How the Jordaan properties have evolved from livestock breeding to wildlife conservation

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The story of  Tollie’s African Safaris begins in the 1800s, when Willem Gabriel Jordaan, the first Jordaan to settle in the Eastern Cape, put down his stake and claimed the land. In those early days, livestock farming was the only way of life. Cattle and sheep were the backbone of survival, and wildlife was seen only as competition for grazing. Game had no economic value, and to protect their herds, farmers eliminated wildlife in vast numbers.

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Tollie’s father, Paul Abraham Jordaan, became one of South Africa’s most renowned Merino sheep farmers. Hunting was a common pastime, but with no conservation value attached, hundreds of animals could be harvested in a single day—meat given away freely, but with no thought for sustainability.

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It was from these experiences that Tollie Jordaan saw a different future. In 1986, after joining his father in the family farming business, he launched Tollie’s African Safaris, at first welcoming corporate hunters from South Africa. Initially, kudu, blesbuck, and springbuck were the only available species. But soon, Tollie expanded internationally, building lasting relationships with hunters from the USA and beyond.

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At the time, only four species remained on the properties. Each year, as the safari business grew, Tollie reinvested its earnings into reintroducing wildlife, carefully restoring species that had long been lost to the land. Today, the properties thrive with more than 30 different species, living once again in balance across over 200,000 acres of pristine, malaria-free wilderness.

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Through hunting, wildlife was given a new value. And with value came protection, management, and a legacy of conservation that will endure for generations.

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Now, as the sixth generation of the Jordaan family—Paul, Pieter, and Willem—grow up on the land, they continue the tradition of stewardship that began with Willem Gabriel nearly two centuries ago.

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At Tollie’s African Safaris, hunting is not just what we do—it is who we are. It is the tool that allows us to preserve wildlife, protect habitats, and ensure that Africa’s natural heritage thrives for the future.

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When you hunt with us, you become part of that story. You are not just booking a safari—you are investing in conservation.

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Hunting in Africa with Tollie’s African Safaris: where heritage, family, and conservation come together.