Mark Tompkins, the founding force behind Samara Karoo Reserve, has died aged 85, leaving a lasting legacy in South Africa’s conservation and safari tourism sectors.
Tompkins, alongside his wife Sarah, transformed a degraded farming landscape in the Great Karoo into a 27,000-hectare conservation project that now supports both wildlife restoration and a high-end tourism operation.
Vision reshaped the Karoo landscape
Originally from the UK, Tompkins built a career in investment banking before turning his focus to conservation in South Africa following a visit to Africa in the early 1990s.
The couple began acquiring farmland in the Graaff-Reinet region, driven by a vision to restore ecological corridors between key conservation areas, including Addo Elephant National Park.
Working with scientists and conservation experts, the project evolved into a large-scale rewilding initiative grounded in research and long-term planning.
Conservation and tourism model delivers impact
A defining element of Tompkins’ approach was integrating conservation with a sustainable tourism model.
Samara Karoo Reserve has since developed into an award-winning safari destination with three lodges, supporting local employment while funding ongoing conservation work.
Wildlife reintroductions and habitat restoration have seen the return of species including lion, cheetah and elephant, contributing to the region’s ecological recovery.
Legacy extends beyond tourism
Tompkins’ work is widely regarded as a blueprint for private conservation in South Africa, demonstrating how tourism can underpin long-term environmental outcomes.
His legacy continues through Samara’s ongoing conservation programmes and its role in positioning the Great Karoo as an emerging safari destination.
He is remembered as a visionary whose work reshaped both the landscape and its place within the global travel industry.
