South African-based safari operator Go2Africa recently entered into a partnership with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, which opened its new educational Ellen Campus in Rwanda to the public in February.
Aimed at providing a more immersive experience for their travelers, while raising funds for the nonprofit, Go2Africa has developed four experiences that will take travelers on a deeper and richer gorilla-trekking journey. The four options can be booked in conjunction with any of Go2Africa’s gorilla-trekking tours in Rwanda.
• Behind the Scenes Campus Tour: Guests are taken on a two-hour guided tour of the new campus with a Fossey Fund researcher, with behind-the-scenes access to the new purpose-built scientific labs and centers.
• Gorilla Trek with Fossey Fund Researcher: A Fossey Fund researcher joins guests on their gorilla trek, providing valuable knowledge and insights on the mountain gorillas and the organization’s conservation work. There is a $500 minimum donation per group plus a $1,500 gorilla trekking fee for the experience.
• Private Gorilla Conservation Master Class: A great way to start or end a day of gorilla trekking, the Fossey Fund will meet up with travelers at lodges in the campus vicinity for a two-hour master class in gorilla conservation, answering questions and sharing some of their favorite trekking stories. The Fossey Fund wants visitors to not only learn but be inspired and engage with conservation, which these conversations will facilitate. A minimum donation of $500 per group is charged.
• Scientific Campus Immersion: Guests dive into the latest Fossey Fund research with a half-day experience at the newly designed Price Research Center on campus. They can choose from a number of active projects, such as assisting in the genetics or physiology labs with sample preparation, processing data to aid in the fund’s long-term gorilla growth study or conducting biodiversity assessments on campus. Minimum donation is $1,000 per group, with a maximum group size of four people.
Visit the Go2Africa site to learn more.
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