The History of African Safari: From Hunting to Photography
The African safari has always been an adventure – just not the same kind we know today. Once a brutal hunt for trophies, it has since become one of the most powerful forces in global conservation. Now, wildlife tourism funds national parks, supports anti-poaching units, and keeps entire ecosystems intact. The shift wasn’t accidental; it was fought for, earned, and, in many ways, is still happening.
In 2023, the African safari tourism market was valued at a staggering $16.9 billion and is set to grow by 6.2% annually until 2030. This growth is a testament to how far we’ve come, but how did the safari make the jump from hunting to photography?
How Wildlife Tourism Shaped the Evolution of Safari Travel in South Africa
For much of the 19th and early 20th centuries, European and American elites flooded into Africa, eager to bag one of the Big 5 and pose for a triumphant photograph. The Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard) were so named not for their beauty and majesty, but because they were considered the most challenging animals to hunt.
The meaning of a safari began to shift in the mid-20th century. Visionary conservationists realised there was a future where we could “shoot” an elephant as much as we want with a camera instead of a gun. Countries like South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania, which today account for 60% of global safari interest, started creating national parks to protect animals rather than exploit them. As the animals flourished in these protected areas, so did a different kind of adventurer. Not armed with rifles but with cameras, notebooks, and a thirst for seeing Africa’s wildlife as it was meant to be – alive.
The Rise of Conservation Expeditions: Safaris with a Purpose
A new breed of safari emerged: a safari with a mission. Contrary to the recent past, scientists, filmmakers, and activists weren’t coming to Africa to extract; they were coming to give back. They tracked lion populations, camped amongst gorillas, and followed elephant herds, not as predators, but as protectors. By the late 20th century, luxury lodges and safari tours were funding anti-poaching teams and supporting local communities.
Next Adventure has spent decades helping travellers embark on conservation-driven safaris, ensuring that every journey directly contributes to safeguarding Africa’s landscapes and endangered wildlife. In today’s world, where every purchase is a vote for the kind of future we want, choosing a safari with purpose means joining one of the greatest conservation battles of our time.
The Transformation of the South African Safari Industry
Nowhere has the shift been greater than in South Africa. Once a hub for trophy hunting, it has transformed into a conservation powerhouse. Private game reserves now play a key role in reintroducing species once wiped out by colonial hunting parties, and places like the Kruger National Park prove that protecting wildlife can be more profitable than destroying it.
Lodges have become integral to conservation, funnelling money back into ranger salaries, building schools for local communities, and ensuring that safari tourism benefits the people who share their land with Africa’s iconic megafauna. That’s the future of safari: not watching animals, but actively ensuring they survive.
The Role of Conservation-based Ecotourism in Protecting Safari Destinations
None of this happens by accident. Conservation is expensive and complex, and without tourism, Africa’s wildest places are at risk of being swallowed up by deforestation and poaching. The role of conservation-based ecotourism has never been more essential.
Next Adventure is committed to partnering with the most reputable and responsible camp operators in Africa. The camps we recommend are good employers, good neighbors to local communities, good partners to conservation entities and good stewards of the environment. They fund anti-poaching operations, monitor endangered species, and work with local communities to provide education, health and economic opportunities – giving back to the land and the people who protect it.
When you travel with Next Adventure, you’re visiting Africa and actively preserving it. Every night spent under the stars in a remote safari camp and every game drive led by an expert guide contributes to keeping these extraordinary landscapes intact for future generations.
The history of the African safari is still being written. Once synonymous with destruction, it has quickly become a vital tool for conservation as well as community development. And the best part? You can be part of that story.
Start planning your journey with Next Adventure and explore Africa’s wild heart the way it was meant to be: protected, preserved, and breathtakingly alive. Contact Next Adventure now for more information about South African custom safaris, as well as getaways to various other bucket list-worthy destinations, from Zimbabwe to Rwanda, Zambia to Tanzania. There’s a destination – and an adventure – especially for you.
