What happens when a wildly creative Zimbabwean photographer visits one of the most remote and dramatic landscapes in Zimbabwe to create a short film? He captured more than just images — he found stories of belonging, the magic of nature, and discovered how light itself became his muse at Singita Pamushana. Tashinga Dzwukutu (Assistant Manager at Singita Pamushana) sits down with Tatenda Chidora, award-winning visual artist, to explore his perspective after his recent visit. Mainly known for his ...
Jul 01, 2025•28 min0
In this heartwarming episode, former Head Guide, Solomon Ndlovu, talks to Jonathan Lachowitz, a devoted regular guest who keeps returning to the wild magic of Singita Kruger Park (South Africa) to walk all day without a schedule. On his visits Jonathan walks with Solomon and Tracker, Sunday Ndhlovu. After 70 days walking together, the trio has an easy friendship built on trust, shared memories, and inside jokes. Jonathan shares what pulls him back time after time – from the therapeutic power of ...
May 08, 2025•38 min0
Today we dive into an interesting conversation about the changing safari traveller and why the wilderness still calls to a new generation. Mandisa Magwaxaza, a travel professional and journalist who works at Singita, chats with travel journalist & Communications Specialist, Ondela Mlandu. They share insights on solo travel; on younger guests who choose to travel consciously; social media’s influence; and how to travel more sustainably. They discuss the rise of multi-generational travel. Solo...
Mar 17, 2025•34 min0
Saddle up and get ready to be inspired! In this episode, we're joined by two amazing colleagues from The Grumeti Fund (GF), Singita's conservation partner in Tanzania. Skyler Nuelle (Head of Partnerships & Impact Analysis, GF) chats to Matt Perry (GM: Grumeti Fund) and Glen Steyn (Head of Anti-poaching, GF) about the Wagora Bike Ride. They talk about how the event got its name, the route, and the epic adventures you could have along the way with the anti-poaching scouts. Matt shares the emot...
Jan 16, 2025•25 min0
Big cats captivate guests on game drives, but they are also in great danger. In this episode, Marnus Roodbol (Lowveld Project Manager of the Carnivore Conservation Program for the Endangered Wildlife Trust) (EWT), chats to Bernard Stiglingh (field guide at Singita Kruger) about lion conservation in Africa. They discuss the critical role lions play in ecosystems, conservation efforts, and what's driving their alarming decline. Marnus highlights that wild lions are now only found in 10 strongholds...
Dec 10, 2024•31 min0
A tasty tale today. Meet three phenomenal chefs with different roles but they agree that the Singita Community Culinary Schools (SCCS) gives them goosebumps. Chef Adele Stiehler-van der Westhuizen, managing director of Prue Leith Culinary Institute, hosts a chat with Chef Nande Magojo (Chef Skills Developer at Singita Kruger) and Chef Andrew Nicholson (Singita’s Group Executive Chef). SCCS, partnering with Prue Leith Culinary Institute, trains youth from communities near Singita's lodges in Sout...
Oct 28, 2024•33 min0
Singita has worked with Cecile & Boyd for 30 years and the same people are still in the room today. Today, we unpack this enduring partnership – what makes it successful and fun, what drives the constant inspiration for new lodges as Singita expands. Lindy Rousseau (Singita’s Strategist) chats to Geordi de Sousa Costa and Paul van den Berg (Designers and Partners at Cecile & Boyd). They discuss their partnership, the evolution of their design, and vision for future. This exceptional busi...
Sep 30, 2024•47 min0
A species in a downward spiral. Not cute or cuddly, but vultures play a crucial role as nature's clean-up crew. In this episode, Dr. Gareth Tate, the Birds of Prey Program Manager for the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), chats with Ben Nichol (Conservation Impact Lead for Singita Lowveld Trust) (SLT) about vulture conservation. They discuss their role in ecosystems, the threats they face, and what's driving the alarming decline. Fast facts: • There are 23 species of vultures worldwide; 11 migrat...
Sep 06, 2024•32 min0
Linky Nkuna was born and raised in Justicia, near Singita Sabi Sand, and started her career in education. She is now the Programme Manager for Singita Lowveld Trust’s (SLT) community programmes. Today we are zooming in on one of the SLT’s programmes, Early Childhood Development (ECD), and the 17 centres it supports in communities surrounding Singita’s lodges in South Africa. Linky chats to Elsa Pallett (Marketing Manager for SLT) about the superstar, Frank Makwakwa, and the Practitioners who are...
Aug 12, 2024•31 min0
A pangolin is poached from the wild every five minutes. It's reached a tipping point and if we don’t act now, they could disappear in our lifetime. So little is known about this enchanting, solitary mammal covered in scales, yet they’ve quickly become the world’s most trafficked mammal. The IUCN lists the four Asian species as critically endangered, while the four African species, endangered. All face extinction because of the illegal trade – poached for their scales for Asian medicine; or bush ...
Jul 22, 2024•30 min0
Get ready to be inspired! In this episode, we're joined by two amazing women from the Grumeti Fund (GF), Singita's conservation partner in Tanzania, Skyler Nuelle (Head - Partnerships & Impact Analysis) and Frida Mollel (Head of Community Outreach Programme). Frida shares her inspirational story of overcoming cultural barriers to get an education in her Maasai community. Now she's paying it forward, leading programs to transform girls' lives through education in communities surrounding Singi...
Jun 11, 2024•33 min0
We meet two dynamic women in senior management at Singita Grumeti, Tanzania. Bronwyn Laing (GM at Singita Serengeti) chats to Joyce Moikangoe (Lodge Manager at Singita Sasakwa Lodge) about female leadership and how they lift others as they climb. Joyce was born in Tanzania, studied in South Africa, then returned home to give back and be a part of something bigger. She joined Singita ten years ago and became the first Tanzanian female lodge manager. Bronwyn started in pharmaceuticals but fell in ...
May 20, 2024•37 min0
Ever wonder how Singita transforms Tanzanian nature lovers into the polished, knowledgeable guides leading their exceptional game drives? Ross Couper (Singita's resident photographer and former guide), sits down with Grant Telfer, the (Head of Singita's Guide Training in Tanzania), to get the recipe. From a Singita field guide in South Africa, Grant’s compass pointed him north to become a lodge manager in Grumeti in 2013. A 6-month stint helping out with guide training led to a 10-year career ma...
May 01, 2024•33 min0
In the Western corridor of the Serengeti lies a 350,000-acre game reserve that’s been protected by NGO, the Grumeti Fund, for the last 20 years in partnership with the Tanzanian government, creating opportunities for communities too. (It’s also Singita’s amazing conservation partner in Tanzania.) The landscape was devoid of wildlife when they started to restore it in 2003, with a small team of ex-poachers. It took ten years for the wildlife to bounce back. Now with a team of 165, the challenges ...
Apr 17, 2024•29 min0
Today, we're taking a trip back to where it all began – Singita Ebony, nestled in the shade of giant trees along the Sand River, in Sabi Sand. It's not just a lodge; it's the beginning of our 30-year journey and a beacon of our 100-year purpose, filled with memories for many people. Under ancient Ebony trees, the Bailes family brought their dream of preserving wilderness areas to life and established the first commercial lodge in 1993. This planted the seed of what is today 16 award-winning lodg...
Apr 02, 2024•30 min0
In this episode, we meet Singita’s Head Chef at Singita Volcanoes National Park, in Rwanda. Vanie Padayachee chats to Sharon Machira, a journalist, content creator and Podcaster in Kenya, about a previous visit to spill the beans (and the gooseberries) about the on-site nursery called ‘Akarabo’ (meaning Little Flower) and the food philosophy here. In an entertaining conversation, they unveil the plant-based menu with ingredients plucked from the lodge garden or sourced from female farmers, and w...
Feb 22, 2024•34 min0
We meet two of Singita’s dynamic head chefs based at lodges in Tanzania and Rwanda. While the local ingredients and menus are entirely different, they have a lot in common. Mia Neethling, Singita’s Executive Chef in Tanzania, and Vanie Padayachee, Head Chef In Rwanda, chat with two lodge managers in Tanzania about the food served at Singita Grumeti (Tanzania) and Singita Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda). Mia and Vanie head up the teams producing exceptional and sustainable food at these award-wi...
Feb 01, 2024•53 min0
Conservation success stories from the Ecologist of 27 years. Singita Photographer and former guide, Ross Couper, chats to Sarah Clegg, Ecologist at Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve in Zimbabwe, where Singita has two lodges: Singita Pamushana & Malilangwe House. The Malilangwe Trust is our conservation partner in Zimbabwe, responsible for far-reaching community and biodiversity projects. Sarah was the first ecologist at the Malilangwe Trust in 1996 and is responsible for establishing the monitorin...
Jan 15, 2024•33 min0
Design and creativity form part of Singita’s DNA. Showcasing the creative talent found in Africa is one of the ways we celebrate the culture and heritage of this continent. Over the last 30 years, Singita has been creating pioneering hospitality experiences, and design has formed a large part of our visible identity. Singita has worked with the same design team for three decades, Cécile & Boyd. In this episode, host and creative icon, Maps Maponyane, speaks to Geordi da Sousa Costa (co-found...
Jan 08, 2024•1 hr 20 min0
Two seasoned photographers on different continents share their views on the role incredible images and emotive videos play in marketing ecotourism in Africa and how they both stumbled into their current careers, almost by accident. Ross Couper has been with Singita for ten years and is now the resident Content Creator supplying the Marketing team with high-quality images and videos spanning wildlife, lodge interiors, staff portraits, and orphaned rhino rescue missions. Tara Shupe, in the US, is ...
Aug 28, 2023•44 min0
In this episode, well-known travel journalist Richard Holmes talks to Dr. Andrea Ferry, Sustainability Co-ordinator at Singita. They discuss sustainability in the world of luxury travel, and especially safari travel. Many travellers don't think too carefully about just what's being done to protect the wilderness areas they visit. Part of the problem is deciding how we define sustainability. Is it about offsetting the carbon from your flight to Africa? Is it about supporting local communities whi...
Aug 28, 2023•38 min0
This is Safari Conversations – the Singita Podcast. 30 years ago, founder Luke Bailes had a dream of creating a pioneering ecotourism brand that could help save pristine wilderness areas in Africa for future generations. The first chapter in Singita’s story started when Ebony Lodge opened in the Sabi Sand, in 1993. But truly, it began long before that, on a piece of land his grandfather owned and where they spent holidays as a family at Castleton. So much has happened in the last 30 years, to wh...
Aug 24, 2023•1 min0
