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A Namibian conservationist, Stefan Van Wyk, plans to establish the largest private safari park in Africa in Angola, adjacent to Namibia. Born in Windhoek, Namibia, 53 years ago, Van Wyk discovered the Cuatir area in 2012 while flying over it and immediately fell in love with its secluded nature and pristine condition, soon initiating the process to formalize a concession.
Situated on an island between the Cubango and Cuito rivers, about 1,500 kilometers from Angola’s capital, the Cuatir area epitomizes the typical African savannah with vast expanses of grassland serving as both pasture and hiding spots for wildlife, accompanied by the chirping of abundant bird species and the buzzing of insects.
The region is home to various antelope species like red palancas, nunces, olongos, and kudus, enjoying freedom in a 40,000-hectare area. Additionally, mammals like zebras, giraffes, mabecos, and even cheetahs leave their marks on the terrain, often captured on cameras near waterholes, although they typically remain hidden from visitors.
Van Wyk set up his base in this wilderness, featuring a camping area and six simple bungalows, catering to tourists and scientists investigating wildlife in this conservation project, which has documented 32 mammal species, 112 bird species, and 24 tree species.
Early mornings near the campsite reveal small groups of impalas, nunces, and kudus, as well as fleeting glimpses of shy giraffes, but the elusive felines, preferring to hunt at night, remain unseen.
In 2020, Van Wyk began reintroducing species like giraffes and zebras, which had disappeared during the war, and they quickly readapted to their natural habitat.
In 2024, a complex operation is planned to bring a herd of 16 elephants from Namibia, involving licensing, capturing, transporting the animals, and expanding the fencing to prevent them from returning to their origin.
Van Wyk jokes about the elephants’ seeming sense of direction, recalling that Cuatir was once Angola’s most elephant-populated area. He notes that American hunters frequented Cuatir for elephant hunting until 1975. During the civil war, the area was occupied by UNITA, which used the animals for sustenance and ivory trade for arms.
The aim is to repopulate the area with elephants to boost the wealth of the Cuando Cubango province and foster a future in ecotourism, according to Van Wyk, who usually receives tourists by air. Road access to the area is challenging, requiring at least a day’s journey from Luanda, including a raft crossing and a rugged path.
Van Wyk’s aspiration is to expand Angola’s only private reserve to 200,000 hectares to accommodate large animals like elephants and buffalos and transform Cuatir into Africa’s largest privately-managed safari park.
He believes that Angola’s Cuando Cubango province, with its vast forests and rainfall patterns, is ideally suited for wildlife. He highlights that the area’s sandy soil, unsuitable for agriculture, makes it available for wildlife, bringing tourism and job opportunities.
Despite the abundance of wildlife, human presence is sparse, with only a few Nganguela and Camussequele (San) communities. Van Wyk employs locals in various roles, contributing to their livelihoods.
While Angola is not yet fully prepared for tourism, despite visa requirements being lifted, Van Wyk sees potential in tourism to significantly contribute to Angola’s economy. He plans to enhance marketing abroad to attract more tourists in 2024, emphasizing its benefits to Angola’s economy.
However, threats like potential oil exploration and logging pose risks to the region’s conservation efforts, along with poaching. Van Wyk plans to continue hosting small, private groups and expand tourism facilities while focusing on conservation and economic benefits for Angola.
