Forty years of dedication, friendship and shared adventures.
Well, hello there. I hope that you are fabulously well and have had a wonderful weekend.
Over the past two weeks, we have travelled back to the beginnings of Robin Pope Safaris with Robin & Jo and heard from Ton & Margaux about their own adventures and hopes for the future.
This week, we turn to the people who have helped make it all possible. Because while camps, vehicles and communications have changed over the years, the real story has always belonged to the people.
Years of dedication
From the familiar face waiting at the airstrip to the person making sure your room is ready, a safari is shaped by so many hands. Some you meet during your stay; others work quietly behind the scenes, making sure everything comes together.
Our guides, representatives, camp managers, housekeeping teams, chefs, waiters, gardeners, maintenance crews, drivers, hosts, meet and greet staff, and office teams all bring something of themselves to the RPS experience. Their knowledge, care and humour are so often what guests remember long after returning home.
A particularly special mention goes to Webby Njobvu, who has been part of the RPS family for an extraordinary 39 years. Almost the entire journey! Thank you, Webby, for your dedication and for being such a longstanding part of our story.
Back again, and always welcome
Some guests have returned so often that welcoming them feels rather like having old friends’ home again. Over the years, a first safari has become a second, a favourite camp has become a familiar retreat, and friendships have continued far beyond the end of a holiday.
There are far too many familiar faces to mention everyone here, but a few names from over the years, in no particular order, are Jane Pike, Ian Harris, Dawn Perkins, Chris & Vaughan Williams, John Talbot, Claire & Simon Marinker, Rita & Glyndwr Manning, Maria Carballo, Watze & Angelique Elsinga, Bill North, Stuart Walker, Catherine Fonseca, Ute Kamps and Maryke Jones.
Whether or not your name appears here, please know how much your continued friendship means to us. Every return visit is a pleasure, and we are grateful to each of you for making RPS part of your lives.
The people who keep camp going
Of course, life in the bush takes a little organising. Behind every freshly prepared meal, comfortable bed and vehicle ready for an early morning departure is a network of suppliers helping our teams deliver the experience our guests know and love.
From fresh produce and everyday essentials to building materials, furnishings, equipment and spare parts, there is a great deal that needs to find its way to camp. Sometimes that calls for patience, ingenuity and a very good sense of humour!
To our suppliers, especially those who have worked alongside us through many seasons, thank you for your reliability, flexibility and care. You are very much part of the RPS story.
Partnerships that have grown with us
Then there are the relationships that help bring the whole journey together.
Our travel agents and tour operator partners introduce guests to our camps, help plan their adventures and place their trust in us to look after them. Our airline and transfer partners help connect the places we call home, while fellow lodges and safari operators work with us to create journeys across the region.
We are equally grateful to the conservation and community organisations, park authorities and local communities whose work and partnership help care for these extraordinary places.
To all our partners, thank you for the shared ideas, practical support and friendships that have grown over the years. Forty years is a long time, and it means a great deal to have travelled so much of that journey together.
Last but certainly not least
A heartfelt thank you to Simon, Shanie, Isla and Zoe Cousins, and Will and Lianne Steenkamp, for your dedication, support and love for RPS. You hold a very special place in this story, and we are grateful for everything you bring to it.
Our story continues, together
To our teams, past and present; our neighbours and local communities; our suppliers, conservation partners, agents and industry friends; and every guest who has spent time with us, thank you.
And to everyone who joins us through these Monday letters, now numbering an extraordinary 1,257, thank you for reading, replying and sharing in life in the bush. Even when you are far from camp, we hope they help you feel a little closer.
As we look ahead, there will no doubt be more adventures, a few surprises and plenty of plans to make along the way. But the things that matter most remain the same: wonderful guiding, a warm welcome and the simple pleasure of sharing these extraordinary wild places with you.
Have a fantastic week ahead, filled with smiles and laughter, and don’t forget to look after one another.
