Safari Conversations - the Singita podcast Podcast By Solid Gold Podcasts #BeHeard cover art

Safari Conversations - the Singita podcast

Safari Conversations - the Singita podcast

By: Solid Gold Podcasts #BeHeard
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Welcome to ‘Safari Conversations’ – the Singita Podcast. 30 years ago, our Founder, Luke Bailes, had a dream of creating a pioneering ecotourism brand that could help save pristine wilderness areas in Africa for future generations. The first chapter of this story started when we built Singita Ebony Lodge, in the Sabi Sand, in 1993. But truly, it began long before that, on a piece of land his grandfather owned and where they spent holidays as a family at Castleton. So much has happened in the last 30 years, to where we find ourselves now – owning and managing award-winning lodges across four countries in Africa. And, we are looking to expand our conservation footprint even further. As a brand we’ve always been devoted to conservation and working alongside NGO partners and guests who share our vision. But at the heart of it all, you’ll find the many incredible people who work at Singita. Welcome to our Podcast – where you’ll meet some of the very talented people who make our life-changing safaris a reality.Solid Gold Podcasts #BeHeard Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • Tastes of Home - Honouring Nature and Culture on Every Plate

    Tastes of Home - Honouring Nature and Culture on Every Plate
    Mar 25 2026
    At Singita, food tells the story of the people and cultures of Africa and the generations who came before them.

    It’s a portal to the diversity of the continent and the richness of its traditions. A way for guests to deepen their understanding and experience of where they are. A means to bring people together, to soften them, and help them grow closer.

    In this episode, Mia Neethling, Executive Chef and Guest Experience Lead at Singita Grumeti, speaks with Mbhali Khoza, Sous Chef at Singita Kruger National Park, and Michael Matera, Head Chef at Sasakwa.

    Their conversation explores how Singita’s chefs honour Africa’s varied natural and cultural heritage on the plate, the impact of the Singita Community Culinary School, how our food offering differs across regions and properties, and what the future of cooking looks like on the African continent.

    If you enjoyed this episode, you can read more about the confluence of culture and culinary craft at Singita Grumeti in the latest volume of the Singita Magazine. Read the story · Find out more about the Singita Community Culinary School · Explore Singita Grumeti · Explore Singita Kruger National Park · Browse our website
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    41 mins
  • Exploring Ebony with Mmangaliso Nzuza

    Exploring Ebony with Mmangaliso Nzuza
    Feb 5 2026
    Across countries and cultures, art forms an integral part of African identity – shaped by our natural and cultural heritage and expressed in powerful, distinctive ways. Through our 'Africa Is…' series, we’re exploring art, design, craftsmanship, and storytelling from across the continent to showcase the depth and diversity of talent found here.

    In this episode, Singita’s in-house writer, Michael Schapiro, speaks with South African artist Mmangaliso Nzuza ahead of his artist-in-residence programme at Singita Sabi Sand. Their conversation moves through stillness as a creative necessity, the multi-faceted importance of community, Mmangaliso’s process in the context of his debut solo exhibition, and nature as a teacher rather than a subject.

    Recorded in two parts – before and after Mmangaliso’s two-week stay at Ebony – the episode reflects on how his time in the Sabi Sand unfolded beyond expectation, and how those experiences transformed into a new body of work, marked with oil paint, patience, and stories drawn from the people and landscapes that shaped it.

    Mmangaliso was joined along the way by videographer Julian Robinet, who captured his experience in a video that will be released as part of our upcoming 'Africa Is… Mmangaliso Nzuza' series. You can stay in the loop by subscribing to our newsletter, Stories from Africa.

    If you enjoyed this episode, you can read more about Mmangaliso’s experience in his own words in the latest volume of the Singita Magazine, themed around Symbiosis, and follow his journey on Instagram. Read the Singita Magazine · Browse our Africa Is... series · Explore Singita Ebony · Follow Mmangaliso on Instagram · Singita website
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    35 mins
  • Saving a Species: Leopards - Spot on. Panthera's Mission to Protect Leopards

    Saving a Species: Leopards - Spot on. Panthera's Mission to Protect Leopards
    Jan 1 2026
    Big cats always captivate guests on safari, but they’re disappearing from the wild. In this episode, Lucy Stofberg (field guide at Singita Sabi Sand) chats to Dr Nikki Balme of Panthera (coordinator of the Sabi Sand Leopard Project) about leopard conservation. They explore why leopards are thriving in the Sabi Sand while drastically declining elsewhere.

    Did you know leopards have disappeared from about two-thirds of their African range and a shocking 85% in Eurasia? Or that there are seven other subspecies spanning from Arabia to Russia and China?

    Leopards are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list. Nikki breaks down the major threats: prey depletion, over-harvesting, and poaching for ceremonial garments. She highlights how the Sabi Sand research informs global conservation and the vital role that ecotourism plays in protecting these shy cats.

    Learn more about Panthera’s incredible work with DNA technology, genetic profiling, and long-term research. The innovative Furs For Life project (synthetic fur skins) has saved 18,500 leopards to date!

    The Sabi Sand success story is built on Panthera’s research. In 15 years, over 850 leopard life histories have been reconstructed here, along with 90,000 data collections from leopard sightings (it’s the best-studied population worldwide). Singita Lowveld Trust supports Panthera’s leopard research in the Sabi Sand and more.
    Learn more: https://www.singitalowveldtrust.org/project/panthera-partnership-leopard-research/

    Panthera helped change national policy to protect leopards from poor hunting practices - that was a direct result of the Sabi Sand work. Nikki highlights that conservation interventions can work quickly, which gives us all hope! Who is Panthera? · Panthera Sabi Sand Leopard Project · To Skin a Cat · Singita Lowveld Trust · Donate to Singita Lowveld Trust - USD500 - sponsor the · Conservation at Singita · Singita Sabi Sand · Jane Goodall - Reason for Hope · Singita website
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    22 mins
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