The History of Robin Pope and Robin Pope Safaris
Robin walking in the Nyika Plateau – 1976
Robin was born in 1951 and lived with his family in the Copperbelt, Kabwe (Broken Hill) and Lusaka. He spent his youth running around the bush with a pellet gun and a fishing rod. His collection of bird wings and various animals parts along with his efforts to taxidermy birds was packed and unpacked as the family moved around Zambia (Northern Rhodesia). Schooled in Zimbabwe at Falcon, Robin and his brothers traveled across the Victoria Falls railway bridge to Bulawayo. After school Robin studied geography and zoology for a year at the University of Zambia in Lusaka. Due to endless interruptions of studies resulting from the political situation, after a year he moved to the University of Pietermaritzburg for two years. During his holidays in 1973 and 74, Robin worked for the Geological Survey Department in the Zambezi Escarpment and also part time for the Wildlife Conservation International project in the Zambezi Valley. He so enjoyed this work and living in the bush that he did not return to finish his degree. This project had to be terminated due to the Rhodesian war across the border.
Robin applied to join Zambia Safaris in 1974. The largest hunting company in Southern Africa at the time, it also owned Wilderness Trails – a photographic safari company running Chibembe and the Walking Trails Camps. Norman Carr, a shareholder of Zambia Safaris, interviewed Robin for the job of a safari guide. During the interview Norman asked Robin to identify the bird flying outside the window – a yellow billed kite. Robin laughed as he thought is was a joke – such an obvious question. And he failed the interview.
In 1975 Robin applied again and this time was interviewed by a panel of “pipe smoking” hunters. He was accepted. He had to supply his own kit – a landrover, rifle, camp bed along with pots and pans. He bought everything second hand, packed the old landrover and drove up the Great East Road to the Luangwa Valley. The Pope Family had spent a number of school holidays in the Luangwa Valley and Robin knew his way around the bush. He was walked around a lagoon and proclaimed a guide.
Robin developed his bush knowledge and guiding skills. After four years of conducting walking safaris for Chibembe he became the senior guide. In 1979 Robin was invited to join the famous Sand River Safari with Peter Matthiesson, Hugo Van Lawick, Brian Nickolson and Richard Bonham. From the late ‘70s Robin was also an Honorary Ranger with National Parks. This included setting up road blocks around Lusaka in the off season. There was lots of elephant and meat poaching in the Kafue and Lower Zambezi. And during the drier months Robin worked closely with Phil Berry in assisting him with Save the Rhino Trust. There are many interesting stories about chasing poachers and long patrols!
Robin and young scrub hare – 1985
In 1980 Norman Carr sold his shares in Zambia Safaris and left. The old government safari camps were acquired by the newly structured company and Robin was offered the management of Nsefu Camp on a profit sharing basis. The camp was in a state of disrepair and Robin spent most of the season of 1980 renovating – and opened in July 1981.
Robin managed Nsefu Camp for 5 years. It was during this time that his international reputation grew. He had a great team in place and the camp became very busy. In 1982 he opened a fly camp at Tena Tena for 3 day walking safaris . The population of black rhino in the area was high and it was not unusual to see 4 or 5 rhino during a morning walk. The camp was extremely simple – a row of tents, simple drum showers filled by buckets, long drop loos and bread baked in the ground.
Zambia Safaris went bust in at the end of 1984, and Eco Safaris took over. They did not want Tena Tena and so Robin left Nsefu and formed his own safari company - Robin Pope Safaris. He now had Tena Tena, which he upgraded to a 12 bed camp ready for the season of 1986. He was finally on his own. Robin Pope Safaris also took over the lease of the Zambian Resthouse on the Nyika Plateau.
During the year of 1987 Robin won the contract to run the logistical camps for oil prospectors all over the Eastern Province. Jeremy, Robin’s brother, helped run the camps and together they thought they were going to make a fortune. After an extremely busy and difficult year providing accommodation and backup in the most remote places, they invoiced the company. Payment was late in coming and it finally came 2 days after the kwacha revalued from 21 to 7.5 to the dollar. They made a loss and had to claim loss of earnings. So the Pope brothers did not make their fortune after all. This was also the year of the anthrax outbreak in the South Luangwa and many animals died – mostly hippo.
The year 1988 was significant in Robin’s life. Jo Holmes arrived from the UK to cater at Tena Tena for the season. Jo has the tendency to organise things and soon she was running the bookings, accounts, systems as well as the kitchen. She upgraded the accounting system from the well known "in and out" shoebox system to accounting books! On arrival in Lusaka, Robin took her to a supermarket for last minute supplies before driving to the camp. The few tins of baked beans and tomato on the shelves did not inspire confidence in the supplies. Those were the days of socialist government and luxury items were not allowed into the country. It was hard to provide food of international standard but somehow it worked.
Jo and Robin - 1990
Jo and Robin were soon hatching exciting new plans. The land for Nkwali was applied for in 1988 with the aim of setting up a permanent camp and base. They also wanted to start new safaris. After the season of 1989 they drove to the Western Province and the Liuwa Plains to recce the area for future safaris. The Walking Mobile Safaris started in 1990 and are still running today with great success. This was a new concept in walking safaris and has worked extremely well. The Mupamadzi River in the north of the South Luangwa National Park was the area applied for and permission was given. However, after a week of trying to construct the road by hand (nearly 90 km) time ran out and the first mobiles operated on the Luwi River. The same happened in 1991 and the Luamfwa Area in the south was used. It was not until the National Parks agreed to hire their grader to put in the road in1992 that the mobile operation finally managed to get to the Mupamadzi River.
At the end of the 1990 season they also ran the first up market safari into the Liuwa Plains. Organising these safaris was a big task. The distance from base (South Luangwa) is over 1500 km and the full mobile camp was sent by truck. Along with 2 landcruisers for the guests and backup the sight of the safari moving camp through the remote area must have been a surprise to the locals who usually only see missionaries from year to year. Robin and Jo ran these safaris for 4 years during the months of November and December but then other operators started to use the area and the thrill of being the only ones there was gone.
Nkwali Camp was opened in 1991. Starting with very little the camp has slowly been built up over the years and is now the base camp and headquarters for the company. The workshops, head office, storerooms and vegetable garden in the background supply all the RPS operations. This was also the year that Robin and Jo were married, under a huge fig tree near Tena Tena. A wonderful bush wedding with family and friends from both overseas and Zambia. There were 120 for dinner at Tena Tena that night. Quite a feat!
From 1992 to 1998 Robin and Jo developed Tena Tena, Nkwali and the Walking Mobiles Safaris to a very high standard. They also took guests to the Nyika Plateau, Bangweulu Swamps, Kasanka National Park as well as the Liuwa Plains under the name of Robin Pope Expeditions.
Nsefu Camp meanwhile had gradually declined and finally closed in 1997. The opportunity to take over the lease presented itself and Robin and Jo jumped at the chance. The renovations took nearly a year as the camp was in a dilapidated state and had to be brought up to the standard of the day. The camp was reopened in 1999 and very quickly reached the high levels of occupancy that RPS expect.
The next new product was in 2004 when the Nsefu “fly camping” unit was set up – now rebranded as Luangwa Bush Camping. This is literally camping in the bush, albeit in comfort, but with a great feel of being very “out there”.
In 2005 Jo decided to launch the idea of Safari Houses in Zambia. There was the opportunity to build one on the Nkwali land and to join forces with other partners and build one in the Lower Zambezi. These houses were to push the boundaries and concepts in the safari industry and indeed they do. Both are epic in proportion, unusual in design and giving the feeling of staying in utter luxury and fantasy. The Luangwa Safari House is owned by RPS and built on the Nkwali land, and the sister house, on the banks of the exquisite Chongwe River, Lower Zambezi, is owned by Jo and some partners. These houses have caused quite a stir in the safari world!
In 2006 Robin and Jo realised that it was time to share the load and sold shares to Molecaten Zambia. This is the Zambian arm of The Molecaten Group based in Holland who had already started developing in Malawi (Pumulani on Lake Malawi). They welcome having partners to work with, throw ideas around with and feel that the new team will ensure that RPS will continue to be the top safari company in Zambia.
Robin and Jo live in Lusaka but remain on the board and have their old much visited home at Nkwali. Robin continues to lead safaris in the outreaches of the country and they both love to visit the camps at every chance.
January 2010
