White Desert National Park Conservation – Egypt
As one of the first members of the White Desert Conservation Association, a non-profit that supports the conservation of the national park, we have been active in promoting best practices in managing the park and in creating environmental awareness among the locals and tourists alike. Here is one example of our efforts in the area. While almost all visitors of this surreal and lunar desert landscape would use 4x4s to discover the area, leaving tracks that could stay for decades in the area, disturbing wildlife and destroying flora, we decided instead to ask our local partners to provide camels for the treks. A much more sustainable mode of transport and a far better way to disconnect from our frenzy modern lifes and to reconnect with nature. Our travelers were also willing to pay more for such unique experiences. This decision led our local partners to promote camel tours in the area, beyond our own expeditions, which in turn transformed the offering of the industry to a more sustainable one.