Page 74 - DreamScapes Magazine | Spring/Summer 2026

P A S S I O N P U R S U I T S
Guiding the Future
How Beks Ndlovu is Transforming the African Safari
BY J.R. PATTERSON
THE SCENE
Crouched in red dust behind a scrim of
mopane woodland, Bekezela “Beks” Ndlovu
raises a hand for silence as a great bull elephant
pads past. “It’s Boswell,” he whispers. The
massive animal suddenly rears onto his hind
quarters, stretches his trunk into an acacia,
and snaps off a spray of branches. Ndlovu
chuckles softly. “Good old Boswell.”
Such is the practical magic of safari in
Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park, where
familiarity never dulls the thrill. Fifty-year-
old Ndlovu has been tracking elephants since
boyhood, when a wandering herd trampled
into his family’s garden in his home village
in western Zimbabwe. Today, Ndlovu chan-
nels that same rush into his work as a guide
and as the founder of African Bush Camps
(ABC), which operates camps in 17 locations
across Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia.
THE BACKSTORY
Beneath that dreamy vision of safari, the
industry reckons with a past founded on
colonial and sectarian principles that often
deter and inhibit local advancement. When
Ndlovu opened his first camp in 2006, he set
out to shift that model. Under his leadership,
ABC has emphasized cultural immersion
alongside wildlife viewing.
He remains one of only a handful of black
safari owners whose presence and guidance
offers critical support to what he calls the
decolonization of the safari: all of ABC’s 700
employees are from nearby communities in
which they work, camp designs reflect local
heritage, and cultural nights provide traditional
insight into each camp’s unique connection
to its surroundings.
THE HITS
Each of ABC’s camps is situated in distinctive
locations with unique experiences, including
canoeing and fishing on the Zambezi River,
walking safaris in Botswana’s wildlife-rich
Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, and viewing rare
white rhino in protected reserves in Zimbabwe’s
remote Hwange National Park.
THE TAKE AWAY
All stays at ABC help fund the African Bush
Camps Foundation, which sponsors over 70
programs across three countries, bolstering
employment, education, healthcare, and
human-animal coexistence projects. “The
idea of wildlife versus people is a paradox,”
says Ndlovu, and he adds, “There is a place
for both, once we transfer value from our-
selves to local communities and their
relationship with the land.”
Two programs, Precious Lives and Female
Guides, provide critical education and work
experiences for women interested in careers
within the conservation, safari, and tourism
industries. Guests staying in particular
camps have the opportunity to visit villages
that benefit from these programs, and see the
direct impact their contributions have on
local lives.
MUST SEE
At ABC’s Bumi Hills lodge, guests have the
opportunity to stay aboard Lady Jacqueline,
a multi-story houseboat on Zimbabwe’s
Lake Kariba.
TRAVEL PLANNER
ABC safaris take place year-round. Interna-
tional carriers, including Air Canada
(seasonally) connect via Johannesburg.
africanbushcamps.com
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DREAMSCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2026
PHOTOS: AFRICAN BUSH CAMPS