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Some of the world’s wealthiest individuals have already started building their legacies in Africa by taking on massive conservation projects while creating some of the most luxurious and iconic safari lodges

and resorts on the planet.

Inspired by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett’s groundbreaking Giving Pledge, some of the world’s wealthiest individuals have already started building their legacies in Africa by taking on massive conservation projects while creating some of the most luxurious and iconic safari lodges and resorts on the planet—a win-win situation all around. Individually

and collectively, these business leaders and innovators are committed to help preserve Africa’s most pristine wilderness areas and its wildlife for future generations to enjoy.

For the first part of this series, we focus on two exceptional German individuals: one a career philanthropist and the other a famous entrepreneur and business innovator.

Odzala, in the Republic of CongoSabine Plattner, publicity-averse wife of the cofounder of

European software giant SAP is busy with her latest project: to protect one of the world’s most important rainforests and to improve the lives of those living around Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), the world’s second largest expanse of tropical rainforest.

The region had no tourism infrastructure and no tourists when Plattner first visited. Now Plattner and Wilderness Safaris are pulling back the curtain on one of Africa’s next great safari destinations with the region’s first high-end camps that can go toe to toe with the best safari lodges in Botswana and the rest of Africa. Two environmentally minded lodges—Lango, on the edge of the savannah, and Ngaga, set deep in the rain forest—each has six elevated luxury treehouse suites constructed from local bamboo and decorated with designer Congolese artifacts. Leather and canvas campaign furniture and wraparound terraces add creature comforts, as do the camp’s organic French cuisine and fine French wines. But the real draw is Odzala’s unrivaled access to its wild neighbors, particularly the 20,000 resident gorillas who live just outside your door.

Odzala presents a rare opportunity for the modern traveler: the privilege and thrill of observing one of our closest relatives in the wild, and exploring a thriving rainforest ecosystem—both of which create an aura of adventure and discovery. Tracking of habituated gorilla groups, pirogue rides along lush river systems, game drives in the savannah, night drives, walks along lush forest streams and salines, and time spent at the productive forest bais shape this unique experience.

http://www.odzala-kokoua.com/

Luxe in the Wildby JOSE V. CORTEZ III

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These reserves and lodges in wild africa leT you come face To face wiTh naTure’s grandesT specTacles

Segera, on the Laikipia Plateau, northern KenyaSegera, a 50,000-acre working ranch cum wildlife sanctuary—just a tad

smaller than the whole of Singapore—is the brainchild of superstar German entrepreneur Jochen Zeitz. Appointed chief executive of Puma at the age of 30, Zeitz is now chairman of its sustainable development committee. With a Benedictine monk, Zeitz wrote The Manager and the Monk, a discourse on responsible and sustainable business. His latest non-profit initiative with Sir Richard Branson, the B Team, is currently the talk of the town in global business circles.

Segera Retreat is a unique oasis on the serene Laikipia Plateau in northern Kenya. Six timber and thatch villas are raised above a profusion of botanical life in the Segera oasis (with its sculpture garden). Their elevated wooden platforms look out onto the surrounding savannah, and swing beds below become the setting for the perfect midday nap in the shade, as well as a memorable night under the stars, surrounded by the sounds of Africa. The

gracious Segera House and perfectly positioned Villa Segera boast similarly spectacular views and even greater privacy and luxury. Run on solar energy and sustainably harvested and recycled water, the villas gaze out over the Laikipia Plateau towards spectacular Mount Kenya.

The owner’s exceptional African art collection includes a number of striking sculptures that dot the botanical garden, and each villa is studded with original, individually selected paintings and other art from Africa’s most inspiring artists.

Home to a vast array of animal, bird, and plant life, Segera provides an important corridor for the migration of elephant and other wide-ranging species. Segera inspires and engages its guests through a unique, sustainable, private luxury experience while preserving African wildlife, African art, and traditional tribal cultures.

http://www.segera.com/retreat.html

_______________________________________at the Segera Retreat.Photograph by David Crookes

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Clokwise from right:

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Singita Pamushana, southwestern ZimbabweHedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones’ Singita Pamushana in southern Zimbabwe was established as part of the largest ever single donor investment in Zimbabwe. Singita Pamushana Lodge is the ecotourism arm of this 130,000-acre reserve, and its role is to help foster the sustainability of wildlife and the broader ecology, while enabling guests to share in the magic of the game-rich Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve. http://singita.com/pamushana-lodge/

Abu Camp, Okavango Delta, BotswanaMicrosoft cofounder Paul Allen’s Abu Camp offers a rare African experience that will transform your perception of elephants, the African wilderness, and the ability of captive elephants to thrive in the wild. As a guest of Abu Camp, you are invited to walk with and ride elephants, get a glimpse of their world and learn about their lives. Becoming part of an African elephant herd in wild and untouched Africa is an extraordinary privilege for those lucky enough to visit the camp. http://www.abucamp.com/

North Island, the SeychellesRussian oligarch Mikhil Prokhorov, second richest Russian and owner of the NBA’s New Jersey Nets (now called the Brooklyn Nets) basketball team, owns arguably the finest island resort in the world. North Island is also known in conservation circles as a hugely successful 21st-century Noah’s Ark project in what is called the Galapagos Islands of the Indian Ocean. North Island was also the setting for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s royal honeymoon. http://www.north-island.com/

Mahali Mzuri, Maasai Mara, Kenya and Ulusaba, Sabi Sand, South AfricaSir Richard Branson takes pride in his African twins: Ulusaba camp in the chic Sabi Sand game reserve in South Africa, and his newly opened safari playground in the Maasai Mara in Kenya. Mahali Mzuri has been set up in collaboration with the local Maasai communities and Branson’s team has been working with the Maasai since the beginning of the project to ensure their full involvement. http://www.mahalimzuri.virgin.com/ • http://www.ulusaba.virgin.com/

Delaire Graff Estate, between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, Cape Winelands, South AfricaGlobally renowned visionary Laurence Graff, chairman of Graff Diamonds, has transformed his postcard-perfect property into South Africa’s most desirable art, hospitality, and wine destination. The estate has two top restaurants, a state-of-the-art winery, an exclusive boutique hotel, and a world-class spa. Striking, modern Cape Dutch architecture meets leading African art and artifacts and styling in this paradise nestled between majestic mountains and overlooking the vineyards of Stellenbosch. http://www.delaire.co.za/

Tswalu, Kalahari, South AfricaSouth Africa’s richest man and chairman of diamond mining giant De Beers, Nicky Oppenheimer and his wife Strilli are leading conservationists, and they like to call themselves custodians of South Africa’s largest game reserve, Tswalu Kalahari—100,000 hectares in the ancestral home of the San Bushman people.

All of these luxury properties are represented by and can be booked through Asia to Africa Safaris at www.atoasafaris.com.

ulTimaTe playgrounds

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