At the heart of tourism, the culture and heritage of each destination intrigues and inspires people to visit, explore and experience. It’s about engaging with locals who share their stories and history with others. Karabo Sepharatla certainly has an interesting story to tell, and he is sharing it with tourists from far and wide through his company, Camping Khapela.

Sowetan-born Karabo’s love of travel was ignited by a two-month road trip spanning seven countries en route to Kenya to honour the memory of the late wife of a friend. Vusi and Karabo met in KZN, where he had been setting up a campsite adventure park during the lockdown. He drew inspiration from his newfound appreciation for camping and their epic road trip. He ventured into the tourism and hospitality space at a time when the sector was in crisis and long-standing hospitality brands were closing their doors.

His vision was to prove insightful – camping was evolving into the getaway of choice following strict lockdowns across the globe, placing him in a unique position of strength. Camping Khapela is well-positioned to meet the changing demands of the market. It is a convenience adventure camping butler service, offering clients the ultimate convenience camping experiences in the bushveld. Their unique offering provides clients with a hassle-free camping experience. Clients need only bring their clothing and an open mind and will be provided with everything else that they need from transport to accommodation, food and drink.

Armed with enthusiasm and passion, Karabo’s dream is to expose the potential for opportunity that Africa has to offer the kasi generation. His motivation to inspire others to discover the joys and opportunities that travel offers is a personal quest to contribute to a better life for the disadvantaged. According to Karabo, travel saved his life, and his hope is to expose others to travel so that they too can create opportunities for themselves through the rich tapestry of experiences that the land we live in has to offer.

This resilient entrepreneurial spirit makes Karabo a good match for the Rennies BidTravel Enterprise Development (E.D.) initiative. Sponsored by Camping Khapela RenniesBCD, CWT and Travel Connections, Camping Khapela is an E.D. partner to BidTravel. The sponsors extend finance to the development of the company and the acquisition of equipment that can be used to improve the service offering.

The partnership extends way beyond finance and includes help with marketing, training, communication and access to market. BidTravel has included business development schooling to help them achieve growth targets making this a comprehensive business development initiative.

Encouraged by the support of his visionary parents who recognised the value of education and creating your own opportunities, Karabo has inherited the spirit of Ubuntu from his community where people help one another. In his words, “I never want to be part of any B team. I remember telling myself I want to be the best, or part of the best.” And now, he is.