Visiting WLT project partners and reserves funded with WLT support
WLT currently works with over 20 overseas NGO partners, in over 18 different countries. Nearly all of the project sites can be visited although in some, if not many cases, the reserves are difficult to reach and inhospitable terrain and weather conditions should be taken into consideration.
Being able to speak the language of the country will be a huge asset and while most reserves do have staff who can speak English this cannot be guaranteed. If you think this may be a problem for you should check in advance.
Trail walking, excursions and activities. In all cases you will be able to see the natural habitats and walk in the reserves. In some cases you may do this unescorted, in others you will need a guide. Other excursions may also be available such as kayaking, horse-riding, night-time excursions NB: these may be subject to additional charges.
The following gives a quick overview of project areas that you can visit. Where we have "More information" and/or photos just click on the link. We will be adding more information to these pages as we get it so please check back. We recommend that you make a final confirmation of details with our partners direct however in case of any changes since posting.
Visit Armenia
Wild flowers in Khosrov Reserve, Armenia.
| Partner | Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Khosrov Reserve |
| Location | SW Armenia, Caucasian Mountains |
| Facilities | Accommodation in a village house in Urtsadzor (x4 people) or camping at Ranger station in the mountains (also has 2 beds indoors) |
| Activities | Birding, horse riding, hiking, exploration of flora (especially in May/June) and Archaeological sites, art residencies |
| Wildlife | Bezoar Goats, Armenian Mouflon, Black Eurasian Vulture, Golden Eagle |
| Flora | Iris Elegantissima |
| Contact | Ruben Khachatryan (Director) at ruben@fpwc.org |
| Website | www.fpwc.org |
| More info | More information and photos |
Visit Belize
Mayan Mask from the Lamanai Maya Site located near the RBCMA. Photo © Dominic White
| Partner | Programme for Belize |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area |
| Location | Located in the north-west of the country (see location on Googlemap) |
| Facilities | Dormitory accommodation or cabanas available at both facilities |
| Activities | Hiking nature trails, birding, Mayan ruins, canoeing on the river lagoon |
| Wildlife | Over 390 sp. of birds, 200 sp. of tree, 70 sp. mammal, 30 sp. freshwater fish e.g. Harpy Eagle, Yellow Headed parrot, Jaguar, Spider Monkey |
| Contact | pfbel@btl.net |
| Website | www.pfbelize.org |
| More info | More information and photos |
Visit Brazil
REGUA landscape, Brazil. Photo © Helen Cavilla
| Partner | REGUA |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Guapi Assu Reserve |
| Location | Atlantic Rainforest only 2 hours drive from Rio de Janeiro International Airport (see location on map) |
| Facilities | Guapi Assu Bird Lodge, non-profit lodge sleeps up to 18 people, all meals are provided, hides for bird watching |
| Activities | Trekking, birding, guided tours. Tours include humid, montane and dry forest, wetlands and coastal lagoons. Also volunteer opportunities |
| Wildlife | Over 450 bird species including 62 Brazilian endemics and 13 threatened species |
| Contact | aregua@terra.com.br |
| Website | www.regua.co.uk |
| More info | More information and photos |
Visit Borneo (Malaysia)
Orang-utan. Photo © HUTAN/Jamil Sinyor
| Partner | HUTAN recommends community based Red Ape Encounters (RAE) |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) |
| Location | Sabah state, Northern Malaysian Borneo (see map). RAE operate within the KWS and within the HUTAN Sukau orang-utan research site |
| Facilities | RAE can link you to a variety of accommodation from homestays to B&Bs (more like backpackers) or to lodges |
| Activities | Exclusive access to the HUTAN-KOCP orang-utan study site, tree planting, wildlife watching, boat trips, homestays offer opportunities to join in local sports and activities with the communities e.g. fishing, handicrafts |
| Wildlife | Orang-utans, Proboscis monkeys, Bornean pygmy elephants, Sun bears and a variety of birdlife including Hornbills and Barred Eagle owls |
| Contact | Contact for RAE: Kennesh Manokaran onanix3@yahoo.com |
| Website | RAE: www.redapeencounters.com HUTAN: www.hutan.org.my |
| More info | More information and images |
Visit Colombia
Golden Poisoned Frog, Colombia. Photo © ProAves
| Partner | Fundacion ProAves |
|---|---|
| Reserve | EL Dorado, Las Tangaras, Cerulea, Paujil and Arrierto Reserves |
| Location | Reserves across Colombia |
| Facilities | Birding lodges available at the above named reserves. Teamed with Ecoturs, 100% of profits go to conservation |
| Activities | Birding and nature tours, volunteering, Amparo crafts |
| Wildlife | Variety of Colombian endemic birds and amphibians |
| Contact | info@ecoturs.org |
| Website | www.proaves.org |
| More info | More information and images |
Visit Ecuador
Great Green Macaw, Ecuador. Photo © Pro-Bosque
| Partner | Fundación Pro-Bosque |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Cerro Blanco Protected Forest |
| Location | Dry tropical forest on the outskirts of Guayaquil |
| Facilities | Camping (up to x30), eco lodge (sleeps 4) |
| Activities | Birding, canoeing, walking |
| Wildlife | Over 200 bird species, over 100 endemic plants, and over 50 mammals including the Jaguar |
| Contact | Tania Rios, fundacionprobosque@ymail.com, Tel. 593-86225077 or Eric at horstman.eric@gmail.com |
| Website | www.bosquecerroblanco.org |
| Blog | http://pro-forestfoundationorg.blogspot.com |
| More info | TBC |
Buenaventura Reserve, Ecuador. Photo © Nigel Simpson
| Partner | Fundación Jocotoco |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Buenaventura, Canandé, Jorupe, Tapichalaca |
| Location | Andean forest reserves across Ecuador |
| Facilities | Lodges at each reserve accommodate 10 - 12 people |
| Activities | Birding, walking |
| Wildlife | Over 800 birds, mammals include: Puma and Spectacled Bear |
| Contact | Paola Villalba at info@fjocotoco.org |
| Website | www.fjocotoco.org |
| More info | TBC |
Visit Guatemala
Kayaking the Green Cove in Laguna Grande-Sarstún Reserve. Photo © FUNDAECO
| Partner | FUNDAECO |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Laguna Grande-Sarstún Reserve |
| Location | Caribbean Guatemala, just south of the border with Belize |
| Facilities | Eco lodge and visitor centre run by the local communities |
| Activities | Kayaking in the unique system of lagoons, mangroves, inundated forests, walking trails in lowland and karstic mountain forests |
| Wildlife | Over 57 endemic sp. of plants, mammals include Neotropical otter, West Indian manatee, Howler monkeys and 5 sp. of big cat including the jaguar. Birds include the Harpy Eagle and Mangrove swallow |
| Contact | Marco Cerezo (General Director) at m.cerezo@fundaeco.org.gt |
| Website | www.fundaeco.org.gt |
| More info | TBC |
Visit Kenya
| Partner | Nature Kenya |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Kinangop grasslands |
| Website | www.naturekenya.org |
| More info | TBC |
Visit Mexico
Semi-desert, Sierra Gorda. Photo © Roberto Pedraza
| Partner | Groupo Ecologica Sierra Gorda (GESG) |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve (SGBR) |
| Location | Queretaro State - the reserve covers 946,000 acres (see location on Googlemap) |
| Facilities | An association of 8 ecotourism lodges outside the reserve operated by local communities. Range of options from camping to dorms to private rooms and cabins |
| Activities | Wildlife and cultural tours, school eco-camps |
| Wildlife | 15 vegetation types, over 330 bird species, over 130 mammal species |
| Contact | Margarita Pedraza at ecotours@sierragorda.net |
| Website | www.sierragorda.net |
| More info | TBC |
Visit Paraguay
Jaguar near the Three Giants Biological Station, Paraguay. Photo © Hugo del Castillo
| Partner | Guyra Paraguay |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Chaco/Pantanal Reserve |
| Location | San Rafael National Park, Paraguayan Pantanal, Asuncion Bay (see location on Googlemap) |
| Facilities | The Three Giants biological station (Pantanal) sleeps up to 12 people |
| Activities | Birding, canoeing, horse riding, fishing |
| Wildlife | Mammals include: Jaguar, Giant Otter. Asuncion bay is an Important Bird Area (IBA) |
| Contact | Rodrigo Zárate at rzarate@guyra.org.py |
| Website | www.guyra.org.py |
| More info | TBC |
Visit Patagonia
Guanaco on the beach, Estancia la Esperanza. Photo © FPN
| Partner | Fundacion Patagonia Natural (FPN) |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Estancia la Esperanza |
| Location | In the buffer zone of the Valdes Peninsula, it is not accessible by public transport (see location on Googlemap) |
| Website | www.patagonianatural.org |
| More info | TBC |
Visit the Philippines
Danjugan, marine camp volunteers.
| Partner | Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation (PRRCFI) |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Danjugan Island |
| Location | The island is located off the western coast of Negros within the Philippines (see location on map) |
| Facilities | Basic, accommodation for max 32 people, includes shared dorms and eco-cabanas |
| Activities | Scuba diving, kayaking, birding, guided forest treks, Marine and Wildlife camps for 13-17 yr olds |
| Wildlife | 7 habitat types, over 72 bird species, coral reef, 572 fish species, 2 species of marine turtle, dolphins and whales |
| Contact | Millie or Analyn at prrcfi@yahoo.com.ph |
| Website | www.prrcf.org |
| More info | TBC |
Visit Zambia
Safari with WECSZ at their Wildlife Camp in South Luangwa.
| Partner | Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia (WECSZ) |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Chembe Bird Sanctuary, Wildlife Camp |
| Location | The Chembe Bird Sanctuary is in the Copperbelt province, the Wildlife Camp in South Luangwa Valley |
| Facilities | Sanctuary: basic camping huts, Wildlife camp: 4 star accommodation |
| Activities | Sanctuary: bird-watching, fishing, forest trail walk around the lake. Wildlife camp: wildlife watching, small swimming pool, South Luangwa NP nearby |
| Wildlife | Sanctuary: Crocodiles, birds. Wildlife camp: Hippo, Elephant regularly within the wildlife camp grounds. Occasionally lion and leopard |
| Contact | Patrick Shawa at wecsz@coppernet.zm |
| Website | www.conservationzambia.org |
| More info | TBC |
Visit Kites Hill (UK)
Kites Hill Reserve, WLT's only UK reserve.
| Partner | World Land Trust |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Kites Hill Reserve |
| Location | Cotswolds, Gloucestershire (see location of Kites Hill on Googlemap) |
| Facilities | Education boards, nature trail, wildlife pond. Accommodation: None through WLT but plenty of B&B’s available in the Cotswold area/nearby such as Painswick & Upton St. Leonards |
| Activities | Walking, wildlife watching |
| Wildlife | SSSI, Ancient Beech woodland, oak, bluebell, wood warbler, stock dove, x6 sp. of bat, owl, marsh tit, song thrush, starling, Hairy dragonfly and Azure damselfly. Buzzards are easily seen and if you’re lucky a Red Kite! |
| Contact | World Land Trust |
Have you visited one of WLT's conservation projects?
Perhaps you have already visited a WLT projects site? We would love to hear about your experiences – please share them on our comments page.
Sir David Attenborough, WLT Patron
