Unpacking the Safari Industry

[WRITER: Chris Chiparaushe ] [ PHOTOS: Wilderness Safaris, African Bush Camps ]

An African safari holiday is on many people’s bucket list and the African safari holiday is a multi-faceted trip requiring expertise to put it together. It involves transportation (air, road, sometimes rail and water), accommodation, and activities. Safari planners and consultants put all these together so that guests have a seamless and wonderful experience. However, like the duck that looks calm and unruffled on the surface while paddling furiously under water, a lot is happening to ensure that guests enjoy a hassle-free and memorable safari trip. In the next issues of Travel and Leisure Zambia and Zimbabwe, we take a peek at what happens behind the scenes to get a better understanding of this fascinating industry. We look at the different types of safaris, the safari areas in Zambia and Zimbabwe, the roles people play in the industry, and what it takes to build a successful career in the industry.

The word safari is one of the most recognisable and versatile words in the world. It is said to have originated from Arabic and Swahili. There are many different types of African safaris. The most common distinction is between a hunting safari, also referred to as consumptive, and a photographic safari, also known as a non-consumptive. We will be looking at photographic safaris for now. Photographic safaris can be defined in so many ways which overlap and are inter-changeable: by type of location (lodge-based, mobile, or overland) and by mode of transport (fly-in, canoeing, hot air balloon, horseback, or self-drive). Safaris are also classified by specialty or main activity (birding, fishing, cycling, walking, conservation, or photographic) and can be privately guided or unaccompanied, budget, mid-range, or luxury.

Safari has also assumed an all-encompassing nature to include activities that do not include wildlife like cultural interactions, scenic views, and other adventures. This is because a safari package often includes these activities and it becomes impossible to separate them. Safari can also be used to describe clothing (safari shirt, safari hat). Some staff in lodges and camps have even coined their own safari definitions like ‘sleeping safari’ (when guests are lying in and not doing an early morning activity) and ‘packing safari’

Safaris are conducted in many different areas with national parks being the most common. Other safari areas include Game Management Areas (Zambia), safari areas (Zimbabwe), private game reserves, sanctuaries, botanical reserves, botanical gardens, recreational parks, conservancies, game ranches, and game farms. A fairly recent addition is the Transfrontier Park also known as Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) or Peace Park. Most of these safari areas are run by governments with private operators paying a lease fee to be able to conduct safaris in them. Others are privately owned or owned by communities with the government maintaining a supervisory role to ensure compliance with the law and best practice. There are small differences in operating rules based on land ownership but the overriding goal is to preserve the flora and fauna for people’s enjoyment.

Chris Chiparaushe

Chris Chiparaushe is a fully licenced professional guide who has led safaris in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Chris has worked in several capacities in the tourism industry including running several lodges and camps in South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe rising to positions of Chief Guide, Operations Manager, and Group General Manager. Chris has also run a Destination Management Company and a hospitality training company. Chris is currently a General Manager with a leading ecotourism and conservation company with several camps across Africa. He writes in his personal capacity.

‘We came to Africa looking for animals but fell in love with the people.’ This often-repeated remark is one of the major reasons why many guests return to Africa year after year and sometimes to the same parks, lodges/camps, and often using the same guides. Some of them make longlasting friendships and bring their families and friends when they return. True, Africa is endowed with spectacular landscapes and fascinating animals but it is often the people that make a safari memorable. Africans are generally warm and friendly and guests often build deep relationships with the people they encounter on safari.

Who are these people that guests encounter and share their love for the bush and stories with?

These people range from bush pilots, safari guides, lodge/camp managers, hosts, receptionists, chefs, cooks, trackers, drivers, waiters, porters, maintenance people, camp hands, researchers, reservation people, general managers, operations managers, directors, rangers, scouts, wardens and many more.

What qualifications and/ or experience is needed to fulfil such roles? How does one start in the safari industry? What characteristics does one need to succeed in this industry? Is one born for the industry or can one learn and succeed? Is there a safari school?

Join me as we tackle these questions in the next few editions. I will interview some of the tourism and safari industry’s gurus as well as the unsung heroes. Additionally, for your inspiration, I will share some of the most breath-taking safari areas in Zambia and Zimbabwe. I will also draw on the experiences I have garnered through working in this safari industry for more than 25 years as we shine the spotlight on the safari industry.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Lusaka, is located at Lusaka’s New Business District within walking distance to one of Zambia’s largest malls. Our hotel has 142 elegant and spacious guestrooms & suites, offering our guests a comprehensive service including: The best Breakfast Buffet, the strongest (& free) WiFi, 9 multifunctional meeting rooms with state of the art Audio/Video equipment. Our main restaurant Chuma Grill & Bar serves International cuisine with a fusion of Zambian dishes. Our Weekend Braai is a local favourite. Relax at our pool and enjoy a light meal or cocktails from the bar. Radisson Blu Hotel, Lusaka is the first hotel in Zambia to have completed the international SGS Audit; focusing in Cleaning, Hygiene & Disinfection. This independent health and safety assessment ensures that all measures as outlined in the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol are successfully followed. Learn more: https://bit.ly/2BnvmU By August 2021, 50% of our staff have been fully vaccinated.