Tourvest launches Tulia to make East African safari travel accessible to a wider market | News
Tourvest Accommodation has launched Tulia, a new safari brand designed to provide high-quality, experience-based travel at a more accessible price point, alongside the acquisition of Wild Frontiers Uganda’s properties and operations.
This move strengthens Tourvest’s presence in East Africa and expands its portfolio to include three distinct offerings: Lemala Camps and Lodges, Adrift and now Tulia – each serving different traveler needs in terms of safari and adventure experiences.
As part of the acquisition, three established Ugandan properties – now renamed Tulia Buhoma, Tulia Ishasha and Tulia Murchison Falls – will join Tulia Amboseli in Kenya to form a portfolio of four properties encompassing some of East Africa’s most sought-after wildlife areas.
A clear gap in the market
Tulia was developed in response to the continued demand from travel advisors and guests for a safari experience that sits somewhere between budget and luxury.
While Lemala focuses on sophisticated, boutique safari experiences, Tulia is built around a simpler promise: delivering the essence of a great safari, done right.
That includes:
Prime locations for wildlife
Comfortable accommodation
Quality beds and bedding
Reliable hot water and powerful showers
Honest, locally inspired food
Warm, personal service
Comfortable vehicles and expert guidance
“At its core, Tulia is about getting the basic principles right,” says Moseketsi Mpeta, CEO of Tourvest Accommodation. “Guests want to be in the right place, with expert guides and feel comfortable at the end of the day. That’s what we focus on – without unnecessary frills, but without compromising on quality.”
Building on proven foundations
The Tulia model builds on an established foundation. Tulia Amboseli in Kenya has already demonstrated strong demand for a value-oriented safari product that maintains high operational standards. The integration of the former Wild Frontiers Uganda properties brings experienced teams, well-positioned camps and deep local expertise to the portfolio, ensuring continuity while strengthening the brand’s footprint in key ecosystems. The three Uganda properties are located in some of the country’s most iconic nature reserves:
Buhoma, in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, known for its gorilla trekking
Ishasha, in Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to tree-climbing lions
Murchison Falls, near one of East Africa’s most dramatic natural monuments
Responsible growth, practical approach
A central element of Tulia’s strategy is to grow by acquiring and improving existing properties rather than developing new camps in sensitive environments. This approach reduces environmental impact, avoids unnecessary expansion in already stressed ecosystems, and focuses investments on improving operations, workforce development and the guest experience.
“We see this as a more responsible way to grow,” Mpeta adds. “It allows us to invest where it matters most: in people, in service and in the overall guest experience.”
A complementary East African portfolio
Tulia sits alongside Lemala Camps and Lodges and Adrift to complete Tourvest’s East African offering.
Lemala serves the premium safari segment
Adrift focuses on adventurous experiences
Tulia offers a high-quality safari option at an affordable price
“Together, the three brands ensure that Tourvest can serve a broader range of traveler profiles without compromising the norms or values that define each offering,” says Mpeta. As part of the ‘One Tourvest’ vision, the launch of Tulia reinforces the group’s belief that responsible growth and true guest value are inherent to the tourism experience. Tourvest’s purpose is to connect people, places and causes and create shared value through sustainable tourism and long-term investments in the destinations and communities it serves. The Tulia model reflects that goal in practice. We are excited about this launch as it is a natural extension of some of our strongest competencies as an organization. “Tulia is building on a foundation that has taken years,” Mpeta concludes.
Looking ahead
Tulia represents a practical evolution of Tourvest’s safari offering – based on operational experience and shaped by what travelers consistently value most.
Great locations.
Great beds.
Great showers.
Delicious food.
Great guidance.
Great people.
Delivered responsibly and built on the power of what already exists.
