How Well-Designed Ecotourism Helps Save Mountain Gorillas

Safari travelers who come to Rwanda to see mountain gorillas typically arrive at a lodge, trek into the rain forest with guides and trackers, and revel in a face-to-face encounter with some of the world’s most endangered primates. But few have any idea how carefully their experience has been constructed to create an entire ecotourism “circuit” that helps protect the gorillas. In this webinar, Simon Stobbs and Craig Glaathaar reveal the extensive behind-the-scenes planning that goes into your encounter, including why a lodge is located in a given area and the work that goes into developing a gorilla safari base – from starting with a particular purpose to acquiring land to designing the lodge, employing local people, and partnering with adjacent communities. Join us for an in-depth look at how an ecotourism circuit evolves, and how it benefits both conservation and communities.


Originally presented September 25, 2020

Traveler Resources