Tag: conservation

Khwai Bush Camp: Finest Botswana Authenticity

Posted on by James

The Okavango Delta ecosystem is far broader than many realise, stretching its tendrils way out to the east and south, before they eventually dry up in the sands of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert.

Although it has long been the more centrally-placed concessions in the heart of the Delta that have hogged the limelight, of late those around the periphery have been developing a stellar reputation for game-viewing, but with a lower vehicle density than the more established spots.

Khwai Bush Camp is one such destination, situated to the east of the main Okavango Delta yet delivering just as much of a punch when it comes to its wildlife.

Majestic sable antelopes roam the woodlands here, the distinctive sawing of a leopard is heard far more often than not on evening game drives, and the ubiquitous elephant herds of northern Botswana are in almost constant attendance, particularly during the dry winter months when the Delta’s water levels are up and the game congregates around the river systems and permanent water sources.

Khwai Bush Camp comprises four standard chalets (with fireplace) and two family chalets, all en-suite. Watch the magic of Africa unfold from the sanctuary of your chalet’s cool, thatched interior or the veranda that overlooks the famed Moremi Game Reserve. Battery-charging facilities are available in each guest room as well as fans. The main lodge area also has charging points for your convenience. Enjoy languid afternoons at the sparkling poolside drinking in the serene floodplain surrounds. Share an aperitif around our lively fire circle before tucking into hearty, homespun fare at our family-style feasts. Activities include guided walking safaris, bird watching, river activities, and game drives spotting Africa’s iconic wildlife species – lion, cheetah, leopard, wild dog, elephant, buffalo, hippo and giraffe.

If it’s starry skies you are after, with the sound of a lion roaring in the distance (or close at hand), with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon at hand and a roaring fire close by, Khwai Bush Camp ticks all the boxes.
A true safari experience in the style now associated with African Bush Camps (of whose portfolio KBC is a part), this is one not to be missed, and with the specials we are currently running to some of the African Bush Camps’ portfolio, there’s no better time.

Get in touch to find out about rates and availability…

 

 

Rhino Dehorning: the Latest in the War on Poaching

Posted on by James

Over the last decade, over ten thousand rhinos have been lost to poaching across Africa.

With both white and black rhinoceroses already endangered, these catastrophic losses have pushed both species even closer to extinction.

In South Africa alone, 451 rhinos were lost during 2021. Although the general trend over the last few years has been a decrease in numbers lost each year, which looks positive (although 2021 was the first time in 6 years that the number went up again), the harsh reality is that these numbers may just as equally reflect the much lower numbers of rhinos left to poach as they do the increase in anti-poaching efforts across the continent.

With increasing pressure on declining rhino populations that are being squeezed into smaller and smaller areas, the focus of poaching has seen a dramatic spike in private reserves over the last year. Although well-trained, well-armed anti-poaching teams are operational on most private reserves in the region that boast rhino numbers, the staggering and ever-increasing value of rhino horn on the international market has meant that no deterrents seem too great, and rhinos continue to be lost.

More and more lodges and reserves are falling back on the last-resort solution of dehorning their rhinos. By removing the very thing the poachers are after, the hope is that rhinos lives will be spared.
This tactic has proved successful in many areas, although some conservationists hesitate before implementing it as a practical solution because of its potential impact on the rhinos themselves. Although the removal of the horn doesn’t cause the individual rhino any harm (it will grow back after a few years), it is still a functional part of their anatomy, and it is still unsure what long-term repercussions might be felt in dehorned populations with males left without their main weapon that they use to defend territories.

The problem with dehorning in the private reserve sector (or solution, depending on which way you look at it) is that it’s becoming more and more of an all-or-nothing affair, in that every reserve needs to buy in, or none. Since effective conservation is largely a function of space, many operators have dropped fences between them and their neighbours to create larger contiguous ecosystems for wildlife, but the free-roaming nature of rhino populations in reserves like these means that de-horning operations need to be reserve-wide.

If one reserve opts to dehorn their rhinos but its neighbours don’t, the population with horns intact will naturally become the target for poachers; all reserves/lodges therefore need to be in agreement.

The three-reserve system of the Sabi Sand, Sabie Game Reserve and Mala Mala, near the Kruger Park, are the latest high profile group of reserves to dehorn their rhinos, with an extensive period of a 25 days being allotted to the operation.

The entire reserve’s population was dehorned as well as ear-notched, which not only dramatically reduces the poaching threat but through the notching will allow closer monitoring of individual rhinos. The decision to dehorn was not an easy one for the reserves to take, but with over 400% increase in poaching across the protected area in the last two years, reserve management and lodge owners alike felt that it was the best step to take.

Despite the dehorning hopefully buying a reprieve for the area’s beleaguered rhinos, all three reserves continue to increase their security efforts through added technology and inter-reserve communication.

Let us hope that the dehorning initiative will prove as effective in this, one of South Africa’s flagship conservation areas, as it has been in other parts of the country.

The Vehicle That’s Helping Preserve Tracking in Southern Africa

Posted on by James

In April 2021, Iconic Africa facilitated an immersive tracking getaway at Londolozi Game Reserve, South Africa, to raise money for the Tracker Academy – a non-profit organisation that trains disadvantaged rural men and women in traditional skills of wildlife tracking.
Hosting the event were Tracker Academy co-founders Renias Mhlongo and Alex van den Heever, and they facilitated an amazing and immersive few days in the African bush.

Alex and Renias telling stories around the fireside.

Present at the event was Tim Abbott, INEOS Automotive Head of Region, Southern Africa and Sub-Sahara, and what he saw and experienced there moved him so strongly that he decided to offer the full support of INEOS to the Tracker Academy for the next three years.

Below is part of the press release issued recently by INEOS, detailing the amazing partnership formed through that Iconic Africa Tracking event:

December 2021 – As it grows its presence in Southern Africa, ahead of the launch of its Grenadier 4X4 in 2022, INEOS Automotive is partnering with the SA College for Tourism’s Tracker Academy. The three-year partnership will see INEOS support vulnerable communities through a regional employment programme that aims to promote traditional approaches to wilderness conservation.

Tracker Academy Co-founder Alex van den Heever (middle) with Head Trainers Innocent Ngwenya (left, based at Londolozi Game Reserve) and Karel Benadie (right, based at Samara Game Reserve) and a Tracker Academy branded INEOS Grenadier

INEOS is the first automotive company to be actively involved in an initiative of this nature in the region. The overarching vision of the Tracker Academy is to restore indigenous tracking knowledge and skills in Africa and to continually improve the standards of training and assessment. It aims to prove that ancient tracking skills are relevant in modern conservation management efforts.

Tim Abbott, INEOS Automotive Head of Region, Southern Africa and Sub-Sahara, said: “The Tracker Academy offers us an ideal opportunity to support the reinvigoration of rural communities in South Africa through education and employment. It will allow us to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to the wellbeing of local people, while safeguarding ancient techniques that have protected the environment for thousands of years. We hope that the Grenadier – a vehicle suited perfectly to the conditions of rural Africa – will also play an important role in protecting biodiversity in the region.”

Tim Abbott (centre) proudly assisting with the recent Tracker Academy awards ceremony in Graaf Reinet.
Tim Abbott (left) and John Holley, Iconic Africa Director.

INEOS Automotive will sponsor 30 student bursaries for the Tracker Academy’s one-year course structure from 2022 to 2024. The course will expose students to the diverse range of wildlife in the semi-desert and bushveld biomes. Sponsored tracking courses will only be offered to unemployed, previously disadvantaged men and women, up to retirement age.

“Since day one, our goal has been to empower tracker graduates to become ambassadors for the African wildlife conservation industry,” says Tracker Academy general manager, Alex van den Heever. “We are dedicated to bringing authenticity and accuracy to environmental education, wildlife protection, eco-tourism, monitoring, and research, and we are delighted to be partnering with INEOS Automotive to share knowledge and expertise for the benefit of social ecology and our communities.”

The INEOS Grenadier is already breaking new ground in the automotive space. Given that through this alignment with the Tracker Academy it is also firmly establishing itself in the social upliftment sector, it seems set to take the African market by storm, as well as ensuring a bright future for the ancient art of tracking for years to come.

Phinda Mountain Lodge: Dramatic Landscapes above Conservation Success

Posted on by James

The Lebombo mountains are perhaps some of the most wildlife-rich on the planet, yet are not well known outside local circles. They don’t feature snow-capped peaks or jagged ridges rising to unimaginable heights. They are in fact not the most impressive range. Yet probably along no other range of hills and mountains will you find more leopards, more lions, more elephants, and more amazing encounters than in the Lebombos.
Stretching from the north of the Kruger National park all the way down its eastern edge, down through Swaziland into South Africa, they start tapering out just as they reach one of this latter country’s finest safari destinations; Phinda Mountain Lodge.

Phinda Reserve is one of conservation’s greatest success stories. Formed from denuded pineapple farms and restocked with wildlife during the 90s, Phinda is now one of the most biodiverse reserves in Southern Africa, comprising over 70 000 acres of Big 5 country with an impressive bird list of 436.

Mountain Lodge was one of the original camps built here, and its three room types (suites, cottages – which can be turned into adjoining family style cottages – and family suite) mean there is something for every type of traveller.

If it’s romance you’re after, there will be more than enough solitude for you and your partner… why not book a private vehicle?
If you’re travelling with a family, great! The &Beyond WildChild program will keep your kids entertained with interactive adventures, perfect for mum and dad to enjoy some down-time.

Apart form world-class game viewing, it is the pioneering conservation experiences that Phinda now offers that are setting it apart from much of the rest of the industry. As a guest, it is now possible to accompany rangers and scientists in their careful monitoring programs of endangered species like Black Rhinos and Pangolins.
Participating in a rhino notching or dehorning, or laying your hands on a sleeping elephant while researchers attach a collar to it is an experience that will leave you truly moved.

Then of course there is the wildlife. Phinda is famed for its cheetahs in particular, with “the Marsh” – an open area in the north of the reserve – offering great hunting grounds for these fastest mammals on earth.
As you move through an amazing range of habitats (the unique Sand Forest is a must-visit!) you will encounter elephants, lions, black and white rhino, leopard, and an entire supporting cast of antelope and other small inhabitants of the bush.

Phinda is most definitely part of only a small group of lodges that continue to set the standard in both luxury wildlife experiences and conservation initiatives. At only a few hours drive from Durban or an easy flight in, it is also one of South Africa’s most accessible lodges for a quick weekend away…

With &Beyond offering special rates at the moment, get in touch if you fancy a trip to one of the country’s premier safari destinations…

Marataba: Conservation and Tourism Intertwined

Posted on by James

The new narrative of ecotourism is about far more than simply viewing animals in their natural habitat.
It’s experiential, it’s immersive, and more than anything, it’s about the visitor to African shores feeling like their stay has made a difference. More and more safari operators are giving guests the chance to go behind the scenes as it were, in order to see – and more importantly to participate in – the work being done on the ground to save Africa’s wildlife and her wild spaces.

Marataba has long been one of our favourite reserves.
Only a few hours drive from Johannesburg, malaria-free, and blessed with fantastic game viewing, it has practically sold itself. Now however, Marataba are spearheading the way a bush visit should be conducted; their Conservation Camps are allowing guests the opportunity to actively participate in the reserve’s conservation efforts.

Rhino poaching has been an ever-growing problem across Africa for years, and South Africa has been particularly hard hit. For too long however, there has been a distinct disconnect between what is being done to protect the species and the guests who are able to view rhinos in the wild. Marataba have realised that by making their rhino conservation efforts accessible, viewable, and most importantly, experiential, people will be far more aware of what it takes to both monitor and protect the species.
Understanding a cause enables one to get behind it far more effectively.

Both white and black rhinos occur at Marataba; a mixture of clearings and thornveld provide adequate habitat for both species (white rhinos are grazers and prefer more open terrain; black rhinos are browsers and prefer thicker vegetation). A proper understanding of the behaviour and movement patterns of the individuals across the reserve can go a long way towards informing anti-poaching and conservation efforts, and so an individual recognition system using an ear notching pattern has been implemented at Marataba.

The way we see ecotourism going in the future is the kind of offering coming out of the Marataba Conservation Camps; the three-day Rhino Conservation Safari.

During a rhino registration and identification procedure, guests will help immobilise and notch the animal and insert a DNA microchip into the horns and body. Tissue is collected and the DNA is submitted to the RHoDIS database (Rhinoceros DNA indexing system), a national DNA database.
It’s one thing to watch a rhino from the comfort of a game drive vehicle. It’s a completely different experience to touch one’s bare skin, to feel its breath on your hand and to play a part in an operation that will directly contribute to the survival of its species.

More and more experiences like this are becoming available in the ecotourism sector. We are firm believers in the idea that the more connected a person can feel to a place, a species, or even an individual animal, the more likely that person is to become invested in whatever maintain’s that entity’s future.

It’s not only the Rhino Conservation Safari that is offered at the Marataba Conservation camps. Guests can assist in fence patrols, elephant or cheetah monitoring, and a host of other activities that will help give a far more enriching understanding about what conservation really involves.

At the end of the day, that’s exactly what it should be about.

Kicheche Safari Camps: Hidden Gems in a Huge Landscape

Posted on by James

Kenya’s Maasai Mara ecosystem is subdivided into a number of areas; the Mara Triangle in the west which forms the edge of the grasslands where it rises up into the Oloololo escarpment, the Maasai Mara National Reserve, which has its own private camps and is where public vehicles can access too, and on the norther edge, a number of conservancies, which operate in conjunction with local communities and traditional pastoralists.

All sections are unfenced and open to each other, allowing free movement of wildlife.

Although not receiving as much press as the sectors to the south, the northern conservancies boast just as spectacular game viewing, if not more so, as well as operating with far fewer vehicles in a sighting. And it is in these areas, prolific with wildlife, that you find the Kicheche camps.

Valley Camp in the Naboisho conservancy is tucked discreetly away in acacia woodland on a hillside, and it is not uncommon to see 20 different cheetahs in a week’s stay here. In the west, Kicheche Mara Camp is in the Mara North conservancy, where world-famous Leopard Gorge is to be found and where so many iconic wildlife documentaries have been filmed.
And in the middle sits Kicheche Bush Camp, set back in the tree-line alongside an expansive grassy plain. This is the lurking ground of the leopard Fig, who featured prominently in the National Geographic Documentary “Jade Eyed Leopard”.

All three camps are small enough to retain that sense of intimacy with guests, in which you don’t feel like a number, but part of things. Valley and Bush Camp have only six tents each, while Mara Camp is only slightly bigger with eight.
Many of the guides have been with Kicheche for well over a decade, and their experience shows in their intimate knowledge of the area. This is especially true when it comes to photography, and Kicheche is ultimately a photographer’s dream. Open skylines, an abundance of wildlife, lion numbers like you wouldn’t believe… combine this with the specially adapted Kicheche photographic vehicles and guides who understand everything from backlighting to depth of field, and you couldn’t ask for anything more, except maybe a memory card or two, as yours are sure to fill up given the prolific number of photographic opportunities.

Kicheche gets it right in the “feeling”; that intangible sense that you are somewhere that you ought to be. That synergy of all the smaller details that can seem so formulaic on paper yet is so difficult to achieve in reality. It’s the staff, the accommodation, the wildlife, the setting. It’s all of them yet none of them.
It’s an ever-elusive element that very few destinations produce, yet Kicheche have, through their own secret formula, got it right…

 

 

 

Help Kicheche’s Conservancy Guardians Protect our Wildlife

Posted on by Lexi Hall

“…Our conservancies need you now more than ever.”

Iconic Africa would like to invite you to help us support an incredible initiative that is doing great work for wildlife and communities in Africa. We really believe in what Kicheche is doing and encourage you to get involved if you are interested and able to.

The coronavirus pandemic has left nothing untouched. People, countries, economies, tourism and wildlife have felt the effects of this catastrophe.

Kenya’s Community Conservancies are a sustainable model of wildlife conservation. But since the global collapse of tourism, the funding of these conservancies has sharply declined and the ever-lurking menace of poaching, bushmeat hunting and encroachment is returning and growing rampantly.

Kenya’s Community Conservancies are a sustainable model of wildlife conservation and a benchmark for tourism. Many of you have appreciated the biodiversity and the variety of species supported by these protected lands first-hand, returning year after year to get your safari fix, from the hills and plains that have become your own backyard.

25% of their revenue funds the guardianship, protection and maintenance of 250,000 acres of the finest wildlife habitat in the world, but since the global collapse in tourism, that funding has sharply declined.

Without your support, the ever-lurking menace of poaching, bush-meat hunting and encroachment cannot be kept at bay. Currently, conservancies of Mara North, Olare Motorogi, Mara Naboisho and Ol Pejeta need you more than ever.

‘Nature never halts’ is a common phrase but if threatened, it just might.

The solution

Kicheche and their neighbouring communities are working tirelessly on a plan for the next year, to ensure that their conservancies remain secure and intact despite the dramatic drop in tourist arrivals.

CONSERVANCY GUARDIANS

They have initiated the Conservancy Guardians appeal, concentrating solely on covering critical conservancy costs: rangers salaries, welfare and medical, predator monitoring and patrol costs.

CREDIT THE CONSERVANCY

This scheme assists in underwriting conservancy land leases for a year, so the priceless conservancy birthright remains intact. By paying a conservation contribution of $750 (or more) now, you will receive a credit of the SAME value on your next Kicheche safari.

Kicheche has been at the vanguard of these Conservancies since inception and in this moment of need is backing them wholeheartedly.

Almost a thousand acres are now protected for a year. One camp cannot protect it all but every acre is priceless.

A message from Andrew Obaga, Kicheche Laikipia manager.

How you can help:

Protect an acre now

Contribute to the conservancies now