There are few people who would argue that Trevor Savage doesn’t have one of the coolest jobs around. Trevor is Conservation Manager at Ulusaba, Sir Richard Branson’s Private Game Reserve in South Africa, which means he is responsible for developing and monitoring conservation and ecological projects around the reserve. Read all about what Trevor gets up to during a ‘typical’ day, unusual guest requests and what makes Ulusaba one of the best reserves in the country.                                                                                                                                                                  

Talk us through a ‘typical’ day for you in the reserve

I’m usually up at 04:30- a nice early start so we can get down to the lodge to prepare tea and coffee for the guests before we head out on the first drive of the day. After our morning adventure, which will include a drive and maybe a bush walk, we all sit down and have breakfast. After breakfast I catch up with my team to make sure the daily logistics are all sorted and talk through the plans for the day. In the afternoon we serve afternoon tea at the lodge before heading out for more safari action. We usually get back to the lodge around 19:30 and everyone freshens up for dinner. For me it is then time to head home to see my family for dinner.

What’s your favourite time of day at Ulusaba and how does the character of the bush change from dawn to dusk?

Sunset is by far my favourite time of the day. It is incredibly peaceful and so wonderful to hear the sounds of the birds giving their last calls and the nocturnal animals starting to wake up for the night’s activity. For me there is no better sound than that of a hyena whooping or a lion roaring as the sun sets.

Have you ever had any unusual requests from visitors and if so, can you share them with us?

Unusual requests are part of a Ranger’s daily life, and there have definitely been some that bring a smile to your face over the years. I think one of my favourites was when a guest asked me if they could take a selfie with an elephant!!!

What’s the best thing for you about being part of Ulusaba’s extended family?

We are a family that strive from all departments to give guests a life changing experience. From a guiding point of view we have a very well qualified and passionate team of Rangers and Trackers who truly love what they do. The team focus on a holistic experience for the guests so that they leave with a full experience and not just ticking boxes. I would like to think that most of our guests leave Ulusaba with piece of Africa embedded in their heart, not only from experiencing our incredible wild life but also experiencing the wonderful people.

What for you makes Ulusaba truly special among game reserves?

What makes Ulusaba so special is its diversity; we have a perennial river running through it in the north which makes for spectacular game viewing in the winter months and more open areas in the south which welcome a great range of animals. We believe in making a difference and we're committed to ensuring our core brand values translate into the best possible experience for our guests. This means making sure that they get value for money, brilliant customer service, and of course have fun while they're with us! Taking care of the environment is also high on our agenda and Ulusaba is committed to sustainable development and respecting the local community and environment in which we operate.

To read more about Ulusaba, please visit Virgin Limited Edition.