CHRISTIAN WETH

Born in September 1971 in the quaint village of Ostbevern, nestled between Münster and Warendorf in Germany, my journey into the wild began early. At 14, I started working with my uncle—a dedicated German hunter who spent four decades pursuing roebucks and red stags in Poland, while managing his own 450-hectare hunting grounds near our village. On his 76 birthday, I had the honour of accompanying him to Hungary, where we successfully hunted a roebuck with antlers exceeding 500 grams—a testament to our shared passion.

While my father and grandfather taught me to guard our cherry trees from fruit thieves, it was my uncle, married to my mother’s sister, who introduced me to the rich traditions of German hunting culture.

After completing high school at 19, I served in the German army for two years. Uncertain about my future, my father guided me into a three-year banking traineeship, where I graduated with excellent marks. Yet, the call of the wild was strong. University beckoned, and during my studies, I embarked on a traineeship with a global reinsurance company—my first assignment took me to South Africa. This experience ignited my passion for Africa.

Upon returning, I established a booking agency for hunters, quickly becoming a prominent figure in the market, focusing on Western, Eastern, and Central Africa. Over the years, I traversed every African country open to hunting, each journey deepening my connection to the continent.

In 2005, I founded Uganda Wildlife Safaris. By 2008 and 2009, we secured concessions and began developing them. On January 1, 2016, we acquired Ateker Safaris, operating the Karamoja North concessions around Kidepo Valley National Park. Today, we stand as Uganda’s largest privately owned wildlife conservation company.

Beyond the savannah, I’m a family man, married to Catherine Auma, and blessed with two beautiful daughters and two sons.