|
Rewilding East Africa's Endangered Wildlife
Essential, Ethical Hidden Gems Whilst on Safari
| | |
Greetings from East Africa!
For many, an East African safari is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to discover sought-after wilderness locations and the magnificent wildlife that call them home. Each year, thousands of visitors flock to iconic destinations like the Maasai Mara, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and Volcanoes National Park.
While East Africa has made significant strides in protecting these ecosystems, wildlife still faces daily threats from drought, disease, poaching, injury, and human-wildlife conflict. Much of the crucial rescue and rehabilitation work happens behind the scenes. These destinations are active, ethical strongholds for conservation rather than traditional zoos.
We encourage our guests to include at least one sanctuary or conservancy visit on safari. It is exceptionally rewarding to meet the dedicated teams, understand how animals are prepared for rewilding, and support the preservation of Africa's natural heritage.
This month, we have curated a list of East Africa's most reputable wildlife sanctuaries, rescue centres, and cutting-edge field conservation initiatives. Alongside these encounters, we share exclusive trade offers, the latest reporting from our Stories and Insights section, and details of our upcoming travel trade familiarisation trips. This includes our exciting new Hideaways by Travulous luxury tented camps, where trade partners can experience our very first camp in the Maasai Mara ahead of future openings in Rwanda and Uganda. Get in touch if you are interested in joining a FAM trip or adding these rewarding conservation experiences to your next safari itinerary.
Via our local offices in Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya, we continuously monitor the World Health Organisation (WHO) and international bodies to remain completely up to date with the regional health situation. For your peace of mind, our regional health update table is included at the foot of this newsletter, confirming there are absolutely no cases of Ebola in Rwanda, Kenya, or Tanzania. Since the outbreak was declared in Uganda on 15 May, that country has only 9 strictly contained cases, all originating from individuals travelling across the border from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
| | WHO'S ON OUR WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES LIST? | | Be sure to watch the videos located in the centre column of our web version. Keep a lookout for the play button symbol placed over the images. | | Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund | | |
Location: Kinigi, Musanze District, Rwanda
Overview: Opened in 2022 near the borders of Volcanoes National Park, this world-class facility is a multi-acre, state-of-the-art ecological complex funded by Ellen DeGeneres and her partner Portia de Rossi to expand upon the historic work of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
The Mission: Operating as a cutting-edge research and educational hub rather than a captive animal facility, the campus is dedicated to the study and protection of wild mountain gorillas. It serves as a global example of how science and communities can unite, housing genetic laboratories, educational spaces, and extensive research archives designed to train the next generation of African conservationists.
Visitor Experience: Open daily to the public from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Visitors can explore immersive conservation galleries featuring an exact replica of Dian Fossey's original forest cabin, interactive virtual reality displays, and a 360-degree theatre. Exclusive behind-the-scenes VIP tours and evening science discussions on the elevated viewing decks can also be pre-booked for travel trade clients.
| | |
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Overview: Founded in 1979 by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (A.F.E.W.), the Giraffe Centre opened its dedicated educational facility in 1983 on a 24.3-hectare (60-acre) plot of protected land.
The Mission: Far from being a zoo, this sanctuary serves as a critical breeding and conservation centre for the endangered Rothschild’s Giraffe, with the ultimate goal of releasing offspring back into safe, wild national parks. The centre's main purpose is to educate local school children and youth about Kenya's environment, while enabling international visitors to learn about the world’s tallest species.
Visitor Experience: Open daily to the public from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, including weekends. Visitors have the opportunity to safely interact with and feed the giraffes from a raised platform, attend an informative lecture on giraffe ecology, and enjoy a peaceful walk through the adjacent nature trail.
| | |
Location: Musanze (Rwanda) and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Uganda)
Overview: Known officially as the Gorilla Doctors, this elite international team of veterinarians is dedicated to providing life-saving medical care to wild mountain and Grauer's (eastern lowland) gorillas across Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The Mission: This organisation is a specialised field veterinary force rather than a captive sanctuary. Adhering to a strict "One Health" philosophy, their veterinary team monitors wild gorilla groups daily to treat human-induced illnesses, heal trauma from poachers' snares, and counter life-threatening disease outbreaks, ensuring that every intervention is conducted directly inside the natural rainforest ecosystem.
Visitor Experience: While the veterinarians do not host public exhibitions, exclusive private experiences can be pre-booked for luxury travel clients. These include private tours of the regional diagnostic laboratory in Musanze, private evening presentations with a field vet at premium safari lodges, or the ultimate opportunity to have a Gorilla Doctor join guests on their gorilla trekking expedition to provide unprecedented field insights. All experiences operate strictly on a donor-honorarium basis.
| | Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage | | |
Location: Nanyuki, Kenya
Overview: Located within the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy at the foot of Kenya’s highest mountain, this sanctuary was established in the late 1960s and has grown into one of the country's most vital rescue facilities.
The Mission: Operating strictly as a non-profit rehabilitation facility, the orphanage provides a temporary haven for orphaned, injured, or traumatised wild animals. It plays a world-renowned role in the survival of the critically endangered Mountain Bongo, running a highly successful breeding and rewilding program to release these rare antelopes back into the Mount Kenya forest ecosystem. The overarching goal is the medical treatment and successful rehabilitation of all intake animals so they can return to the wild.
Visitor Experience: Open daily to the public. Visitors can take educational guided tours to observe a diverse range of rescued residents, including cheetahs, leopards, various primates, and the rare Mountain Bongo. Knowledgeable guides explain the individual rescue stories and the veterinary conservation work being carried out to ensure the species' survival.
| | Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary | | |
Location: Lake Victoria, Uganda
Overview: Managed by the Chimpanzee Trust, which was launched in Uganda in 1998, this island sanctuary is surrounded by the waters of Lake Victoria and is supported by founding trustees including the Born Free Foundation and the Jane Goodall Institute.
The Mission: Unlike a traditional animal exhibit, Ngamba Island provides a large-scale, semi-wild home to 52 chimpanzees rescued from the illegal pet and bushmeat trades, who unfortunately lack the survival skills to return immediately to fully wild habitats. The sanctuary consists of 38 hectares (95 acres) of primary natural forest where the chimpanzees roam freely, forage, and live in natural social groups.
Visitor Experience: Open daily to visitors. Guests are permitted to observe the chimpanzees during their supplemental feedings from a raised viewing platform. The primates retain complete freedom to stay out in the forest overnight or return to secure night-time enclosures where they build their nests.
| | |
Location: Laikipia Plateau, Kenya
Overview: Founded in 1980 as Kenya's second private rhino conservancy, Ol Jogi established its wildlife rescue centre in 1986, followed by a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic in 1995. In 2014, the secure rhino sanctuary was expanded to cover the entire property.
The Mission: Spanning a massive 23,472 hectares (58,000 acres) of open wilderness, Ol Jogi is an expansive habitat for indigenous and critically endangered species. Its specialised wildlife rescue centre and hospital look after injured, orphaned, or displaced animals brought in from across the region, nursing them back to health with the explicit intent of rewilding them.
Visitor Experience: Visitors can enjoy exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences, including visits to the rhino orphanage, an advanced veterinary clinic and research centre, and a unique wildlife viewing tunnel, alongside engaging with Ol Jogi's impactful local primary school and community projects.
| | |
Location: Laikipia County, Kenya
Overview: Purchased in 2003 by Fauna & Flora International with the support of a generous benefactor, the historic ranch is 100% owned by the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, operating strictly as a not-for-profit conservation organisation.
The Mission: Encompassing 36,422 hectares (90,000 acres) of untamed savanna, Ol Pejeta is East Africa's largest black rhino sanctuary and a global conservation icon, famously home to the world's last remaining northern white rhinos. It also hosts the dedicated Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, a large, natural habitat that rehabilitates primates rescued from international black markets.
Visitor Experience: A wealth of immersive activities have been developed for visitors to learn about their field conservation work. These include lion tracking alongside researchers, visiting the endangered species enclosure to see the northern white rhinos, embarking on "Ride the Wild" cycling safaris, and taking behind-the-scenes guided walks at the chimpanzee sanctuary.
| | Reteti Elephant Sanctuary | | |
Location: Samburu County, Northern Kenya
Overview: Opened in 2016, Reteti is a groundbreaking, globally acclaimed, community-led conservation partnership between the Samburu County Government, Kenya Wildlife Service, Tusk Trust, and Save the Elephants.
The Mission: Reteti is proudly Africa's first community-owned and community-run elephant sanctuary. It operates entirely as a rescue and rehabilitation facility for young, orphaned, and abandoned elephant calves found within the surrounding northern rangelands. The single focus of the keepers is to nurture these calves until they are strong enough to be successfully integrated back into the wild herds.
Visitor Experience: Open seven days a week, Reteti offers dedicated daily visiting slots that coincide perfectly with the calves' feeding times. Visitors are introduced to the herd from a safe viewing platform, can learn about the complex process of milk preparation, and can speak directly with the Samburu keepers about their dedicated caregiving roles.
| | Rubondo Chimpanzee Habituation | | |
Location: Rubondo Island, Lake Victoria, Tanzania
Overview: Rubondo Island originally became a sanctuary in the 1960s when elephants, giraffes, and chimpanzees were relocated here in a visionary project with the Frankfurt Zoological Society. The targeted Chimpanzee Habituation Program was expanded in 2016.
The Mission: This is a wild, fully functioning island national park, not a captive facility. The original population of 16 rescued zoo chimpanzees has successfully thrived and grown to over 60 individuals living entirely wild in the jungle. The habituation process is carefully managed to allow researchers, and occasionally visitors, to track them without disrupting their natural behaviours.
Visitor Experience: Contingent on weather conditions, tracking is open to visitors staying at the island's luxury lodge throughout the year. Visitors have been highly successful in observing the chimpanzees within a close, respectful proximity of about 10 to 15 metres (33 to 50 feet), with most wild sightings lasting 30 minutes or more.
| | |
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Overview: Situated on the edge of Nairobi National Park, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) was established in 1977 by Dr Dame Daphne Sheldrick DBE, in memory of her late husband, David Sheldrick MBE, the founding Warden of Tsavo East National Park.
The Mission: As one of the continent's oldest and most prestigious wildlife charities, SWT is globally renowned for its Orphans' Project. It is a strictly controlled rehabilitation centre specialising in the rescue, hand-rearing, and gradual rewilding of orphaned milk-dependent elephants and rhinos, returning them over several years to the vast wilderness of Tsavo.
Visitor Experience: SWT hosts a single, strictly managed public visiting hour every day from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. During this time, visitors stand behind a secure cordoned area to watch the orphans enjoy their midday mud bath and milk bottles whilst hearing their rescue stories. Only dedicated keepers are allowed direct contact with the animals.
| | Ziwa Rhino & Wildlife Ranch | | |
Location: Nakasongola District, Uganda
Overview: Originally established as a cattle ranch in 1983, the property was transformed into the Ziwa Rhino & Wildlife Ranch in 2005. The project is a highly successful collaborative effort between the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the Ziwa ranch management.
The Mission: This secure, expansive 7,000-hectare (17,300-acre) sanctuary was created to reintroduce rhinos back into Uganda following their regional extinction in the early 1980s. Far from a captive environment, the rhinos roam freely across wild woodlands and savannahs under 24-hour guard. The long-term objective of the breeding program is to eventually release these magnificent animals back into Uganda's primary national parks.
Visitor Experience: Open daily to visitors. The sanctuary offers the unique thrill of tracking rhinos on foot with an experienced ranger, providing exceptional opportunities for safe, close-range photography. Guests can also enjoy guided nature walks, birdwatching safaris to spot the rare Shoebill stork, and night walks to view nocturnal wildlife.
| | STORIES AND INSIGHTS FROM THE FIELD | | |
We regularly pull back the curtain on our Stories and Insights digital hub to share in-depth reporting, expert destination advice, and rich historical context, equipping you with the insider expertise needed to prepare your clients for the journey of a lifetime.
Here are our three most recent features that you can explore right now:
-
The Methods Protecting Mountain Gorillas
Once near extinction, the global mountain gorilla population now exceeds 1,000 individuals. This post highlights the multi-layered strategy driving this success story, showcasing how eco-tourism, anti-poaching patrols, and field veterinarians work alongside new technology to secure their wild future.
-
A Groundbreaking Digital Blueprint for Conservation
Showcasing a spectacular view over the picturesque Virunga Massif, this post explores how the economic framework of luxury travel supports nature. The piece delves into a groundbreaking pilot highlighted by the World Economic Forum, which gives mountain gorillas digital identities.
-
Standing Close to a Silverback Mountain Gorilla
Sharing exclusive field footage captured whilst tour leading a recent trek, Richard, our co-founder, showcases the breathtaking experience of what it is truly like to stand close to a majestic silverback, offering a highly realistic look at a typical day spent exploring deep inside the dense African rainforest.
Explore our full library of articles on our dedicated Stories and Insights page.
| | |
Low Season Gorilla Permit
Enquire for a fantastic discount of 30% on mountain gorilla tracking permits in Rwanda, reducing the international permit cost from $1,500pp to $1,050pp.*
| |  | |
Special Safari Offers
Check out our newly updated agent portal section, which lists exclusive room upgrades, honeymoon packages, extended stay discounts, and last-minute offers.
| | | |
Exclusive Circuit Discounts
Get in touch with our dedicated team to find out if there are any special circuit discounts available when combining our luxury properties for your specific chosen travel dates.
| | | *NOTE: These discounted rates are conditional on staying a minimum of 2 nights at either Akagera National Park and/or Nyungwe National Park, plus park fees and at least one paid park activity, valid during the low season months of November to May. | | FAMILIARISATION TRIPS FOR THE TRAVEL TRADE | | There is no doubt that Mountain Gorillas and the Big Five remain the definitive highlights of our safaris, so why not experience these wonders for yourself? We are thrilled to offer exclusive Familiarisation Trips for our Travel Trade partners to visit Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya: |
| |
Rwanda
This exclusive itinerary showcases Rwanda’s remarkable ecological diversity by combining the dramatic landscapes of Akagera and Volcanoes National Park. Travel trade partners will explore the triumphant return of the Big Five to Akagera's sweeping savannahs before tracing the historic conservation footprints of Dian Fossey in the Virunga Massif. Site inspections will feature luxury properties across Kigali, Akagera, and Volcanoes National Park, carefully selected to showcase the finest in local Rwandan hospitality.
| | | |
Uganda
The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park segment of this exclusive itinerary will be hosted by Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka. Continuing the profound conservation legacy here, she has become one of the world's leading scientists working to save mountain gorillas, and is the celebrated founder and CEO of Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), providing invaluable insights into their groundbreaking One Health program. Site inspections will feature luxury properties across Entebbe, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park.
| | | |
Kenya
The Maasai Mara National Reserve segment of this exclusive itinerary will focus on the spectacular Hideaways by Travulous accommodation. Travel trade partners will have the unique opportunity to experience our luxury tented camp in the Maasai Mara, offering an intimate look at our signature style of ethical, low-impact field operations. This immersive residency serves as the dedicated base for experiencing the reserve's world-class wildlife, pristine wilderness habitats, untouched ecosystems, and dramatic landscapes that define East Africa.
| | | View all FAM Trip Itineraries: | | REGIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE | | To assist our travel trade partners and guests with their itinerary planning, we closely monitor regional public health developments. Below is the official status regarding the active Ebola disease outbreak for our primary travel destinations: | | |
Anglican Business Centre,
KK 18 Avenue,
Giporoso,
Kigali,
Rwanda
+250 786 415 499
(Wholly Owned & Operated)
| | |
2nd & 6th Floor,
Arie Towers,
Mackinnon Road
Kampala,
Uganda
+256 742 037 702
(Wholly Owned & Operated)
| | |
3rd Floor,
Westside Towers,
Westlands
Nairobi,
Kenya
+254 20 3893850
(Representative Office)
| | | | |
