Supporting Community Based Ecotourism

Lasting wildlife conservation can only occur if local communities receive sufficient benefits for protecting the land and in most rural areas of Africa there are very few economic options available other than direct utilization of land and wildlife resources. The Wild Source philosophy is that it is critical for tourism to derive as much financial benefit as possible to local people.

Almost all safari operations provide benefits to local communities via job creation, and many give back to the community by providing schools, clinics and other programs. In some countries local people own communal land areas and receive large annual lease fees from safari operators. All of this can be very beneficial and we encourage support of companies that provide significant benefits to their local neighbors.

The pinnacle is when the local community completely owns its own tourism operations. This ensures job opportunities at all levels of the company, and the opportunity to reap 100% of the profits, as well as make all the relevant decisions for stewardship of their own lands. The purpose of this section is to highlight community based projects that are either 100% owned by the local community or is serving as a new model for increasing benefits to local communities within their country.

Our experience staying at community owned lodges has been absolutely brilliant as they have consistently had a slightly different feel to other lodges. There is more of a deep welcoming feel that conjures up thoughts of being hosted by an extended family. The following are some projects that are highly recommended:

Botswana Ecotourism
Kenya Ecotourism
Namibia Ecotourism
Rwanda Ecotourism
South Africa Ecotourism
Uganda Ecotourism
Charity Work

Botswana

Sankuyo Plains Camp, Okavango Delta. The Sankuyo Tshwaragano Management Trust has partnered with Lodges of Botswana to form a community based model in Botswana. The Trust is widely acknowledged as the most successful community trust in Botswana and following a detailed vetting process they selected a partnership where Lodges of Botswana builds and manages a new luxury camp but pays a concession fee to the community as well as splits 50% of operating profits with the community creating what is likely the most lucrative arrangement for a local community in Botswana.

Gudigwa Lodge, Okavango Delta. This lodge provides a one night deep cultural experience with the Bukakhwe San Bushmen as guests learn their survival skills and get a feel for how they live.

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Kenya

Currently Kenya has the most high profile community based ecotourism. In particular the Laikipia area has become a model of conservation of community lands and group ranches being managed for wildlife value.

Il N’gwesi, Laikipia, Kenya. In 2002, Il N’gwesi set the pace for Laikipia’s ecotourism, being awarded the Equator Initiative Award at the World Summit in Johannesburg, and has become a role model for upcoming community eco-lodges in East Africa. This small piece of paradise, perched between peak and plain, possesses a magic, which cannot fail to touch anyone who is lucky enough to experience it.

Ol Gaboli Community Lodge (Laikipia, Kenya) is the only tourism facility owned by an all-women's pastoralist group in Sub-Saharan Africa. The lodge is an excellent base for a large variety of activities including wildlife viewing, rafting, canoeing, mountain biking, walking, trekking and rock climbing

Koiyaki Wilderness Camp, Northern border of Masai Mara, Kenya. The profits at this camp are used to support the associated Koiyaki Guide School which is critical for training local people to become safari guides.

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Namibia

Damaraland Camp. This is a wonderful camp that features the opportunity to observe desert adapted elephant. The staff is incredibly warm and this is one of our favorite camps. Our guide Rosie, was the first certified woman guide in Namibia. The Damaraland community comprises a unique group of people who have recognized the value of the wildlife on their land and formed a Community Wildlife Conservancy to protect it. In 1998, the success of Damaraland Camp helped the community to have their land proclaimed as the Torra Conservancy, the first of four Community Wildlife Conservancies in the country. Today, the Torra Conservancy is one of the most successful in all of Africa. It meets all its management costs and makes a profit, which is then reinvested into community projects for the community's benefit. It is the first community conservancy that is able to sustain itself without donor funding.

Dora Nawas Camp. Doro Nawas Camp is a joint venture between Wilderness Safaris, the Doro !Nawas community and a Namibian empowerment company. The enormous Doro !Nawas Conservancy is 407 300 hectares and represents some 450 community members who, in addition to acting as landlords in the conservancy, together hold a 40% share in Doro Nawas Camp. As with Damaraland Camp, all camp staff are intended to be sourced from the community and trained by Wilderness Safaris with revenues flowing from the camp to the community through significant bed-night levies, the provision of services, secondary businesses and salaries. The community earns a percentage of the camp's bed-night accommodation revenue.

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Rwanda

Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. This lodge that is conveniently located for gorilla trekking is owned by a community trust, SACOLA, which uses rentals and community fees from the lodge to drive socio-economic development and conservation initiatives in the communities adjacent to the Volcanoes National Park. The lodge was developed in partnership between the community, African Wildlife Foundation, and Governor’s Camp who also manages the lodge. This is a first of it’s kind project for Rwanda.

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South Africa

Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge, Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa. This is the first 100% community owned lodge in South Africa, owned and staffed by the Balete people from the neighboring village of Lekgophung. They have done an amazing job with the creation of their lodge and we were very impressed with their architecture, particularly the central lounge area that suspends on the hillside creating a spectacular tree house effect. A stay at Buffalo Ridge is a fantastic experience and a great luxury value lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve.

Thakadu River Camp, Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa. Following the lead of Buffalo Ridge Thakadu River Camp is a 100% owned community-based tented safari camp within Madikwe Game Reserve. Located on the banks of the Marico River, this is an ecotourism partnership between North-West Parks, the Molatedi Community and the operator, The Madikwe Collection.

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Uganda

Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge. This lodge, a first for Uganda, was built as a partnership between Uganda Safari Company/Wildplaces, the African Wildlife Foundation through the International Gorilla Conservation Programme, and the community of Nkuringo who have a significant stake in the venture and receive direct benefits from the lodge operation.

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Charity Involvement

Beyond supporting community based lodges we also have been involved with the development of the Ntarama Community Center in Rwanda with Network 4 Africa. Please visit network4africa.org to learn more about this project as well as other important development efforts in areas destroyed by war and genocide.

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