Defining the Emerging Asset Class: Safari Real Estate
For years, safari lodges in Africa were seen as passion projects, often built by explorers, conservationists, or families with deep love for the wild.
Now a new kind of investor is arriving, one that looks for both yield and meaning.They understand that land inside protected ecosystems is finite and that protecting it can generate sustainable, measurable value.
This is what we call Safari Real Estate: a new investment category at the intersection of hospitality, conservation, and natural capital.
What Is Safari Real Estate?
At its core, Safari Real Estate refers to income-generating hospitality assets located inside or near national parks, reserves, and wildlife corridors.
Each property combines three pillars of value:
Hospitality yield — consistent cash flow from room revenue, experiences, and dining.
Land and permit value — appreciation driven by scarcity and exclusivity.
Conservation-linked impact — tangible outcomes in ecosystem protection, carbon sequestration, and community development.
Safari Real Estate is a financially sustainable model that funds positive impact for nature and local communities.
The Five Defining Characteristics
Scarcity and Exclusivity: National park permits and prime ecological zones are strictly limited. That scarcity creates the same long-term value dynamic as oceanfront property or heritage vineyards
Operational Cash Flow: These are real businesses, not static assets. Camps and lodges generate predictable seasonal returns through high-yield tourism and growing demand for experiential travel.
Impact-Linked Appreciation: As ecosystems thrive, property value rises. Conservation is not a cost; it’s a growth driver that enhances reputation, pricing power, and long-term asset security.
Community Integration: Each property is built and operated with deep local roots — sourcing materials, training staff, and creating livelihoods. This human capital is part of the value chain and social resilience of the asset.
Tangible Ownership: Investors can see and feel their capital at work: standing on the deck, hearing lions in the distance, meeting the people their investment supports. It’s wealth you can touch.
The Investment Case
Safari Real Estate is gaining attention because it offers the rare combination of return, resilience, and relevance.
Target return: 12–18% IRR over the holding period
Diversification: Non-correlated to public markets and inflation-resistant
Exit paths: Management buyouts, yield platforms, or long-term ownership
Upside: Appreciation tied to scarcity, tourism growth, and ecosystem health
Unlike speculative assets, these properties are rooted in something finite and essential — nature itself.
What happened this week in safari business
ENVI Lodges announced a new tented lodge in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, located in a private nature reserve adjacent to a major national park. Atta Travel
WildPlaces Africa revealed plans to open a luxury safari lodge in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park, signalling investor interest in under-penetrated East African markets. Travel Weekly
A wide-ranging industry commentary piece in Tourism Update raises critical questions about “sustainable safaris” and whether the promises match the impact. Tourism Update
Research shows that luxury tourism in Africa frequently fails to translate into meaningful benefits for local communities, pointing to risks for impact-focused investors. Reuters
In addition to on-the-ground asset development, the wider investment ecosystem is shifting: the UAE–Africa Tourism Investment Summit will convene in Dubai to channel capital into African tourism and hospitality. The Times of India
We are expanding our camp portfolio in Tanzania’s national parks. If you would like to explore investor opportunities, please get in touch.
