Africa’s Eden Tourism - A Fairer Way to Safari

A Fairer Way to Safari

by Dianne Tipping-Woods

Flatdogs Camp leads by example in South Luangwa with Fair Trade certification.

At the gateway to South Luangwa National Park, Flatdogs Camp has long been known for offering one of the most welcoming and authentic safari experiences in the valley. Now, it has another accolade: Flatdogs is one of the first safari camps in Zambia to achieve Fair Trade Tourism certification.

Flatdogs’ Fair Trade certification reflects its long-standing commitment to ethical business practices, sustainability, and community engagement. Co-founder Jess Salmon explains that the journey to certification wasn’t about changing who they were – it was about formalising the values they’ve embraced from the very beginning.

“I think we were always those people,” she says. “It’s nice to have that recognized now through this process.”

Building from the Ground Up

Her story with Flatdogs began in the early 1990s, almost by accident. After studying zoology and guiding across southern Africa, she found herself in Zambia more by chance than design. “It was just luck, really,” she laughs, explaining how a six-month stint as a bush camp manager turned into more than 30 years in what she calls “the best place in the world.”

Back then, Zambia was still an underdog in the safari world, lacking the polished infrastructure of its southern neighbours. Trailblazers like Robin Pope helped change this by uniting a handful of operators around a common cause: putting Zambia and South Luangwa on the map as an exceptional safari destination. A cooperative spirit emerged that still exists today. Competitors are mostly friends who help each other in a crisis and often meet for a beer and a catch-up, or to work toward common goals.

Flatdogs started small, driven by a dream to make safaris more accessible. “We [the founders] were all students or just past students,” she explains. “None of us had any money. So, to build a camp, we thought, ‘Oh, we’ll have camping mostly.’ But you still need quite a lot of infrastructure.” They learned by doing. With grit, reinvestment, and a few heartbreaks, Flatdogs grew from a backpackers’ camp into a thriving lodge. “We did things that made sense, as we could afford them.” Her husband, Ade Coley, later joined to help formalize the business and bring structure as it grew. Paolo Cafarelli bought into the business in 2007.

The decision to pursue Fair Trade certification came two years ago as part of broader sustainability efforts, including installing a full solar power system. “We thought, if we went for certification, our new solar system would contribute to that process. Everything came together at the right time,” says Jess. They are now 80% off-grid and measure all water, fuel and electricity use to minimise wastage and reduce use as far as possible.

Why Fair Trade?

Fair Trade certification is a rigorous, voluntary process that ensures tourism businesses meet international standards for fair wages, decent working conditions, environmental sustainability, and respect for local cultures. Independent audits and ongoing monitoring assess compliance across labour rights, equitable trade, community benefits, and environmental impact.

The Flatdogs team agrees that ensuring that standard operating procedures were in place, staff were being trained properly, and everyone understood why they were engaged in the certification process was a rewarding process. They are especially proud of having formal grievance procedures and protections against bullying and discrimination. “Rural Zambia is still a bit misogynistic. It’s very hard to change the culture. But we make sure everyone can report to someone if something’s not right,” says Jess.

While they could tick all the Fair Trade boxes, the real value for Jess has been how the process is building resilience for both the business and the people they work with.

“People do better if conditions are fair, transparent, and good. And fairness and sustainability aren’t just strategies, they’re our values.”

Beyond Business

Long before certification, Flatdogs built a strong relationship with the local community in Mfuwe, South Luangwa’s gateway town. They were involved with NGOs like Project Luangwa, Conservation South Luangwa (CSL), and the Zambian Carnivore Project since their early days. These organizations take on essential roles in wildlife protection and community support, filling gaps left by under-resourced government departments. Lodges like Flatdogs contribute to this broader ecosystem through bed-night levies and donations to the Luangwa Conservation & Community Fund (LCCF), which provides unrestricted funding for local salaries and initiatives.

The lodge also prioritizes local sourcing. Flatdogs get their bedding from local business Tribal Textiles, support sustainable harvesting of river sand, thatching grass and reeds for mats and locally source their vegetables and beef as far as possible. “We give farmers seeds for crops we would particularly like for our camp menus and then buy the vegetables from them,” says Jess. Their à la carte restaurant stands out in the valley for its fresh, seasonal local produce and flexibility for diverse dietary needs—a welcome alternative to fixed safari menus.

They also employ local women to sew napkins and re-usable sanitary pads for local girls, take their own woven and locally purchased baskets to collect all shopping and have been involved with Project Luangwa’s work to supply more than 8000 households with eco-stoves. In addition, they recycle glass, support training programs like the Chikowa – an agricultural, food and carpentry training centre.

Fostering internal growth is also important. Malama Zulu was a bartender before becoming an “amazing guide”, and Yotam Sakala, who started as a bricklayer, helping to initially build the camp, before retraining as a guide, are just two examples Jess shares of people who have grown into new and exciting roles at Flatdogs. Harold Shumbwamuntu, a former shopkeeper, now bridges cultural and operational needs and supports community school projects. This emphasis on local hiring and growing talent reflects a broader trend toward Zambians holding management positions in the industry. NGOs like Project Luangwa are helping by funding tertiary education, an investment Jess describes as life-changing.

Do guests value their efforts? “I think they value our authenticity. The nicest thing is that we get the ones who were camping 20 years ago, now back with their families,” she notes. But she is also pragmatic about the commercial impact of certification. “I don’t know that it’s creating more bookings,” she admits. “But I think it helps with the right kind of travellers; the ones who are discerning, who care.” Many guests book directly, and while not everyone inquires about sustainability, some bring donations for local communities. The information is there for those who seek it.

Even as Flatdogs celebrates its Fair Trade milestone, the journey is far from over. They emphasize the need for better land-use planning in the area to protect wildlife corridors and ensure a sustainable future for South Luangwa’s communities. There is always more to do to manage how people and wildlife coexist and the costs and benefits associated with large, unfenced wilderness areas.

“What does sustainability mean to us, and why have we made such an effort to achieve it? At its core, our ethos is about succeeding by offering high-quality, good-value safari experiences that support the well-being of our local community while protecting the natural environment. The future of our business—and this region—depends on people and nature thriving together. It’s in everyone’s interest to keep this place beautiful, to allow wildlife to flourish, and to ensure that visitors can enjoy an authentic wildlife experience without compromising the health of the landscape or the community that depends on it.”

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