The ‘Hidden’ Side Of Conservation African Safaris Depend On, But Most Travelers Never See

LifestyleTravelThe ‘Hidden’ Side Of Conservation African Safaris Depend On, But Most Travelers Never SeeByEmese Maczko,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Emese Maczko is a travel writer covering sustainable travel.Follow AuthorApr 29, 2026, 07:30am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.People are at Erebero taking part in a reforestation project in Uganda. Matt-Starkey, Nawiri GroupSafari travelers often judge a tourism company’s conservation work by what they can see: how many elephants they encounter during a game drive, whether they can visit local communities, or what sustainability features a lodge has. But conservation projects are not always visible from a lodge deck or shown during a guest activity.There is another, almost quiet side of safari conservation, not promoted through awe-inspiring marketing messages. A side that takes place far from game drives at remote locations, where tourists may never go. These projects are often unseen, yet their impact is vital. Without them, the wild places travelers come to experience would be quite different.I interviewed Kate Waite, head of communications, and Adrian Ghaui, head of impact and sustainability, at Nawiri Group, whose origins and conservation work in Africa go back two decades.You will also hear from Sam Shaba, CEO of Honeyguide Foundation, one of the longest-standing partners since 2007, and Philip Parmet, director of The Green Economy (TGE), a newer partner from 2024, about what they could achieve with the right support.Inside Nawiri Group’s Two-Decade Conservation ModelNawiri Group brings together two companies: Asilia, a pioneering B-Corp that operates safari camps and collects a per-night conservation levy to fund impact projects, and Go2Africa, an award-winning tour operator that designs tailor-made safaris and conservation-focused tourism experiences across East and South...