At Wilderness Safaris, we delight in sharing the wild places of Southern Africa with our guests in a responsible manner. These magnificent remote areas provide a means, for both our guests and ourselves, of reconnecting with our natural spirit – something often neglected and forgotten in the modern, fast-paced world in which we live. Our aim is to share what we have learnt over the years, on a journey that constantly changes our own lives, and which we hope will touch and change yours.

At the same time, we believe that the future of conservation in Africa depends on the attitude of the communities living next to these wild areas. For too long the needs of these communities were neglected by people involved in conservation work. The twin benefits to the community of tourism ventures and employment create a true appreciation for the value of the land and its wildlife. Finally, we aim to create safaris that are educational, explorative, fun and insightful of our guests’ needs. We look forward to you joining us on our journey.

Wilderness Safaris is a 22-year-old southern Africa safari specialist, that operates camps and safaris in Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the Seychelles. It is committed to providing highly memorable safaris that are both enriching and rewarding.

Wilderness Safaris is run by a group of likeminded wildlife enthusiasts who have come together to build a successful safari business, delivering a unique experience for our guests and fair returns for all shareholders and stakeholders, while ensuring that southern Africa's pristine wilderness and wildlife areas remain sustainably protected. In so doing, the foundation of the Wilderness ideology – that “The world’s wilderness areas will save humankind” – is upheld. We want to make a difference in people’s lives by enabling them to find new paths, and by leaving a legacy of conservation for our children.

We offer wildlife, marine and heritage safaris in remote and pristine wilderness destinations which are specialized, educational, explorative and fun. Our camps and services are safe, hygienic, authentic and insightful of guests’ needs. Our “conservation through tourism” policy shares the benefits of tourism with local communities and ensures the protection of these areas for future generations. The reserves and concessions that Wilderness manages offer some of Africa’s most impressive and untouched wildlife experiences. We are privileged to operate privately on over 4 million hectares of southern Africa’s best wildlife and wilderness reserves in some  49 lodges and camps . Wilderness has over 4 000 hectares (9 800 acres) per bed of private land – or 7 500 hectares (18 500 acres) per room, creating a sense of privacy and space that makes our operation unique.

Instead of having one style set throughout Wilderness camps, we celebrate the difference and uniqueness of each area and its wildlife – so that each group of camps has its own identity, feel and character. This variety of accommodation, activities and product means that there’s something for everyone wanting to come to Africa. Wilderness Safaris has its head office in Johannesburg, South Africa, as well as regional offices in Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and in Cape Town, South Africa.

At Wilderness Safaris we believe that in the world’s wilderness areas lies the preservation of humankind. We want to make a difference in people’s lives by enabling them to find new paths, and by leaving a legacy of conservation for our children. Since 1983, Wilderness Safaris has specialized in privately hosted safaris and memorable wildlife experiences in the most remote and pristine areas in southern Africa. Our goal is to share these wild areas with guests from all over the world while at the same time making use of the benefits of tourism by contributing to the local communities, helping to ensure the future protection of Africa’s spectacular wildlife heritage.

Why Choose Wilderness Safaris

There are many safari companies in Africa and a vast array of areas to choose from so why choose Wilderness? You will notice that our brochure focuses on the incredible wild places in which we are privileged to operate and less on our lodges. These magnificent areas, far off the beaten tourist tracks of Africa, represent for our guests and for ourselves a way of reconnecting with our primeval nature and spirit that often gets trapped in our busy everyday lives. The locations and the feeling of being in true, prime and remote wilderness areas means everything to us. The way we host our guests enhances the physical beauty and spirit of these pristine areas. Passionate and dedicated people run our camps. Our aim is to share with you all we have learnt: - on game drives, on foot, by canoe or mokoro.

The key to a successful African safari is to ensure that the company you choose is truly capable of providing what you are looking for in terms of the reserves in which the lodges and camps are situated, the wildlife viewing opportunities, the design and style of the camps and most importantly the knowledge and quality of the guides and staff. The reserves we profile are large, exclusive and offer unbeatable experiences. We have displayed these areas in our brochure knowing that each camp and lodge has a superb location.

Here are some good reasons why we feel you should consider choosing Wilderness Safaris to host you in southern Africa:

* We have 22 years of experience in running southern African safaris.

* Dedicated conservationists and guides own and run Wilderness Safaris and in doing so, they do what they enjoy most.

* We have the best locations and are privileged to traverse over vast acres of prime, mostly completely private African wilderness.

* Even though some of our camps are located within countries where malaria can occur, we have a superb malarial safety record. Our camps are sprayed regularly and are far removed from populated areas where malaria may occur. Many camps have the new "Mossie Magnet" machine that further helps to minimize the mosquito numbers.

* Through The Wilderness Trust, we support strategic conservation causes across southern Africa

* We contribute directly to the upliftment of the communities who live closest to the parks and reserves in which we operate. This ensures that these communities become conservationists in their own right and do not have to turn to poaching to survive. We turn the potential poachers into ardent conservationists

* By working with communities, we have converted close to half a million acres of land into prime wildlife reserves and conservancies that now have formal conservation protection.

* Wilderness Safaris is recognized worldwide for our efforts in conservation. We don't practice conservation in name only. In January 2003 Wilderness Safaris was awarded the "Oscar" of the eco-tourism industry - The World Legacy Award for nature based tourism presented by Conservation International & National Geographic. In October 2003 Wilderness Safaris received the prestigious ASTA Environmental Award

* Our camps are small and intimate - most have less than 10 rooms.

* We have a no hunting policy in all our reserves, so animals are relaxed, enabling us to offer the best possible game viewing.

* Repeat guests form a huge portion of our business and many of our guests have been on safari with us more than 10 times.

* We ensure that the camps have their own individual flair. Although the design of each camp varies, each lodge or camp has a warm homely atmosphere. We are not offering a sterile hotel chain in the bush.

* We take our responsibility to the environment seriously and look for the same sentiment in our guests. Wildlife and wilderness is our prime motivation and the main reason why our guests choose us. It's an opportunity to escape the pressures and excesses of city living Ð a life changing experience, a journey of self discovery and enrichment.

* Wilderness guides take a more holistic view of the environments we operate in and give our guests a broader and more rounded experience than other more traditional areas of Africa where the emphasis is sometimes solely on the "Big 5" and spas in the bush.

Our Credo

*Our credo is what everyone working for Wilderness agrees on, prior to joining the company - and what we do as a company to guide us in our day-to-day decision making.

*We are a group of likeminded companies and individuals who strive to provide the finest possible safaris in Africa's truly wild places. Marketing and operating under the Wilderness Safaris umbrella, these companies, which operate independently in each country, are driven by core values.
They are all holistic, conservation-orientated, non-consumptive, caring and ethically driven operations.

*We believe that low volume, low impact, non-consumptive tourism is the most successful way to create a sustainable engine for economic growth in a country, for its peoples, our staff and partners. Our activities must help stimulate these economies, so that all stakeholders help protect the environment and its wildlife.

*Everything we do as a travel and safari company must add value: from the countries in which we operate, the environment, the local communities, the people who work for us, our guests, our partners and finally, the company.

*We put the environments in which we work above everything else. Our company's ethos means we can say no to guest's requests if that request compromises our principles (i.e. is harmful to the environment, their safety or the safety of our employees).

*We recognize that one of our primary resources is our staff. They are, in every respect, the interface between our products, the environment, our guests and our clients.

*We believe that it is our responsibility to employ from, train and help uplift the communities in the areas where we are represented. We wish to promote the prosperity of these rich cultures, the wildlife that surrounds them and the unspoiled places they occupy. We aim to provide the framework to enable these communities to fully embrace their environmental and cultural heritages and become the custodians of the future.

*On our safaris and in our camps, we host, entertain and educate our guests, striving to give them holistic experiences that will produce new (or reaffirmed) conservationists and create guests for life. At the end of the safari, our guests should become the new ambassadors for Wilderness Safaris and for Africa taking Africa's messages of hope and conservation success around the globe.

*Hosting guests is our primary concern. We endeavor to create an ambience in the camps that makes our guests feel as though they are in their hosts' home. Our employees have to enjoy interacting with guests and understand that our future depends on how well we look after our guests and how much they enjoy their stay with us.

*Guides, their knowledge and the way they interact with our guests can make or break a safari and Wilderness firmly believes that we have gone the extra mile to train our guides to a level that is unrivalled in the industry. They also have a genuine love for their countries, what they do and the people they meet.

*We always live by the principle of 'under promising and over delivering' and always act in all our dealings with integrity!

Our vision and goals

Around 80% of the world's terrestrial biodiversity can be found on only 5% of the earth's surface. The key to the continued species diversity on the planet is to be found in the sustainable protection of this 5% - the areas known as environmental "hotspots". These are areas of extremely high species diversity (or "endemism"), that are found nowhere else on earth.

The core philosophy of Wilderness Safaris is to run a good business ensuring that southern Africa's most pristine wilderness and wildlife areas remain sustainably protected - while delivering a great experience for our guests and fair returns for shareholders and stakeholders. Wilderness Safaris tourism projects must help protect and nurture these wild places and our environmental "hotspots". Nearly every region where we have developed a low-density tourism operation, is in an area of high species diversity and/or is a key wilderness area. We are proud that our projects have helped to protect these reserves and have often increased the amount of land under conservation protection.

Conservation Involvement:-

Age Limits on Safari

The next ingredient of the Wilderness "recipe" is that we try to be as all-inclusive as possible in our camps and on our safaris. All the camps and safaris listed have all the core activities included in the cost, and many include drinks and laundry as well. Optional excursions such as hot air ballooning, helicopter flights and scuba are naturally excluded. However, all the main activities, such as park fees, game drives, game walks, mekoros, boating and meals (with the exception of city centers such as Victoria Falls and Windhoek), are included. Most camps and some safaris even include local drinks, mineral water, beers and wines!

As a general rule, the Botswana and Zimbabwe camps and 4 paw safaris, as well as that of the Skeleton Coast, include all local drinks, mineral water, wines and beers. In Namibia, all wine at dinner and all soft drinks on game drives in our own camps are included, but not included in hotels and lodges owned by others. As the tariffs in our Malawi and South African camps are low, we unfortunately have to charge for drinks. Please consult your itinerary for the exact details of what is included and excluded.

Drinks

At our camps and lodges we include certain drinks within reason. What is included is in direct relation to what the guest has paid and what drinks in camp cost. Our drink policy per camp is listed below:

Botswana: All our Botswana lodges include all local drinks – except premium imports (e.g. Chivas Regal), which are available at an extra cost.

Namibia: All drinks on game drives and activities are included, as is house wine at dinner. All other bar purchases are excluded. Should you wish to include drinks (excluding premium imports) an extra cost of US$10 per person per night will be charged. At Little Ongava Lodge, Serra Cafema or on our scheduled Skeleton Coast Safaris we include all local drinks (excluding premium imports) in the cost.

Zimbabwe: All our Zimbabwe lodges and camps include all local drinks – except premium imported champagne, etc.

Malawi & South Africa: Our prices are very low and therefore no drinks are included in the nightly tariff.

Eco-Friendly

The camps must be eco-friendly. We employ full-time ecologists whose job is to ensure that our camps are as eco-friendly as possible. Their focus is to work with the park or reserve authorities and with our camp managers to make sure that we "tread" as gently as possible.

Guaranteed Departures

All of our fly-in safaris have guaranteed departures for a minimum of two people - and some have guaranteed departures for one guest once they have paid the single surcharge. Our vehicle and camping safari departures are guaranteed once you have paid your deposit and we have confirmed your booking in writing. You can therefore book your safari safe in the knowledge that we will not cancel your holiday. We are one of the very few companies who offer this guarantee. With us, you can plan your holiday with confidence. A comprehensive information pack detailing important information about your safari will be sent to your agent prior to departure. Please make sure you receive this.

How we supply power in our camps

Most camps have no access to regular electrical power as we are in such remote locations. The camps may have a generator on site that produces 220V electricity, or they may use solar panels. We don't want to have the sounds of a generator in camp, so the generators are silenced as much as possible - and they run for only three or four hours in the morning and the same again in the afternoon when guests are out on activities. The electricity created is used to power ice machines, deep freezers and fridges (with special "hold over plates" which are able to keep food and drinks cold all day). The generator also has to charge up the batteries that store the power for the bedroom lights and for the fans above the beds. There is ample electricity for charging batteries for video cameras direct from the generator (when you are out on game drives) - but not for hairdryers and air conditioning.

In our mobile-tented camps on 3 paw   and some nights on 4 paw safaris  , there will be no electricity, and lighting will be by paraffin lamps and campfires - the traditional African experience!

In the vast majority of our camps, we do not burn firewood to heat the water in your showers or baths. Instead, we heat the water with the sun's rays by means of solar panels. The only firewood we burn is the small amount needed for the evening's campfire! Dead wood should be left out in the veld so that it can be recycled naturally to ensure that nutrients are returned to the soil.

Meals

In Camps and Lodges

This varies from country to country and is dependent on what we can buy in that country. Generally, we are not a "nouvelle cuisine" safari company. We prefer to opt for good, wholesome home style cooking at elegantly set dining tables (sometimes under the stars, sometimes under thatch or canvas) where guests can discuss and debate the day's events with their guides. The meal times are geared around the best game viewing times, and the activities specific to a particular camp. In game viewing areas, for instance, we don't come back into camp at 8am just to have breakfast. We would rather be out in the field enjoying the fauna and flora when the viewing is at its best. Our meal times take this into account. In these camps, we abandon the traditional three meals a day routine. We start off at first light with a very quick continental breakfast of juices, tea or coffee plus a quick bowl of cereal or toast - and then we are off in the vehicles. We usually return at approximately 10 or 11am for a large brunch - literally, a combination of breakfast and lunch. Light snacks and tea / coffee / juices would be provided before the start of the afternoon game drive which would be followed by a return to camp for a hearty dinner. We can cater for vegetarians, but please warn us when making your reservation so that we can be fully prepared.

Meals on Camping Safaris On Cross Country Safaris

On cross country safaris, refrigerators or cooler boxes are on the vehicles and fresh food is enjoyed each day. Most meals on safari are included, the exception being any lunches or dinners in bigger towns such as Victoria Falls or in Windhoek, where there are a variety of restaurant choices. Please refer to the individual itineraries for exact details. There is no additional food kitty to be collected on arrival. On accommodated safaris - (5 Paw) -  ( ), the lodges take care of all the meals. On first class camping safaris (4 Paw), our staff handle all the cooking and the camp chores. Meals on these safaris are normally three course, and wine is included with dinner. On participation camping safaris (3 Paw), meals are often prepared on an open fire under the stars and the group normally prepares their own meals on a roster system basis. However, the guide purchases all supplies in advance and normally offers suggestions regarding daily menus.

No Fences

We do not build walls or put up electric fences around our camps, nor are the campsites we use on some safaris fenced. Animals do sometimes wander through the camps. Please listen to your guide's instructions to ensure you are safe. There has never been a guest injured in any way in a tented camp or campsite who has obeyed the rules. Keep your tent door or flaps closed and you will be safe. We provide flashlights in all camps, but some of the camping safaris require that guests bring their own.

Our Guides

We pride ourselves in the dedication, experience and enthusiasm of our guides. From top management to camp staff, we are committed to ensuring that everything is done to make each safari a memorable experience. Our professionalism has attracted guides who are serious about a career in wildlife and are very experienced in their region of operation. They are all excellent naturalists, keen conservationists, and quite a few are accomplished photographers.

Private Guides

Wilderness Safaris' private guides have years of experience and an extensive knowledge of, and passion for, the areas in which they work. These guides are able to accompany your party throughout all or part of your safari in their particular country of operation and can turn the trip into the experience of a lifetime. Having an intimate knowledge of each camp and area they are able to expose the relevant highlights, adding continuity and depth as your journey unfolds, and effectively tailor making your experience around any special interests.  Many guests return year after year to be guided by a particular guide with whom they have built up a relationship on previous trips.

Pilot Guides

Perhaps the best way to travel around southern Africa is with your own pilot and plane. We have a number of guides who are qualified pilots and who will accompany you throughout the trip, allowing for seamless interpretation and unrivalled flexibility. These pilot-guides combine perfectly with the resident camp guides to ensure that not only do you benefit from years of local knowledge but also from an overall holistic interpretation that takes your entire safari into account.

Independent Specialist Guides and Hosts

While our private guides may be recognized as specialists in their own right, we do also organize independent specialist and private guides for groups with very specific requirements. These interests may range from ornithology to astronomy, paleontology, photography, botany and even anthropology. In such cases we contract independent guides - often university academics and recognized authorities - with whom we have worked before and who understand our business, camps and culture. Another aspect that can transform a group safari is the addition of a host or hostess, who will ensure the seamless running of every aspect of the safari, down to the preparation of Kosher.

Our History

At Wilderness Safaris we're very proud of our rich heritage. Our 22 years in Africa have resulted in a wealth of experience and knowledge which we strive to pass on to all the guests who travel with us.

Wilderness Safaris was established in 1983 by a group of individuals who had a dream; a dream to share some of the most remote wilderness areas on the African sub-continent with guests from all over the world, in a way that lightly touched the environment but left a big imprint on the soul. The fulfillment of this ideal began with a single Land Rover and plenty of enthusiasm. Today, 22 years later, Wilderness Safaris has grown to manage over 50 exclusive camps and lodges in six southern African countries and the Seychelles. But while we may have increased in size, our culture and values have remained the same. In the early 1980s, Botswana was a little known safari destination. Photographic safaris were generally restricted to using the national parks, while hunting safari companies controlled large tracts of the Okavango Delta. Safaris usually began in Johannesburg, with guests being driven all the way through Botswana and Victoria Falls and back to Johannesburg.

It was at this time that two guides started Wilderness Safaris with an ardent desire to improve the way in which safaris were operated. They both had an intense and intrinsic love of the environment and the country and believed fervently that time was ripe for change.  The first step was to set up an operation based in Maun, Botswana, so as to maximize the time spent in the prime game viewing areas. Next, better Land Rovers were used and Specialist Safaris were introduced - and the business began to grow. Likeminded guides joined and Wilderness Safaris began to spread out into neighboring countries. By the nineties, Wilderness was a well-known mobile camping safari company and had begun to develop a few permanent lodges.

Around this time, the government of Botswana reviewed the use of land in the Okavango and superb areas outside the national parks became available for tender. This single act changed the face of safaris in Botswana forever and allowed Wilderness to develop and grow in a meaningful way. Similar developments took place in other countries - Malawi, Namibia and Zimbabwe all developed lodge and camp circuits which changed the emphasis of the business. An important development at this time was the introduction of meaningful community involvement in both ownership and operating of concessions. Although this had already taken place at Rocktail Bay and Ndumo in South Africa, the model that was developed between Wilderness Safaris Namibia and the people of the Damaraland area was to set new standards for the industry. So successful has this project been that the area was declared a Conservancy by the Namibian Government, and Damaraland Camp won the international "Tourism for Tomorrow" award in 2005.

Today, the scope and variety of areas that Wilderness currently manages is beyond compare. Our aim is to operate in the best wilderness and wildlife areas in all countries in which we are present and expansion of the group, most recently into Zambia, constantly provides opportunities to enter fantastic new locations. Our mobile camping safaris have also undergone much development in the last two years with the most important feature being that we are now able to operate largely in our concession areas allowing greater privacy and exclusivity than we had when the company was started.

In a sense, this has taken us back to our source, which has been pleasing for a group of people who take so much pride in where they have come from and seek to remain true to their origins.

Our Camps and Lodges

Most of our guests come from developed countries and have traveled extensively, often staying in the best hotels. The vast majority of our guests do not want a conventional hotel room out in the bush when they come on an African safari. What we try to do is to provide the atmosphere of Africa, as it was 100 or 200 years ago, but still offer comfort. It is a very delicate juggling act to get this balance right. We provide our guests with many of the comforts of a hotel room ~ but when our guests lie in bed at night we want them to feel the pulse of wild Africa. When Lions roar, they must hear the roars, but they must also be safe! Experiencing this wildness in a brick building is nigh impossible. So most of our camps are tented or are under thatch with canvas walls. These rooms offer a safe sanctuary, but have atmosphere.

The design of our rooms is such that our guests experience every comfort. Each camp's interiors have been tastefully designed. We supply large deluxe beds, fresh linen, towels, face cloths, good lighting (though this is often 12 volts). Even all the soaps and shampoos are supplied. We always have en suite bathrooms with flush toilets. Some camps even have an additional and optional outdoor shower or bath "under the stars" to get you even closer to nature if that's what you enjoy. The camps are sprayed on a regular basis with an enviro-friendly pyrethroid chemical that is effective against mosquitoes and malaria. We have a remarkably good record in this regard.

Safaris that include Camping

A few of our safaris include some serviced camping, such as our Explorations Safaris in Botswana, Namibia, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Each departure is open to a maximum of 8 guests (minimum 2). Explorations allows guests to experience Africa in a very traditional way, affording a true "out of Africa" encounter and guided throughout by dedicated and experienced professionals. Meals are often prepared in front of the guests, and generally enjoyed under the stars around a well-lit dining table; all this enhancing the atmosphere and camaraderie.

There are two types of Explorations, each with its own style of accommodation: Discoverer and Adventurer.

Fully serviced Discoverer Safaris expertly combine luxury lodges with camping in walk-in Meru-style tents, elegantly designed in ‘old brass’ and teak, pure cotton linen, hanging canvas wardrobe and sumptuous beds. Our camp is lit by hurricane lanterns and 12v electricity with each tent enjoying en-suite and private flush toilets and hot water bucket showers. A full bar and dining area is set under our 8m x 5m dining tent, complete with teak director chairs and candlelight.

On Adventurer Safaris, a philosophy of partially serviced camping exists with tin styles, thus setting the tone for an adventurous but comfortable wilderness experience. Each large 3m x 3m dome tent is fully furnished with comfortable camp stretchers and bedrolls (with pure cotton linen), a bedside table (with 12v electricity) and two small luggage racks. Each camp has two separate flushing toilet systems and two hot water bucket shower systems. Amenities and towels are also provided. Camp is lit with hurricane lanterns and has a 5m x 5m dining area, set with metal director chairs and tables with linen tablecloths.

The size of our camps and safaris

All our camps are small. Our smallest comprises of three rooms and our largest, ten rooms. Most are between four and eight rooms, so that guests enjoy great exclusivity and personal attention. The small size of the camps also ensures that we minimize our impact on the area.

Our safaris may take a minimum of two people, and a maximum of eight to twelve. The safaris that include a vehicle component are normally limited to eight guests in total. Our fly-in safaris can sometimes take ten or twelve, depending on the size of the camps and the aircraft used.

Smoking Policy

We have a no smoking policy at meals, on our vehicles, on the aircraft, and on boats (in fact anywhere where there is a fire hazard). If you are a smoker, we will have "smoke breaks" on the drives to keep you happy! We ask that you respect this ruling, and thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Vehicles

In Camps and Lodges We use open 4x4 Land Rovers almost exclusively in our camps. As we generally operate on private concessions, most of our camps have open vehicles. For those who have traveled in East Africa before, please don't come expecting a closed vehicle. The local conditions in Southern Africa are much more suited to open vehicles, and the all-round visibility is, therefore, so much better. The only game drive exception is Etosha where, by law, we have to have a canvas roof on our vehicles. Here we use 4x4 Nissans. All our game viewing camp vehicles have a similar layout. We normally have three rows of seats on a vehicle, plus seats for the driver and front passenger. Each of the three rows usually has three seats, so in theory we can seat 11 people including the driver. However, we restrict the number on a vehicle to 6 or 7 guests plus your guide. The only exception is in our 8-bedded camps where we may have 8 on a vehicle.

All our tailor-made safaris are sold on a "shared vehicle" basis. However, many of our guests have a special interest, be it photography or birding, or perhaps they just want to be on their own so that they can dictate the pace without worrying about the interests of another. Private vehicles and guides can be arranged, but at an extra cost. We can only guarantee a private vehicle service if you have booked this in advance, as some camps have vehicle restrictions by law and we cannot guarantee that the camps will have a spare vehicle and a spare guide if you try to book on site. So, if you require this facility, please book the private vehicle service with your travel agent when you are booking your safari.

Cross Country Vehicle On Cross Country Safaris The mode of transport on our vehicle safaris in the different countries depends primarily on local conditions. Vehicles are normally customized Land Rovers and very occasionally we may use a minibus (non-camping safaris only). A library of wildlife reference books and a first aid kit are standard on each camping safari vehicle. On participation camping trips we tow a trailer to carry all the camping equipment. Open 4x4 vehicles are sometimes used on game drives once we arrive at our tented camps on some four and five paw safaris.

2006 Imvelo Awards - Best single resource management - energy

Damaraland Camp is a winner once again, this time at the 2006 Imvelo Responsible Tourism Awards, for Best single resource management program - Energy. The Imvelo Responsible Tourism Awards recognize operations in tourism and hospitality that make a "real, measurable and sustained contribution to responsible tourism." The category of which Damaraland was a winner - Best single resource management program - judges entrants on "operational efforts made to reduce and manage water, energy or waste".

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2006 Eco Award - Skeleton Coast

Skeleton Coast Camp, Namibia, was the first-ever destination to achieve five "desert flowers" in Namibia's prestigious Eco Awards program. This program uses the desert flower symbol to indicate how eco-friendly an establishment is. Skeleton Coast Camp has received the highest "mark" possible with five out of five flowers. Eco Awards Namibia is a mark of distinction for accommodation establishments which are planned and managed according to eco-friendly principles, and full credit goes to the camp's Environmental team for this great accolade.

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	2006 North Island No.1 in the World
	North Island in the Seychelles was voted 'No 1 in the World, Best of the Best' category during the 9th Annual Condé Nast Traveller Readers Awards held in London. In addition they were also awarded first place for Overseas Leisure Hotels in Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

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2006 Wilderness Safaris Second Best Tour Operator

Wilderness Safaris was named the second best tour operator in the world, according to the 11th annual poll of Travel + Leisure (USA), a publication that attracts one of the highest travel readerships in the world. Wilderness Safaris came 2nd in the category "Top 15 Tour Operators and Safari Outfitters", one up from last year's ranking. Mombo Camp also featured in the prestigious list and joined the ranks of the world's best hotels, coming third in the category - Top 25 Hotels in Africa and the Middle East, and 15th in the Top Small Hotels worldwide.

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	2005 UK Telegraph Travel Award for Ethical Tourism
	In October 2005, Wilderness Safaris received the UK Telegraph Travel Award for Ethical Tourism at the Royal Opera House, London. It was presented to Colin Bell of Wilderness Safaris by Graham Boynton, UK Telegraph's Travel Editor, for the company's outstanding work in sustainable safaris, investing in local communities and ensures the protection of African wildlife.

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	2005 Travel + Leisure - 3rd Best Tour & Safari Operators
	Wilderness Safaris came third in Travel + Leisure Magazine's WORLD'S BEST Tour Operators and Safari Outfitters. Their readers rated the very best in travel in the magazine's 10th ANNUAL WORLD'S BEST AWARDS READERS' SURVEY.

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	2005 Tourism for Tomorrow Conservation Award
	The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) named Wilderness Safaris' Damaraland Camp as the overall winner of the Tourism for Tomorrow Conservation Award 2005.

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2005 Condé Nast Gold List

Mombo and Ongava Lodge are on this latest Condé Nast list of the World's Best Places to Stay, in which more than 20,000 Condé Nast Traveler subscribers completed the reader's choice poll, naming the world's best hotels, resorts and cruise lines. Out of the entire Africa and Middle East region, Mombo received an incredible 100% of the votes in The Best Hotels and Resorts in the rooms and activities categories. In addition, Mombo obtained 97.4% of the votes in the service and design categories. Ongava Lodge (Etosha, Namibia) was included on the Gold Reserve List.

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	2004 UNDP Equator Prize - Torra Conservancy
	Namibia's Torra Conservancy - including Damaraland Camp - made history by becoming the first Southern African rural community to win the prestigious US$30 000 UNDP Equator Prize 2004. This prize promotes sustainable use of natural resources, honoring outstanding community projects that effectively reduce poverty through conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity-rich equatorial belt.

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	2004 Travel & Leisure Awards - Second Best Tour Operator
	Travel and Leisure Magazine, largest selling travel magazine in the world, named Wilderness Safaris as the second best Tour Operator worldwide in their 2004 World's Best rankings. These rankings define excellence in travel around the globe. In addition, in the Overall Hotels category, our Mombo Camp in Botswana ranked 12 best in the world.

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	2004 Conde Nast Traveler - Mombo Camp
	Mombo Camp ranked sixth in the Best of the Best in the World category as well as the second Best Safari Camp in Africa in the Conde Nast Traveler 17th Annual Reader's Choice Awards.

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2003 Imvelo Award for best Community Tourism Partnership - Rocktail Bay

Rocktail Bay Lodge won South Africa's Imvelo Award in 2003 for the best community tourism partnerships. The Imvelo Awards enable hospitality and tourism businesses to illustrate their commitment to responsible tourism and to showcase their economic, social and environmental achievements. The Imvelo Responsible Tourism Award, a benchmark award for responsible tourism, came into being in 2002 at the World Earth Summit. The criteria for this award include sound environmental, social and economic principles that offer a way to minimize environmental impact, benefit local communities and reduce poverty. Rocktail Bay Lodge won the inaugural award in the category of Best Community Initiative.

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	2003 Harpers & Queen Ultimate Travel Guide: "150 Greatest Escapes in the World"
	The River Club (Zambia) was named one of the world's most luxurious camps by the Harpers and Queen Ultimate Travel Guide: 150 Greatest Escapes in the World. According to Harpers and Queen, "the River Club in Livingstone embodies all the eccentric character of colonial-style Africa. Ten sumptuous open-fronted chalets look down on the sparkling waters of the Zambezi River."

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	2003 ASTA Ecotourism Award
	Wilderness Safaris received the 2003 ASTA Environmental Award at the ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) World Travel Congress, in recognition of its outstanding achievements in the preservation and protection of the environment, particularly as it relates to responsible tourism.

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	2002/3 World Legacy Award
	2002/3: Awarded World Legacy Award by Conservation International and National Geographic Traveler, for pioneering work with communities and conservation.

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	Other awards 1999-2001
	2001 Condé Nast Traveler - Best Tour Operator Wilderness Safaris was awarded "Best Tour Operator" by Condé Nast Traveler Magazine in its June 2001 issue. 1999 Tourism for Tomorrow Award Rocktail Bay Lodge won the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Award, which recognizes organizations that make a positive contribution towards their local natural and cultural environment.

African Safari Consultants
1042 Willow Creek Road # A101 - 240
Prescott, AZ 86301