South Africa’s New ‘Big Five’ Safari Experience | Yampu Tours

Custom Travel Experiences Since 1998

Welcome to Babanango Game Reserve!  A place where wildlife has returned, communities lead the way, and travelers seeking something truly meaningful are finding it. 


A New Chapter in African Safari Travel Begins 

Step into the untamed heart of South Africa and uncover one of the continent’s most remarkable conservation success stories. Babanango Game Reserve. Once stripped of wildlife, this vibrant landscape in KwaZulu-Natal has undergone a stunning transformation, now home to the legendary Big Five, thanks to an extraordinary rewilding effort led by Zulu communities and global conservation pioneers. 

As the sun rises over the White Umfolozi River Valley, golden light filters through fever trees and umbrella thorns, illuminating a thriving ecosystem brought back from the brink. You may find yourself face to face with a lioness and her cubs, the first to be born here in over 150 years. 

This isn’t just a safari. It’s a story of renewal. Decades after the Anglo-Zulu War and generations of farmland use, Babanango’s revival began in 2018 through a landmark partnership between local Zulu trusts, NGOs, and philanthropic visionaries like Barbara and Hellmuth Weisser. Their investment — nearly 1 billion rand — helped reintroduce nearly 5,000 animals across 20,000 hectares, while creating sustainable tourism infrastructure that benefits both the land and its people. 

Located south of Kruger, Babanango offers a more intimate, untouched experience.  Immerse yourself in a safari that blends world-class wildlife encounters with cultural connections and conservation impact.  


Investing in People as Much as Wildlife 

The transformation at Babanango isn’t just ecological, it’s deeply human. About 75% of the park’s staff come from nearby communities, many of them receiving their first salaried jobs. People like Dudu Ngcobo, a member of the park’s ecological restoration team, have seen life-changing ripple effects: she was able to send both her daughters to university, creating a legacy of opportunity. The park also hires locally for short-term restoration projects, like land rehabilitation, which builds understanding of the reserve’s long-term vision. “Done right, we are able to have quite a big benefit on the environment,” says Nyathi, “but also the communities that surround it.” 

Outside the reserve’s fence line, the African Habitat Conservancy Foundation (AHC) is deeply involved in social upliftment, building 17 solar-powered boreholes to restore clean water access, supporting agriculture and invasive species removal, and running vocational training in skills like Zulu beadwork and ceramics—ensuring crafts sold in the lodges are also lifting local artisans. 

“It’s about teaching someone to fish, not just giving them the fish,” says Thina Nyathi, a Zulu-born AHC manager. “Working together means we also understand what their challenges are and support them to get to a point where they no longer need our help.” 

 


The Serengeti National Park 

From the iconic plains of the Serengeti to the revitalized wilderness of Babanango Game Reserve, Africa’s wild heart beats strong. While Tanzania’s Serengeti is famed for its timeless Great Migration and endless herds, South Africa’s Babanango tells a newer but equally powerful story. One return. Once empty of wildlife, Babanango now thrives with the Big Five once more, thanks to a groundbreaking rewilding effort. Together, these two landscapes offer travelers a rare chance to witness both ancient rhythms and modern conservation in motion, a full-circle safari experience like no other. 

 

Ready to Witness the Return of the Wild? 

Whether you’re tracking the Big Five across Tanzania’s vast plains or walking the trails of a rewilded South African reserve, Yampu Tours offers more than just safari—it’s a journey into conservation, culture, and transformation. 


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Tags: explore , South Africa , tanzania

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