Team Lioness

team or the animals.” 8. What about security? As wildlife crime has ramped up around the world, a few sanctuaries and orphanages have been raided by criminal syndicates in search of high-value species. Voluntourists have occasionally been hurt in these raids, so security is especially important if the facility houses valuable species such as rhinos, elephants, and big cats, says Trendler. See if a facility informs its volunteers of risks up front, she advises, and then “look for visible security like guards and fences. Are there security protocols and briefings for staff and volunteers?”

Once you’ve decided on the type of program you’d like to join, you can research your options online or through an agency, but always be skeptical and check the basics: Can you find the project on a map or is the location vague? (Agencies sometimes fudge locations so they can do a bait-and-switch.) Are volunteer testimonials real or cut-and-pasted fakes? Are photos recent or out of date? You should also ask exactly what you will be expected to do, how many hours per day you’ll work, and whether you’re able to leave the premises or not; many voluntourists have found themselves effectively trapped in remote locations doing mind-numbing, round-the-clock manual labor.

The Facebook group Volunteers in Africa Beware maintains an extensive list of voluntourism destinations. Using information supplied by volunteers themselves, it ranks destinations on a “Good, Bad and Ugly” list according to how ethical the group perceives them to be. Note that some of the venues are sanctuaries that deliver no conservation benefit because they don’t release animals into the wild as part of a reputable conservation program; they are rated “good” because they don’t trade their animals, hunt them, or allow interaction. (AFAR can’t endorse all the listed programs on Volunteers in Africa Beware, but it may be a useful resource and a good place to start.)

Finding the right wildlife volunteer program can be a time-consuming process, but if you choose correctly, you could be rewarded with a lifechanging experience in Africa. www.afar.com/magazine/voluntourism-101-howto-fi nd-a-reputable-wildlife-sanctuary-in-africa Since its formation in 2019, IFAW Team Lioness - a pioneering all-woman ranger unit in Kenya - has transformed its members’ lives. Under the auspices of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, this project has given each of its eight members a chance to gain economic and social independence. “My work before was to fetch fi rewood, taking care of a baby, milk the cow, and do house chores,” says Purity Lakara, who, with her colleagues, patrols Masai land surrounding Amboseli National Park (Kenya Wildlife Service tangers oversee the park itself.) “My community sees me diff erently,” says Lakara, whose income has paid for improvements to her family’s home. She also mentors girls in her village. The members of Team Lioness also take a more collaborative approach than the men who typically do this job. “We talk with our fellow women and they forget we are security guards. They give us useful information - who is going, the time the hunters usually come - and we set an ambush,” Lakara says. Off ering the team’s capture of giraff e poachers last year as an example of the success. “W have a soft side that allows us to communicate with all types of community members. They will not tell the men these things.”

Travel and Leisure Image credits: furtherafrica.com

from ifaw.org

28 Trips Th at Will Absolutely Change Your Life -

By Lindsay Cohn

Travel Africa is highlighting the 6 Africa-based destinations featured in the a Read the full article at: www.purewow.com/travel/life-changing-trip

#5 UGURHAN/GETTY IMAGES

If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it’s the importance of traveling. Getting out of your comfort zone, exploring new cities and eating different types of food can change everything. Don’t believe us? We’ve rounded up 28 totally transformative trips, from visiting the Grand Canyon to gorilla trekking in Rwanda. So, if you’re daydreaming about the day you get to leave your pod and explore the rest of the world (or country), start here.

#5. GO ON AN AFRICAN SAFARI

A safari is the epitome of #travelgoals. Whether you choose the Serengeti or South Africa as the setting for your game drive, expect scenes straight out of National Geographic. Elephants will pause for a thirst-quenching drink at a watering hole while leopards chase gazelles across the savanna, all right before your eyes.

#10. STROLL THROUGH ARASHIYAMA BAMBOO GROVE

Envision lying on a blanket, surrounded by pristine sand dunes and gazing up at the midnight sky studded with twinkling cosmos. Just broach the topic of stargazing in the Sahara and we’re ready to buy a ticket to Morocco. Glamping at a luxury desert camp is an added bonus.

#13. GORILLA TREK IN RWANDA

A safari isn’t the only way to get your animal fix while in Africa. For a primate-centric expedition you’ll never forget, head to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Sure, it’s expensive (in the ballpark of $1,500 per person), but can you really put a price on peeping endangered apes?

#15. VISIT THE VICTORIA FALLS

Located on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, this majestic body of water is a sight to behold. Nicknamed “The Smoke that Thunders,” Victoria Falls is a UNESCO heritage site and it’s been

6 are in Afr ica

article below. ps

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#16 CHIARA SALVADORI/GETTY IMAGES

#13 JEN POLLACK BIANCO / EYEEM/GETTY IMAGES

#18 MARIE-LOUISE MANDL / EYEEM/GETTY IMAGES

cited as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

#16. SOAR TO THE TOP OF TABLE MOUNTAIN

Complete your southern Africa trip with a stop at Table Mountain. The most photographed attraction in South Africa, Table Mountain boasts a breathtaking view of Cape Town and is home to over 2,000 plants. And it’s not just another crag that you trek in order to get to the top. The most popular way to get to the peak is by cable car, courtesy of the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company.

#18. VISIT EGYPT’S GREAT PYRAMIDS

Channel your inner Lawrence of Arabia and head into the desert on camelback to see the Great Pyramid of Giza. Built by a Fourth Dynasty pharaoh in 2560 B.C.E., this 481-foot structure is the oldest wonder of the ancient world. Let that settle in.