OUR ETHOS
Authentic,
Responsible Connection
We genuinely believe in giving our guests an Authentic, Responsible Connection, hence the name ARC EARTH was born.
We Are Passionate
& Specialised Guides
We are Richard and Matt — professional guides whose journeys began as qualified rangers at some of South Africa’s most prestigious safari lodges.
Beyond the bush, we are also husbands and fathers, supported by exceptionally understanding families as we spend more than 200 days a year guiding in the wild. Alongside our guiding careers, we are professional photographers, passionate about helping our guests capture moments that are not only memorable, but truly National Geographic-worthy.
Between us, we bring over 30 years of experience in the African safari industry. For more than three decades, we have explored, studied, and immersed ourselves in Africa’s raw beauty — its landscapes, wildlife, and subtle nuances. It is this depth of knowledge, perspective, and deep respect for the continent that we look forward to sharing with you, as we invite you to experience Africa through our eyes.
Richard De Gouveia
His passion was the South African bush, nature, eco training and anything conservation related. His gut told him to cut ties and follow his passion. He quit his job, left his financial security behind for a life of passion in the African bush. After his formal ranger training, Richard spent 6 months working close to the Kruger National Park. After starting at the very bottom of the ladder, from digging holes to find leaks in sewage pipes, Richard found a dream job at the eponymous Sabi Sabi Game Lodge in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve.
It was here that Richard met the beautiful and bubbly Jenna (his now wife) who also is immersed in the tourism industry. Richard and Jen are parents to 2 little boys, Josh and Stevie, who are quickly learning to love the bush – just like their parents.
Matt Meyer
Matt grew up between Durban and his family game reserve in Zululand, KwaZulu Natal. As a young boy he was constantly outside climbing a tree or exploring the reserve. His passion for the bush was ingrained from an early age and after studying Wildlife Management and Conservation at University he started as a guide at the prestigious Mala Mala Game Reserve in South Africa.
Years later, Matt made the eccentric yet philanthropic choice to cycle the entire length of the continental west coast of the USA with a life size black rhino named Lunar attached to his bike in a fundraising effort and awareness campaign for rhino conservation in Africa. It was along this journey that Matt met Noa, the beautiful and smart zookeeper, who was of course working with rhinos. Matt and Noa live in White River and are parents to little Violet who loves going on game drives with her parents.
Sara Jane Needham
Sara grew up in Johannesburg and spent every holiday visiting the Kruger National Park with her dad. As an only child, she became an avid reader of African autobiographies and enjoyed plowing through books such as Joy Adamson’s ‘Born Free’ and Mark & Delia Owens’s ‘Cry of the Kalahari’.
Now, with over 20 years’ of marketing experience in London and South Africa, Sara has ironically come full circle and is using her marketing knowledge & passion for the bush to assist in making Arc Earth an enormous success. Sara still visits the bush with her husband Chris and 2 kids, George and Imogen who is inheriting the love of wild Africa too.
How we Explore
with Purpose?
At Arc Earth, conservation and sustainability sit at the heart of everything we do. Our commitment goes beyond responsible travel — it is about actively contributing to the protection of Africa’s wildlife, ecosystems and communities. To this end, we donate a portion of our profits to carefully selected conservation initiatives across the continent.
In partnership with Empowers Africa, we have committed to donating a minimum of 1% of our annual turnover to community-led, conservation-focused projects that are creating measurable, positive impact in Africa.
Arc Earth guests are invited to deepen their journey by visiting a chosen project during their safari, offering the opportunity to engage directly with the people and initiatives making a difference on the ground. Alternatively, guests may choose to contribute before or after their journey. Empowers Africa acts as the trusted conduit, ensuring all donations are responsibly directed to the selected organisations. For eligible donors who are U.S. citizens, Empowers Africa also facilitates the issuance of tax-relief certification.
Through authentic, responsible travel, we create meaningful connections — to Africa, to its people, and to the natural world. We offer our guests not just extraordinary experiences, but the opportunity to create lasting memories rooted in positive impact.
We call this Exploring with Purpose.