Remote Africa Safaris
Supporting Africa Series
In a continued effort to highlight the fantastic things that our partners in Africa do and just how much postponing a trip or starting to plan a trip for 2021 means to not just a family business but to a much wider community, to education and to the wilderness, in a series of short blogs and social media posts over the coming weeks and months I will put into perspective all that they do as well as the amazing safaris to be had.
Starting with an organisation in a location that is closest to my heart!
Remote Africa Safaris is an independent family safari company operating in the Luangwa valley with camps in both the South Luangwa and North Luangwa. Started by the wonderful John and Carol Coppinger in 1995 the business is now a multigenerational affair with their daughter Jenny (who was born close to the banks of the Luangwa) and her partner Nick becoming a significant part of the management team in 2018.
Remote Africa Safaris now consists of a total of 5 camps, Tafika is the original camp in the Nsefu Sector of the South Luangwa and the home of operations, this was then joined by two walking camps (Chikoko Tree and Crocodile River) and a camp in North Luangwa (Mwaleshi) which was joined in 2019 by a second (Takwela). All of their camps are seasonal and have a low footprint, one of the reasons that we find Remote Africa so appealing is the authentic and traditionally Zambian safari experience on offer at all of their properties, something that is becoming harder to find.
In these 5 magical locations the company employs around 100 people in a usual season, these people are the primary bread winners in their family and support approximately 550 additional people, this one small family business is sustaining a community of 650 people. Please take a minute to think about the impact of a reduction of tourism for the 2020 season and how Coronavirus will put pressure on them to provide.
Remote Africa Safaris also runs a philanthropic project of its own called the Tafika Trust which pays 5 teachers salaries across 2 schools, pays a clinical assistant for a local health clinic, sponsors 12 children in fully inclusive scholarships and 9 students who are not able to further their education themselves. As wells as these educational and health initiatives there are also community events such as a Football for Wildlife league which pays players match fees and unites 8 surrounding villages.
There are unfortunately some potentially very serious implications of many camps and lodges not being able to support their staff and also for a diminished presence, depending on local conditions; this could be increased livestock grazing, bushmeat poaching, petty crimes. Each year many of the lodges in the Luangwa support ongoing conservation efforts. Included in every safari holiday is a nightly “park fee” or “conservation levy’ or similar, this is an amount charged by the government and goes towards anti-poaching and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife who protect the national parks, however, this amount falls short of what is needed and Remote Africa donate and support Conservation South Luangwa and North Luangwa Conservation Programme.
“Remote Africa Safaris has been a staunch supporter of CSL for over a decade providing financial support through LCCF and critical logistical support for wildlife de-snaring. Without the support of the tourism industry in South Luangwa, CSL would simply not be where it is today.” Rachel McRobb – CSL Director
As one of only two tourism operators in NLNP, Remote Africa Safaris has been a close partner in the Park’s recovery and continues to provide financial contributions to NLCP protected area management work. Remote Africa’s commitment to its ethos is truly captured in the remote and wild space that is North Luangwa.” Claire Lewis – NLCP Project Manager
It is these things that make it so imperative that we, as a UK based organisation and as a company with a never ending love for Africa support a “postpone and don’t cancel” policy, we will get through this and we will be stronger afterwards, but we have to be in it together, for your, friends, family, and neighbours but also for the communities out there that cannot exist without tourism and for the wilderness areas that we long to remain as such so that we can return when this is over.
For more information contact us or use the links below.
Tafika Fund
Conservation South Luangwa
North Luangwa Conservation Programme