About us

Gavin Opie Safaris is run by Gavin Opie, an expert safari guide with over 25 years’ experience living in Zambia’s wild places. Gavin began his career collecting crocodile eggs along the remote Kafue River. Then in 2007 he packed his belongings into a knapsack and headed for the South Luangwa National Park – one of Africa’s ultimate safari destinations.

After leading private wildlife safaris for 8 years, Gavin opened his own camp in 2015. His passion for Zambia and vast knowledge of the country’s wildlife make Gavin an incomparable safari guide and companion on your African adventure.

Gavin’s partners Ian and Lucy Friend are based in the UK. Lucy heads up Nkonzi Camp reservations, while Ian’s time growing up in Malawi makes him the perfect safari advisor.

Our Zambian team all hail from the South Luangwa area. Many of the team are like family, having been with us for over a decade. The team really make things tick and are always on hand to create a wonderful safari experience.

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    Gavin Opie Safari guide and Jack of all trades
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      Godfrey Daka Safari Chef
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        Moses Nkoma Wildlife Spotter
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          Rosie Opie Marketing and Logistics
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            Lucy Friend Reservation and Marketing

            Our Philosophy

            From the early days, we wanted to offer our guests extraordinary safari experiences that wouldn’t break the bank. As independent travellers ourselves, we know first-hand how expensive safaris can be. So we work hard to offer the best value safaris inside South Luangwa National Park, without compromising on quality.

            Our dedicated guiding team is led by Gavin and has many years of experience in the field. As a team we’re all committed to sustainable tourism, ethical safari guiding and wildlife conservation. We are proud to support Chipembele Education Trust and Conservation South Luangwa.