About Us

Wild Places is part of a group (originally called Green Wilderness Group) that has been operational in Uganda since 1992. Owned and operated by people with a true love for the country and a deep rooted commitment to the preservation of Uganda’s wild places, the business has grown slowly but steadily over the years. The group cut its teeth on Semliki Safari Lodge in the 1990′s and saved the Toro-Semliki Game Reserve from degazettement.

These efforts earned them a prize at the Investor of the Year awards for their contributions to conservation, and the Jonathan Wright (our MD) was appointed to the board of trustees for the Uganda Wildlife Authority. He is still an ‘honourary warden’ . Working closely with both the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the University of Indiana, the group was instrumental in establishing and running a chimpanzee research project in the Reserve.

Jonathan Wright, Managing Director. Wildplaces is a longstanding dream come true for Jonathan. Having been born and raised in Uganda, he spent much of his late teens and young adult years figuring out how to get back home where he belonged. He was educated in Kenya, England and Canada and followed various career paths before striking out on his own, returning to Uganda in the early 1990′s and set up what is now Wildplaces.

Pamela Kertland Wright. Pamela is Jonathan’s wing man. Her focus has been more on the softer side of the business – lodge interiors, marketing,recipe planning and staff training. Pamela was dragged out to uganda 10 years ago and hasn’t looked back since. A career in broadcasting and market research was happily dropped in favour of more adventure. She still writes on a freelance basis for several travel magazines. She and Jonathan live in Kampala with with their children Annabelle and Fergus.

Office

In our head office in Kampala we have a great team of enthusiastic people from all over the world. All have made Uganda their home and show the same love for this country’s wild places as the company’s founder.

Michael Rourke, Group General Manager. Having first arrived in East Africa in 2001, Michael has grown a close affinity with the region. He has lived and worked in Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Mozambique and previously throughout South Africa. A corporate hotelier by training, Michael’s enthusiasm for Hospitality and Tourism in Uganda allows him to lead the team through experience and with vigor – with an added keen sense of humour!

Peter Mwanja, Group Finance Manager. Peter joined us as the Finance Manager at the Emin Pasha Hotel in 2005. Peter now oversees the group finances. Peter is a registered Chartered Account (ACCA), and holds a masters Certificate in Hospitality Management through a subsidiary of Cornell University in the United States.

Zara Rourke (Fisher), Sales, Marketing and Logistics. Zara was born and raised in East Africa. After being educated in England and living in Europe, she returned to Africa 13 years ago and has been based here ever since. Zara has worked in Tanzania, Zanzibar, Mozambique, South Africa and now Uganda. Business experience has included a wide variety of very different working environments from the London fashion industry to lodge management in very remote places…

Lydia Ngabirano has been in the tourism industry for over ten years, has a bachelor’s degree in social work and social administration, a diploma in Tourism Management from Salzburg, Austria and about to complete her Master’s degree in Social Sector Planning and Management at Makerere University. She joined us in November 2008 in the sales department; she comes with a wealth of experience and enthusiasm.

Marion Nankya joined the company as an intern in late 2008. Upon completing her degree in Business Administration and Management at Uganda Martyrs University, she returned to us and started working in our Sales and Marketing Department. Currently, she has enrolled for a course with the Chartered Institute in Marketing.

Onzi Muyindo, holds a degree in tourism, and joined us at the Emin Pasha Hotel straight from school in 2007, she worked as a receptionist for a year. Onzi then moved across to the head office as Lodge Reservations in August 2008. Her studied have not stopped as she continues to study Travel and Ticketing in the evenings.

Apoka

George Nyanga has well over 18years working experience working in wildlife protected areas in Uganda. He has trained and worked for the Ugandan Wildlife Authority in various positions as well as a warden. He then worked at the Semliki Safari lodge for 2 years, where he worked as head guide and assistant manager. Since leaving Semliki he has been working as a professional safari guide with The Uganda Safari Company. At the beginning of 2009 he became the Manager of Apoka safari lodge. He works closely together with the Karamajong and the Uganda Wildlife Authority in Kidepo conservation area and the surrounding villages; he has also helped start community projects where our staff all come from to improve their way of everyday life in the villages.

Daniel Okang worked with the Uganda national park in Kidepo conservation area for 3 years then known as the Kidepo valley national park. He later joined the Apoka safari lodge during its construction. And has worked closely with the management of the lodge to date, he headed the housekeeping department in 2006 and later in 2009 was assigned to assistant manager. As he comes from the community it means he is well aware of the area and its surroundings. He has also been very much part of the local community projects which are helping his local people improve their livelihood.

Tony Musango studied business at the University of Nairobi in 2006. He began his cooking career as a Commis Chef at the Emin Pasha Hotel, where he went through various training and promotions working his way through to a Chef de Partie. He then worked with the Palette Restaurant as a Sous Chef and later head chef. In 2009 he joined us at Apoka as head chef, his cuisine is continental with an African twist, using the freshest ingredients flown in from Kampala or locally grown and picked before bulbul raids the veggie patch.

Semliki

Keith Hoskin & Nadia Strydom, joined us in June 2010 from Namibia and South Africa, Keith has a diploma in Game ranging and lodge management, FGASA level 2, trails guide, and has done a professional hunting course. Nadia has a diploma in tourism and five star hotel experiences, working for a Relais & Chateaux boutique hotel in South Africa. They both come with lots of experience, working all over Southern Africa as well as a vast conservation management background.

Muhindo joined Semliki Safari Lodge in 2005. He was trained by a senior guide from the Kenyan professional Safari guide association. He is currently our Head Ranger and Assistant Manager. He is also a member of the Uganda Safari Guides Association (USAGA).

Clouds

Melissa Rheinfeld, joined us in February of 2010. Born and raised in America, she has spent the last three years living and travelling in Africa. She has a degree in biology and several years experience working in health care. Her strong interest in environmental issues led her to pursue a position with the environment sector of Peace Corps in Madagascar in 2007. She worked for two years in rural development, agriculture and later with Conservation International. After Peace Corps, travels led her to visit other Africa countries where she discovered the beauty of Uganda. Currently she is working hard to develop community projects in the local area with collaboration from the lodge. A unique project combining, conservation, community development and the private business sector.