Tour operators are touting a number of packages in advance of World Rhino Day, which falls on Sept. 22.
Rhinos are critically endangered and have been targeted for years by poachers for their horns. Environmentalists are increasingly concerned that poachers have had free rein in the national parks and wildlife areas during the pandemic.
Marataba‘s annual “rhino week’ is a unique way for travelers to be directly involved in a host of rhino-focused conservation activities. South Africa’s Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, of which Marataba forms a part, is home to a globally significant population of rhinos, the second-largest population in South Africa. Monitoring these rhinos and understanding their territories is a crucial part of conserving these vital animals. A stay during rhino week guarantees guests involvement in rhino notching and monitoring activities.
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Natural Selection’s Safarihoek at Etosha Heights in Namibia donates a percentage of its proceeds to protecting the rhinos. The Etosha area is rated one of the best places on the continent to view rhinos, and Etosha Heights is home to both white and black rhinos. A morning spent tracking their footprints through the dust before eventually coming nose-to-horn with one of the endangered beasts is a memory not to be forgotten.
A rhino in Namibia’s Etosha Heights.
Within the reserve, Natural Selection has an anti-poaching camp and team that is dedicated to protecting the rhinos and preventing any illegal hunting from happening along the boundaries of the reserve. Its rangers are on the ground 24 hours a day and have completed an intensive training program.
Asilia’s Ol Pejeta Bush Camp in central Kenya offers travelers the opportunity to meet the last two remaining northern white rhinos in the world. Travelers can get involved by helping with the training of the canines used to track down and capture poachers or recording lion sightings for the research team. Seven spacious, ecofriendly tents are positioned along the Ewaso Ngiro River. The camp also offers a Junior Ranger Program to keep kids entertained and engaged.