The Intu Afrika Kalahari Game Reserve is a 23,000 hectacre reserve found north east of Mariental and is the site of a pioneering ecotourism project between the reserve and a !Kung village. Relocating part of the village to the reserve, the !Kung are now shareholders in the reserve and earn revenue via travelers visiting the Intu Afrika Kalahari Game Lodge. You can meet with !Kung in their village for a day, take a nature walk through the desert with an !Kung guide, or plan a 2-3 day hiking trip with them.

Len and Katrine Horlin, sisters from Sweden, bought land here in 1987 with the intention of starting a business that worked harmoniously with the near-by Muslim village and natural habitat. Today most of the hotel's employees come from the village, local goods are bought from them and various local businesses have received seed money from the hotel. Ultimately Katrine and Len would like the hotel to be co-owned by the village. Constructed in traditional style -- the walls of limestone and coral, the roofs of palm fronds -- the bungalows are lit by kerosene lamps and the showers heated by solar panels. If you want the relaxation and beauty of a tropical vacation, but don't want to contribute to the tropical mega-resort phenomenon, check out Matemwe.

In 1996 Judith and Richard Johnston set out on safari with Thompson Safaris to explore Tanzania. They visited teeming-with-wildlife Amboseli National Park and watched giraffes, black rhinos, and elephants. And then visited near-by Arusha and some of its grade schools. There they met kids and teachers working without basic school supplies -- pens, paper, books. While wildlife viewing thrives in Tanzania and a few tour operators make out quite well, travelers often don’t see the state of poverty and illiteracy of many Tanzanians. Kudos to Thompson Safaris for presenting their travelers with the various facets of Tanzanian life.

Still, moved by their experience in the schools, the Johnson's returned to the United States and started a non-profit organization that raises funds to assist schools in Tanzania, specifically those around Arusha. They raise money for the construction of classrooms, books and supplies, and cultural exchange between Tanzania and the United States. You can volunteer at one of the schools they've worked with in Tanzania or contact the organization with any other innovative ideas you have for furthering their cause. Or maybe on return from your trip, you’ll decide to start an organization of your own.

For more info, contact:
Richard Johnson
(617) 526-6282
60 State Street,
Boston, MA 02109

"We believe that only through small, customized travel can the negative impact of tourism be prevented. We also believe that ecotourism -- responsible travel that promotes the protection of nature and sustains the well-being of local peoples -- can help to achieve important conservation goals worldwide." Costas and Sally assess the places they recommend personally and determine their commitment to ecotourism. They also have helped finance local community projects and worked with government organizations to develop ecotourism strategies. And, the philosophy works: past clients have included ABC News and Conde Nast!

CAMPFIRE was started by Africans in 1989. The group educates communities about resource management and, to date, has worked with close to a 1/4 million people. CAMPFIRE is run by various groups, all of which contribute important knowledge and resources to communities participating in CAMPFIRE. Communities develop a myriad of projects that draw on the resource rights that they own and conservation principles. Projects vary from selling photo and hunting opportunities to tour operators, to working the land themselves, to selling other resources such as timber, and developing tourism projects.

CAMPFIRE, while it facilitates natural resource management, also serves as a model for democracy in which people have control of their own futures.