Journey into the wild: Leaving behind a positive footprint

Stay at Lengishu, an exclusive-use home where guests can join anti-poaching rangers at first light to track black and white rhino on foot. This intimate, high-impact experience provides a glimpse into the daily realities of frontline conservation – from learning how rangers

use field-sign reading, radio telemetry and deter poaching through constant surveillance and community engagement. Tourism revenue here directly funds ranger salaries and critical security infrastructure.

Puku Ridge, a luxury camp with elevated views over wildlife-filled plains, offers guided walking safaris that teach guests the same tracking techniques used by conservation researchers, from reading footprints to interpreting alarm calls.

Operating on foot minimises environmental impact and helps guests appreciate how predators move, hunt and maintain territories – knowledge that supports ongoing monitoring projects within the park.

At Six Senses Laamu, guests can join Manta Trust researchers on guided dives to observe and help identify individual manta rays by their unique belly markings. You can also visit the resort’s SHELL research hub to learn about

broader conservation work led through the Maldives Underwater Initiative (MUI), including coral restoration, seagrass protection and community-led sustainability projects that their stay directly supports.

Join filmmaker Warren Pereira and a team of leading naturalists for an exclusive specialised tiger tracking drive, gaining insights into behaviour, territorial patterns and the pressures facing the species, including habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict.

Warren also shares expert tips on wildlife cinematography, illustrating how visual storytelling enhances global awareness and drives conservation support.

Spend time with Professor Sarath Kotagama, one of Sri Lanka’s most respected environmental scientists, gaining unique insight into human-elephant coexistence, the role of seasonal water systems, and national efforts to reduce conflict.

Expert-led visits provide deeper context to The Gathering and showcase how protected areas and conservation research are helping safeguard the country’s endangered elephants.

Begin with a briefing from resident conservationist Charles Nsabimana before venturing into the bamboo forests to meet one of the park’s 12 habituated gorilla families. Gorilla permit fees directly support ranger patrols, veterinary teams and community projects,

ensuring that tourism contributes to long-term population recovery. A wider itinerary including Kigali and Akagera National Park reveals Rwanda’s broader commitment to rewilding and ecosystem restoration.