Natural Exposure Photography & Safaris

COMMENT: Firearm Control Amendment South Africans will not be able to apply for a gun licence on the basis that they need a firearm for self-defence, under a legislative proposal formally revived on Friday.

When we started the project on the 28th of April 2020 we could never have imagined in our wildest dreams that at the end of the campaign we would be able to say we raised 882'092 South African Rand!

Thank you to all our donors, supporters, walkers and runners. It would have been impossible without you all!

And thank you Hlokomela for helping us to make our vision come true!

Trophy Hunting: Shameless Lies and Myths Exposed What you've heard about trophy hunting is probably wrong. If you care about protecting endangered species, then you need to learn the truth about trophy

The establishment of Africa Trails Co. has been a natural progression and international extension of Lowveld Trails Co. Founded in 2016 Lowveld Trails Co. initiated a revival of holistic nature based experiences through industry-leading Primitive Trails, Trails Guide Training, Mentorship and Assessments. Based on the company's Primitive Wilderness Trail experience, they collaborated with the development of an alternative tourism model for Akagera National Park, Rwanda. This exciting process resulted in the establishment of ‘Trail de Akagera’ - a multi-day Primitive Wilderness Trail.

Akagera National Park is central Africa's largest protected wetland and the last refuge for all savannah-adapted species in Rwanda. The Park also represents a story of rebirth and resilience. Since African Parks assumed management of Akagera, in partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), they have achieved great conservation and tourism success. This includes essentially halting poaching activity, re-introducing Eastern Black Rhino and Lion populations as well as growing tourism to the point where the Park is currently 80% self-sustaining.

During 2019, Akagera National Park re-introduced another iconic African mammal into it's natural habitat - Homo sapiens. For nearly the entire history of the species (~200 000 years), humans have lived as foragers in savanna ecosystems. Due to a series of developments (including an agricultural and industrial revolution) they began to fundamentally change their relationship with nature. They have placed themselves outside of nature and above all else. This disconnect manifests in their ecologically destructive behaviour and now gravely threatens conditions for life. Akagera National Park and Africa Trails Co. has taken on the ambitious task of re-introducing Homo sapiens to their natural habitat. This in an attempt to cultivate an ecological, social and spiritual re-connection for the benefit of all wild spaces. The re-introduction will be ongoing through a process known as 'Trail de Akagera'. Programme participants have been dubbed the 'Hunter-Gatherers of the 21st century' as they return to their natural habitat to hunt for meaning and gather values.

Primitive Trails provide an alternative and completely immersive experience in this wild landscape. It's a shift away from the spectatorship of a traditional safaris and encourages participation in nature. It represents a sustainable tourism model as no additional infrastructure is required and the seasonal activity provides the environment enough time to recover (from a negligible impact) before the commencement of the next trail season.
Primitive Trails provide much needed economic justification for wild (undeveloped) space and could be incorporated into wilderness zoning and wilderness management plans in the future. Furthermore, the multi-day Primitive Trail will contribute towards increasing the current average stay per visitor to Akagera National Park. It is exciting to consider that this Primitive Trail, which meanders across an exceptionally diverse savannah system with it's iconic mammal species, will contribute towards a self-sustaining Akagera National Park. Rwanda's latest adventure travel destination.

Trail de Akagera offers a purposeful exploration into the meaning of wildness. Africa Trails Co. focus on needs and not wants, paring things down to their most essential so participants can have an undistracted grounding experience in a wild place. In this way we can cultivate an appreciation for simplicity, silence, solitude and the opportunity for reflection that this brings.

Rediscover your Wild Nature.

A fantastic way to reconnect on so many levels.