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Robin Pope Safaris

Robin Pope Safaris is one of the largest safari operators in Zambia and Malawi owning nine properties across the two neighbouring countries. It was founded by Robin Pope, one of the earlier proponents of in-the-field photographic safari (as opposed to the tradition of the hunting safari).

"South Luangwa is often cited as the birthplace of the walking safari, first offered by Norman Carr in the 1950s, with some of the most scenic terrain in Africa. Forty years later, guide and safari camp owner Robin Pope began running mobile camping safaris, where guests would explore the bush by foot, sleeping at different spots every night"

Having spent his childhood exploring the bush, running free with a fishing rod and binoculars, Robin began work in 1975 with a company called Zambia Safaris. Under the tutelage of the great Norman Carr, Robin was always keen to create his own company and his dream came true in 1985 with the creation of Robin Pope Safaris. "In his beaten-up bush hat and with a rifle over his shoulder, he is the consummate professional safari companion. His knowledge of Zambia’s wildlife is unrivalled and comes with a natural gift for enthusing clients, who return year after year". Tena Tena Camp in South Luangwa, National Park opened for business the following year. Robin's House is now also part of the RPS properties available for safari enthusiasts.

"Zambia is arguably the top spot in Africa for walking safaris. Robin Pope Safaris has seven lodges in Zambia and two in Malawi, and was one of the first companies to offer mobile walking safaris, in which the camp moves right along with the guests."

In 1988, Robin's life changed forever with the arrival of Jo Holmes (whom he later married in 1991) who came to cater at Tena Tena for the season. The next three years saw a huge growth for Robin's safari operation; creating mobile walking safaris and opening of Nkwali Camp, South Luangwa.

The next decade built on that early success with a new camp at Nsefu, then Luangwa River Camp (combining comfort with camping out in the heart of the bush) and finally the Luangwa Safari House.

"Designed by Neil Rocher, this private house looked like a two story, Flintstones meets life-sized dollhouse, to me. There are four bedrooms, each themed to mimic the elements of water, earth, wind and fire. The spaces are completely open during the day. At night the staff secures the spaces with floor to ceiling mesh screens. That way you feel safe and enclosed, yet still able to hear the sounds of the wildlife that roams area. .. It was an unforgettable experience. The Luangwa Safari house can accommodate up to 8 people, which makes it perfect for a multi-generational family vacation or a group of friends seeking a private getaway".

An exciting new partnership was created in 2006, when Robin and Jo joined forces with the Dutch company, Molecaten.

Cees Slager, Molecaten CEO, had travelled extensively around Zambia and Malawi as a young man and always vowed to come back. To honour that promise, 27 years earlier, he began a project to fund the Phalombe Hospital in Malawi. Keeping things in the family, Cees' daughter Margaux and son-in-law Ton de Rooy, moved to Malawi in 2006. Together they started their African adventure while learning from Robin and Jo during the years that they worked together.Ton and Margaux built Pumulani at Lake Malawi in 2008 and in 2011 opened Mkulumadzi in Majete Wildlife Reserve. "At the confluence of the Shire and Mkulumadzi rivers, the lodge offers the raw beauty of Africa and spectacular comforts of a 5-star resort smack in the middle of 70,000ha of mature miombo woodlands and granite-topped hills"

In 2010 the RPS office was moved to Lilongwe where Ton and Margaux live with their family. Most recently they have added The Victoria Falls to their circuit with the advent of Stanley Safari Lodge in Livingstone in Zambia.The day-to-day running of the company is now taken care of by Ton, Margaux and Rob Clifford; with Robin and Jo visiting the camps and guests from time to time. Seasonal safaris are still being personally guided by Robin, including the famous Wildebeest migration of Liuwa Plain. Robin Pope Safaris continues to grow and Robin still leads safaris and loves to wander the bush just as he has started as a boy.

In 2014 Robin Pope was awarded the accolade of the '2014 Safari Awards Best Safari Guide in Africa'. up there with the best of the best guides in Africa & founder of Robin Pope Safaris, also an award winning safari company rooted in Robin’s core beliefs of responsible & sustainable tourism, based in Zambia & Malawi.

National Geographic cited Robin Pope' s mobile walking safaris amongst their accolades in their 2015 Traveller Tour of a Life Time.

Robin Pope Safaris and Responsible Tourism "Robin Pope is up there with the best of the best guides in Africa & founder of Robin Pope Safaris, also an award winning safari company rooted in Robin’s core beliefs of responsible & sustainable tourism"

In recognition of their commitment to responsible tourism, Robin Pope Safaris has won international awards including the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards Joint Overall Winner in 2011. "To recognise both long term excellence, and bold innovative new ideas. Robin Pope Safaris' 20 year record of remarkable work with local communities in Zambia is a standard for tourism organisations to aspire to". .

Healthcare

Robin Pope Safaris founded the Luangwa Safari Association Medical Fund, which contributes to the upkeep of the government’s rural Kakumbi Health Centre; which borders the South Luangwa National Park and provides healthcare for more than 20 000 residents. Through the medical fund they provide a volunteer international doctor at the clinic, along with medical supplies and medicines through client donations. They also support Chikowa home-based HIV project, an outreach project run by the community to support and help people living with HIV.

Education

Robin Pope Safaris Kawaza School Fund exists to change lives through improved education provision by reducing class sizes and increasing classroom time with qualified teachers.

Towards the end of 2009, Jo Pope set up a pioneering local charity in the Luangwa Valley called Project Luangwa, which brought together safari operators in the area to ensure that tourism benefits neighbouring communities fully through the delivery of education and business development programmes financed by the lodges and their guests. The Kawaza School Fund is now administered through Project Luangwa and today creates an innovative, effective and coordinated approach to community benefit from tourism.

Trade Not AidRobin Pope Safari has a policy to source locally available supplies, craftsmen and artisan crafts to stimulate trade. The Kawaza Cultural Tourism Enterprise is one such project, now providing employment for 10 village members, financially supporting orphans and the elderly in the community and provides their local primary school with textbooks and learning aids. Kawaza Village Tourism Project was the winner of the prestigious Silver Otter Award, given for the Best Overseas Tourism Project by the British Guild of Travel Writers.

Pack for a Purpose

Robin Pope Safaris has partnered with Pack for a Purpose to enable guests to help make a difference to the lives of children living in Zambia and Malawi. By using spare space in their luggage they are able to pack school, medical and sports supplies from home for use in local communities.

The Environment

Robin Pope Safaris has installed green technologies into their properties. This includes solar energy systems for providing power, solar water heaters for guest showers and the use of green design construction principles including living grass roofs, natural air cooling and the use of non-fired bricks. All wastewater is run into sewage systems to biologically treat it as it runs through natural sand filters. The water outlets are tested regularly to ensure there are no harmful toxins in the protected environments. Paper and cardboard is recycled through local community paper-making enterprises.

Wildlife Conservation

Support of conservation societies by the tourism industry is vital to the regional wildlife. Robin Pope Safaris supports the anti-poaching activities of South Luangwa Conservation Society (SLCS) in order to keep the National Park's wildlife safe. SLCS has darted and treated elephants, lion, hyena, giraffe, wild dog, leopard and many other species, responding to all cases of injured wildlife in South Luangwa. SLCS also help reduce human/elephant conflict in neighbouring communities through the construction of elephant proof granaries and the erection of chilli fences to protect villagers' crops.

To ensure carnivores are conserved Robin Pope Safaris contributes to the work of Zambian Carnivore Programme. The ZCP’s research camp is also housed on RPS land next to Nkwali Camp, South Luangwa.

Robin Pope Safaris supports the work of African Parks Network in Majete through sponsorship of the costs of re-stocking this reserve including lion, leopard and black rhino. In 2012 we funded the relocation of 4 lions from South Africa into Majete, making Majete the first 'Big 5' reserve in Malawi. "Malawi is proving to be the giant-killer of the African safari industry. The country has just been named runner-up to Kenya in the 2013 Safari Awards, not a bad achievement for a tiny place whose marketing budget is 400 times smaller than Kenya's"

Robin Pope Safaris also supports the Kakumbi Community Resource Board by purchasing bicycles for their scouts to conduct anti-poaching patrols and building materials for their operations office in South Luangwa.