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Samara joins Regenerative Resorts

By Samara on September 27, 2021
Samara is the first South African property to join Regenerative Resorts, Regenerative Travel's accredited collection of small, independently-owned eco-luxury boutique properties dedicated to the highest standards of social and environmental impact.

Should the ultimate aim of a purpose-driven company be “doing less bad”? Or could we set our sights higher still – to “creating net good”?

Given the scale of the crises facing people and planet, to us the answer is clear. Business can (indeed, must) be not merely a vehicle for profit and efficiency, but most fundamentally, a catalyst for social and environmental regeneration. The tourism industry has both a responsibility and an opportunity to lead the way in creating models and systems for actively restoring, reviving and regenerating the places we hold dear.

With this in mind, we are proud to announce Samara’s membership of Regenerative Resorts, a collection of independently-owned hospitality offerings dedicated to the highest standards of social and environmental impact. The collection is hosted by Regenerative Travel, a platform enabling conscious travellers to identify and book holiday locations that share their values, whilst facilitating the sharing of best practice between and amplifying the impact of member hotels.

The notion of “regenerative tourism” was certainly not part of the lingua franca when Samara was established back in 1997, yet in many ways the ethos of regeneration – that is, quite simply, making things better – has permeated our story since the beginning.

Samara has always been a purpose-driven business, guided by a deep passion for the wild spaces of the Great Karoo. Our North Star is our unwavering belief in the magic of this special place, our ambitious and long-term vision for its restoration and rewilding, as well as our desire to share it with others.

As Amanda Ho, co-founder of Regenerative Travel, notes: “Sustainable travel was the first step in establishing a collaborative relationship with nature and understanding how our operations can fit into the design of the whole system. Regenerative travel takes a step further.”

Minimum criteria for membership include a responsible environmental approach, honouring of place, thoughtful business operation, ethical treatment of people and animals, high quality, inclusive and transformational guest experiences, a diverse and socially-just approach to hospitality, a broader vision for supply chains and outward impact, and active communication of regenerative values. Member hotels measure their regenerative progress through the triple bottom line – financial, social and environmental wealth created for all stakeholders.

In becoming the latest member of Regenerative Resorts, we are delighted to have joined a network of kindred spirits on a bigger journey to celebrate nature and our place within it, campaigning for a socially-just tourism industry and advocating for a paradigm shift in travel to achieve true impact at scale. We may have been at this for almost a quarter of a century, but our regenerative journey continues apace.


Samara Private Game Reserve is on a mission to restore 67,000 acres of South Africa’s Great Karoo landscape and beyond through rewilding and responsible tourism. Experience our heart-stoppingly beautiful born-again wilderness and follow our journey on Instagram.

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