True Wild

What True Wild does

True Wild Safaris (True Wild LLC) is a privately held, founder-operated boutique safari tour operator incorporated in California and headquartered by appointment only in Glen Ellen. The company designs and delivers bespoke, handcrafted African safari itineraries for individual travelers and small private groups, with all bookings flowing through a sales-led personal consultation followed by end-to-end logistics management covering accommodations, activities, transfers between international airports and camps, and access to specialist group leaders (ornithologists, biologists, wildlife photographers, environmental educators).

The core operating model is professional-services based: revenue is generated from total quoted safari package cost, with each itinerary custom-priced after consultation rather than through standardized SKUs. The company selects a curated network of small, exclusive safari camps across Southern and East Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Namibia, Kenya) and complements bespoke services with date-set Special Themed Safaris led by domain experts. There is no proprietary technology platform or AI/ML component; the offering is essentially expert curation, scientific credibility, and conservation network access delivered through founder expertise and a personal service experience.

True Wild is owned and operated by co-founders Dr. Quinton Martins and Liz Martins, who anchor the brand through their conservation profiles (Cape Leopard Trust co-founding, Living with Lions project leadership) and academic credentials (PhD from University of Bristol, FGASA Level III). A named advisor (Neil Martin, former director at HP/Agilent/Keysight) supports business development. The firm has no disclosed external institutional investment, no subsidiaries, no mergers or acquisitions, and no public-facing financial disclosures.

Name

True Wild

Legal name

True Wild LLC

Website

https://truewildsafaris.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Short description

True Wild Safaris is a founder-led boutique safari tour operator that designs handcrafted, expert-guided African safari itineraries across Southern and East Africa for individual travelers and small groups seeking premium, conservation-aligned wildlife experiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Safari Tour Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land (48711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife & Safari Tour Operators (THAKADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Safari & Wildlife Adventure Tour Operators (Land-Based) (THAAADAD), Safari & Game Drives (Land-Based) (THAAAEAC), Wildlife & Nature Interpretation Guides (Birding, Photography, Naturalist) (THAAALAE), Adventure & Expedition Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAC)

Keywords

• Safari tour operator
• Bespoke African safaris
• Wildlife conservation travel
• Small group expeditions
• Expert-guided safaris

Headquarters

HQ city

Glen Ellen

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Safari Booking Services: True Wild generates revenue by designing and arranging bespoke African safari experiences. The company handles all logistics including accommodation, activities, transfers between international airports and camps, and can arrange specialist group leaders. Revenue is generated through the total cost of the safari package, which is quoted after consultation as each trip is unique.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

True Wild designs and arranges personalized African safari itineraries for independent travelers and small groups, typically based in Southern and East Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Namibia, Kenya). The company handles all logistics from arrival to departure, including accommodation, activities (game drives, walking safaris, boating, fishing), and transfers between international airports and camps. Clients can opt to have a specialist group leader (e.g., ornithologist, biologist, wildlife photographer) accompany the trip. The company also offers Special Themed Safaris with set dates led by Californian biologists.

Product overview

True Wild operates as a single unified service offering bespoke African safari experiences. The core product is True Wild Safaris, which encompasses several integrated components: handcrafted itineraries planning, Specialist Group Leaders (expert guides with domain expertise in big cats, birds, photography, and conservation), curated Safari Camps partner network, Activities (game drives, walking safaris, cultural experiences), and Transfers logistics. The company also offers Special Themed Safaris with set departure dates led by scientists/biologists. Additional services include pre-trip gatherings for preparation and post-trip conservation connection opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Special Themed Safaris Specialized safari trips with set departure dates led by expert biologists that connect African wilderness experiences with participants' lives back home; examples include Big Cats Safari 2026 and Big Cats Zambia Safari.
• True Wild Safaris (Bespoke Safari Itineraries) Core bespoke safari service — handcrafted, personalized African safari itineraries for independent travelers and small groups, with complete logistics management from arrival to departure, including accommodation, activities, and inter-camp transfers, and the option to include a specialist group leader (e.g., ornithologist, biologist, wildlife photographer, family safari guide).

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• True Wild ConservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrue Wild Conservation is the conservation nonprofit founded by Dr. Quinton Martins. The safari company is an extension of the conservation organization's mission. Quinton serves as Director of True Wild Conservation while Liz Martins serves as Operations Director. The company brings the same integrity and passion to safari planning as they do to conservation efforts.
• Cape Leopard Trust (CLT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded by Dr. Quinton Martins in March 2004. The conservation and research non-profit focuses on conserving leopards and their environment in South Africa's Cape region. Liz Martins previously set up and ran the Cape Leopard Trust's Education Project. The Trust represents the conservation ethos that underlies True Wild Safaris.
• All Hands Ecology (formerly Audubon Canyon Ranch)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll Hands Ecology is the umbrella organization for the Living with Lions mountain lion research project in California, which Dr. Quinton Martins leads. Liz Martins serves as School Programs Manager for All Hands Ecology at Bouverie Preserve, running mountain lion education programs and docent training.
• Living with Lions ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMountain lion research project based in Sonoma, CA under All Hands Ecology. Dr. Quinton Martins serves as Principal Investigator. The project uses mountain lions to connect people to nature and preserve habitat. Safari experiences aim to inspire similar conservation engagement back home.
• Wilderness SafarisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier African safari operator that Dr. Quinton Martins worked for during his early career as a professional safari guide and camp manager in the 1990s. Represents a high-quality benchmark operator that True Wild uses as a reference point for quality standards.
• &Beyond (Conservation Corporation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnother premier safari operator that Dr. Quinton Martins worked for during his early career. These experiences informed his approach to high-quality safari operations that True Wild now emulates.
• Smithsonian Institute (Washington DC and Windhoek Museum)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Quinton Martins was selected to lead a month-long expedition to Namibia's isolated desert to collect scorpion specimens for the Smithsonian Institute and Windhoek Museum, demonstrating his scientific credibility and expedition expertise.
• University of Bristol, UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Quinton Martins completed his PhD through University of Bristol and was a research fellow there. He is also a research associate at University of Cape Town and University of Stellenbosch in South Africa.
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment conservation agency that Dr. Quinton Martins works with on mountain lion research through the Living with Lions project in California.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wilderness Safaris: Premier multi-country African safari operator with its own camp portfolio and conservation focus. Directly comparable — Quinton Martins worked here as a professional safari guide and camp manager, and Wilderness represents the quality benchmark True Wild emulates.
• Singita: Ultra-luxury safari brand operating exclusive lodges and guided experiences across South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda. Directly comparable as a high-touch, conservation-aligned, multi-country African safari operator serving affluent experiential travelers.
• &Beyond: Premier luxury African safari and travel operator (formerly Conservation Corporation Africa). Directly comparable as a high-end, expert-led safari company spanning multiple African countries, where founder Dr. Quinton Martins previously worked as a specialist guide.
• African Travel, Inc. US-based tour operator specializing in luxury safaris across Southern and East Africa. Directly comparable as a boutique, expert-led African safari operator serving North American HNW travelers with custom itineraries.
• Micato Safaris: Bespoke luxury African safari operator known for handcrafted itineraries, expert guides and 1:1 guest servicing. Directly comparable business model (consultative, custom-designed safaris) and target customer (affluent repeat Africa travelers).
• Travel Beyond: Bespoke luxury travel company with a strong African safari practice offering handcrafted itineraries and private guides. Comparable in the consultative, high-touch, custom-itinerary model for HNW experiential travelers.
• Great Plains Conservation: Conservation-driven safari brand operating luxury camps in Botswana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. Directly comparable conservation-first, expert-led positioning across a similar country footprint.
• Thomson Safaris: Long-established US-based African safari tour operator offering guided small-group and custom trips. Directly comparable in customer base (US travelers) and product (guided safaris across multiple African countries).
• Rothschild Safaris (cazenove+loyd): Boutique luxury African safari operator (now part of cazenove+loyd) focused on custom itineraries with expert guides and exclusive camps. Comparable as a high-end, bespoke Africa safari specialist serving affluent US-based travelers.
• Ker & Downey Africa Safaris: Bespoke luxury African safari operator with a long-standing reputation for custom itineraries and high-touch service. Directly comparable in target customer (affluent experiential travelers) and service model (consultative, handcrafted safaris across multiple countries).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 True Wild