partnership with the newly constituted 320-member Tuzamurane Cooperative. The lodge, sited within the natural amphitheatre of an extinct volcanic cone, is a new addition to Wilderness Collection and will officially open to guests in 2016. “We are also in discussions with the Rwanda Development Board to develop
Mountain gorilla in Rwanda
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WILDERNESS Safaris
Linkwasha Zimbabwe
a lodge in the nearby Gishwati-Mukura National Park, just a 15-minute helicopter flight to the south and even more ambitious in the scope of its vision to use responsible ecotourism to effect far-reaching and positive environmental change,” continued Vincent. Just 12 guests, staying in six rustic forest cottages, will have the privilege of exclusive access to the habituated chimpanzee and golden monkey communities of Gishwati Forest. All revenues generated from these forest activities will go towards the conservation of the brand-new Gishwati-Mukura National Park and the establishment of a connecting forest corridor between the two forests of Gishwati and Mukura. By linking the two, currently separated by 16km, a combined area of nearly 6,000ha of Albertine Rift forest and a whole host of endemic mammals, birds, insects and plants will be protected. This will more than triple chimpanzee habitat and allow growth in the population of this vulnerable great ape. The news follows the opening of the Linkwasha Camp in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. Mr Vincent explained: “Our decision to invest in
this destination and open a new camp was based on our tremendous belief in Zimbabwe as a major player in Africa’s tourism industry. We are excited to deliver not only an exceptional wildlife experience, but also a new level of luxury, on a par with what guests would associate with our Botswana camps”. With over 18 years of experience in Hwange, Wilderness Safaris has two private concessions in the most productive wildlife areas of the Park. Situated on the same site as the old Linkwasha, the new camp is perfectly located; far away from public access areas, but close to the well-known Ngamo Plains, which offer fantastic summer game viewing – to add to the excellent winter viewing within the Linkwasha Concession. Activities make the most of the exceptional year-round wildlife-viewing opportunities the area has to offer, with regular sightings of large herds of elephant and buffalo, prides of lions, and an abundance of plains game and birdlife. The concession’s savannah grassland habitat is the ideal environment for walking safaris and interpretative game drives led by highly experienced Wilderness Safaris guides.
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WILDERNESS Safaris
Hoanib Namibia
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game-viewing opportunities. The area is home to desert-adapted elephant, as well as gemsbok, giraffe, springbok and occasionally lion and rhino. For itineraries of three nights or more, guests can visit the world-famous Skeleton Coast and its seal colonies and pebble beaches. In line with Wilderness Safaris’ ongoing commitment to Namibia’s Community-based Natural Resource Management policy, the 20-year concession is a joint venture alongside the neighbouring Community-based Conservancies of Anabeb, Torra and Sesfontein.
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Last year, the company added Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp in Namibia. Mike Wassung, Wilderness Safaris Namibia CEO says, “Its location in the isolated Kaokoveld makes it an ideal option for adventurous travellers looking for an off-the-beaten-track destination and the opportunity to see a variety of desert-adapted species.” Activities make the most of the diverse landscapes, with guests exploring the area on foot, by vehicle and by air, along with expert Wilderness Safaris guides. Unique attractions include true desert oases found in the Hoanib floodplains, as well as unique
We are excited to deliver not only an exceptional wildlife experience, but also a new level of luxury on a par with what guests would associate with our Botswana camps. Wilderness Safaris Group CEO, Keith Vincent
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WILDERNESS Safaris
Wilderness Safaris currently operates seven camps using 100% solar power and five camps with solar generator hybrid systems Ecotourism and conservation Tackling climate change impact and implementing sustainable solutions is part of the Wilderness way of life. The company is committed to protecting the planet’s precious natural and cultural resources. Sustainable energy usage is therefore a natural priority for the business and great strides have been made in this arena, with seven of Wilderness Safaris’ camps currently operating on 100% solar power. Further to this, there are five camps with solar generator hybrid systems, reducing generator usage by about 50%. The company also has 597 solar geysers, or solar thermodynamic geysers, in place throughout its operations, further reducing the need for reliance on generators or electricity. “Regular geysers may typically operate for two hours a day in our wilderness camps, and would usually contain a 2kW electrical element. This means that the introduction of solar geysers results in a 4kW/h saving per day, which has translated into a substantial saving across the business of 71,640 kW/h. We are extremely proud of our dedication to sustainable energy and doing what we can to combat the effects of climate change”, says Brett Wallington, Wilderness Safaris Sustainability Manager.
When considering the energy savings generated by the use of 100% solar plants and hybrid plants, and working on six hours of energy production per day (the standard for the southern hemisphere), this works out at 55,800kW/h for 100% solar-operated camps and 22,860 kW/h for those operating on hybrid plants each month. Once again, this is substantial in terms of energy saving. Tallying these savings up results in a combined saving of 1,803 600kW/h each year, translating into an estimated 658,348 litres of diesel fuel saved on an annual basis. This is certainly a significant move away from reliance on fossil fuels, which is a key priority for Wilderness Safaris. Finally, as a result of the energy efficiencies Wilderness Safaris has put in place, the business is saving 1,731 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.
passenger numbers, and an additional contributing factor was the higher fuel costs that peaked at nearly US$130 per barrel in mid-2011. This led to the implementation of new initiatives in 2012 that included reduced flying, better usage of empty seats – by combining staff movements with guest transfers – and a greater focus on eliminating dead or empty legs. The result is that, over the last three years, total kilometres flown have reduced by 7% with the passenger count remaining relatively flat and EBITDA increasing by 44% over 2014, from a loss in 2013.
Conservation Wilderness Safaris successfully translocated a founder population of
The four ‘Cs’ – Commerce, Conservation, Community, Culture
Commerce Although Wilderness Safaris is an enlightened eco-company, it is also a commercial operation. The global economic crisis in 2009 deeply affected the company’s flying business, Wilderness Air. Reduced demand out of target markets resulted in lower
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WILDERNESS Safaris
Our journeys change lives
rhino translocations ever undertaken in the history of conservation. In Namibia, Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, situated in the Palmwag Concession, opened in 2014 – the first 100% solar-powered camp in Namibia, following on from the success of the solar conversions in Botswana.
Community and Culture
critically endangered black rhino to the Okavango Delta World Heritage Site in a joint collaboration with the Governments of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. This is part of an ongoing conservation project to establish a core population of this species in Botswana and will be followed by further translocations from Zimbabwe and South Africa this year. Wilderness Safaris, in partnership with the Botswana, South African and Zimbabwean Governments, has successfully completed the largest ever cross-border translocation of criticallyendangered black rhino – the latest phase in a collaborative project that spans over 15 years and has grown to become one of the most important
Wilderness Safaris’ non-profit Children in the Wilderness (CITW) won an award for community engagement. The company also developed and finalised a comprehensive Wilderness Safaris Ethics Charter and Code of Conduct for Cultural Tourism, which will be the guide for cultural engagement. There is much more that needs to be done, however, which is why, some 20 years ago, Wildlife Safaris created the Wilderness Wildlife Trust, an independent entity that supports a wide variety of wildlife management, research and education projects throughout Africa. These projects address the needs of wildlife, seek solutions to save threatened species and provide education and training for local communities. This has made the company’s journey more meaningful and they’ve reached more people and places than before.
Botswana rhino relocation project
Conservation of animals and plants is only as strong as the people who live in their vicinity. If they’re not interested, protection is likely to exist only on paper. That’s why Africa’s future lies in its children, and why the Children in the Wilderness programme aims to educate the youth of the country, inspiring and helping them to appreciate and protect, their magnificent natural heritage. Every year, some camps are closed for a week at a time and groups of 16 to 25 children, between the ages of 10 and 14, are invited, giving them the opportunity to experience these wilderness areas and their wildlife. Annual report Despite a year of challenges, Wilderness increased revenue by 12% to P944.5m and profits after tax by 57% to P76m. Occupancy rates were also up, although cash generated from operations fell. The annual statement concluded: “Our products are luxury and discretionary purchases. Demand for them is sometimes depressed by factors beyond our control, especially when economic shocks are experienced in our source markets. “The impact of the Ebola virus along with the new visa requirements that the South African authorities have announced are expected to have a negative effect on the coming financial year. However, we remain hopeful that the impact on high season will be subdued. “One of the more obvious opportunities for the Group is to increase utilisation of existing capacity. The bednight sales in the current year represent overall bed capacity utilisation of 65% for the properties that we own. Although this is up from the 62% equivalent for 2014, it is evident that there is potential for improvement.” ■
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wilderness safaris Johannesburg Tel: +27 11 807 1800 Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00 GMT+2 Cape Town Tel: +27 21 702 7500 Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00 GMT+2 Email: enquiry@wilderness.co.za wilderness-safaris.com
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