What Umlani Bushcamp does

Umlani Bushcamp is a privately held, family-owned eco-lodge safari camp founded in 1990 by Marco and Marie Schiess and located within the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in the Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa. The camp operates at a hard capacity ceiling of 16 guests per night across eight Eco Hut Rondavels (four Double Huts sleeping two guests and four Family Huts sleeping three to four), with off-grid solar-powered infrastructure, thermally regulated eco-hut construction, open-air bush showers, and en-suite facilities. Core offerings include all-inclusive safari packages comprising accommodation, three meals daily, twice-daily game drives in open safari vehicles, guided bush walks, and birding activities, plus a treehouse/star-beds sleep-out experience and an emerging ethically-made campwear merchandise line described as 'coming soon.' The guiding team is led by full-time rangers with deep local wildlife knowledge, supplemented by trackers, and the camp is positioned for Big 5 wildlife encounters, leopard sightings, and photography-led experiences.

The business model is direct-to-consumer accommodation services sold at per-person-per-night rates, currently structured at R620 for international adult guests and R240 for SA Residents (2025 rates), with the 1 Week Special 2026 package priced at R44,826 per person sharing for six nights including a complimentary seventh. Reservations flow through the company website (built on Springnest) integrated with the NightsBridge booking engine, with direct booking incentivized over third-party channels. Ancillary revenue is captured via Conservation Levies (R255-R660 per person per night depending on residency), vehicle permits (R340), and guide/driver fees (R1,320 per night for accompanying groups). The customer base is fragmented across individual leisure travelers, families with children, couples on romantic getaways, and photography/birding enthusiasts, with documented repeat visitation and TripAdvisor-sourced reviews indicating brand-driven loyalty rather than contractual retention. The camp holds Fair Trade Certified status and aligns its privacy practices with GDPR principles under South Africa's POPIA framework. Distribution is global through the website and review platforms, with physical operations limited to a single Timbavati-area site and total operating geographies restricted to South Africa.

Name

Umlani Bushcamp

Legal name

Umlani Bushcamp

Website

https://umlani.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Umlani Bushcamp is a family-owned eco-lodge safari camp in South Africa's Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, accommodating a maximum of 16 guests in eight Eco Hut Rondavels and offering all-inclusive Big 5 safari experiences with guided game drives and bush walks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Safari Lodge Accommodation

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Safari Lodges (Big Five/Game Reserves) (THAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Safari Lodges & Tented Camps (THAAAHAC), National Park & Conservancy Lodges (THAGAIAI)

Keywords

• Safari lodge accommodation
• Wildlife game drives
• Eco lodge hospitality
• Bush camp tourism
• Guided safari experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Hoedspruit

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Accommodation Services: The primary revenue stream comes from safari accommodation services. Rates include accommodation, 3 meals per day, 2 game drives per day, and local brand drinks. Additional revenue is generated through conservation levies, vehicle permits, and guide/driver fees for accompanying groups.
2. Merchandise: Umlani Bushcamp sells ethically made camp merchandise branded with their logo. The merchandise section is noted as 'coming soon' on their website, indicating future revenue potential.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Umlani Bushcamp operates an off-grid eco-lodge offering safari accommodation and guided wildlife experiences in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve within the Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa. The camp provides 8 Eco Hut Rondavels (4 double huts and 4 family huts) for a maximum of 16 guests, with all-inclusive rates covering accommodation, three meals daily, twice-daily game drives, optional bush walks, and local brand drinks. The core experience combines comfortable eco-friendly lodging with expert-guided Big Five wildlife viewing.

Product overview

Umlani Bushcamp is an off-grid eco-lodge situated in Timbavati Private Nature Reserve within the Greater Kruger Park, South Africa. The camp operates as a unified accommodation and safari experience offering eight Eco Hut Rondavels (four Double Eco Huts sleeping 2 guests each and four Family Eco Huts sleeping 3-4 guests each), with a maximum capacity of 16 guests. The core experience combines comfortable eco-friendly accommodation with guided wildlife activities including twice-daily game drives, bush walks, and birding. Additional offerings include a unique treehouse/star beds sleep-out experience, on-site dining featuring award-winning meals, and a merchandise line of ethically-made campwear. The camp also offers seasonal special packages such as the 1 Week Special 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Double Eco Huts Eco Hut Rondavels accommodating a maximum of 2 guests. Four units available with en-suite facilities including open-air bush showers, comfortable beds with crisp white linen, mosquito netting, and complimentary bottled water. Designed with thermal regulation properties for comfort during both hot and cold seasons.
• Family Eco Huts Eco Hut Rondavels accommodating 3-4 guests. Four family units available with en-suite facilities including open-air bush showers, comfortable beds, mosquito netting, and complimentary bottled water. Designed for family groups with children.
• Game Drives Twice-daily guided game drives conducted by professional guides and trackers in open safari vehicles, offering wildlife viewing in Timbavati Private Nature Reserve including Big Five sightings. Included in the standard per-person-per-night rate.
• Bush Walks Guided bush walks providing an intimate wilderness experience with the opportunity to track animals on foot, observe smaller creatures, and learn about flora and fauna. Optional activity included in the standard per-person-per-night rate.
• Birding Specialized birding activities led by knowledgeable guides in the bird-rich Timbavati ecosystem, leveraging the camp's location within a diverse bird habitat.
• Treehouse/Star Beds Experience Sleep-out treehouse experience offering star beds for unique overnight wildlife viewing with the opportunity to observe nocturnal animals under the African night sky.
• 1 Week Special 2026 Package Special multi-night package valid December 16, 2025 to December 15, 2026. Pay for 6 days get 1 day free. Includes accommodation, 2 game drives daily, 3 meals daily, and local brand drinks. Per person sharing R44,826.00; Single R60,510.00. Available for direct bookings only.

Quantifiable outcome

• Guests have reported seeing all Big 5 animals within 3 days of stay
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SpringnestcoreTechnology or IntegrationSpringnest provides the website platform and booking infrastructure for Umlani Bushcamp. The company website is built with Springnest technology, enabling online bookings, content management, and website functionality. The footer notes 'Built with Springnest'.
• NightsBridgecoreTechnology or IntegrationNightsBridge provides the online booking system and reservation management platform for Umlani Bushcamp. The booking link (bbid=12470) connects directly to NightsBridge for reservation processing.
• Timbavati Private Nature ReservecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmlani Bushcamp is situated within the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger ecosystem. The partnership provides access to traversing rights within the reserve for game drives and wildlife viewing, contributing to the core safari experience offered.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• &Beyond: Luxury safari lodge operator with multiple camps in Greater Kruger/Sabi Sand area. Comparable to Umlani in offering all-inclusive accommodation, game drives, and premium positioning, but operates at greater scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Royal Malewane: Ultra-luxury safari lodge in Thornybush Private Game Reserve, Greater Kruger. Competes directly with Umlani for high-end international safari guests seeking intimate Big Five experiences near Kruger.
• Africa on Foot: Small-capacity, owner-operated safari camp in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve adjacent to Timbavati. Closest comparable to Umlani in terms of intimate size, off-grid ethos, Big Five walking safaris, and family-run operations.
• Lion Sands Game Reserve: Private safari lodge in Sabi Sand Game Reserve with multiple properties including treehouse sleep-outs analogous to Umlani's star-bed experience. Targets similar premium safari segment.
• Singita: Operates a portfolio of ultra-premium, low-density safari lodges across South Africa (including Grumeti, Sabi Sand and Kruger-adjacent reserves). Direct competitor to Umlani for high-yield international guests seeking Big Five and exclusive-use safari experiences.
• Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve: Long-established Big Five safari reserve adjacent to Kruger. Competes with Umlani for international safari enthusiasts seeking luxury accommodation and game viewing in the Greater Kruger ecosystem.
• Ulusaba (Virgin Limited Edition): Private safari lodge in Sabi Sand Game Reserve owned by Virgin Limited Edition. Comparable intimate luxury positioning with Big Five game viewing in Greater Kruger, targeting similar premium international guest profile.

Others

• South African Tourism: National tourism board that markets South Africa (including Greater Kruger) internationally. Not a direct competitor but a key ecosystem partner whose destination-marketing effectiveness directly drives inbound demand to Umlani.

Broad incumbents

• Wilderness Safaris: Largest safari operator in Southern Africa with camps across multiple countries. Broader incumbent competitor to Umlani in the eco-lodge safari segment, but with a wider portfolio and less boutique feel.

Emerging players

• Bushcamp Company (Mfuwe, Zambia): Collection of small, owner-managed bushcamps in Zambia's South Luangwa. Similar intimate-camp operating model to Umlani (small hut count, walking safaris, owner involvement), although in a different ecosystem and country.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UmlaniBushcamp
• Facebookfacebook.com/160070567369383
• Instagraminstagram.com/umlanibushcamp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umlani-bushcamp

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Umlani Bushcamp