A Mother’s Courage Lights the Way

In the shadows of 1969, Boyd Varty tragically passes away, leaving young Dave and John without their father’s guiding hand. Their mother Maidie suddenly finds herself alone, facing overwhelming financial demands.

Advisors urge her to sell the “unproductive” family farm, yet Maidie’s heart speaks a different truth. She chooses to nurture her sons’ improbable dream—transforming Sparta into a sanctuary where others might discover the wilderness that has shaped their family’s soul and creating a Safari Lodge. 

New Beginnings Blossom

While the world navigates tumultuous changes—the Vietnam War, space exploration, the first Earth Day in 1970—new hope takes root at Londolozi. In 1971, Dave meets Shan Watson, beginning a partnership that becomes the cornerstone of Londolozi’s future. Together with John and Allan Taylor (grandson of Frank Unger), they envision a photographic safari destination inspiring reverence for the natural world.

The Moment Everything Changes

When the Varty brothers consciously lay down their hunting rifles and lifted cameras instead, everything changed. This simple yet revolutionary choice recognizes that wildlife holds greater value alive than dead—a perspective that would eventually transform the safari industry.

By 1976, what appears humble on the surface—”4 mud huts and one rickety Land Rover”—conceals an extraordinary vision taking form. In 1972, leafing through a Zulu dictionary, they discover the perfect name—Londolozi, “protector of all living things.” This name becomes not just a label but the essence of their mission.

Londolozi emerges with a revolutionary vision that ripples beyond its boundaries. At its heart lies a bold mission: to prove that wildlife conservation could be economically viable while fostering harmony between humans and nature. This pioneering philosophy demonstrates that when people and wildlife flourish together, both prosper in extraordinary ways.

The economic journey reflects this evolution of purpose. In 1975, rates had risen modestly from the original R3 to R10 a day, with a capacity of just 8 beds at Londolozi. These humble figures belie the profound transformation underway—a shift from seeing the land as something to take from to something to protect and honor.

Years later, Dave Varty reflects with wonder:

“During our time here, we have seen mud huts give way to beautiful camps and hunting give way to wildlife protection… Little did we know, the beginnings of a blueprint for conservation for the rest of the world was what we were creating…”

From the deepest wound springs a healing vision that will eventually touch conservation efforts across continents. Sometimes the most profound transformations begin in our darkest moments, when love and courage light the way forward—when we discover that protecting life creates more abundance than taking it ever could.