"The Greatest Safari on Earth" begins in Victoria Falls today

The inaugural ROAR AFRICA Emirates Executive Private Jet Safari, dubbed as "The Greatest Safari on Earth", is set to arrive in Victoria Falls today, 18th August 2021.  The extraordinary ‘bucket list’ travel experience designed to preserve and support Africa’s wildlife, wild spaces and communities, aims to transform its guests into change agents for conservation and sustainability.

This is the first time that the premier airline has partnered with a travel specialist to curate an epic journey, with an ethos rooted in humanity, targeting sustainability and conservation. The life-changing itinerary delivers 10 guests in unbridled luxury to the four iconic African destinations that offer the ultimate adventure and encounters with environmental educators and conservation change makers. Specialist guides, knowledgeable escorts and renowned leaders in a variety of fields provide thoughtful insight throughout the journey.  

“It has never been more important than now to curate experiences that facilitate an understanding of how the natural world works, and why and how we should help,” says Deborah Calmeyer, CEO and Founder of ultra-luxe Africa travel specialist ROAR AFRICA.  "This authentic experience not only sets a new paradigm in ultra-luxe adventure and sustainable travel, but is a robust catalyst for change by facilitating active participation and insightful dialogue between informed, conscious travelers and local communities." 

As the founder and CEO of ROAR AFRICA, Deborah Calmeyer’s passion for and commitment to the continent where she was born is manifested in the life-changing journeys that she creates for her loyal following of international clientele. Living between New York and Cape Town for the past twenty years has given this Zimbabwe-born entrepreneur a profound understanding of the needs and desires of sophisticated American travelers who come to ROAR AFRICA because they don’t have the time to get it wrong. Based in New York but with offices in Southern and East Africa, Deborah and her team curate, design and deliver highly refined travel experiences that match people to places. With her eye on helping Africa and Africans at all times, her commitment to positively impacting upon wildlife conservation, whilst providing employment on the ground and empowering African women – informs every trip she curates.

Providing the sole means of international transport throughout the journey (from Dubai to Africa, and to and from the four African countries visited), the Emirates A319 was created for guests who want to go “beyond first class,” and reflects the glamour of a bygone era when air travel was both exclusive and an integral aspect of luxury travel experiences. The jet features 10 private suites, private shower spa and powder room, an expansive lounge which functions as a communal gathering space or restaurant, and a cabin crew committed to providing the highest levels of personal service. Guests will also enjoy screenings of documentaries about Africa from notables such as historian David Attenborough, conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert, and environmentalist and filmmaker Craig Foster. 

What can only be described as the holy grail of Africa, the transformative and life-changing itinerary includes taking in Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls (one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World), the Okavango Delta in Botswana (the largest inland delta in the world), Kenya’s Great Migration, and the world’s last wild mountain gorillas in the forests of Rwanda. 

"The Greatest Safari on Earth" will start its inaugural trip at the luxurious and award winning Matetsi Victoria Falls, on the vast 136,000-acre Matetsi Private Game Reserve in Zimbabwe. At the heart of the KAZA transfrontier, the worlds largest transfrontier conservation area, this expansive wilderness has no fences and so wildlife roam freely, as they would have hundreds of years ago. From four of the Big 5 found across a variety of different ecosystems, which also provide habitats for a wide variety of birdlife, to some more rare and often overlooked species, the area is home to an extensive number of flora and fauna species. Highly acclaimed for the distinctly African, exquisite interiors and its location alongside the Zambezi River, Matetsi Victoria Falls offers a tranquil haven of luxury that blends in with the natural environment. The kitchen team is led by two of the finest chefs on the continent, Chef Shane and Chef Artwell, who have taken the cuisine at Matetsi Victoria Falls to new heights utilising local ingredients to boost the cullinary experience.

Conscious that flying on the new A319 Executive Private Jet creates a significant carbon footprint, ROAR AFRICA is ensuring the entire trip (flights and on-the-ground emissions) will be carbon neutral with high-quality offsets. The environmental projects being funded from this journey are: 

Installation of 69 solar panels in local villages in Rwanda 
 Planting of 1,300 trees 
 Access to fresh water for 3,000 people in Kenya 
 Funding the protection of a rhino calf through Rhinos Without Borders in Botswana

"This is considered by many as the biggest trip to happen this year and is a symbol of immense hope and regeneration for our continent and conservation. The arrival of this trip has created great excitement amongst our team. We feel honoured to have Matetsi Victoria Falls featured on the itinerary, and we are so proud to be able to fly the flag for tourism in Victoria Falls and Zimbabwe," says Sara Gardiner, Matetsi Victoria Falls Co-Founder.