Many high-end lodges and game reserves in Africa are increasingly offering visitors the opportunity to engage in conservation activities on a hands-on basis.
In exchange for a small charge, people may follow wildlife veterinarians as they track, track and monitor creatures like as rhinos, elephants, cheetahs, wild canines, and even pangolins, and even help them collar them.
They are often shorter in duration than long-term volunteer programs, allowing visitors to return to the resort for a sundowner in five-star luxury when their volunteer work is over.
However, operators claim that these experiences are critical in areas where tourism, education, and conservation come together.
They also directly support crucial monitoring and restoration programs that are now ongoing in reserves around the continent, which is a win-win situation.
Here is a list of eight lodges in Africa that are known for providing top-notch conservation experiences.
More articles may be found at www.BusinessInsider.co.za (South African version).
Many high-end tourist firms are increasingly offering customers the opportunity to participate in conservation efforts. This may include anything from tracking the health of a rehabilitated pangolin to monitoring the respiration of a sedated elephant to aiding in a rhinoceros dehorning or microchipping surgery, depending on the reserve, its location, and the sort of conservation programs currently active.
Guests may now join veterinarians and conservation teams on their visits to lodges, which have traditionally done so behind the scenes for many years. In light of the rising costs of wildlife management, it is a welcome source of extra cash for many organizations and individuals. These programs are also a fantastic complement to the conservation messages that are communicated by the vast majority of resorts.
The aftermath of Covid-19 has prompted some operators to report an increasing level of interest in activities that are both hands on and behind the scenes, as a complement to the more typical feet-up offering of luxury lodges.
According to Brandon Kemp, Asilia Africa’s director of operations for Southern Tanzania, the company has witnessed a rise in interest in conservation trips in recent years. He claims that visitors at Usangu Expedition Camp in Ruaha National Park are part of the solution rather than merely recipients of benefits as a consequence as a result of this.
Embedding our visitors in nature and providing them with the chance to connect with it is something we take very seriously at Asilia Adventures. “We believe that by providing these hands-on conservation experiences, we will inspire the conservationists of the future and generate a ripple effect that will help conserve natural areas for future generations,” Kemp told Business Insider South Africa. “
Even though visitors will return to their luxury lodges at the end of the day, they will have made a direct financial contribution to initiatives that monitor and preserve the animals on the site via their purchases.
andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve’s Charli de Vos explains that the prices customers pay for their popular pangolin experience go directly towards funding the expenses of monitoring devices for the species that have been reintroduced on their land. “We have a lot of pangolins on our site,” she adds.
“Guests pay for the opportunity of joining our crew while they watch the pangolins, and the money they raise from that experience goes directly toward covering the costs of the program.” “Even if the amount people pay does not cover the cost of a single satellite tag, it helps to contribute to the overall financing of the project,” De Vos told Business Insider. “
It is possible to see big game at Tintswalo Lapalala, located in the Waterberg area of South Africa, however the facility is currently primarily focused on conservation initiatives. Alistair Leuner, who is in charge of all safari operations for the Tintswalo company, feels that approach has a number of advantages for both people and animals.
“We feel that these experiences provide the general population with a distinct perspective on wildlife and conservation, as well as a different perspective on tourism.” If visitors notify us in advance that they would want to participate in a conservation activity, we may arrange for them to participate. Moreover, this benefits the reserve’s wildlife as well as visitors,” Leuner said in an interview with Business Insider.
Many high-end luxury lodges in Africa are increasingly offering these hands-on conservation activities, which are normally available at an additional cost to guests. People who want to engage in rhino or elephant dehorning, microchipping, and collaring activities should expect to pay anywhere from R2,000 to R10,000 or more per person depending on their level of participation. When include these activities in their itineraries, most lodges demand visitors to plan a three-night minimum stay, which is the industry standard.
Located in the Waterberg area of South Africa, Tintswalo Lapalala is a family-friendly camp with a swimming pool. They provide visitors the opportunity to participate in conservation activities such as collaring African wild dogs and cheetahs, if it is feasible. Guests may also engage in rhino and elephant programs, which include seeing the darting of these creatures and participating in other chores such as monitoring respiration rate and temperature.
Rhino and pangolin conservation experiences are available at Tswalu Tswalu, which is located in South Africa’s Kalahari area. In addition to learning more about pangolins and their behavior in the wild, guests may join experts and PhD students on their research. Guests may also participate in Tswalu’s rhino notching campaign, which takes place between April and September, during which trained trackers and doctors dart juvenile rhinos, notch their ears for identifying reasons, and collect DNA samples for inclusion in a worldwide database.
Ngala Private Game Reserve is a private game reserve in South Africa.
In addition to sharing an unfenced border with the Kruger National Park, the Ngala Private Game Reserve also offers a popular rhino conservation program in conjunction with the Kruger National Park. When a rhinoceros is darted by a veterinarian from the air, the visitors who accompany him in open-air vehicles will watch and assist in the process of tagging and microchipping the rhinoceros’ ear.
Camps for Conservation in Marataba
Marataba, which is situated inside the Marakele National Park, has established itself as one of South Africa’s most popular places for conservation experiences. Their success has come about as a result of inviting visitors to participate completely in conservation activities like as elephant, rhino, and predator management, snare removal, and the setup and retrieval of camera traps for monitoring different wildlife species on the grounds.
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve is a private game reserve in Zambia.
It is the Kwandwe Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape that takes great delight in creating tailor-made safari experiences, such as a three-night, four-day rhino conservation safari. Experts who dart rhinos, install microchips, and clip ears are among those who appear on the show.
Phinda Private Game Reserve is a private game reserve in South Africa.
Guests at the Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal may participate in a variety of conservation activities. These include accompanying veterinarians and conservation teams on elephant and rhino tagging, collaring, and ear-notching expeditions, among other responsibilities. Besides that, they provide a popular pangolin experience that entails following animals and evaluating their health and performance after they have been released back into the wilderness.
Camp Usangu for the Usangu Expedition
Usangu Expedition Camp is a new camp in Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park that focuses on conservation activities in a natural setting. The Douglas Bell Eco Research Station is located close to the resort, and guests may engage in a variety of conservation activities in the area, including setting and retrieving camera traps, tracking collared lions, and visiting researchers working at the research station.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a nature reserve in Kenya.
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy in northern Kenya is home to the world’s last two northern white rhinoceros, which are found nowhere else on the planet. These organizations also provide a variety of conservation experiences, the majority of which are centered on their anti-poaching campaigns. More information on the conservancy’s anti-poaching dog unit and a specialized crew of rangers who patrol the extensive site may be obtained by visiting the visitor center.