The Chief Executive Officer, Afrika Panthera Safaris Uganda, Violet Komuhendo, has been named among the winners of Africa’s Travel 100 Women Award.
Violet Komuhendo is the dynamic founder and Managing Director of Afrika Panthera Safaris, a Uganda-based, female-led tour operator committed to delivering immersive wildlife safaris, cultural journeys, community experiences, and adventure tours across Uganda and East Africa.
With more than 10 years of industry experience, Violet has steered Afrika Panthera to the forefront of responsible tourism, emphasizing gender equality and sustainability in every expedition.
Afrika Panthera employs a team comprised of 70% female safari guides—a deliberate choice driven by Violet’s commitment to empowering women in a male-dominated field.
Her leadership goes beyond business: Violet is an alumna of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) under the U.S. Mission in Uganda, honored as one of the Africa Travel 100 Under 40 winners, a prestigious award, featured on CNN-InsideAfrica, World bank Africa.
Violet’s influence extends to community development through her role as Ukarimu Regional Coordinator In this capacity, she coordinates programs that train women and youth in tourism and hospitality skills—equipping them with product development knowledge employment-ready capacities in hotels and lodges and helping combat unemployment.
She also heads the Tooro Community Tourism and Conservation Center—a community-based organization focused on environmental conservation, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, preserving culture, and creating alternative income streams for women living around Kibale National Park.
