JANUARY 2025 NEWSLETTER
NEWS FROM TRUE WILD SAFARIS
A lot has happened since our last Newsletter in September - both on the mountain lion project as well as on our safaris. We hope you enjoy the update.
COEXISTENCE CONSERVATION
True Wild’s work stems from our love for wild places. We are driven to find ways for people to appreciate and make an effort to protect wild places and the wildlife that shares the world with us. We believe that people can coexist with wildlife through practical and achievable methods and in doing so, serve people, domestic animals, wildlife and the environment we are all living in. Our safaris are a key way of supporting our conservation initiatives here in California, as well as contributing to Conservation projects in Africa.
One project we are particularly focused on promoting is an incredible conservation education organization called Chipembele, based on the border of South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. They have extensive conservation education programs in schools and also work with adults in communities surrounding the Park. Working with communities in buffer zones around protected areas is extremely important for effective and ethical conservation. While wildlife is wonderful and vital, it can also damage livelihoods and in areas where people survive on subsistence agriculture and small scale farming, this can be particularly hard. Chipembele is teaming up with two other reputable organizations, Conservation South Luangwa and the Zambian Carnivore Project as well as working with traditional leaders from various chiefdoms to do a Human-Wildlife Coexistence Roadshow. They will travel to remote villages in Chipembele’s Mobile Education Unit, and hold day-long educational community events. Each event costs Chipembele $364 (amazing how far $ go in Africa!) and True Wild would love to encourage you to sponsor an event. To do so, please contact liz@truewild.org.
Chipembele’s Mobile Education Unit
BACK FROM SAFARI
Late November and December are awesome times to visit certain parts of Africa to go on safari. Both Liz and Quinton led some sensational safaris this past December period. Our travels took us to Botswana and Zimbabwe where conditions are really ideal for this time of the year. Highlights of this time of the year - you get Low Season rates in camps that are usually very pricey in the Peak Season. That, and the fact that you get the joys of seeing the area when the first rains have come, it is baby season for many of the animals, the migrant birds have arrived, the bush is looking all fresh and green with spectacular skies to match.
THANK YOU for the extraordinary trip - it will be imprinted on my heart forever. This trip, with your guidance, has given us a greater appreciation for life and nature no matter where it is in the world. - Kenny
GUEST SAFARI FEEDBACK Absolutely amazing trip! Totally a trip of a lifetime…So many amazing places…everywhere we went was so beautifully curated and took us on a journey to so many places that each offered its own special nuances… Really really special and wonderful memories that Angie and I will always have together. 💗🐆. - Steve
We are actively taking safari bookings for this year, 2026 and 2027. Contact us if you have any interest in traveling on safari as we would love to help set up a unique experience that will suit your needs and budget. These are some of our favorite destinations:
Zambia: A favorite destination of ours for June - September safaris! Camps are getting booked up fast for 2026!! So let us know if you want to get into one of these small, owner-run and overwhelmingly authentic safari camps for next year or 2027. A few of the awesome camps we love to include in our itineraries: Old Mondoro, Kaingo Camp; Musekese Camp; Chisa Busanga.
Botswana: An all-year safari destination, Botswana has so much to offer any safari enthusiast, including the Okavango Delta, Chobe, Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, and the Tuli region in the south. Mashatu Game Reserve is great value for money and fabulous game viewing all year. Mashatu can be paired well with the world renowned MalaMala in South Africa for a top wildlife photographic experience. Chitabe and Kwara are our top choices for the Okavango - pricing in November and December is significantly better than the Peak season from June - October.
Zimbabwe: The glorious Victoria Falls are ideal book-ends for any southern Africa safari. Not far off, the 5,600 sq.mile Hwange National Park awaits to provide a classic African safari with impactful community and conservation projects. Here Linkwasha Camp and Imvelo Safaris' Camel Thorn Lodge are camps we really like.
Kenya & Tanzania: We have had some wonderful East Africa specials available - so if you wish to embark on a classic Kenya safari topped off with a life-changing gorilla experience in Uganda, let us know. Our partners Great Plains Conservation have incredibly beautiful and well situated camps in Kenya, and is a company that focuses on conservation and communities.
Lastly, we have space for 1 couple on Beth Pratt and Jeff Sikich’s Big Cats Safari in November 2025. This is a really special opportunity to join these leaders in the conservation world on this fabulous trip - the total group size would be 8 people when the last 2 spaces are filled. For more information on our safaris, contact quinton@truewild.org
More photographs in our December Safaris 2024 Gallery
