but also to our partners, volunteers, and donors who have supported us along the way.
For many of our visitors, it was their very first time experiencing the iconic Kruger wilderness on their doorstep. Across 70 camps throughout the year, from children and young adults to dancing Gogos and even our Rhino Art competition winners, the reactions never failed to inspire us – pure excitement, new understandings, and the quiet awe of creating a genuine connection with nature. School lessons became tangible experiences, fear gave way to wonder, and curiosity grew into whole-hearted passion.
However, it hasn’t been without its challenges. Moving into our new camp just days before the official launch and arrival of our first guests took a monumental effort. But, even with some teething problems in the weeks that followed, our team never gave up. Now, months later, the reward is clear to see. Dedicated learning areas and comfortable, weather-resistant living spaces have opened up countless new ways to expand our reach and better support our partners.
As a result, we introduced new team-building trips, staff training camps, and even specialist educational programmes for nonprofits in the area. In the last few months alone, these included a diabetes education camp alongside Tshemba Foundation, a life skills course for vulnerable adults with the team at HAART, and a series of hugely impactful girls’ empowerment camps. Moving from riverside yoga and healthy eating games to basic maths and problem-solving competitions certainly kept us on our toes! And always, of course, against the backdrop of inquisitive giraffes, cheeky baboons, and thirsty elephants coming to drink at the waterhole.
Elsewhere, more exciting firsts were taking place outside of camp as we explored new ways to connect with the wild. With support from the Discovery Trust, we hosted our first tracking and bush skills camps led by the renowned San Master Trackers. Three days spent almost exclusively on foot, learning to appreciate quiet moments and read the wilderness as if from a book. Soon after, buoyed by its success, we went a step further and invited six aspiring conservationists on a multi-day, primitive walking trail in the Greater Kruger – made possible thanks to the generosity of Connected Planet and Adventure Conservation. When asked about the experience, one young educator summarised it perfectly: “It was beyond words”.
Reflecting on everything that happened and was achieved this year, one thing is abundantly clear – none of it was done in isolation. Every camp, programme, and milestone was made possible through collaboration. Our NGO partners, volunteers, and donors – far too many to mention – made this work possible. We are grateful to be part of a network of individuals and organisations who are as invested in creating change for our communities and our wildlife as we are. There is no single solution to the complex challenges of poverty and wildlife crime. But by working together, we can take a holistic, multi-faceted approach — amplifying our impact and making a far greater difference. As we move into 2026, we are excited to join hands once more, build new relationships, create new opportunities, and extend the joy of nature to even more of our local communities.
