The Quiet Economics of a Good Safari Camp

The first time most people see the nightly rate for a remote safari camp, they assume someone is getting rich. The reality is more interesting, and it explains a great deal about how wild Africa is protected.

Remote is expensive

A small bush camp might be hours from the nearest town and accessible only by light aircraft or rough track. Everything — food, fuel, building materials, guests — comes in by air or by long road journeys. Many camps run solar systems, treat their own water and manage their own waste. They may only be open for six or seven months a year but employ staff all year round. A camp with eight tents can easily have thirty or more staff.

Where the money goes

A significant share of what you pay goes beyond the camp itself:

• Park and conservation fees paid per guest per night, which fund wildlife authorities.
• Concession and lease fees paid to governments or to communities for the right to operate on their land.
• Wages for local staff, often the largest employer in a remote area.
• Anti-poaching and conservation support, which many camps fund directly or through partner trusts.

Why low volume works

In Botswana and in Kenya’s conservancies, the principle is the same: fewer visitors paying more means less impact on the land and more income per visitor to protect it. In the Mara conservancies, Maasai landowners lease their land to a limited number of camps, earning a regular income from keeping it wild rather than fencing or farming it. It is one of the most hopeful developments in African conservation.

Questions worth asking

When you choose a camp, ask:

• Who owns the land, and how do they benefit?
• How many staff are from local communities?
• What conservation work does the camp fund, specifically?
• How does the camp manage energy, water and waste?

A good camp will answer clearly and with pride. It is one of the best signs that you will have a good stay, too. For realistic budgets, see what a safari really costs.