Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris

What Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris does

Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris is a privately held tour operator founded in 1980 by Gail and Doug Cheeseman and now led by co-CEOs Scott Davis and Krista Hanni. The company designs and leads premium small-group wildlife and nature expeditions across roughly ten regions on all seven continents, selling trips that range from 8 to 25 days at $5,550 to $30,895 per person. The customer base is high-net-worth individual leisure travelers, acquired and served entirely through direct channels (website, email, phone) with no visible third-party reseller or travel-agency intermediary.

The core product is the itinerary itself: a curated sequence of destinations, naturalist-led excursions, and conservation activities built around contracted local guides and in-country logistics partners. The supporting technology stack is a conventional PHP-based CMS augmented by Google Analytics, Google Maps, reCAPTCHA, and AdSense, with no proprietary AI, ML, or data products in evidence. Expedition content is distributed via an integrated online trip catalog, photo and video galleries, and editorial blog posts authored by guides.

Revenue mechanics resemble a high-margin travel agency. The company collects deposits and final payments from individual guests, retains a markup, and passes the majority of expedition cost (lodging, transport, charter vessels, local guides) through to suppliers. Marketing emphasizes 44 years of brand heritage, placements in National Geographic Traveller and the Wall Street Journal, BBB accreditation, and an ecosystem of conservation partnerships including SOS Pantanal, IPÊ, Oncafari, and the Polar Citizen Science Collective.

Name

Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris

Legal name

Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris Corporation

Website

https://cheesemans.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris is a privately held, founder-built tour operator founded in 1980 that designs and leads premium small-group wildlife and nature expeditions across all seven continents, selling directly to affluent leisure travelers at $5,550-$30,895 per person.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure & Wildlife Tourism Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife & Safari Tour Operators (THAKADAG)

Keywords

• Wildlife safari tours
• Nature expeditions
• Ecotourism services
• Photography tours
• Adventure travel

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Gatos

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Package Tour Bookings: Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris generates revenue through the sale of curated wildlife and nature tour packages. Customers pay all-inclusive trip costs that cover accommodations, meals, leader services, transport, park entry fees, and activities. Trips range from 8 to 25 days and cost between $5,550 and $30,895 per person depending on destination, duration, and accommodation level. Deposits ($300-$6,000) are required to secure bookings, with final payments due 2-6 months before departure. Single supplements and optional extensions provide additional revenue opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris curates and operates small-group, expert-led wildlife and nature expedition packages to remote destinations across Africa, Antarctica, the Arctic, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. Each all-inclusive trip (8–25 days, $5,550–$30,895 per person) covers accommodations, meals, transport, park fees, and activities, with maximum field time and photography-focused itineraries timed to optimal wildlife seasons. Complementary offerings include private/custom trips, birding and cultural tours, whale watching, liveaboard marine expeditions, and a carbon-neutral travel program.

Product overview

Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris operates as a single unified service offering: guided wildlife and nature tours to global destinations. Their portfolio consists of various tour types including Wildlife Experiences, Bird-Focused Trips, Photo-Friendly Tours, Cultural Tours, and Whale Watching excursions, plus Private Trips for customized experiences. The company offers liveaboard expeditions aboard dedicated vessels (Gallant Lady, Damai 1) for marine adventures, and integrates conservation-focused programming with carbon offset options. Core offerings emphasize small-group sizes, expert naturalist guides, and photography-focused itineraries spanning destinations across Africa, Antarctica, Arctic, Asia, Central America, Caribbean, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Small group sizes of 8-14 participants (up to 74 for Antarctic expeditions)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SOS PantanalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA private, non-profit organization that promotes knowledge management and dissemination of information about the Pantanal biome. Their Brigradas Pantaneiras program structures rural fire brigades throughout the Pantanal for early fire prevention to limit biodiversity loss. Cheesemans' promotes this organization and connects visitors with their conservation projects.
• IPÊ – Instituto de Pesquisas EcológicascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn NGO working throughout Brazil developing innovative models of biodiversity conservation that promote socioeconomic benefits through science, education, and sustainable business. Projects include Sustainable Landscapes and the Lowland Tapir Conservation Initiative.
• ECOA – Ecologia e AcãominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormed by researchers in 1989, this NGO develops projects and public policies for environmental conservation and sustainability in rural and urban environments, particularly in the Pantanal region.
• Peccary ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation project focused on peccary species in Brazil, connected through the local operator and supported by tourism visitation and donations.
• Tapir Conservation ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation initiative focused on tapir species protection in Brazil, supported through tourism promotion and visitor engagement.
• Giant Armadillo ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation project supporting giant armadillo research and protection in Brazil, supported by eco-tourism operations.
• Hyacinth Macaw ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation initiative focused on the world's largest parrot species in the Pantanal, supported through visitor participation and donations.
• Onças do Rio NegrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJaguar-specific conservation project in the Rio Negro region of Brazil, supporting research and community engagement for jaguar protection.
• OnçafariminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJaguar conservation initiative in the Pantanal that has evolved to reliably show guests these remarkable creatures, creating sustainable wildlife tourism.
• Sustainable Travel InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTI provides carbon offsetting tools and programs that Cheesemans' uses to offer carbon-neutral travel options. The company links to STI's carbon calculator for customers to offset their travel emissions.
• Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorATTA membership provides industry networking, credibility, conference participation, and access to industry best practices for adventure travel operators.
• The Polar Citizen Science CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting citizen science initiatives during polar expeditions, allowing travelers to contribute to scientific research while exploring Arctic regions.
• Adventure Travel Conservation FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerATCF supports conservation projects associated with adventure travel, providing funding and resources for destination protection.
• Polar Bears InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal resource for information seeking to secure long-term survival of polar bears and sea ice. Cheesemans' supports their mission through Svalbard expeditions and visitor education.
• HappywhaleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhale conservation science initiative where travelers can contribute photos and observations to help track whale populations and migrations worldwide.
• Biocultural Conservation InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit that empowers local communities to connect to and protect their native wildlife through education, research, and livelihood enhancement, working in East Africa.
• The Kesho TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNGO supporting communities in East Africa in developing awareness of environmental protection while improving sustainable livelihoods through community-based conservation.
• Serengeti WatchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization founded to protect the Serengeti from highway construction, continuing work to promote conservation mindsets through education, women's empowerment, and community engagement.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Wilderness Safaris (Wilderness): African safari operator with owned camps across southern and East Africa. Comparable on land-based African wildlife trips, though concentrated on Africa rather than global destinations like Cheesemans'.

Direct peers

• Adventure Life: U.S.-based small-group adventure tour operator running wildlife, cultural, and active itineraries across Latin America, Africa, and polar regions. Similar niche targeting and conservation focus.
• African Travel Inc. Specialist African safari operator offering small-group and private itineraries across multiple African countries. Direct competitor on Cheesemans' Africa safaris in Tanzania, Kenya, and Namibia.
• Natural Habitat Adventures: Boulder-based small-group wildlife and nature adventure operator running carbon-neutral, naturalist-led trips worldwide (Africa, polar, Galápagos). Direct competitor for the same premium, conservation-minded traveler segment.
• &Beyond: Luxury African safari and conservation-travel brand operating premium lodges and guided safaris across Africa and Asia. Direct overlap on Africa wildlife itineraries aimed at high-end conservation-minded travelers.
• Quark Expeditions: Polar-specialist expedition operator sailing to Antarctica and the Arctic with small-ship itineraries. Direct competitor on the Antarctic and Arctic trips that are Cheesemans' highest-priced offerings.
• International Expeditions (Ker & Downey): Conservation-led natural history travel brand with global wildlife and small-ship itineraries spanning Amazon, Galápagos, Africa, and polar regions. Strong overlap in clientele, naturalist-led product, and conservation messaging.

Broad incumbents

• Lindblad Expeditions (National Geographic-Lindblad): Larger expedition cruise operator partnered with National Geographic offering polar, wildlife, and cultural itineraries. Overlaps on Antarctica, Arctic, and wildlife-focused departures with deeper marketing resources.
• G Adventures: Large-scale small-group adventure tour operator with global wildlife, nature, and cultural itineraries. Overlaps on wildlife expedition category but at lower price points and with much broader volume.
• Nat Geo Travel / National Geographic Travel: Editor's-circle trip listings and dedicated wildlife/photography departures under the National Geographic travel brand. An aspirational media channel and sometimes partner/competitor for premium wildlife photography itineraries like Cheesemans'.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cheesemanseco
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CheesemansEcology?feature=mhum
• Facebookfacebook.com/Cheesemans
• Instagraminstagram.com/cheesemansecologysafaris/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cheesemans

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris