Ultimate Safaris considers itself a conservation travel company and impact investor, determined to have a positive impact on Namibia and leave a gene-rationally powerful legacy.

The company operates three conservancy joint venture tourism establishments in southern Kunene in partnership with the Uibasen Twyfelfontein, Doro !Nawas and Sorris Sorris communal conservancies; namely the international award-winning Onduli Ridge, Onduli Enclave, and Camp Doros.

Operations at these lodges contributed a combined N$10.5 million to the three conservancies last year. Since the company first began operating in the area in 2020 the impact they have had is now valued at over N$90 million.

In 2024, Ultimate Safaris contributed just shy of N$3 million in cash to their three partner conservancies as well as two Traditional Authorities who are financial beneficiaries of the company’s operations.

Over N$6 million was also paid in salaries and subsistence to full-time staff, and a further N$1.6 million was invested in conservation and community development in the area.

The company was recognised – and significant international attention shone on Namibia – through winning two international awards in 2024. Onduli Ridge, having previously won international awards, was recognised as one of the best hotels in the world for 2024 by Richard Bangs while the Doros/Red Mountain Joint Management Area was awarded the PURE Conservation Award in recognition of the incredible conservation work that has gone into this area over the past four years.

Building rural human capital

In 2024, Ultimate Safaris ensured that every staff member was covered by a company-contributed private medical aid and private pension, regardless of rank or position. All staff members also received an annual company performance bonus, while staff members employed at Ultimate Safaris for 10 years or longer become members of the Ultimate Safaris Tribe Trust, a shareholder of the company specifically designed to encourage staff shareholding and participation.

Ultimate Safaris’ operations in the above-mentioned areas now provide employment for over 50 people, and 2024 saw incredible success stories of growth for individuals, with a camp assistant being promoted to butler, a butler to assistant manager, a scullery maid to chef, maintenance assistant to head of maintenance, housekeeper to butler, butler to head butler and a chef to head chef.

The year also saw upgrades to staff living areas, some now including a clubhouse with satellite television facilities, staff canteen, a fully kitted gym, and entertainment center (including pool, table tennis, darts, football, etc.).

Community development

Last year saw Ultimate Safaris invest in the drilling and solar fitting of three conservancy boreholes, the drilling of a further borehole, and the refurbishing of a wildlife water point. Investment also went into the development of tourist self-drive routes in the area, which included track signposting, track rehabilitation, and general conceptualisation of what would become another conservancy-owned business.

The costs associated with rhino conservation in the area were also covered by the company.

Through their operations, and with the assistance of the Community Conservation Fund of Namibia and Ultimate Safaris’ Conservation Travel Foundation, Ultimate Safaris refurbished and re-opened the community-run Granietkop Campsite, which had been non-operational for more than 15 years. The campsite now employs three community members, actively markets itself, has an online reservations system via a website, and has become a financially independent business.

“We believe in the power of travel to transform Namibia. It all comes down to our choices. From our greater conservation model down to the tiniest details of the experiences we offer, every decision we make reflects our ultimate choice – to leave Namibia a better place than we found it,” Ultimate Safaris CEO, Tristan Cowley said.

Cowley said that their journeys are life-enriching. “Life enriching for those who choose to travel with us, life-enriching for the people and places we take them to visit, and life-enriching for all those tribe members employed at Ultimate Safaris committed to achieving this.”

In 2006 they founded the Conservation Travel Foundation in support of this vision.

“We believed that we should separate our commercial operation from our impact in terms of reporting, ensuring the ultimate transparency for what we do and the impact we have.”

He said that since 2020 the foundation invested N$31.1 million into Namibian conservation and rural communities.

In 2024 alone they invested N$ 8.1 million.

Human-lion conflict

Their efforts include investing in human-lion conflict in the North West and North East Namibia, with investment into lion-proof kraals, satellite early warning systems and support for a Lion Ranger Programme that funds communities, including vehicles.

“This was especially valuable during the drought that these areas have endured,” Cowley said.

Support for rhino conservation is ongoing, from covering rhino ranger salaries, to providing adequate living conditions, incentivised sighting bonuses, and investing heavily in uniforms and gear of all conservancy rangers across Namibia.

Furthermore, giraffe conservation is supported through translocations and tagging, as is support for pangolin conservation.

“We also provide scholarships for rural children to attend private schools in Windhoek as well post-graduate support for individuals committed to conservation, especially community-based natural resource management.”

Cowley said that their community support ranges from community agri-schemes, to water security from a water drilling and solar pump fitting of boreholes to looking after wildlife watering points to prevent conflict with people.